The N4FV and N4CAG repeaters are located at two sites. Our Greeneville tower site on West Barton Ridge Road houses the N4FV 444.325 +5 mhz CC1. The Little Bald Mountain site is 12 miles south of Greeneville just off Viking Mountain Rd @ 4600 FT ASL and home to N4FV 147.060 +600 KHZ 88.5 tone and N4CAG 443.150 +5 mhz 100.0 tone.
Kerchunkers are not tolerated. Identify your transmissions as required.
I once had GMRS repeaters located at both sites but have discontinued operations. I’m willing to lease space if someone wants to put one on.
Repeater Acceptable Use Policies (AUP)
Effective October 30th, 2017
N4FV and N4CAG, acting as owners/licensees and their designated control operators have the final say on any repeater systems operation and/or user access, as allowed by the FCC. This Policy may be reviewed periodically and revised. Users are responsible for reading, understanding, and adhering to this Policy. Conduct on the repeaters will be governed by this Acceptable Use Policy. Questions may be sent to the the n4fv@yahoo.com.
Amateur Radio Operators are required to be “self-policing”. Each user is expected to do this in two ways – by ensuring that their own conduct of operations is above reproach, and also exhorting and challenging other operators to use their best practice on the air.
FCC Regulation 97.101(a) provides: “In all respects not specifically covered by FCC Rules each amateur station must be operated in accordance with good engineering and good amateur practice. Section 97.103(a) provides “The station licensee is responsible for the proper operation in accordance with the FCC Rules.” The ARRL booklet FCC Rules and Regulation for the Amateur Radio, 2014 edition, explains this Rule :
In addition, the ARRL book provides, at page 14, “[A] repeater owner or trustee may set more stringent standards for the use of their repeater[s] …than required by the FCC.”
Those standards can be defined in any way the trustee/owner/chooses.
Repeater users should always remember that other members of the general public can monitor repeaters for any reason. If those people would be offended by the users language or conduct on a repeater, that language or conduct is objectionable.
The FCC Rules also requires that each repeater trustee/owner has the responsibility to require that each repeater it owns is properly used. This is accomplished by the actions of the owner/licensee (acting as a control operators) and designated control operators. FCC Rule 97.105 provides: “The control operator must insure the immediate proper operation of the station, regardless of the type of control.”
1. Always identify yourself according to the regulations. This means every ten (10) minutes and at the end of your transmission. This is not only our policy; it is also required by our license. It never hurts to give your station’s call sign more than less. It helps other users know you are there if they are listening. When checking into a net or making an initial call, it is helpful to use phonetics.
2. Avoid lengthy conversations without pausing occasionally between transmissions. This in no way means keep the repeater quiet. On the contrary, the repeater is on the air to be used and we are very happy when it is busy. It does, however, mean that we all should remember to leave pauses so others can get in if they need to use the repeater.
3. Always yield the frequency to a breaking station (any station with emergency traffic). The pro sign “break” has a very specific meaning on ham radio. So if you hear it, then give them the frequency. If you use it, remember the importance of its use. Ham radio has saved many lives and you never know when it may need to save yours.
4. Yield existing conversations to recognized activities: Weekly Nets, ARES, public service events, etc.
5. Do not engage in political soap boxing or views on religious matters. These subjects are very personal to others listening and should be avoided. Do not engage in any personal antagonisms. Keep in mind that some conversations are best held in private. Hate speech or derogatory remarks directed at any person or group (political, ethnic, racial, religious, sexual orientation, etc.) are never allowed on our repeaters. Please keep that stuff to yourself, nobody wants to hear your personal rants over the airwaves.
6. Selling items OTHER than ham related equipment is not allowed, nor is conducting any business. This is not only our policy, it is prohibited by the FCC. As Amateur Radio operators, we are prohibited from gaining any pecuniary benefit from our operation of our amateur radio stations. When in doubt take it off the air. Exempted from this is YOUR personal equipment for sale or trade.
7. Our repeaters are “G Rated” 24 hours a day. Watch your language. Sometimes slips happen. That being said there is a complete difference between an inadvertent slip and an intentional act. Avoid adult subjects. Many hams have children in the home and amateur radio is open to all ages.
8. If you hear stations jamming or interfering do not make any comments, ignore them! Do not antagonize those interfering! This is not going to make them stop. Contact N4FV via email or telephone to inform him of what is happening with dates, time, and nature of interference.
Special Event Use of N4FV/N4CAG Repeaters – REQUIRED READING IF YOU ARE GRANTED PERMISSION TO USE DURING A SPECIAL EVENT
This document is provided by N4FV to assist in determining what are permitted communications when providing special events assistance. As the licensee of N4FV and an authorized control operator for N4CAG repeaters, I am responsible for all communications that are transmitted under the N4FV or N4CAG callsign (repeaters or other stations using N4FV or N4CAG transmitters) during an event. Many communications can enter a very gray area and I would prefer to stay out of that if possible.
Most of the information is taken from a document residing on the ARRL website @
http://www.arrl.org/files/media/News/ARRL%20appropriate%20use%20guidelines.pdf
I will also quote some sections of that document for this policy.
§ 97.111 Authorized transmissions.
(a)An amateur station may transmit the following types of two-way communications:
(2)Transmissions necessary to meet essential communication needs and to facilitate relief actions.
The key words in (2) are “and to facilitate relief actions.” In other words, does the communication relate to something that is essential and provide information for a relief action. This should carry the largest weight in determining if a communication is safety/health related and permitted under the rules.
“A good rule of thumb when evaluating a particular request for communications support is, “Who benefits?” If public safety is the principal beneficiary, then §97.1 is being fulfilled. If the entity itself and not the general public is the principal beneficiary, then they should be encouraged to use radio services other than Amateur Radio.”
Stations operating through N4FV or N4CAG stations under the authority of the callsign should consider this as #1 priority. Public safety is not the same as a routine business communication that could be utilized in another service. Providing communications other than something related to health and safety should be avoided.
§97.113 Prohibited transmissions
(a)No amateur station shall transmit
(2)Communications for hire or for material compensation, direct or indirect, paid or promised, except as otherwise provided in these rules;
(3)Communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer
(5)Communications, on a regular basis, which could reasonably be furnished alternatively through other radio services
#5 does offer some leeway on allowing some types of communications if a “regular basis” is not the case. It is the opinion of the N4FV the interpretation of that rule section should not be taken lightly and only apply for internal use of not for profit amateur radio club functions only as it would be irregular instance.
For business related communications, Part 90 Land Mobile Radio would be the best alternative. Unlicensed “short range” services such as MURS or FRS could also be a viable alternative. GMRS may not be a good fit due to licensing requirements of individuals and applying only to their families.
Examples of permissible communications using the N4FV or N4CAG callsign could be:
Health and safety issues/information or requests for assistance to or from event staff that require immediate or priority assistance including 3rd party traffic.
Current or past location of participants using names or other identifiers to assist in tracking for health/safety reasons.
Food or beverage status/requests essential for health and safety of participants (but not if sales is involved).
Examples of non-permissible communications:
Communications not related to immediate health and safety of participants such as general support.
Providing participant information for other than health and safety.
3rd party communications not related to immediate health and safety of participants.
Licensed amateurs that are providing communications assistance are not prohibited from participation to assist in any event and are encouraged to do so. If an amateur chooses to provide other types of communications and isn’t in communication through N4FV or N4CAG stations or with N4FV or N4CAG, then that licensee is responsible for their communications and not N4FV or N4CAG. The licensee of that station then assumes sole liability for any infractions of FCC rules. However, since the amateur service is “self-policing”, any rule infraction may be brought to an offending station’s attention.
As a general rule, communications involving N4FV or N4CAG should only contain health and safety information as defined above.
One last requirement – When using “tactical callsigns or identifiers”, station identification must still be done with your amateur callsign at least once every 10 minutes and at the end of your communications. If you are using the repeater and the repeater ID’s, use it as a reminder for all stations to ID.
If you have any questions, I can be reached via the website admin address.