The GMRS repeater known as Oly-Comm3 (Formerly known and operated as "East Tiger") was, for a time, privileged to have its home at the East Tiger Mountain radio complex. This location provided wide-area service that supported a variety of personal, business and community-service activities. For reasons, too complex to present here, access to that facility was lost in late 2025. During its operational history most of the maintenance heavy-lifting was conducted by Rich Salter (KF7BJI / WQOG407) with additional, important, assistance from Spencer Bahner (K7SLB/KAD2844).
In a cooperative working relationship between the SeaTac Repeater Association and the Oly-Comm Network, the original GMRS repeater was temporarily replaced with a 50 watt 100% duty-cycle machine from Oly-Comm. [The original "East Tiger" repeater (since renamed "Cougar") has been returned to service at Cougar Mountain and is open to all with no advanced permission required.]
The "Oly-Comm3" 50 watt repeater, currently in the shop for repairs and a significant controller upgrade, is expected to provide a high-performance, communication platform for some specific needs of the region, when placed back into service. A renewed "East Tiger" will, of necessity, NOT be a rag-chew machine. "Cougar" and other repeaters in the area are open for broader use and can accommodate such traffic.
Truly excellent mountain-top communication sites are few and always in high demand (read expensive). When GMRS repeaters are hosted at no cost to the users by non-profit organizations, (like Oly-Comm1 on Blyn Mountain near Discovery Bay and Oly-Comm2 in Uptown Port Townsend), they are usually cost-absorbed by the hosting agency. However, the return of an enhanced "East Tiger" will, of necessity, be fee-based and require individual cost-sharing from those authorized to access Oly-Comm3.
Fair and equitable fees will be determined (and posted) in accordance with principles guided by CFR 47, Part 95.1705(f)3. Whenever possible, Oly-Comm (as part of Olympic Media, Inc. which is a 501(c)3 organization) will seek additional grant monies to help defray the monthly cost of "East Tiger" operation. Unfortunately, when successfully pursued, this procedure can be a rare event.
At this time, estimates place the cost-sharing (by tax-deductible donation) of a renewed "East Tiger" access at around $25.00 per month with a minimum of 35-40 subscribers. Of that amount roughly $5.00 goes toward capital expenditure and necessary repairs (and upgrades when warranted). The benefit of additional subscribing members will eventually cause a reduction in the prorated cost per licensee. Each 10 additional users will trigger a new cost-analysis. Long-term emergency and alternate-power capabilities may take some time to achieve, but they are very high on our priorities list! We want Oly-Comm3 to "be here" when needed during times of distress!
Cost-sharing in the GMRS requires an FCC mandated written agreement which must be stored as part of official station records for both the individual user as well as the repeater owner (a three-ringed binder here). This required document will be posted here, when it has been sufficiently composed, and available for download and submission.