Chuck’s Channels

History

This is a quick history and explanation of my repeater list.  My wife and I have traveled to many of the state parks in Minnesota and while traveling or parked I have to play with the radios. I have tried many of the repeaters listed and added some I did not have on the recommendation of local hams.  Some of the listings are from other hams that make regular trips to different areas I have not been to and they have used these repeaters.

BTW, that’s not me in the photo! Jac doesn’t have his driver’s license (yet), but we’re usually found together – especially at Hams in the Park.

How the list is set up

This list was set up using RT system software and then exported in CSV format. I have all the frequencies needed in the list for my radios which include: Kenwood TS2000, Yaesu FT857 mobile, (2) FT8900s, VX8dr, and the newest a FT1d. The list covers all of these so some frequencies that are listed are not usable in all the radios but at least one can use them.  The list was finished as a file for the FT1d as it uses the largest format, including the use of named banks.

The list itself starts with the most common simplex frequencies listed in ascending order. There is a gap after the first 2 to permit open areas for the inclusion of new repeaters in the list as they are found and programmed by hand. Most radios fill the first open channel when you write a new one in. After simplex the list is set up using the Minnesota repeater council list and then broken down by area.

#1  METRO FULL including suburbs and repeaters out state I can hit and use from my house

#2  DULUTH including suburbs

#3  NORTH WEST

#4  NORTH CENTRAL

#5  NORTH EAST

#6  CENTRAL WEST

#7  CENTRAL

#8  CENTRAL EAST

#9  SOUTH WEST

#10 SOUTH CENTRAL

#11 SOUTH EAST

#12 WEATHER Sky Warn repeater as listed in the Repeater Council list

#13 FRS GMRS and MURS  for information only

#14 WESTERN WI

#15

#16

#17UP MICH Michigan Upper Peninsula and the route up, including Wisconsin

#18 MILWAUKEE WI and some suburbs

For radio’s that will take 500 channels I use the whole list as is in every one so the channel numbers stay the same for all of them even if there are gaps created by the radio not being able to transmit on a specific frequency. For radio’s with smaller memory I only save the simplex and metro portions and add any extras for where I am traveling to the end of that file.

Hope this will save you some typing and make it easier to use your radio.

Chuck KØORK