This month (March 2024), John K0ZAK led a work party of Ed KC3YFZ, Fred K3TAZ, Ian N3CVA, John KA3ZTC, and Stephan KC3ILL to our ATV repeater site. Mission: To implement the fiber-optics solution to the problem of connecting the BRATS ATV receivers to the ATV transmitter. The ATV repeater is single-site on the physical plant floor of a building in northeast Baltimore. Passing of high-definition digital signals is a much more demanding task than the earlier analog ATV repeater using coaxial cable for passing analog signals. Plenty of learning along the way, beginning with what low loss method to use for the signals? The use of HDMI technology over the fiber-optics lines solves the problem.
A big thank you to the team for their efforts as we near completion of the remote testing of the various ATV repeater equipment in the project. The "off the shelf" Raspberry Pi-based controller, designed and supported by the British Amateur Television Club (BATC), is used by numerous ATV repeaters world-wide. Content selection by the BATC controller drives HDMI switchers (via Infrared) to do seamless content switching. All-in-all, very versatile, allowing enhancements and additional repeater features eventually. On Go-Live, all operations will be in the 70cm. band. Photo credits: Ed KC3YFZ, Fred K3TAZ, Neil W3ZQI. -- Neil W3ZQI
This is the BRATS ATV repeater Receive (RX) cabinet, located some 600 feet away from the corresponding Transmit (TX) rack in the same building. A SuperStationMaster antenna, for receiving is on the other side of the wall. Photo KC3YFZUse of broomstick to reliably pair up fiber cable and 2-conductor cable for the long trip through the building. Ed KC3YFZ. Photo K3TAZNo small amount of cables required by the BRATS ATV repeater system. New fiber (black jacket) and 2-conductor cable (white jacket). Photo KC3YFZThat is one LONG hallway at the ATV repeater site. John KA3ZTC and John K0ZAK. Photo K3TAZIan N3CVA, Fred K3TAZ, John K0ZAK, and Stephan KC3ILL working at one of the few lower placed cable runs. Photo KC3YFZStephan KC3ILL, John KA3ZTC, John K0ZAK, and Ian N3CVA. Notice how a stick is required to thread the new cables between obstructions. Photo KC3YFZStephan KC3ILL, John KA3ZTC, John K0ZAK, Ian N3CVA, and Fred K3TAZ working. Photo KC3YFZJohn KA3ZTC on ladder, high up. Photo K3TAZA tall ladder climb; very high ceilings. John K0ZAK, Stephan KC3ILL. Photo K3TAZEd KC3YFZ on the roof; now you know why repeaters do so well! Clear surroundings makes a major difference in radiation patterns. Photo KC3YFZTransmitter section of the BRATS ATV repeater system; packaged and ready for insertion into equipment cabinet at repeater site. Photo W3ZQI.
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