The 27th of July is the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group’s 25th Anniversary! As a celebration of this event, we will be activating the VI25AREG special-event callsign between the 1st of July and the 31st of August. The aim is to have the call active on as many bands and modes as possible, reflecting the huge diversity of interests of AREG’s members across the whole spectrum of amateur radio activities.
Special Event QSO Award
AREG has always sought to promote experimentation in amateur radio as a pathway to learning. To celebrate this, we are offering a special award available for any station who contacts VI25AREG using a minimum of three different transmission modes. The aim being to encourage people to experiment with different modes. You will find the call in use in some unlikely places as a result, including PSK, Olivia, FreeDV, DMR, FUSION, FM, AM, HF, VHF, UHF and more. Work us on three modes and you will qualify for our award!
To apply for the certificate, just send an email to vi25areg (at) areg.org.au with your ADIF log extract showing the three qualifying QSOs. If your QSOs are found in our log, you should receive your digital certificate within a few days!
Special Event QSL Card
Click to request QSL Card
A special 4 sided QSL card is being designed by the members of AREG for this event. The card design will be completed by August 31st (aligned with the close of the celebrations). Requests for a copy of the card can be submitted via our QSL Manager, Charles M0OXO. You can also see whether you are in the log via Clublog!
Clublog Log Access
On Air Celebrations: Where to find VI25AREG
Look out for VI25AREG on the following bands and modes over the next few weeks, and check back on our website often for specific activity announcements!
- HF – Regular activations on many HF bands, check dxheat.com/dxc/ and ClubLog to see where VI25AREG was last heard! The following specific activations are planned:
- VI25AREG Picnic at Para-Wirra Conservation Park, starting ~12PM on Sunday the 30th of July.
- 6M – VI25AREG is planned to be used on 6M at the following times:
- As part of the weekly 6m FM net, on the VK5RSB 6m repeater, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11AM ACST.
- Sunday mornings, 10:30 AM ACST on 53.100 AM, and 10:45 on 52.100 SSB.
- Repeaters – We plan to run a net on the Central VK5 Linked Repeater Network at 10AM ACST on the following dates:
- 8th July
- 22nd July
- 5th August
- 19th August
- Satellites – the following satellites passes are planned to have VI25AREG activations:
- TBD!
- Digital Voice Modes – activity is planned on each of the following networks
- DMR: Tuesday 25th July, 0900Z, on VKDMR Talk-Group 505.
- DSTAR:
- FUSION:
- High-Altitude Balloon Launch
- We are planning a High-Altitude Balloon launch making use of the VI25AREG callsign in mid-to-late August. Tentative launch dates are either the 13th of 20th of August.
We are hoping to get many of our members on air operating the callsign.
AREG History
Formed back in July 1998, AREG started out with 7 members focused on amateur radio and electronics experimentation. There were early projects driven by interests in high altitude balloons and repeaters and the group started some early fund raising efforts to support these.
Over time the group continued to slowly grow through until ~2010 when larger activities were attempted, including efforts in various contests and operating on air using special event call VI5MCP (100th anniversary of Morialta Conservation Park). Around this time, the group moved from meeting at members homes to the Reedbeds Community Centre in Fulham too, and the groups focus began to broaden and look to engage more actively with the wider amateur radio community. In the last ~15 years, the group has gone from strength to strength, partnering with the Project Horus high altitude balloon team, being very active in radio contesting, began providing community service communications for the River Paddling Marathon in the Riverland and establishing many new services for members, growing the club’s reach through its internet presence in the process.
From our original 7 members, the group has now grown in size to well over 100 people located across 6 states. With that base, AREG continues to seek opportunities to make a positive contribution to the amateur service in Australia. We therefore are now celebrating the past 25 years and are looking forward to the next 25!
We look forward to working you from VI25AREG!