The YSF repeater was installed at the145.290, K4EX Wesley Chapel site.

Yaesu “System Fusion” is a digital C4FM signal. The repeater is configured as Digital/Analog system. It is in “AUTO/AUTO” mode. This means what ever RX modulation type it receives is what it will send out.

This system will allow analog and digital (one at a time) to coexist  on the same pair. So users with digital capability can utilize it and anyone without can use analog the analog operation will remain the same, and the digital does add some neat features.

The EPARS System Fusion Repeater

The new EPARS repeater is the ’second generation’ System Fusion repeater and will operate in AMS, or Auto Mode Select. This allows the repeater receiver to auto select FM or Digital and then re-transmits the same mode, depending on the received signal.

This repeater is open to all users, Analog FM or C4FM Digital on a co-shared basis.

Current Analog FM users will not be affected and can use 145.290.

If analog only users don’t wish to hear the digital data stream over their rigs speaker, the FM user may wish to program their radios with full CTCSS 146.2 (encode and decode) to help alleviate unwanted noise. Employing full CTCSS will allow any analogue user to mask the digital data as is passes over your receiver.

If you don’t program your rig to full CTCSS and you happen to turn on your rigs scanning function, any digital traffic that comes across 145.290 will lock on the channel and all you will hear is a very loud white noise, which can be annoying. The actual C4FM signal sounds like very loud white noise hiss until the digital user stops transmitting. With full decode on, your FM only radio scan feature should fly right past 145.290, unless there’s a FM conversation occurring.

It should be noted that both the analog FM and Digital user will be co-sharing on the repeater, but only ONE conversation can exist on the repeater at one time. If you hear a digital noise on the channel, and your S meter is showing a strong, yet unintelligible signal AND you wish to break in or make an emergency call, keying up in between their transmissions with any analog transmission will automatically force everyone’s Digital radios (including the repeater) back to Analog FM mode.

No matter what mode you are using to access the new System Fusion repeater; all users should remember to check your rigs busy light or S Meter OR hit your monitor button prior to making a analog FM call. Good operator do this to make sure that they are not accidentally interfering with an ongoing digital conversation.

Questions about the C4FM System

So I’m still analog and have no plans to buy a new radio, how will this affect my use on the System Fusion Repeater?

Normal FM users will be able to co-exist with new digital radio users. The Yaesu System Fusion DR-1X repeater will automatically select the proper incoming mode and pass normal analog traffic or the new digital traffic automatically. 

Part of the test is the Fusion’s ability to coexist with FM analog signals. FM users; just place your radio into full encode/decode to mask out any digital conversations. Please watch your busy light and hit your monitor button before transmitting. 

Digital users are required to run their rigs in AMS (auto mode select) mode. That way an analog user can jump in and say ‘break’ in-between digi transmissions. In this example, the analog FM user keys up the DR-1X repeater and this will normally force the DR-X repeater and other users listening in the AMS mode back over to regular analog FM.

Technical Support for Digital Radios

All System Fusion radios, (FTM-400DR & FTM-3200DR 200 500 300 mobile, FT70 ,FT1D and FT2D, 3D, 5D) radios can operate in fixed FM mode, DN (Digital Narrow @ 6.25 KHz ) or VW (Voice Wide 12.5 KHz signal).

We SUGGEST running your system fusion rigs on the repeater in the AMS mode to better co-exist with regular FM users.

 Using the AMS mode (there is a display bar that appears over the FM/DN/VW) icon on the mobile and a rectangle bar to the left of the FM/DN/VW icon on the walkies.