Wednesday, December 09, 2020

Artscipub, RepeaterBook, and Rfinder #ARRL #hamradio

The growing mobile radio society likes to have accurate data while motoring around the planet.   The publishers, except for one, seem to have gone to digital over paper.

Artscipub is the one that still publishes a paper document.  Just like the one the ARRL publishes, it's wrong when it leaves the printer.

RepeaterBook has a nice app and it's free.  However, repeater owners, trustees, and users don't keep their data current.  PL tones change, locations change, and even repeater frequencies change, yet, the data doesn't.  

Rfinder, endorsed by the ARRL, costs $10 and has the same flaws as RepeaterBook.  The League web page says one can buy a paper repeater book, but the link to buy is broken.

None of the three are perfect.  There were errors on all the pages.  The errors are easily fixed IF users will update their information.  Of the three, RepeaterBook takes updates from the app.  The others are harder to do with a mobile phone.  

If you want folks to find your repeater and talk on it, keep your node numbers current along with the rest of the information.  If you don't want folks to find it, don't list it or list it as a closed repeater.

Folks have mentioned "It's not their responsibility.  The (repeater owner, Coordinating Group, directory publisher) are responsible.  Yet, even repeater trustees voice concern over the issue.

ArtsciPub mentioned this time, last year, they were going to do a paper directory and please update your information.  The response was ...... and the directory was published with errors.

Maybe that's why folks hang out on  146.52 ...





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