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Amateur Radio Repeaters Available for NM SAR Communications
This page has information about Amateur Radio, or “ham”, repeater frequencies that may be used by licensed amateur radio operators for communications during NM SAR missions. Ham repeaters are usually located on elevated positions, resulting in fairly wide communication coverage. Of course, their signals may be blocked by other high land masses and may not reach down into canyons.
The information may be viewed in two ways. First, the Google Map below illustrates where each repeater is located. Click on a map icon to reveal more information about a specific repeater that may seem of value to you. Zoom in on the map to reveal repeater icons that may be obscured by a nearby icon.
Or you can use the PDF listing below the map. This may be more suitable for a “take along” reference. Repeaters are ordered by State Police district (1-12). Note that repeaters in an adjacent district may also be of value.
Mega-Link Repeaters
Thirty four (34) linked repeaters in New Mexico (and four more in CO and TX) provide nearly state-wide radio coverage. By transmitting into one Mega-Link repeater, you will be heard on all Mega-Link repeaters. This powerful capability has advantages and disadvantages for SAR missions. The advantages include being able to stay in contact with teams in route to a mission; relaying vital communications into and out of the mission area; and, in some remote areas, being the primary repeater for tactical information from Incident Base to teams in the field. The disadvantages are that your communications will be heard by a State- wide audience and you will be tying up repeaters normally used by New Mexico hams. So use the Mega-Link system judiciously. Please see this website for a map and description of the Mega-link system: http://nm5ml.com/
ARES Repeaters
There are twenty seven (27) ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) repeaters throughout the state. These repeaters are not linked (as of Sept 2011). They are maintained by State and County governments, and may not always be working reliably. They are often co-located at Mega-Link sites and may provide good local coverage, but without tying up the State-wide Mega-Link system.
Other Linked Systems
Other repeaters listed below may be part of regional linked systems. Again, linked systems have advantages and disadvantages. In cases where you will be using only one of the linked repeaters, you may be able to get the system owner to unlink the repeater you will be using from the system. System owners will usually check-in to the system periodically; or Area Commanders or other hams may have telephone numbers for the repeater owners.
View a larger map of Key ham repeaters for SAR Missions in New Mexico in a new window.
Download a pdf of these ham repeaters.
While every attempt has been made to plot each repeater at its true location, the lack of public information made that difficult in some cases. For most repeaters, the reported position is within a few hundred yards of the actual location. For others, we relied on available information, such as a town name or mountain peak, and then plotted an arbitrary location. Nevertheless, in almost all cases, the UTM position reported in a repeater’s description box should be adequate for plotting a signal bearing.
Corrections?
If you have any corrections or updated information about a repeater, please email it to Ralph Milnes (ralph.milnes at nmsar.org) or Gary Cascio (gary.cascio at nmsar.org).
