The BARRA Tech Net
Buffalo Amateur Radio Repeater Association
The BARRA Tech Net was started as a weekly gathering place for hams in Western New York to discuss the technical side of amateur radio. While many on-air nets focus on traffic handling, ragchewing, or public service, the Tech Net was designed specifically for exchanging ideas, sharing knowledge, and answering questions about the equipment, modes, and innovations in the hobby.
Hosted on the Buffalo Amateur Radio Repeater Association’s repeaters, the net provides an open forum where hams of all experience levels can check in, learn something new, and share their projects. Over time, the Tech Net has covered a wide range of subjects, including:
Linking systems such as AllStarLink, EchoLink, and Hams Over IP
Digital voice modes (DMR, Fusion, P25, FreeDV)
Satellite and space communications, including contacting the ISS
RF infrastructure such as station grounding, antennas, and simulcast repeaters
Modern ham-adjacent technologies like SDR, ADS-B, Meshtastic, HamClock, APRS, and weather systems
The net runs Wednesday nights at 8:00 PM Eastern, with rotating topics and occasional guest speakers (such as Ted, WA2HKS, describing the technical design of the WA2HKS simulcast system). Each net includes a short topic preamble followed by discussion questions to encourage check-ins and participation.
The BARRA Tech Net continues to grow as a resource for hams in Buffalo and beyond, promoting technical learning, experimentation, and fellowship over the airwaves.
Node#: 52515
Talkgroup: 3167813
*Various Dashboards located at n2ugs.com
BARRA Tech Net Topics
all past nets incude an archive of the presentation and audio
Motorola and the Ham Radio Operator – An Introduction to the Rabbit Hole
This presentation explores the fascinating world of Motorola radios and their place in amateur radio, offering both newcomers and seasoned operators a practical introduction to why so many hams eventually “go down the Motorola rabbit hole.” Unlike many consumer-grade...
Why P25? A Look Beyond the Buzzwords
My journey into P25 technology started back in 2015, almost by accident. At the time, DMR was the hot new thing in the amateur radio world. Clubs were building out talk groups, hams were buying inexpensive handhelds by the dozen, and the excitement was undeniable. I...
Allstar vs. EchoLink
Both systems connect amateur radio stations over the internet, but they work a little differently. EchoLink is simple to set up, works directly from a computer or phone, and is great for quick contacts and casual use. AllStarLink is more flexible and powerful,...
Echolink
EchoLink is a system that lets licensed amateur radio operators connect to repeaters, simplex nodes, and other hams over the internet using VoIP technology. You can access it from a radio connected to an EchoLink-enabled repeater, or directly from a computer or...
Allstarlink
AllStarLink is an open-source system that links repeaters, simplex nodes, and remote base stations over the internet using Asterisk PBX software. It allows licensed hams to connect their local RF to repeaters and hubs anywhere in the world, with full-duplex audio and...
