SUPERLINK Information

What is it?

  1. A linking system for selected Amateur Radio Repeater Stations in North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. This linking system uses a "backbone" of 440 Mhz radio signals to connect together a system of Amateur Radio 2 meter repeater stations.
  2. An on-demand linking system that the user(s) decides when it will be used and which "user access" 2 meter repeater systems will be linked together. Only one link is allowed at a time on SUPERLINK. (There is only one 440 Mhz "backbone" frequency available for linking.)
  3. A linking system available 24 hours per day using a 440 Mhz "backbone" that connects together all the involved repeaters.

What it is not

  1. A linking system that has all the involved 2 meter repeater stations constantly linked together. It is an on-demand type linking system that is turned on and off with user sent touch tone codes.
  2. A method of making a general call to any Amateur Radio station that might be on a repeater system that is part of SUPERLINK. The purpose of this linking system is to allow for communications between two or multiple amateur radio stations in the areas around the selected repeaters. General "CQ" (calling all stations) type operation is not encouraged on the SUPERLINK system, and in some cases owners of the linked repeaters will shut off links that are made for this type of operation.

How to use the SUPERLINK system

  1. Decide where you want to link your local 2 meter SUPERLINK access repeater to. Get on your local SUPERLINK 2 meter access repeater, give your callsign and send the three digit touch-tone access code to connect your local repeater to the 440 Mhz "backbone". For example, if you want to access the Twin Cities SUPERLINK 2 meter access repeater, send the touch tone digits 2 8 7 on the 146.355/955 Mhz repeater.
    When you have successfully connected your local 2 meter repeater to the SUPERLINK "backbone" a voice ID will tell you of this connection. In this example, "2 8 7 Hello" tells you that you have successfully connected the Twin Cities SUPERLINK 2 meter access repeater to the 440 Mhz "backbone system".
  2. When your local repeater has been connected to the 440 Mhz "backbone", send the 3 digit touch-tone access code for the 2 meter repeater that is on the SUPERLINK system you want to connect to. In most cases you only need to send the access code of where you want to link to, not the codes of the systems in between. When this connection has been made you will get a voice ID message from this distant repeater telling you of this connection. For example, if you have tried to connect to the Fargo, ND SUPERLINK 2 meter access repeater you would send the touch tone digits 3 2 7. A voice message of "3 2 7 Hello" from the Fargo 2 meter repeater would indicate that you have made a successful connection off of the 440 Mhz "backbone" to the Barnesville (Fargo) 2 meter repeater on 147.66/06 Mhz.
  3. Call the station you want to talk to on the SUPERLINK system and talk to the station.
  4. When you have finished with your conversation and your "linking activities", you will need to send touch tone codes to turn off the links in the reverse order that you turned them on. The turn-off codes are the same as the turn-on, except for a 1 that precedes the on code. First send the turn-off 4 digit touch tone code for the distant 2 meter access repeater that you have a link to and then your local 2 meter access repeater. To continue with the example given, send the touch tone code 1 3 2 7 to turn off the Fargo SUPERLINK 2 meter access repeater. When this operation has been successful, you will hear the voice ID from this repeater say 3 2 7 bye.
  5. Now turn off the connection to the 440 Mhz "backbone" of your local 2 meter SUPERLINK access repeater. In the example given, send the touch tone digits 1 2 8 7 to drop the Twin Cities 2 meter access repeater from the "backbone". When you have successfully completed this operation, you will hear the voice ID say, 2 8 7 bye.

Special features or operational characteristics of SUPERLINK

  1. In some cases the repeater operators in selected parts of the SUPERLINK system have decided to permanently link their 2 meter SUPERLINK access repeaters together. One example of where this is being done is with the repeaters in Barnesville, Fisher and Karlstad, MN. Accessing the SUPERLINK repeater at Barnesville (Code 3 2 7) turns on the link to all three repeaters at the same time. If you wish to talk to another amateur within the coverage area of Fisher or Karlstad you must also access the Barnesville repeater. Using the 3 2 7 access code brings up all three repeaters at once.
  2. Leave plenty of time between sending access code touch tone digits and between first keying up your microphone and talking on the links. The 440 Mhz "backbone" between the extreme ends of the SUPERLINK linking system has over eleven 440 Mhz hops in it that all must be on and transmitting before your signals can successfully be sent through them.

SUPERLINK Repeater Linking System Information

SUPERLINK is an Amateur Radio repeater linking system that links together 2 meter repeaters located along Interstate 94 from the Western Border of North Dakota, through Minnesota and into Wisconsin. It also has links that go north to Winnipeg, Canada and east of Fargo to Bemidji, MN. Other links to the east and south will be added in the near future.

The SUPERLINK linking system requires that the user turn ON the "linking system" of their local 2 meter repeater and then select where the linked signal will come out of the system. This "selection" is done by the system user sending out two 3 digit touch-tone codes. A voice announcement will tell you when you have successfully completed the linking.

Exactly where does SUPERLINK go?



                        Access Code   Rptr System 

   Location             On      Off  Freq & Offset  Notes

   -------------------  -----------  -------------  --------------------

   Alexandria, MN       253    1253    146.790(-)

   Barnesville, MN      327    1327    147.060(+)

   Bemidji, MN          236    1236    146.730(-)

   Bismarck, ND         247    1247    146.940(-)

   Bowman, ND           269    1269    145.310(-)   

   Carrington, ND       227    1227    146.670(-)

   Cooperstown, ND      266    1266    147.210(+)   

   Devils Lake, ND      338    1338    146.880(-)

   Dickinson, ND        342    1342    146.820(-)

   Fisher, MN           327    1327    146.700(-)

   Hannover, ND         426    1426    145.430(-)

   Grand Rapids, MN     472    1472    146.880(-)

   Jamestown, ND        526    1526    147.180(+)

   Karlstad, MN         327    1327    145.470(-)

   Killdeer, ND         545    1545    146.640(-)

   Maddock, ND          623    1623    147.240(+)

   Minot, ND            646    1646    147.360(+)

   Sentinel Butte, ND   736    1736    146.730(-)

   Sisseton, SD         747    1747    146.880(-)   

   St. Cloud, MN        785    1785    147.015(+)

   Willmar, MN          945    1945    145.230(-)  PL tone 91.5

NOTE: Additions to the SuperLink are in process ... Stay tuned for further developments!

Rules of Operation

  1. Remember the priority of traffic on the linking system. Emergency (#1), weather (#2), and then general conversation.
  2. Be sure you turn OFF what you turn ON. Turn OFF the links in the reverse order you turned them ON, so that you can listen for the voice announcements to tell you when each has been cleared.
  3. Be sure you leave time (1 or 2 seconds), after keying your transmitter, for the system to come up before you start talking or sending your access code touch tones.


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