The KG4MRA 145.430 repeater antenna is located at 730 feet AGL, with dual support arms, as shown in this photo

The KG4MRA digipeater(s) antenna is located at 715 feet AGL, mid level of the 3 antennas on the right in the photo

The photo above shows one of the challenges to the MRA repeaters

The Metropolitan Repeater Association, MRA, is a group of Amateur Radio Operators dedicated to providing a high quality, wide coverage area two meter repeater for the Richmond Virginia metro area and surrounding counties.  The MRA is not a club, rather, it's an association of amateur radio operators interested in ensuring the repeaters remain maintained, supported and most importantly, used!

MRA operates two voice repeaters, the 145.430 and 224.420 MHz, and digipeaters, and APRS iGate node in Richmond Virginia

The KG4MRA 145.430 MHz repeater uses a standard -600 KHz offset uplink, and requires a CTCSS tone of 74.4 Hz on the uplink.  The KG4MRA is now operating with Yaesu DR-2X repeaters, and therefore APCO 25 (P25) is no longer an available service on the repeater.  Currently KG4MRA is operating in split Fusion mode, C4FM or NBFM Automatic Mode Selection (AMS) on the uplink, and NBFM only on the downlink.  This split mode of Fusion service allows for NBFM (Analog) only radios to hear all traffic and communications when receiving KG4MRA, and use of 74.4 Hz CTCSS Tone Squelch (to block C4FM on the downlink) is no longer necessary.

The repeater transmits a CTCSS tone of 74.4 Hz on the 145.43 MHz output, to enable using 74.4 Hz RX tone squelch on users radios to block whatever noise and interference they may experience receiving the 145.43 MHz downlink.  Use of the 74.4 Hz RX tone squelch on users radios is optional.  The occurrence of interference on 145.43 MHz in central VA is rare, but there is a repeater in the Washington DC area running full Fusion on 145.43 MHz, and occasionally propagation will cause that repeater being received in the Richmond area.  The vast majority of users of 145.430 use analog NBFM.  But there are a significant number of hams in the Richmond area with Yaesu Fusion mobiles and HT's, so there may be more C4FM traffic on the repeater, versus the very low usage of P25 when that was supported.

The MRA also operates the KG4MRA 224.420 MHz repeater which uses a standard -1.60 MHz offset uplink, requires a CTCSS tone of 74.4 Hz on the uplink, and transmits with a CTCSS tone of 74.4 Hz on the downlink.  Use of the 74.4 Hz RX tone squelch on users radios is optional.  The 224.420 is analog NBFM only, uplink and downlink, and the antenna is mounted at 400 feet.  This repeater is connected full time to the KG4HOT 220 MHz repeater network node, and that connection includes carrying the "Boredom Breakers Net" between 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM every day, a world wide AllStar (and other interconnection methods) net.

The KG4MRA 145.430 repeater was located on the WRLH Channel 35 Analog TV tower in north Chesterfield County (intersection of Routes 288 & 60) from 1982 to 2016.  Original call sign of the repeater was W4SQT (Trustee Rod Kieper W4SQT/SK).  In 2014 the call sign of the repeater was changed to KG4MRA.  On December 28, 2016, the entire KG4MRA repeater was moved to its new location on the WTVR TV Channel 6 tower, when the old WRLH Channel 35 TV tower was scheduled for demolition in 2017.  The WTVR TV Channel 6 tower is located in central Richmond (intersection of I-195 & Broad Street), ~13 miles ENE of its prior location at WRLH.

The 145.430 KG4MRA antenna at the new WTVR site, as of 2016, is a Sinclair SD-224, 4 bay stacked folded dipoles, centered at 730 feet AGL, on the north tower leg of the WTVR tower.

The 224.420 KG4MRA antenna, is a Cellwave (Phelps Dodge/Super Stationmaster/220 Band) located on the southeast face of the tower, at the 415 foot cat walk level.

The KG4MRA digipeater antenna, is a Diamond X-510, centered at 730 feet AGL, located on the east tower leg of the WTVR tower, the mid level of the 3 antennas mounted there.

The Metropolitan Repeater Association owes it's continued operation to the gracious hosting of WTVR TV CBS6, on the iconic free standing 849 foot AGL (1053 foot ASL) tower erected in 1953.