In an effort to cull inactive repeater and auxiliary link coordinations from the database to ensure the availability of frequencies for new coordination applications, periodically ARCC Regional Representatives check up on the status of repeaters that have been noted as being off the air or no longer operating in compliance with the terms of their coordination. ARCC is once again performing a complete review of all coordinated operations.

Because the Southeastern PA and New Jersey regions of ARCC’s territory are the most congested and have the fewest frequencies available for new operations, those two regions will be the first to be reviewed. The remaining regions (Southwest, Northeast, and Northwest) will be reviewed in the near future.

Repeaters and auxiliary links found to no longer be active, and/or having been modified without prior coordination approval, will be subject to de-coordination. Those who receive de-coordination notices will have a window of opportunity to request reconsideration if there are extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances generally do not include the types of challenges all repeater operators routinely have to face such as equipment failures, loss of site, shortage of finances, or lack of time.

If you are the holder of a coordination for a repeater or auxiliary link that is currently off the air, per ARCC’s policies, you have 30 days to notify ARCC as to the reason for the downtime in order to protect your coordination. You may request up to 90 days of total downtime in order to make the necessary repairs and/or to apply to modify your coordination in order to maintain compliance (for example, if the repeater needs to be relocated temporarily or permanently in order to remain on the air). If this applies to you, it is in your best interest to notify ARCC prior to receiving a notice of de-coordination. As always, applications for modification of coordination are reviewed in the same way as new coordinations, and as such, not all modifications may be able to be coordinated.

Likewise, if your repeater or auxiliary link is not operating in compliance with the terms of your current coordination, you should apply to modify the coordination sooner rather than later. Changes to an operation that affect the coverage of the station, such as a change in antenna height, change of transmitter location, change in effective radiated power (by altering transmitter power, changing antenna gain or pattern, changing feedline type or length, etc.), or change in access control (PL tone, DPL code, etc.) must be coordinated before changes are made in order to ascertain the effect the changes may have to other coordinated operations.

If you are the holder of coordination for a repeater that operates with some means of access control, such as PL, DPL or DTMF, your access means is part of your coordination. If you have altered the means of access, such as having changed PL tones without modifying the coordination, not only does this violate the terms of your coordination, but it may result in your repeater being deemed off-the-air because it is unable to be accessed. Thus it is imperative that any such changes to the coordination be made prior to making such a change.

All new coordinated operations must be put on the air within 180 days of receipt of initial coordination. Per ARCC’s policies, and as stated in the letter that accompanies all coordination certificates, it is the applicant’s responsibility to notify ARCC when the repeater or auxiliary link has been constructed and put on the air in compliance with the terms of the coordination. Failure to notify ARCC results in the coordination being cancelled automatically. If you have received coordination for a new operation and have not notified ARCC that it has been put on the air, we strongly suggest you do so immediately to avoid being de-coordinated.

When a notice of de-coordination is sent, the record is marked for deletion from the database. After that time, ARCC will not accept an application to modify that coordination. ARCC does not have a means for "reinstating" a cancelled coordination. Upon cancellation, any party may apply for the frequency(s) in question, and like all applications, they are processed in first-come first-served order. The exception to this rule is if the frequency(s) being de-coordinated may be able to be used for another applicant who is on a waiting list, that applicant will have first priority in applying for the frequency(s) in question before ARCC will accept applications from other parties.

It is not ARCC’s position or desire to be "repeater police", however, if a repeater or auxiliary link is off the air or no longer operating as coordinated, it is ARCC’s responsibility to de-coordinate and make the frequency(s) available to other applicants. This is but one way that ARCC works to help ensure equal access to coordinated frequencies within our service area in the best interest of the amateur radio community. ARCC tries to remain as relaxed as possible in our de-coordination procedures, but the undeniable fact is that, on many bands in many areas, there is a shortage of available frequencies, yet there is no such shortage of new applications.

We thank you for your cooperation.