Peach Ridge Tower Site Building owned by ACARA
(a.k.a. "the old repeater building")

This building was purchased as a kit, and assembled by ACARA members in the earrly 1980's to house the ACARA 2-meter repeater, and later the W8UKE-1 APRS digipeater. All club equipment has since been transferred to the adjacent Athens County tower and equipment buildings. We believe the only operational equipment still in this building is some Athens City Police Department gear; allowed in the building in exchange for the City paying the electric bill.

The building is on the City/County generator for backup power. At a ground elevation of approx 1,020 ft AMSL, it is well suited for the proposed Packet Radio control hub.

Interestingly, this building is one of only two structures on the entire tower site which has it's own unique street address (10567 Twp Rd 213). This arose with the creation of Athens County 9-1-1 service, which stipulated that any location with a landline capable of dialing 9-1-1 had to have a valid street address. This applied to the ACARA repeater 'autopatch' landline in the building. A special 'flag' had to be created in the 9-1-1 database noting that 9-1-1 calls from this landline, were likely 'radiotelephone' calls originating elsewhere.


↑ Site Layout


↑ Despite its age, still in good condition


↑ With Polyphaser bulkhead cable entry for lightning protection


↑ View of bldg from County tower yard, to right of propane tank


↑ Looking NW from site, with nice foreground coverage
up US 33 and Hocking River valley. Important for packet project