Overall System Description

Hub and Spoke

The SPARC repeater system, or just "system", is of a hub-and-spoke configuration.

The central node, or hub, is a UHF repeater, with battery backup and telephone autopatch, master identifier unit and a multifunction controller.

The spokes

Most "system" users will never "talk" to the hub unit itself. Instead they will communicate with one of the several outlying repeaters.

Since all repeaters connect to the hub, everything being repeated at one location is automatically retransmitted by all of the other repeaters. Thus when you use, for instance, the Goldengate Repeater, you are heard throught the system. You do not have to go to a particular repeater to access certain areas only.

Some exceptions!

SPARC has a few radios here and there that are not part of the "system." At the present time this is the IRLP node, and the TAC repeater at Skookum -- not to be confused with the regular repeater at Skookum. Refer to the linked pages for an amplified description.

The main purpose of the TAC repeater is to enable communications that will not interfere with the main "system"; ie, to have a "second channel" available. The TAC repeater has virtually the same coverage as Skookum. Its signal is marginal in Nome itself, but easily accessed with a base station - but not a handheld or mobile.

One one that is sort of an exception...

The remote base at Sinuk is not a repeater, but it does link into the system. Anything spoken into the Sinuk Base will be heard by the entire system except the reception area of Sinuk itself. If you are using Sinuk to speak to someone in Council, for instance, you will never know of this exception. But if you and a buddy are canoeing in the Sinuk area, and are just out of direct range of each other, you cannot communicate via the Sinuk station. This is because when Sinuk is listening it does not transmit and vice-versa.

With a dual-band radio and some ingenuity, you could conceivably communicate to each other via Sinuk, but as a rule that is not the case. Because of this, it is planned to replace this Remote Base with a full-fledged repeater.

AL7X