History of NETDA

The history for our group goes back to 2015.

Yaesu had started marketing the System Fusion C4FM platform and the first DR-1 repeaters had completed beta testing in 2015, resulting in the DR-1X variant which became available.

The founding members of NETDA, K4ETN and K1LNX looked at the increasing availability of digital equipment and the potential for adding digital communications in the north east Tennessee corridor.

The first digital voice repeaters were placed in service by Jeff Bible K4MFD with the 145.150 and 444.200 repeaters in Greene County. With only a small user base at the time, activity was almost non existent.

We formed NETDA in March 2016 and acquired the vanity call of W4YSF for the association. K4ETN changed the 443.100 repeater to System Fusion in June of 2016. Others followed, W4TRC (Kingsport club)146.970 and 443.325 and KK4FPB’s 442.500(taken over by W4YSF in 2019). 443.950 in Johnson City went live February 2018.

The W4ABR Johnson City Amateur Radio Assn 146.790 repeater went live in August of 2018.

The 444.225 repeater was placed in service in Elizabethton, TN in March 2022.

The FusioNet system is a multi site analog linked and C4FM digital capable system of 440 MHz repeaters. A stand alone Fusion digital only repeater on 444.750 is operated by K4ETN on Round Knob Mt. in Greene County.

The addition of P25 Phase 1 digital voice came in 2017 when Chris N6MMX joined NETDA as our Field Engineer. Located on Bays Mt in Sullivan County, 443.5625 went on the air in May of 2017. A second P25 repeater in Johnson City went online in June of 2018.

The user base has grown dramatically in the last two years. We appreciate the users who take advantage of the  digital voice systems and have made our efforts worthwhile.

A complete list of the repeaters and affiliated digital repeaters are available from the main menu.

K4ETN