| The SMART Repeater started out as a
garage repeater by Ken WB8VTW and Dave WB8GBK (now K7DR) sometime in
1976. It was a home-brew setup using a Westinghouse receiver and
transmitter strips with a simple control circuit (built on a protoboard)
using old fashioned discrete TTL logic. We didn't have enough money for
a duplexer so it ran on two antennas, one on the garage, and the other
on the house. On a good day the system had 10 mile coverage. The
repeater operated on 146.115 input/ 146.715 output with the call WR8ALT.
At that time the FCC required all repeaters to have their own special
license with the WR prefix. We saved our nickels and dimes and finally
were able to purchase four Wacom cavities to make a duplexer, so we
could now operate on a single antenna.
The next step forward was to move the system to a "real" site. We were able to use a borrowed antenna and hardline that belonged to a private security agency on a 100 foot tower at 10 Mile and Orchard Lake in Farmington. (A cellular tower has taken its place today). We added a Data Signal autopatch and an old Panansonic voice clock that we found at Dayton to complete the upgrade to a "halfway respectable" repeater. I am sure we were the only repeater in the state at that time that actually had a talking clock on it, which was years before any sort of computer control system existed. The next big step forward for us was the purchase of a brand new GE MASTR II 100 watt repeater system. It took seven of us to put the money together to order it. Those seven become the first owners of the SMART repeater system. They were Ken-WB8VTW, Dave-WB8GBK (now K7DR), Bill-K8WN, Bill-WD8AHZ, Hal K8HJD, Bob K8DJR, and Mike K8GTO. The repeater changed frequencies to 146.895 input/146.295 output. (This is where the idea came from to use 295 for simplex at Dayton every year). SMART was officially born when the new repeater went on the air June 14, 1978. The system continued to operate in Farmington until August 8,1980. At that time we were able to purchase the antenna and hardline system from the old RADAR repeater group that was in partial use at WMJC (now WCSX) tower in Royal Oak Township. We took the system out of service at the Farmington site, worked all night to modify the repeater for the move, and had it up on the air the next day. Throughout the 1980's there were a number of changes to the system, including the addition of an ACC RC-85 computer control system, which was later upgraded again to an RC-850 control system. An ACC Digital Voice Recorder was also added in 1988. We also went through two more frequency changes, first to 147.16 MHz and finally to our current operating frequency of 147.14 MHz. (I think we must hold the record for frequency changes operating on four different frequencies.) In 1995, the FCC once again started issuing club calls, so the SMART applied for a club license and received the call KB8ZVW. It was not the best call in the world, but the repeater now had its own identity. In 1996 the FCC initiated the Vanity call sign program, and we decided it was time to get ourselves a custom call. We sent in our 25 choices and received number 8, "N8KD" as in N8 Ken (and) Dave. We now welcome Rob-W8TX as the newest part owner of SMART. |