An amateur radio repeater is an electronic system designed to enhance the reach of weak amateur radio signals. It achieves this by receiving a low-power signal and retransmitting it at a significantly higher power level, enabling the signal to travel greater distances without losing quality.
Many repeaters are strategically placed on elevated locations like hilltops or tall structures. This positioning significantly expands their effective coverage area, often referred to as the radio horizon or "footprint."
KL7JRC operations a total of 4 repeaters (listed below). All repeaters are open for general use - you don not need to be a JARC member to use them.
Juneau Amateur Radio Club Repeaters
| Location | Freq (MHz) | Offset(MHz) | Access Tone (Hz) | Mode | Callsign | Use | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Roberts Tram | 146.8200 | -0.600 | 100.0 | FM | KL7JRC | Open | Up |
| Lena Point | 147.0000 | -0.600 | 100.0 | FM | KL7JRC | Open | Up |
| Eaglecrest Ski Area | 147.3600 | +0.600 | 100.0 / 100.0 | FM | KL7JRC | Open | Up |
| Lena Point | 224.0400 | -1.600 | -- | FM | KL7PF | Open | Unknown |
| Juneau | 444.5000 | +5.000 | 100.0 | FM | KL7JRC | Open | Unknown |
Juneau Area Repeaters
| Location | Freq (MHz) | Offset(MHz) | Access Tone (Hz) | Mode | Callsign | Use | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pederson Hill | 147.300 | +0.600 | 100.0 | FM | KL7IWC | Open | Up |
| Mendenhall Glacier | 147.1200 | +0.600 | 123.0 | IRLP - 7295 | KL2ZZ | Open | Up |
| Chilly Ridge Haines | 146.9400 | -0.600 | 100.0 / 100.0 | FM | VY1SW YARA | Open | Up |
| Miner's Ridge Skagway | 146.5200 | Simplex | 100.0 | FM | YARA | Remote | Unknown |
Cruise Ship Passenger Guide
Using JARC Repeaters in Juneau
Hey there! If you're visiting Juneau and have a radio, you're welcome to use any of the JARC repeaters. You don't have to be a member, and we love meeting new people!
You'll notice Juneau has a lot of tall mountains. Because of this, you might be pretty close to a repeater but still not be able to connect with your handheld radio (HT). That's why we have so many repeaters around Juneau – to make sure you're covered!
Connecting with JARC Members
Many JARC members are usually listening in on the repeaters. If we're free, we'd love to chat! If you call out, please be patient. We're not on vacation and might be busy, so it could take a bit for us to get back to you. A good tip is to call a few times, then leave your radio on the repeater system instead of turning it off. Call again every so often. Sometimes we answer, but the visitor has already turned their radio off!
Repeater Coverage Around Juneau
Here's a breakdown of which repeaters work best in different areas:
- Downtown: Your handheld radio will easily reach the JARC Mt. Roberts repeater (146.820 -) at the top of the tram.
- WA6AXO's IRLP Repeater: This one (146.880 - 100Hz PL) covers a slightly smaller area downtown.
- Important Note about WA6AXO's IRLP: This repeater is "half-duplex," meaning you won't hear other local stations on it, and we won't hear them. Its antenna is on 7th Street, near the City Museum and State Capitol. Since it's lower than the Mt. Roberts repeater, more areas might be blocked by terrain.
- This IRLP node is super handy near the cruise ship docks and is great for calling home. It's usually connected to the WINS System reflector, which has over 70 repeaters across 16 states, plus Canada and Australia. Please don't try to connect to a different reflector or node without setting your radio to the reverse repeater shift (146.280 +), contacting WA6AXO, and getting permission first. Also, this IRLP node isn't always online.
Trails and Outdoor Areas
- Mt. Roberts Repeater (146.820 -): This one covers much of the trail systems you might be on, including:
- Perseverance Trail and Silverbow Basin: Good coverage, though some parts (like the very start at Basin Road or near Ebner Falls) might be blocked.
- Mt. Juneau Trail: Excellent coverage.
- Douglas (including Sandy Beach, Treadwell Mine Trail, and the Douglas zipline): Excellent coverage.
- Mining Museum in Last Chance Basin: Coverage can be spotty due to terrain.
- Mining Museum in Sheep Creek Valley: Completely blocked.
Eaglecrest and North Douglas
- Eaglecrest (Zipline or Biking): Your best bets are the Lena Point repeater (147.000 -) or the Mendenhall Valley repeater (146.640 -). If you're biking on the lower parts of Fish Creek Road (coming down from the ski area), you might lose signal from either or both repeaters sometimes. If you hike to the very top of Eaglecrest, you can hit the Mt. Roberts repeater on the east side and the Lena Point repeater on the west. Remember to keep an eye out for aircraft approaching the airport!
- Biking on North Douglas (to False Outer Point): The Lena Point repeater is your best option here.
Airport and Mendenhall Glacier Area
- Airport: Use the Mendenhall Valley repeater or the Lena Point repeater. If you have a good antenna, you might just reach Mt. Roberts.
- Mendenhall Glacier: You'll be covered by the Mendenhall Valley repeater.
- West Glacier Trail: Good coverage. If you go off-trail to visit the ice caves, you might lose signal when you're close to the ice.
- East Glacier Trail: Good coverage unless you start heading up the Nugget Creek Trail.
- USFS Visitor's Center, Dredge Lakes, and Moraine Ecology Trail: All well covered by this repeater.
Mendenhall Valley Biking and "Out the Road"
- Biking in Mendenhall Valley: Use the Mendenhall Valley repeater or Lena Point. Lena Point works better the closer you are to the university campus, and some parts of Back Loop Road might be blocked.
- "Out the Road" (Shrine of St. Therese, Arboretum, Whale Watching on Lynn Canal): Use Lena Point. Because of Juneau's hills, you might even start picking up the Mt. Roberts repeater again! Set your radio to high power to reach Mt. Roberts, and expect to lose signal in dips in the road.
We hope this helps you get on the air and enjoy your time in Juneau!