Nets & Repeaters
When and where we meet on the air, plus our local frequencies and digital nodes.
Our net schedule
We meet on the air every night at 7:30 PM (1930) local time on the 147.180 MHz repeater. Our directed ARES net is held on Wednesdays. Nets are an informal, friendly way to check in, share information, and practice — newcomers and visiting hams are always welcome.
How to check in
Listen first. When the net control station asks for check-ins, give your callsign slowly and phonetically and wait to be acknowledged. If you're new, just say "new check-in" and we'll help you through it.
Primary repeater
| Output | Offset | Tone (PL) | Mode | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 147.180 MHz | +0.6 MHz | PL 123.0 Hz | FM voice | Primary — nightly net |
To program your radio: set the output frequency to 147.180 MHz with a +0.6 MHz offset and a transmit tone of PL 123.0 Hz.
Digital — packet & APRS
We operate a local digital station in Farmington, connected to the Maine Emergency Packet Network (MEPN):
| Station | Frequency | Service |
|---|---|---|
| W1FCA-15 | 145.030 MHz | Packet node (local operators) |
| W1FCA-1 | 144.390 MHz | APRS (national APRS frequency) |
Meetings
In addition to our on-air nets, we meet in person on the First Saturday of each month at 9:00 AM at the Franklin County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), 120 County Way, Farmington, ME. Zoom meetings are arranged as needed and announced on the nightly net. See the Join page for what to expect at your first meeting.
During an actual emergency
This website is for general information and is not a live emergency-operations tool. In an activation, follow directions from net control and the Franklin County EMA on the air.