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Status

Operational + Building

Callsign

KM7GHS

Primary area

Goodyear, Arizona

Last updated

July 2026

Contents

Purpose and operator

Ham radio is part communications tool, part technical laboratory, and part community.

This project documents how the station is actually used: local repeaters, simplex, APRS, digital voice, Internet-linked systems, vehicle operation, field deployments, experimentation, and emergency-preparedness support.

The objective is not to collect every mode. It is to build several useful communication paths, understand their dependencies, operate them competently, and know what remains available when one path fails.

  • Operator: Eric Howell
  • Callsign: KM7GHS
  • Publishing identity: Grey Operator
  • License: Technician
  • Operating area: Arizona, primarily the Phoenix West Valley
  • Club participation: West Valley Amateur Radio Club, including daily repeater use and participation in repeater documentation, maintenance, and resiliency work
  • Interests: VHF/UHF, mobile and field communications, APRS, System Fusion, DMR, AllStar, EchoLink, antennas, digital tools, and resilient communication systems

Current station

Handhelds

Primary: Yaesu FT5DR

  • VHF/UHF analog
  • System Fusion / C4FM
  • APRS position, status, and messaging
  • Portable repeater and simplex operation
  • ADMS-14 programming workflow

Backup: BAOFENG AR-5RM

  • Analog VHF/UHF backup handheld
  • Programmed from Ubuntu 26.04 LTS with CHIRP 20260410
  • Retained for station backup and family emergency communications when legally permitted

Mobile

Yaesu FTM-510DR w/ASP

  • Installed in a 2024 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe
  • VHF/UHF analog and System Fusion
  • APRS and stored-message workflow
  • Remote control head and mobile operating position
  • ADMS-18 programming workflow

Linked systems

  • Pi-Star 4.1.13 private UHF simplex hotspot
  • YSF reflector access from the FT5DR in C4FM/DN
  • YSF2DMR bridge to BrandMeister talkgroups
  • BrandMeister Arizona TG 3104 through Pi-Star and the FT5DR
  • NY7S through AllStar Node 63916 and EchoLink Node 598882 / NY7S-R
  • W7JHQ through 449.8 MHz RF and WIRES-X Room 81854
  • EchoLink mobile access
  • AllStar node and DVSwitch experimentation

Computing and logging

  • Ham Shack workstation running Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
  • CHIRP 20260410 programming workflow for the BAOFENG AR-5RM
  • QRZ contact logging and radio-programming backups
  • Linux-based radio tools and experiments
  • C64 QSO logger and digital QSL project

How the systems fit together

System Primary use Important dependency
VHF/UHF simplex Nearby direct communication Terrain, antenna, power, and another station in range
Local repeaters Regional communication, club activity, nets, and emergency coordination Repeater RF coverage, antennas, site power, controller hardware, and any linked-network services being used
APRS Position, status, telemetry, and short messages Digipeater or gateway coverage
Native System Fusion / WIRES-X Yaesu digital voice through compatible repeaters, nodes, and rooms Compatible Yaesu node and the WIRES-X network
Pi-Star YSF reflectors FT5DR C4FM/DN access to YSF reflectors through a private hotspot Hotspot RF path, Internet, YSFGateway, and a valid reflector
Pi-Star YSF2DMR / BrandMeister FT5DR access to DMR talkgroups without a native DMR radio Hotspot, Internet, DMR ID, hotspot credentials, and correct bridge configuration
EchoLink Phone or computer access to participating stations and repeaters Internet and a participating node
AllStar Linked analog nodes and repeaters Node configuration, Internet, and audio path
Meshtastic Separate low-power text and telemetry mesh Compatible LoRa nodes and coverage

No single system is the answer. Resilience comes from knowing which paths share dependencies and which remain independent.

WVARC club repeaters and participation

We are becoming an active member of the West Valley Amateur Radio Club, and the club repeaters are now part of both the daily operating plan and the emergency communications plan.

These systems provide local RF coverage, club activity, net access, and several Internet-linked paths. They are useful precisely because they are not all the same path. Direct RF, AllStar, EchoLink, WIRES-X, and the separate Pi-Star-to-DMR path each have different dependencies and failure points.

DEL WEBB — NY7S

  • Output: 147.300 MHz
  • Offset: +600 kHz
  • Tone: PL 162.2 Hz
  • Mode: FM
  • AllStar: Node 63916
  • EchoLink: Node 598882 / NY7S-R

NY7S is the primary WVARC repeater path in this plan. At home, we typically monitor it through AllStar Node 63916. When RF coverage is available, it can also be reached directly from the FT5DR or the FTM-510DR.

BOSWELL — W7JHQ

  • Output: 449.800 MHz
  • Offset: -5 MHz
  • Tone: PL 100.0 Hz
  • Modes: System Fusion and FM
  • WIRES-X: Room 81854

W7JHQ provides another local RF path and the club’s WIRES-X connection. The Del Webb site supports the WIRES-X link equipment used to bridge the Boswell repeater into the network.

Normal monitoring baseline

  • Primary local club path: NY7S through AllStar Node 63916.
  • Alternate statewide digital path: BrandMeister DMR TG 3104 through Pi-Star YSF2DMR and the Yaesu FT5DR.
  • Direct RF when in range: NY7S on 147.300 MHz and W7JHQ on 449.800 MHz using the programmed repeater memories.
  • Fallbacks: EchoLink, WIRES-X, local simplex, and mobile operation, depending on what infrastructure remains available.

DMR TG 3104 is not an access path into either WVARC repeater. It is a separate Arizona-wide communication path that complements the club repeaters and gives the station another way to remain reachable.

Repeater infrastructure and resiliency work

The July 2026 NY7S site visit established a new maintenance and infrastructure workstream within this project. The objective is not simply to add equipment. It is to make the repeater site easier to understand, safer to service, and more likely to recover cleanly after a power, network, computer, or interface failure.

  • Inventory the repeater, controller, cavity duplexers, linking radios, computers, network equipment, power supplies, PoE equipment, and cabling.
  • Create a rack elevation, signal-flow diagram, network diagram, power-distribution map, controller-port map, and recovery documentation.
  • Evaluate replacement of the current AllStar Raspberry Pi with a securely mounted Raspberry Pi 5 or a Dell micro computer.
  • Secure loose equipment and add strain relief so routine service cannot pull directly on USB, Ethernet, power, RF, or controller connections.
  • Dress the rack by function where practical and label both ends of every cable.
  • Evaluate site-approved UPS protection for the computer, network, PoE, and Internet-linked control equipment.
  • Test automatic recovery after commercial-power loss, Internet loss, USB reconnection, software failure, and an unexpected reboot.
  • Maintain off-site configuration backups and a tested spare-node or replacement-computer plan.
  • Add remote monitoring for node availability, network reachability, UPS status, and temperature where practical.

Emergency reliability is created before the emergency. The maintenance work is now part of the Ham Radio plan because the club repeaters are part of the communications system we expect to use.

Tested Pi-Star operating baseline

  • Hardware: Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W with STM32-DVM / MMDVM_HS Raspberry Pi Hat.
  • Software: Pi-Star 4.1.13; modem firmware HS_Hat v1.5.2.
  • Local RF: FT5DR on 440.950000 MHz simplex, DN fixed, LOW1 power, and DG-ID TX 00 / RX 00.
  • YSF: Pi-Star decoded the FT5DR and completed a usable parrot-reflector round trip.
  • YSF2DMR: FT5DR → Pi-Star → YSF2DMR → BrandMeister completed the station’s first confirmed QSO on TG 93 North America.
  • Routine Arizona monitoring: BrandMeister TG 3104 is used as an alternate statewide path alongside NY7S monitoring through AllStar.
  • YSF/DMR switching: Select YSF00002 - Link YSF2DMR as the startup host for BrandMeister, or select a normal YSF reflector to return to YSF. YSF2DMR may remain enabled.
  • Default destination control: The Pi-Star web configuration is the dependable way to set the default reflector or DMR talkgroup.
  • FT5DR talkgroup entry: Use five-digit, zero-padded IDs such as 00091, not 91.
  • FT5DR disconnect: Hold BAND to disconnect a temporary YSF2DMR destination and return to the Pi-Star default.
  • Known limitation: FT5DR Search & Direct changes are version-dependent and must be verified on the dashboard.

Operating practice

The operating baseline is simple: listen, identify, add enough context to make the call answerable, ask one specific question, leave room for another station, and close cleanly.

Call sign + operating context + one answerable question + room for someone else.

Starting a contact

  • Listen long enough to confirm the repeater, room, reflector, or talkgroup is clear.
  • Identify clearly and say where or how the station is operating.
  • Use a specific invitation or question instead of repeatedly asking whether anyone is present.
  • When a station answers, keep the introduction short and pass the conversation back with one question.
  • Leave space for priority traffic and stations wishing to join.

Linked digital systems

  • Confirm the active destination on the radio or Pi-Star dashboard.
  • Pause briefly after PTT so the network path can establish, then leave a gap between transmissions.
  • Keep wide-area calling concise and move longer conversations to an appropriate smaller destination.
  • Announce WIRES-X room changes on shared repeaters and restore the normal destination when local practice requires it.
  • Hold BAND after a temporary YSF2DMR talkgroup to return to the configured default.

Roundtables and nets

  • Use an informal roundtable when several stations need only a speaking order and clear handoffs.
  • A recurring net does not require separate FCC approval, but it should be coordinated with the repeater owner, club, room administrator, or talkgroup manager.
  • Publish the schedule, access path, topic, check-in format, and expected duration.
  • Use consistent opening and closing language so everyone knows when the channel is directed and when it has returned to normal use.

Field and mobile use

  • Use plain language and keep mobile calls brief.
  • Program common destinations before driving; pull over for menu work or troubleshooting.
  • Record times, locations, requests, and message status during organized operations.
  • Confirm the operating frequency and backup path before deployment.
  • Carry printed information when the phone becomes an expensive rectangle.

Read the complete operating guide: Getting on the Air: Etiquette, Conversation Scripts, and Informal Nets

Active work and known problems

Work item Status Current objective
Jeep mobile station Testing Eliminate 2-meter vehicle noise and complete proper battery-fed power.
FTM-510DR programming Operational + refining Standardize memories, APRS messages, quick functions, and backups.
Pi-Star hotspot Operational + refining Save known-good backups, calibrate RXOffset/TXOffset, and retest FT5DR direct-ID control after updates.
AllStar node Testing Stabilize audio quality, mobile access, and connection procedures.
WVARC repeater infrastructure Participating + planning Document NY7S and W7JHQ access, support the NY7S AllStar replacement, and improve rack documentation, power protection, cable management, monitoring, and recovery testing.
Portable field kit Planning Define a compact kit for travel, camping, and communications exercises.
Meshtastic / StrangerGrid Building Develop West Valley text and telemetry coverage.

Known problems

  • The Jeep mobile station has significant electrical noise on 2 meters.
  • The current accessory-outlet power arrangement is temporary.
  • The mobile antenna installation and common-mode behavior need more testing.
  • The personal AllStar audio path is not yet considered dependable.
  • FT5DR direct-ID selection through Pi-Star is version-dependent.
  • Pi-Star audio quality still needs RXOffset/TXOffset calibration.
  • Radio programming, backups, reference sheets, and field procedures need consolidation.
  • The NY7S control and network equipment needs better mounting, strain relief, labeling, cable management, and service documentation.
  • The NY7S AllStar and Internet-linked systems need tested backup, power-transition, and automatic-recovery procedures.

Next actions

  1. Complete the direct-to-battery mobile power installation.
  2. Isolate the Jeep’s 2-meter noise source.
  3. Document the final FTM-510DR memory and APRS configuration.
  4. Save known-good Pi-Star YSF and YSF2DMR backups.
  5. Calibrate Pi-Star RXOffset and TXOffset.
  6. Retest FT5DR reflector and talkgroup direct-entry control after updates.
  7. Create a one-page digital-voice quick reference.
  8. Standardize contact logging across modes.
  9. Create a WVARC repeater contact card with NY7S and W7JHQ RF and linked-system access information.
  10. Support the NY7S equipment inventory, rack elevation, signal-flow, network, and power documentation.
  11. Bench-test the proposed NY7S AllStar replacement platform and verify automatic recovery.
  12. Plan site-approved UPS protection, mounting, strain relief, cable dressing, labeling, and a tested spare-node recovery procedure.

Field procedures and references

Related Field Notes

These published Field Notes contain the research, tested configurations, operating procedures, and lessons that support this maintained project page.

Change log

July 28, 2026 — Version 0.6

  • Added West Valley Amateur Radio Club participation to the maintained project plan.
  • Added NY7S and W7JHQ RF, AllStar, EchoLink, and WIRES-X connection information.
  • Recorded the normal monitoring baseline: NY7S through AllStar Node 63916 or Arizona DMR TG 3104 through Pi-Star and the FT5DR.
  • Clarified that TG 3104 is a separate statewide path and not an access method into the WVARC repeaters.
  • Added the NY7S repeater-infrastructure and resiliency workstream covering AllStar replacement, documentation, power protection, mounting, cable management, labeling, monitoring, backups, and recovery testing.

July 15, 2026 — Version 0.5

  • Added the BAOFENG AR-5RM as an operational backup handheld rather than a primary station radio.
  • Recorded its role as a station backup and possible family emergency radio when legally permitted.
  • Documented Ubuntu 26.04 LTS as the Ham Shack workstation operating system.
  • Added the tested CHIRP 20260410 programming and backup-image workflow.
  • Published and linked the AR-5RM programming Field Note.

July 14, 2026 — Version 0.4

  • Published the on-air etiquette, conversation-script, and informal-net Field Note.
  • Expanded the maintained operating-practice baseline for local repeaters, linked digital systems, roundtables, nets, field operation, and mobile use.
  • Added the calling formula: call sign, operating context, one answerable question, and room for another station.
  • Linked the operating guide from the project page and field-procedure list.

July 14, 2026 — Version 0.3

  • Finalized and published the three Pi-Star Field Notes.
  • Consolidated the Field Note project impacts into the maintained Ham Radio page.
  • Documented the working YSF and YSF2DMR configuration baseline.
  • Recorded the confirmed BrandMeister TG 93 contact.
  • Documented five-digit FT5DR talkgroup entry and BAND disconnect behavior.
  • Linked the published Field Notes from the project page.

July 14, 2026 — Version 0.2

  • Separated native WIRES-X from Pi-Star YSF and YSF2DMR.
  • Added the Pi-Star operating baseline and known direct-control limitation.

July 2026 — Version 0.1

  • Created the live project document and defined the current station, active work, and procedures.