Montana's Ham Radio Forum

Howdy gang,

I went to help Doug Dunn K7YD a couple days ago and we went to Doug's site on Sheep Mountain 6,247 feet or so above Livingstion. We cleaned out the building, installed a APRS Antenna/coax, and hooked up the X1J4 Packet station (SHEEP)/APRS Digi (SHEEPM) to the battery bank.

SHEEPM on the digi as there is a SHEEP in Cimarron New Mexica area. SHEEPM heard and was heard by W7BEQ-5 in Wyoming at about 160 miles so the single dipole on the side of the tower and 40 watts is doing well.

I will meet Doug this coming Monday on my way to Minnesota and go back up to Sheep Mountain site and put in a new X1J4 Packet Antenna and maybe a new TNC in hopes of correcting some issues...Things don't always go as planned!!!

It was a fun day working with Doug after a few years of agreeing to disagree if you know what I mean Vern. It was a good day with a good friend, we got some good work done, and had a good Hamburger at the Clyde Park Tavern. Thanks Doug !!

Below is a link to SHEEPM on the internet if anyone wants to see its location/information

http://aprs.fi/#!mt=roadmap&z=11&call=a ... &tail=3600

Bill K7MT
http://www.k7mt.com

OOOPS SHEEPM is being heard at W7BEQ-7 in Wyoming but I see SHEEPM is not hearing that station. I was looking at the RAW PACKETS and not the Station information.

Bill

Howdy from Minnesota Lake, Mn. in route for my annual Vikings game.

In route I stopped by and visited with Doug K7YD and we went back up to Sheep Mountain to finalize some items. I replaced the Larson Antenna that was showing high SWR with a Comet NA-50 for his packet station. Doug also redone some battery connections. The comet use to be on Belmont packet station but was replace with a Tram dual bander. It will do very well for Doug's packet station on Sheep.

I noticed today that SHEEPM APRS digi is routing to the internet via W7BEQ-2 in Wyoming 188 miles to the SE, AF7HG in Bozeman, and my Igate K7MT in Helena. It is just a single dipole on the side of the Rohn 25 that is doing well for the APRS node.

I talked with Doug on MTN last night via the remote HF base on Toston and he said all is working well for the Packet Station and the APRS node. Thanks for the update Doug.

It was again another fun day in amateur radio working with you on Sheep Mountain. Like I said that a DX contact I made last week will be forgotten next week but the day on the mountain working together, putting up antennas, and generally getting the site cleaned and operational will last a life time...... Every time I drive by I can look up on that ridge and say I have been up there on Sheep Mountain.. Cool Stuff... Woo Hoo !!

Cheers all Bill K7MT

Thanks for the updates Bill, we appreciate them!

Hi Jim,

You bet and it was a fun project. I posted a couple pictures of the site and the antennas on my web page:

http://www.k7mt.com

It shows the packet/aprs stations along with the new antenna installation on the tower. I will leave it posted on my web site until the end of October for all to see what goes into putting up two digital stations. Woo Hoo !!

Bill K7MT
http://www.k7mt.com

Howdy Gang,

One note about the three UHF antennas on Sheep Mountain that use to be part of the UFH packet backbone. I asked Doug K7YD to consider donating those three antennas to the MARLA project. He said it was a good idea and next trip up guess who will be taking them down !!!!!! I look forward seeing them on the MARLA system as UHF Link antennas.

Thanks Doug that is a really nice gesture and I know Don Heide W7MRI will appreciate the donation.

Bill K7MT