Hello everyone:
As I reported on the net last night, VE3KBR will be down for at least a
month between mid-July and mid-August, possibly longer.
The item following my signature appeared in last Wednesday's Whig-Standard
as part of the article, "Queen's gets new exemption to noise bylaw":
http://www.thewhig.com/2015/06/02/queens-gets-new-exemption-to-noise-bylaw
and explains the reason more succinctly than I can.
The tower site at 1174 McAdoo's Lane referenced in the item currently
includes our repeater. I was told yesterday that it will be connected to the
new antennas on the new tower and no action will be required from us. So the
bad news is that it will be down for the construction period but the good
news is that it will be fed with new 2" heliax feedline.
While the repeater is down, EchoLink and IRLP will also be unavailable.
73s,
Steve VE3KC
_____
City council, on a recommendation from city staff, will enter into a lease
agreement with SBA Canada ULC on a new communications tower to be built at
1174 McAdoo's Lane.
The current communication tower sits on the same property but is near the
end of its life cycle, and a new one is necessary.
The new tower is a key communications link required for the city's new
corporate-wide mobile radio system project.
Both Kingston Fire and Rescue and Kingston Police will be able to use the
tower, as well as, on a lesser scale, Utilities Kingston, Public Works and
Kingston Transit.
Council had already given budget approval for $400,000 to purchase its own
communications tower, which was at the time considered the most cost
effective. But staff now say in the report that the lease agreement is more
beneficial.
Currently, fire and rescue and the police pay a total of $5,135 to lease the
tower. With the new agreement, the city will save $1,087 per month.
The city will also have to make a $50,000 capital investment in the project.
The tower is expected to be fully operational by Sept. 1.
The new radio system requires the use of three communications towers in the
city, including one at Rock Road and Hwy. 38, which is currently under
construction.
Coun. Jeff McLaren introduced an amendment to see if city staff could report
back on the benefits and cost of the city of building rather than leasing
space on the tower.
He argued that the city could get some non-tax revenue if space on the tower
could be leased to others.
His amendment didn't get much support from his fellow council members who
were concerned that any delays would affect the completion of the tower by
early September.
"Council should listen very carefully to what our staff is saying," Mayor
Bryan Paterson said.
"I think it's late in the game to make that change," Coun. Adam Candon said.
McLaren's amendment was lost on a 6-6 tie, and council voted 12-0 to accept
staff's recommendation to lease the tower.
ian.macalpine@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:ian.macalpine@xxxxxxxxxxx>
