Digital Voice Hub

Yaesu System Fusion & WIRES-X

Join the club’s linked digital network, manage WIRES-X rooms, and keep traffic polite and reliable.

Room 61176

OBARC home node

3 / month

Digital mentoring nets

24/7

Monitored link status

System Fusion is the digital voice standard for OBARC. Our primary VHF repeater and club WIRES-X node share audio with Room 61176 so field teams, home stations, and traveling members can stay synchronized.

Use this checklist to prep your radio, understand how and when to link other rooms, and spot network issues before they impact a net or deployment.

Prep Your Station

A clean signal and accurate configuration prevent most Fusion headaches.

  • Install the latest Yaesu firmware and DSP updates; several 2024–2025 releases fixed WIRES-X reconnect bugs.
  • Program both analog + digital memories for the 145.470 MHz repeater, simplex calling, and any travel repeaters you rely on.
  • Store your call sign, DG-ID pairs, and WIRES-X login credentials in a password manager or laminated card inside the go kit.
  • Export code plugs before experimenting so you can roll back when a field upgrade goes sideways.

Rooms & Operating Etiquette

Treat every room like a shared conference bridge.

  • OBARC Room 61176
    Default landing spot. Leave links idle here so locals can drop in at any time without hunting.
  • Regional Favorites
    America-Link, CQ-UK, and SE-Link provide constant traffic for mic practice. Always identify with the destination room name.
  • Event / Net Linking
    Announce your intent on the repeater, request permission, then link. When the session ends, confirm the room name, send a disconnect command, and log the change.

Gateways & Portable Nodes

Expand coverage responsibly when you deploy away from the main repeater.

  • Club-Controlled Node
    Located at the repeater site with battery backup, remote telemetry, and automatic watchdog timers.
  • Personal Hotspots
    Pi-Star and OpenSPOT devices must lock down SSH/passwords and throttle RF power to avoid interference.
  • Network Requirements
    Minimum 1 Mbps up/down, wired Ethernet preferred. If you must tunnel over LTE, monitor latency and data caps closely.

Network Health Checklist

Keep the node clean so visitors trust what they hear.

  • Check the Yaesu WIRES-X activity monitor or the dashboard link posted in the shack before each formal net.
  • Leave a 2–3 second pause between transmissions; some remote nodes buffer audio longer than expected.
  • Log audio artifacts (stutter, clipping, one-way audio) with time stamps and room names and email digital@w5obm.com.
  • Coordinate large tests on the ops Slack channel so we do not collide with training nets or public-service events.

Log Your Digital Contacts

Short reports help us tune coverage. Include date, time, room, radios used, and any lessons learned.

Send Activity Report
Updated November 2025
Curator: Digital Voice Working Group