The Network Effect is when you connect a network (IRLP, AllStar, Echolink, D-STAR, DMR, Fusion, etc) to a quiet, local repeater and turn on a busy nationwide or worldwide reflector, talk group, room, whatever. The repeater isn’t quiet anymore… but who’s talking. Nobody you know.

Also, Gary K4AAQ will be volunteering for a big, new (to him) event: the Assault on Mt. Mitchell. That’s a 100 mile bike ride from Spartanburg SC to the top of Mt. Mitchell in NC. With all the up and down (and the big UP at the end to the 6600’ summit), the riders will see a total of 11,000 of vertical climb.

And, we lost some hams this week. Bob Heil K9EID, of course, but also David W0DHG’s friend Gary Apgar NY6Y, and Gary’s friend and local hero Danny Hampton K4ITL. Danny was Dayton Hamvention’s Ham of the Year in 2009, and founder of a regional repeater network in the Carolinas, long before the Internet came along to make it easy.