DELSTAR WEST Digital Repeater System - W3AEC

Delaware County ARES-RACES' second D-STAR repeater system became operational May 14, 2010 from high atop the Fair Acres Building in Lima. The repeater system was furnished by the Pennsylvania Southeastern Counter-terrorism Task Force and is designed to cover the western part of Delaware County and adjacent areas. Initial testing reveals a very large RF footprint that will make the repeater system a significant asset for emergency communications via Amateur Radio. Designated DELSTAR WEST, the repeater system uses the call sign W3AEC.

The D-STAR repeater system consists of an Icom ID-RP4000V 70cm digital voice (DV) repeater on 440.05625 Mhz, an Icom ID-RP2V 23cm digital voice (DV) repeater on 1255.5500 Mhz and an Icom ID-RP2D 23cm digital data (DD) repeater on 1299.9 Mhz. An ID-RP2C controller interconnects the repeaters and will soon be linked to the internet as a gateway station. Antennas for the system include a Celwave omni with 10.1 dB gain on 440 and a Comet omni with 14 dB gain on 1.2G. The repeater site is 336 feet AMSL (Above Mean Sea Level) with antenna center of radiation located 282 feet HAAT (Height Above Average Terrain). Power output on 440 is 25 Watts with an ERP of 203 Watts. On 1.2G, power output is 10 Watts with an ERP of 166 Watts.


Channel Name

On Air Name

Receive

Transmit

Off Freq

Off Dir

Mode
DD DW W3AEC LIMA Delstar Whiskey 440.05625 445.05625 5 + Plus DV


Images of W3AEC

Located atop the 14-story Fair Acres Building in Lima, W3AEC occupies a commanding position in Delaware County.  The equipment cabinet houses the three repeater modules, controller, duplexers, triplexers, preamplifier, band-pass filters, power supply and backup battery system. Antennas include a Celwave PD-1151 on 70cm (shown on left in photo) and a Comet GP-21 on 23cm.

Delstar West Repeater Technical Details

Call sign:  W3AEC

Location:  Fair Acres Building

Municipality:  Middletown Township, Pennsylvania (Lima)

Coordinates:  N 39 55'70", W 75 26'32"

Ground Elevation:  336 feet AMSL

Center of Radiation:  532 feet AMSL, 282 feet HAAT

Antenna Pattern:  Omnidirectional

Antenna Gain (23cm):  14.00 dBi

Antenna Gain (70cm):  10.10 dBi

Transmitter Power (23cm): 10 Watts TPO / 166 Watts EIRP

Transmitter Power (70m):  25 Watts TPO / 203 Watts EIRP


PORT A Frequency:  1255.5500 Mhz (+ 12 Mhz)  DV and data @ 4.8kbps

PORT B Frequency:  440.05625 Mhz (+ 5 Mhz)  DV and data @ 4.8kbps

DD Frequency:  1299.9 Mhz  data @ 128kbps

Gateway Status:  N/A (planned for Summer 2013)                                                                                        Bob Famiglio, K3RF, inspects installation of W3AEC D-Star Repeater


Equipment:    Icom ID-RP2V 23cm DV Repeater (PORT A)                                    

                          Icom ID-RP4000V 70cm DV Repeater (PORT B)

                          Icom ID-RP2D 23cm DD Repeater

                          Icom ID-RP2C Controller

                          TX-RX Systems 1.2G triplexer

                          TX-RX Systems UHF duplexer

                          TX-RX Systems UHF dual bandpass filter

                           Broadcast Sciences UHF isolater / preamplifier

                           Astron rack-mounted DC power supply

                           Powersonic 12V 100 AH AGM battery

                           West Mountain PG40S DC charger and power distribution panel

                           Polyphaser PLDO-120US 15A surge arrestor

Antennas:       23cm:  NGC / Comet GP-21 Omni (14 dBi gain)                                                                                                        440 Mhz Band-pass Filters

                          70cm:  RFS Celwave PD-1151 Omni (10.1 dBi gain)