NS Pocahontas ATCS Equipment Fund

I am the server manager for several radio servers covering the Pocahontas District from Bluefield, VA to Portsmouth, OH and Norton, VA. Alongside Virginia ATCS gurus Mack Muir and Greg Cox, we have created a large network covering the Kenova District, Pocahontas District, Clinch Valley District, and the Appalachia District, plus coverage of the CSX Kingsport and Blue Ridge Subdivisions and the associated NS branch lines (Buchanan, Dry Fork, and the Guyandot River Branch). Most of these servers are located on tower sites throughout the region, covering large areas of the line compared to smaller individual hosts. Each tower site also features a radio feed for the corresponding location.

This fund is established to help with the cost of radio equipment, antennas, and server equipment for each of the locations, as well as for any potential new servers that would be needed. We have a majority of the main lines covered, and are looking for server hosts along the branch lines to fill in gaps in coverage.

This fund will also supplement the cost of renting some of the tower sites, which are upwards of $80/month per site, plus internet. We have a Patreon account set up primarily for that purpose, which allows users to automatically contribute monthly towards the rent without having to donate regularly. The Patreon is located at http://www.patreon.com/pokeyatcsnet

UPDATE 12/2020: We have three new servers planned for the spring of 2021; One will be on the Pocahontas District West End which will cover from Williamson to around Iaeger, another will be near War which will cover the Dry Fork Branch and part of the Pocahontas District, and the third will be on the New River Districts which will cover from Bluefield to Christiansburg and from Radford west on the Pulaski District. Each site will need an ATCS antenna ($120) voice antenna ($70) and coax ($240 per 500' roll) along with other miscellaneous hardware.