Serving Middle Tennessee Since 1978

Membership Application

Welcome Letter

Meetings are the Third Monday of January, April, July and October

If you would like to be added to our Telegram Group email the webmaster

Donations & Applications can be sent to 

Cookeville Repeater Association, c/o Brenda Miller, KC4CBD, 1134 Rose Garden Lane, Cookeville, TN 38501

or email secretary@cookevillerepeater.org for information

Cookeville Repeater Association Established

    In the mid 1970s repeaters appeared as one of the areas of great interest in amateur radio.  Some of the hams at Tennessee Tech constructed a two-meter repeater and installed it in Prescott Hall with the transmitter antenna on one end of the building and the receiver antenna on the other end. The coverage area was limited, but that did not diminish the interest. A strong relationship was developed between the hams at TTU and those of the local community. The TTU hams were active in local emergency activities with the Putnam County Civil Defense.

    Don Reese, WB4QWJ, was the Director of Photographic Services at TTU.  Don was visiting C & S Communications when one of the owners, Charlie Cobble, offered to furnish a continuous duty mobile telephone repeater, for amateur use, if someone would get the license. Don made the request and was issued the repeater station license of WR4ANB.  Charlie furnished the tower site and antenna. Danny Lewis, WA4PPL, of C & S converted the system for two-meter amateur radio use and installed the necessary control circuits with an autopatch. Joe Bullington, WA4YSO, who was a TTU student and an employee of C & S Communications, installed the antenna on the tower. A duplexer and the control circuits were the only obstacles. The benefits of this project were discussed and a meeting was scheduled in a classroom at TTU of Glenn Leddy’s, WA4RYH(SK). The organizational meeting was held in November of 1977. Don, WB4QWJ, served as the first President. The control circuits and duplexer were selected and ordered.

    The need for better communications was realized to serve the Civil Defense as the Director, Sam Smith, was frequently calling on the ham radio operators for assistance. The repeater went into service in January of 1978. Glenn, WA4RYH(SK), soon replaced Don WB4QWJ, as President and served three consecutive terms as president.

    Danny Lewis, WA4PPL from the repeater-logging recorder, saved one of the emergency activities in western Putnam County, which used the new repeater. The audio begins with a phone patch call to the Putnam County Ambulance Service on November 17, 1978.

The above audio is from a Search & Rescue that the CRA assisted in after the repeater and autopatch were put into service. This was in the fall of 1978.

New Ham Radio Operators should read these.

Ham Radio 101: Understanding Repeater Speak

Ham Radio Lingo You Must Know

Don't Be a Lid