Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: ARRL Repeater Directory 2020 Edition

Category: Books/Manuals/Videos/Pod-WebCasts on ham radio

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : ARRL Repeater Directory 2020 Edition
Reviews: 7MSRP: $19.95
Description:
The 2020 Repeater Directory® includes “crowdsourced” listings contributed by users, repeater owners, and volunteer frequency coordinators. This means more listings, and updated more often. Public service volunteers: include this printed directory with your emergency ‘go kit.’ Over 21,000 listings.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Repeater-Directory-2020-Edition/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0071.9
WD4HXG Rating: 2020-04-01
Things are changing Time Owned: more than 12 months.
In a two year old directory I find a number of machines listed but non-responsive. Some are simply off the air. Some temporary and some permanently.

The most troubling thing is the number of machines where you announce you are listening and all that is received as a response is crickets.

Tone and digital code squelch is not a friend in my opinion either. It adds another level of complexity and unknowns. I have lost count of the times where conflicting information was tabulated in different listings for tones.
KB3MQI Rating: 2020-03-31
Do Not Buy If You Travel The USA. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I drive cross country alot. In the old directory, information was listed by county. That way I could plan my route and preprogram my rig. Maybe ARRL sold out to save production costs or get a royalty in return. Either way, DO NOT BUY THIS DIRECTORY!
WU6R Rating: 2020-03-30
Not Recommended - Missing Lots of Repeaters Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just received the 2020 ARRL repeater directory and I was surprised to see it is quite a bit thinner than the 2017-2018 ARRL Repeater Directory...

The 2017-2018 directory: 637 pages with over 30,000 listings,

The 2020 directory: 458 pages with over 21,000 listings... What gives?

So I looked at the listings for Virginia as a comparison:

2017-2018: 11 1/2 pages
2020: 9 pages of listings

Now it is possible a lot of repeaters no longer exist, but I find it hard to believe that nationwide there has been a reduction from over 30,000 to now just over 21,000.

So hopefully I have this all wrong and someone will set me straight.

73,
Mark / WU6R
KO1C Rating: 2020-03-30
Unreliable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
RFinder took over this book, too bad.

Several errors for my location, so much so, I don't feel I can trust it for ANY area.

For example, they had a 6 meter machine listed in my location that had not been there for several years.

I literally had to find the owner's obituary to get them to remove the machine from my local listings.

You can easily add repeaters but good luck getting inaccuracy's corrected or non-existant repeaters removed.

ARRL threw us under the bus on this one.
KV1P Rating: 2020-03-30
has everything I need! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The directory has all the information I need (Florida and New England) for any trip I am going to take this summer and fall. I just understand why everyone expects the world to be at their finger tips???
W9SA Rating: 2020-03-30
Waste of Money Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I haven't bought a Repeater Directory in years but always used to keep one in the car. After an extended trip out West last fall I decided to get another one since we ran into many spots where data just wasn't available. As the title says the purchase was a waste of money. There are many, many repeaters missing. As an example, I live in Indiana and the two largest cities Fort Wayne and Indianapolis have only 1 and 3 repeaters listed respectively and none are the most used machines. Do not waste your money on this book.
KD4Y Rating: 2020-03-27
Missing some Repeaters in Montgomery, Al Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I also have the New Repeater Directory. There are Lots of active machines Missing.! A good way to check active Repeaters go th the City Local Club Web Sites.