Tim, Your community public works, police, EOC, and/or fire department are a good place to start. An established public safety agency will have far less trouble getting such a license and, it's often at no cost because public agencies are exempt from fees for Part 90 licenses. Everything can be done online too. Such an agency could then establish a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with your CERT group to permit the use of the new channel/repeater. They could even apply for state and/or federal grants to help fund the repeater but that's another topic. Keep in mind though that everyone will likely have to invest in radios compatible with the new channel (repeaters are not allowed on FRS) and, the FCC is requiring Part 90 commercial licensees to migrate to narrowband so might as well set up a narrowband repeater now so your group is not caught off guard when it comes time to renew the repeater license down the road.
If UHF works well on the island then another idea you may want to explore is GMRS. A license can be purchased and used by the licensee and his immediate family (if needed) for a 5 year term. The license costs $85 per term or about $16/year/family. Everything can be done online including payment by credit card and no tests are required. GMRS operates on UHF and repeaters are permitted, see FCC regs part 95 for more details. Gary _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 10:01 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Repeaters for "CERT" Use? Hello Group, A week or so ago, I believe I read on this list, that someone <http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=104168/grpspId=1705063108/msgId=87839/stime=1231613914/n c1=4025304/nc2=5191952/nc3=5349276> said the CERT groups were allowed to apply for "Commercial" radio channel(s). Here, on Vashon Island, Wa., we have over 100 CERT members. They are using "FRS" radios in the field. It makes it very difficult for our "EOC" to pass and receive traffic from them. How can I verify that indeed CERT is authorized the use of "Commercial" channel(s), and possibly repeater? They way we are set up now....Hams operate out of each of our (5) fire stations and "talk to the EOC on our Island UHF repeater. The EOC would certainly like to be tied into the CERT activities, so I am excited to think that CERT may be authorized VHF/UHF channels for their own system! Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Tim Hardy W7TRH/AFA0TP/FD. EMT
