In the coverage plot for the 145.450 (Megler) Repeater below,
contributed by Frank Wolfe [NM7R], the parameters are selected
conservatively to represent the "worst case" for normal operations.
Having the plots a bit pessimistic is better for planning than a
wildly optimistic picture that gives false hope for coverage that
really doesn't exist, encouraging those weak in-the-mud signals we
all hate to deal with.
The the outer area on the plots represents a "plain vanilla" (3
dBi) mobile vertical at 1.5 meters above the ground, with 40-watts.
This is a good representation of a "typical" mobile. A base station
would probably do much better, but it is hard to characterize a
"typical" base station.
The inner (darker) area represents a "typical" HT, with a -2 dBi
antenna, also 1.5 meter above ground and 4-watts.


W7BU’s main repeater is the ’45, operating on a frequency of
145.450 MHz, with an offset of -.600 MHz, and a PL tone of 118.8.
It is located on Megler Mountain, approximately 1,00 feet above the
Columbia River, almost directly across from Astoria, Oregon. Here
Frank Wolfe [NM7R] (in red jacket) and others inspect the repeater
shack at the ’45.
Here are a couple of pictures of Jay [W7FBM] installing the antenna
for the 145.45 repeater on the KMUN broadcast tower on the north
side of the Columbia River.
A late spring ice storm caused damage to the 145.450 repeater in
2009, knocking the antenna out of its brackets and bending it into
an L shape. Here are some pictures of the damage




and the repair work, being done by Jay Shepherd [W7FBM] and Frank
Wolfe [NM7R]. Click to enlarge any of them. Jay [W7FBM] assembled
the new antenna and Frank [NM7R] installed it on tower on March
2nd. At that time, Jay had still not received the repaired
controller board back from ARCOM - it will be reinstalled later.
They wisely chose to go ahead and do the tower work on a nice
day... the following day the weather turned bad again, and the
controller board replacement can be done in inclement weather, as
it is inside the nice, dry radio shack. Here are three pictures of
the March 2 trip. Picturre # 1 is tower and all lthe antennas that
are on it. Picture #2 is Frank [NM7R] removing old damaged antenna
while snorting coax, and Picture #3 is new antenna. Hard to
pick out but looks very small, just above little dish antenna, 4
element yagi.
