Radio Hams kicked-off Olympic Tower site

Using too much electrical power may have cost a popular group of repeaters serving Munich, Germany it's site.

This, as one group of radio hams who control access by other radio amateurs to Munich's Olympic Tower radio site, have essentially kicked their brother radio amateurs out.

The group in question is the VFDB. The VFDB is described as a parallel amateur radio organization to the German national society the DARC. It represents hams that work for, or used to work for, the German telecommunications authority.

They have their own local clubs that 'compete' with the DARC local clubs, although in most ways they cooperate and sort of claim to be part of one family. Since the VFDB has a direct connection with the authorities or past authorities, they arranged to be the national renter of repeater site properties at subsidized prices.

And now the VFDB is claiming that the radio hams who operate repeaters at the Olympic Tower are using far too much resources such as electrical power and had ordered Rainer Englert, DF2NU, and his repeaters out of the site. This, even though they are the most popular systems serving the Munich area and includes the 5th highest traffic Echolink repeater used worldwide, as well as a new D-Star repeater.

According to one source, some dialog was opened between the VFDB and DF2NU. Then a closed meeting without Englert was held on December 4th to determine the fate of the repeaters on the Olympic Tower. The outcome was a decision to shut everything down. There was no discussion, no reasons given.

The user group that supports the repeaters say the move was purely political. They say that their next step will be to consult with their lawyers and at the same time to look for a repeater site that is not under VFDB's control.

Source: ARNewsline, various