Dear Members of the Radio Amateurs of Skagit County and Users of the Repeater,
As you may or may not be aware, until recently, the Skagit County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) had been paying the repeater site lease to keep the N7GDE repeater – also known as 145.190 or the “519” – on the air.
Several months ago, the DEM approached me to let me know they would no longer be able to pay for the repeater site lease. At our October meeting, we discussed the future of the repeater and whether RASC could assume responsibility for the lease. The lease with Day Wireless is structured such that, after the first year, pricing is largely open-ended and could be increased at their discretion. It would not be fiscally responsible for RASC to assume responsibility for a lease amount that would be arbitrarily set by Day Wireless. So, sadly, we made the decision to possibly remove the repeater from Lyman Hill.
After months of discussions with the DEM, they reversed their decision about the repeater site lease payments. However, the DEM advised that they would not be able to pay the repeater site lease unless the DEM owned the repeater equipment. The DEM’s position about the repeater site lease places RASC in a difficult position. We considered the possibility of moving the repeater to a new location. Unfortunately, good mountain-top repeater sites that are available to Amateur Radio are very rare. If we were not able to keep our repeater on Lyman Hill, it would have to be taken out of service.
The Lyman Hill repeater is an invaluable communications resource. In order to ensure that the repeater stays on the air, we have reached a tentative agreement with the DEM. Under this agreement, ownership of the repeater would be transferred to Skagit County. In return, the County would assume responsibility for all aspects of the repeater, including – but not limited to – maintenance costs, future upgrades, and the site lease. As the owner, Skagit County would be able to use federal funding to directly cover any repeater expenses. This transfer would include ownership of the N7GDE call sign and all associated equipment, including the repeater hardware, power supply, antennas, and related components.
Importantly, the DEM has asked that RASC should continue to be involved with the operation and maintenance of the repeater. This means that operational control would remain with us – specifically, Rob McPeak would continue to have full access and control to reboot, shut down, or otherwise manage the repeater as needed. No other changes would be made. Nets would continue to operate as before and having open access to all Amateur Radio operators would be a top priority. In the event of an emergency, Skagit County (by way of ACS) would have the authority to restrict access to the repeater for emergency use. In an emergency, Washington State authorities would not seize control of the repeater because it would already be under county government control.
In the written agreement I am drafting, I will include a provision stating that if, at any point, Skagit County chooses to no longer support the repeater, ownership would immediately revert back to RASC, regardless of any upgrades made during County ownership.
During the recent flood response, when Skagit ACS was activated and the repeater was locked down for seven days, it became very clear – not only to the County but also to State emergency teams – just how valuable this repeater is. Washington State Communications leadership was frankly amazed by its coverage and performance, reinforcing the importance of keeping the repeater on Lyman Hill.
Earlier in this process, RASC collected donations to help save the repeater. We sincerely thank everyone who contributed. If any donor would like their contribution returned, we will gladly reimburse you. Otherwise, the funds will be placed into a separate account (formerly the repeater fund) to support future club projects, Field Day supplies, or potentially a scholarship. I am also trying to see, in exchange for giving the DEM all the repeater equipment, if we can have some storage space at the county lockup, including possible space for the tower trailer, and space inside one of the shipping ConExs for club supplies and field day gear.
I am very pleased that we have found a path forward to preserve this critical asset. However, I need confirmation from a quorum of the club members advising you agree that RASC should proceed with this agreement with the DEM.
If you are a current member of RASC, you have the right to express your opinion concerning the transfer of ownership of our repeater. Please use the link below to access your ballot. Votes cast will be validated by comparing your name, call sign, and email address on the ballot with the RASC membership roster. Please complete your ballot no later than Saturday, January 31, 2026.
*** RASC LYMAN HILL N7GDE 2 METER REPEATER OWNERSHIP TRANSFER BALLOT ***
Thank you for your time and continued support of RASC and our repeater system.
Respectfully,
Dan Hildebrand W7ILR
President
Radio Amateurs of Skagit County