ITMG's History
It started several years ago when a group of hams in the Des Moines, IA area was looking for something a little different to do besides the usual 2 meter or 440 nets happening locally. One person suggested 10 meters. It was mentioned that back in the 70's or 80's, there was a 10 meter net taking place in central IA.
We started out by communicating on Amplitude Modulation (AM). Then we tried Upper Side Band (USB). And eventually tried Frequency Modulation (FM) and everyone just loved it. We started a weekly net on 29.600 FM and on occasion, during band openings, would get others checking in from around the US.
After a while the question was asked; what can we do next? Someone suggested, how about a 10 Meter repeater. What would that take to do one? Where would we get the equipment?
After the technical discussion of the workings of such a repeater, several persons mention the SOOLAND AMATEUR RADIO ASSN (SARA) repeater. It was located in Sioux City, IA on the 29.620 FM frequencies and as anyone knew, it was not on the air.
Contact was made with SARA and it was established that the repeater was off the air and in need of repair. An agreement was reached in that they would donate the equipment to us if we would get it back on the air. So we acquired around May of 2010 a split site 10 FM repeater.
Work began on repairs and soon we had a functional repeater on the air under the callsign W0AK. Thank you to the DMRAA for the use of the callsign. Being a split site, the transmitter and receiver were moved around the Des Moines Metro several times, trying for the best coverage. In August 2011 a link radio, that had failed, was replaced with a donated Motorola from Larry, N0BKB.
We have now settled on two locations approximately 1.6 miles apart with the transmitter up about five stories on an apartment complex and the receiver up about 14 stories on a retirement center.
Work continues on the repeater with every change improving transmitting and/or reception. Due to band openings and hearing several repeaters from around the nation, we moved our frequency to 29.670, -.100 offset, and CTCSS of 103.5. We now have an IRLP node connected to the repeater.
In August 2013 the group decided to acquire a callsign for themselves and the Iowa Ten Meter Group (ITMG) was formed. We now run under the call of KD0WPK.