The BOR node was moved into its new home on September 28, 2011. It transmits and receives from 170 feet, on a tower one mile west of Buena Vista.
The BFD node was also relocated on September 28. It is now operating from a tower located just east of the Borger City Hall:
STN was returned to the air 9-28, and now operates with its antenna located on top of the Stinnett water tower:
The antenna is at 180 feet-to-tip, and equipment is located in the little metal building:
Unlike BOR and BFD (both of which use KPC3+ TNCs), the STN node uses a MFJ TNC.
BOR, BFD and STN all use Motorola MaraTrac 80-watt transceivers. Complete construction plans for the above Cardboard Thermo-Electro Shock Absorption Mounting Pad ARE available!
Above are three of the four hams who spent parts of 9/27 and 9/28 working on the Hutchinson County nodes. Left to right: Mike, KE5CJ; Danny, W5WDR (also Hutchinson County Emergency Management Coordinator); and Mark, W5EBS. Gene, WA5ETK, took the photos on 9-28.
BOR, BFD, and STN, along with FRITCH (operated by KE5CJ) will provide secure communications to and from the Hutchinson County Emergency Operations Center:
The four Hutchinson County nodes can also pass traffic to and from Dumas, Dalhart, Canadian, Amarillo, Plainview, Lubbock (and south), Pampa, Canyon; and also out on and in from 7086.53 USB on 40-meters-- via the AMAETK Gateway in Amarillo.
This center has solid-state real-time Doppler Radar (from its radar dome in Stinnett). All city and county frequencies are available, along with its own 145.01 PACKET station, BOREOC; plus 2-meter and 70cm voice amateur radio communications. It also controls Borger Cable TV Channel 11. The EOC operators can key in news bulletin scrolls, and they are in the process of a remodel on their TV studio. You can also stream the programming from Borger EOC Channel 11.
There is an Audio Feed that can offer EOC, law enforcement, fire department or weather information-- selected by the control center operators. (Click on the little speaker icon under "Listen".) - Two Peet Brothers Weather Stations are on order; they will output weather data on APRS.
Thanks for visiting!
