See also the NEW NEWTON SITE for updated facility
Originally, the 147.15 repeater was at the White Alice site on top of Anvil Mountain. When that site was decontaminated by the U.S. Air Force, we were told that the repeater had to go.
Ramon AL7X, Keith Andrews KL1CC, Ken Shapiro KL1YJ and Allen Sagoonick KL3VH dismantled Anvil Mountain, and using a bulk liquid container, built a passable enclosure and deployed the repeater atop Newton Peak; about 2 miles east of Anvil Mountain.
Newton does not have road access, and contruction was done using tracked vehicles, ATV's, Snowmachines and eventually helicopters. The repeater was initially re-activated in the summer of 2014.
Photos Copyright © 2014 Ramon Gandia
This is Allen Sagoonick KL3VH, inside the 2014 repeater housing. It was a very tight squeeze indeed!
Photo Copyright © 2014 Keith Andrews
Above: Ramon with his K9 Sydney, and Rolland. Fall of 2014.
Coated in Ice, January 2015
Photo Copyright © 2014 Ramon Gandia
The liquid container housing did not age gracefully. It cracked and allowed water to enter the housing. Fearing that the repeater would be damaged, in early September 2020, Ken Shapiro took out the batteries, repeater, solar controller and solar panel off, and brougt them to AL7X's house, at the base of Newton Peak.
The former SPARC hub building has now become the NEW Newton mountain facility.