An RVARC History Update

The original repeater built by W4MHQ was in continuous operation from November, 1979 until November of 1996. See Some RVARC History for additional information.

When the WJYJ site became unavailable in November 1996, the repeater was moved to KA4RLJ's QTH at Hartwood. Operation was never satisfactory from this location for a variety of reasons and the repeater was eventually moved to a water tower location just off of I95 at Thornburg, VA in August 1998.

The original controller using a combination of discrete logic and analog components was replaced in May of 1999 with a more modern controller from NHRC featuring microprocessor control and a voice ID system.

After testing from the Thornburg site with the new NHRC controller, the repeater was moved on July 6th, 1999 to a new county communications tower facility in Spotsylvania County. The new location provides an expanded and much improved coverage area.

The original repeater's COMCO hardware has been relegated to backup status and was replaced on July 25, 1999 by a GE Master Exec II repeater and controller from Micro Computer Concepts. The repeater call sign has been changed from WB4LNT/R (the trustee's call) to K4TS/R, (the club's callsign).

The repeater antenna, is a StationMaster fed with 300 feet of 7/8" 75 ohm foam filled cable TV hardline (with impedance matching transformers).

The original COMCO transmitter power output of 25 watts increased to 40 watts with the GE Master Exec II.

The K4TS repeater service coverage area extends from Woodbridge in the north, to East of US 301 in King George County, to Ashland to the South, and beyond Orange in the west. (Roughly a 25 - 40 mile radius depending on terrain). It has always been an open repeater and is available for all to use.

As a result of ongoing reliability problems with the GE Master Exec II, the repeater reverted to using the original COMCO tranceiver as the primary repeater hardware in 2001.

The current repeater is a 25 - 50 watt Kenwood TKR-750 which was placed in service in December of 2006.

New Diamond X-6000A - Tri Band (2m, 70cm, 23cm) antenna installed February 2015.


The new antenna provides improved coverage and allows for future expansion to 70cm and 23cm operation.

On April 29, 2017, the repeater hardware cabinet was relocated to a new building at the repeater site.

On April 12th, 2019, a 70 cm FM open Repeater on 443.850 MHz, pl 79.7 (on input and output) was installed at the site.

Also see the RVARC history page, the RVARC 2 meter repeater page and the RVARC 70 cm repeater page.

Sunday, February 02, 2020 - W4MHQ