At 1/5/2025 11:36 AM, you wrote:
I will disagree with your
opening statement. Repeaters are NOT open unless the trustee decides they
are open.
Yes.
?Unlike
146.52, a repeater pair is assigned to a particular person or group in a
certain geographical area by a recognized frequency coordinating council.
At that point in time, not only is the repeater, but the frequency
belongs to the person or group.
No.
97.101 (b): Each station licensee and each control operator
must cooperate in selecting transmitting channels and in making the most
effective use of the amateur service frequencies. No frequency will be
assigned for the exclusive use of any station.
?He may decide to only
allow certain club members access that repeater.
Yes.
All of the above taken together may seem somewhat
self-contradictory.? The way I see it, is that yes when I place my
repeater on a frequency pair it is expected that I will have a clear,
exclusive frequency for it to operate on, at least in the immediate
coverage area.? But how does that work with 97.101 (b)?? To me,
it means unless I want to share the channel with other repeaters covering
the exact same area I have a responsibility to provide communications
service on that frequency.? One could take that to mean that my
repeater must be open.? I don't take it quite that far in that my
repeater is private, but only as a means to keep control of the
equipment.? Basically anyone who wants to use it may do so as long
as they follow the rules, which aren't overly restrictive IMHO.? I
also don't require dues-paying membership to use the repeater either, fur
that would amount to charging $$$ to use the frequency.? There are
certainly "member-supported" repeater systems around that do
effectively charge dues to use the equipment; some of them get around all
of the above by advertising their repeaters as open but if you become a
regular user they start nagging you to join.
Bob NO6B
