‰  NOW 35 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM DECEMBER 2016 QST  PAGE 44‰

AUDIO REPORTS.  AT ONE POINT, I FOUND MYSELF ON A 600 FOOT HIGH RIDGE AND
COULDNT RESIST REACHING OUT WITH 65 W.  FROM CENTRAL CONNECTICUT, I WAS
ABLE TO HIT REPEATER SYSTEMS FROM RHODE ISLAND TO LONG ISLAND AND HEAR THEM
QUITE WELL.  I WAS IMPRESSED.  THERE ARE ONLY A FEW SYSTEM FUSION REPEATERS
IN CONNECTICUT, SO I RETURNED TO THE RIDGE ANOTHER DAY TO TRY C4FM WITH THE
EXTENDED RANGE THE RIDGE PROVIDED.  I HAD TO MAKE A FEW CALLS, BUT I
EVENTUALLY RAISED A FELLOW WHO WAS OPERATING WITH A YAESU SYSTEM FUSION
HANDHELD.  HIS AUDIO WAS REMARKABLY CLEAR WITH FEW DROP OUTS HE WAS
OPERATING FROM A MOVING CAR.  AT MY SUGGESTION, HE SWITCHED TO ANALOG FM
AND, SURE ENOUGH, THE REPEATER AND MY FTM 3200DR DETECTED THE CHANGE AND
SWITCHED MODES AUTOMATICALLY.  THE FTM 3200DR OFFERS A FUNCTION CALLED
GROUP MONITOR THAT ADDS AN EXTRA DIMENSION TO DIGITAL OPERATING.  WHEN THE
GROUP MONITOR FUNCTION IS ON AND YOURE OPERATING IN DIGITAL MODE AS A
MEMBER OF A REGISTERED GROUP, THE TRANSCEIVER WILL SEND SHORT PINGS AT
REGULAR INTERVALS.  THIS MAKES YOU VISIBLE TO OTHER FUSION GROUP MEMBERS
WHO ARE WITHIN COMMUNICATION RANGE, AND VICE VERSA.  WHEN A STATION IS
WITHIN RANGE, YOULL SEE THE CALL SIGN AND HEAR AN ALERT CHIME.  TO GET THE
MOST OUT OF GROUP MONITOR, IT DOES HELP TO DOWNLOAD THE ADVANCED ONLINE
MANUAL.  IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THAT THE FTM 3200DR LACKS THE ABILITY TO
‰  END OF 35 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ