Author Archives: AREGNews

VK5RSB 70cm Repeater Service

Posted on by

14 May 2020

Note: VK5RSB is still on air – but its tail is now VERY short. We will rectify the problem with the tail as soon as we can.

5 May 2020

Further update regarding the VK5RSB operations.

In the exuberance of the repeater service crew to see VK5RSB running with the AREG repeater controller, the repeater’s operations in conjunction with access to the IRLP network was overlooked.

IRLP node 6214, is accessed via the VK5RSB 70cm repeater.

The IRLP network managers do not like local repeaters sending “Roger Beeps” and repeater idents out into the IRLP system. This is because such idents etc will be transmitted elsewhere in the world, which is certainly not appropriate!

Under the previous setup of the VK5RSB 70cm repeater, the CW ID was generated within the Motorola Quantar but was transmitted without CTCSS, therefore not keying the IRLP unit and not being transmitted over the IRLP system, which needs CTCSS to be keyed for operation.

Therefore, with this in consideration, the “Roger Beep” has been turned off and the repeater “Tail” has been shortened to 1 second.

The Voice indent will remain for the short term, as any ident generated by the AREG repeater controller will still be transmitted with CTCSS.

The current final solution to this oversight, is to remove the AREG repeater controller and reset the Quantar code plug as had been previously.

The repeater service crew are sorry for any issues that came about from this exuberance.

We trust that all will continue to enjoy and take advantage of the VK5RSB repeaters.

4 May 2020

Just a quick update on the VK5RSB 70cm repeater.

This morning Paul VK5BX, myself Ben VK5BB and the Covid 19 Supervisor, Alesia (harmonic) attended at the VK5RSB site.

Purpose of the visit was to,

  • change over the VK5RSB 70cm repeater Motorola Quantar,
  • one out, one in, setup for operation with the AREG repeater controller,
  • re-fit the AREG repeater controller for the 70cm repeater,
  • check the site installation operation.

The equipment change over was without issue and the operation is successful with the new configuration of the repeater working well.

Noticeable operational changes,

  • 5 second long tail
  • a “Roger beep”,
  • the time out timer resets on the “Roger beep” (so no need to wait for the tail to drop)
  • voice ID
  • on long overs, a low level CW ID will play over top of the QSO.

Many thanks must go to Paul for his perseverance and time in setting up the replacement Quantar and mating it with the AREG repeater controller.

Reports and feedback would be much appreciated please.

AREG wishes Seasons Greetings, with a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year Year to all!

Posted on by

To all members of AREG and readers, Seasons Greetings to you all, for a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year for you, your families and friends.

 

 

Remember, large antenna arrays are an OH&S matter late Christmas eve,

 

 

 

 

We also trust that if you are on the “Nice List” that that new rig that you are thinking about, may be in the gifts found under your family Christmas Tree.

 

 

 

At this time when many people are suffering hardship from the many bush fires throughout Australia, both here in the Adelaide environs and on the East Coast, we trust that you all keep safe and get a break to be able to take time out and relax for some Christmas Cheer with family and friends.

To the many dedicated Volunteers who are selflessly putting in many hours to help within their communities, please Play Safe, Stay Safe, our thoughts are with you and your families and friends at this time.

 

 

 

VK5RWN D-Star system upgraded to allow linking to XRF & DCS reflectors

Posted on by

For those who came in late………….

The VK5RWN D-Star gateway and repeater system was upgraded in May June 2018 with a new computer running 64 bit CentOS 7 and the new Icom G3 gateway software.

Between then and March 2019, the system has proven to be relatively stable with only a couple of minor hiccups where the computer has shut itself down? We believe this may have been due to the CPU over heating or something similar? This is still being addressed.

VK5RWN is a D-Star gateway system, registered on the US Root Trust database and primarily runs an application called Dplus which manages the linking and routing functions on the D-Star Internet network between other D-Star gateways/repeaters/reflectors.

As such, users are able to connect to other repeater/gateways and Dplus based Reflectors anywhere around the World, or even to other registered D-Star users via Call Sign Routing, a bit like a “private” call in the commercial PMR world.

In principle, within the D-Star world, there are two D-Star Internet networks, the Dplus/US Root Trust network and the ircDDB D-Star open network. Again in principle, the two are mutually exclusive networks and are not interconnected.

This creates an issue where D-Star users accessing the “D-Star World” via a Dplus connection cannot connect to other gateways and reflectors that are using the ircDDB network and vice versa and are therefore limited to accessing the Dplus REFxxxX reflectors. (eg REF023C)

Hams being hams, they just cannot help themselves, the challenge was there and so software was developed that when installed on the Dplus Icom based gateways, allowed interconnectivity into the ircDDB networks and allow access to the XRFxxxX and DCSxxxX based reflectors. One version of this software is called “g2_link” and is designed to be added to existing Icom based D-Star gateway systems on the US Root Trust network.

Early March 2019, Michael VK5ZEA, who is custodian of the VK5REX D-Star system on lower Eyre Peninsular, advised me that he has rebuilt the VK5REX system and had successfully installed the “g2_link” software with the help of Terry, KA8SCP. Michael also passed on Terry’s contact details, whereupon I made contact and asked Terry if he would mind assisting with installing the “g2_link” software on VK5RWN.

Terry most kindly agreed to assist and arrangements were made that allowed Terry to install the software and set up the necessary configuration and interlocks so that both the Dplus and the ‘g2_link’ accessed networks could be worked via VK5RWN.

This now allows for D-Star users to access VK5RWN via a RF input from their D-Star radios and they may now access both the REFxxxX, XRFxxxX and DCSxxxX reflectors and gateways.

A bonus as part of this new configuration, new Dashboards were part of the set-up and now show the connection status and ‘Last Heard’ lists of the VK5RWN system.

Have a look at

For D-star users, please read the instructions at the bottom of the XRF/DCS Dashboard. This is important as there are two distinctly different “linking” or “unlinking” commands to connect or disconnect to and from REF reflectors and the XRF/DCS reflectors. This is so that the system can differentiate between a request via Dplus or the ‘g2_link’ and allow the respective link request to be actioned or disconnected.

It is recommended for D-Star users to use VK5RWN Port C, the two metre port, for connecting to any of the reflectors as VK5RWN Port B, the 70cm port, is normally permanently connected to the REF023C Australasian/Oceania reflector. Before connecting to a reflector, please ensure that the Port is not currently connected to anywhere else. The VK5RWN B 70cm port may be used, but it must be disconnected from REF023C first.

I wish to thank Michael VK5ZEA for his support and advice and especially Terry, KA8SCP, for his help, patience and advice where I needed to do some house keeping that allows VK5RWN to function as a flexible D-Star gateway, allowing D-Star users access to the big wide world via both the Dplus and ircDDB D-Star networks.

73 Ben VK5BB

AREG IRLP & DSTAR Gateways Back in time for JOTA

Posted on by

 

After several months of disruptions due to lightning and HDD failures at both the VK5RSB IRLP node and the VK5RWN DSTAR Gateway AREG is pleased to announce that we have been able to restore both services in time for this weekend’s Jamboree on the Air for the Scouting and Guiding communities.

VK5RSB Internet Relay Linking Project Node #6214

The IRLP Node 6214 will be available for use by users supporting JOTA this weekend, 20, 21 October. The node can be accessed via the VK5RSB 70cm repeater on 439.900 (-5MHz) using a 91.5Hz CTCSS access tone.

In the support for JOTA, the prefix access code has been removed for this weekend, thus allowing free access to the node.

Therefore to access remote IRLP nodes,

  • dial in the 4 digit DTMF node address of the remote node.
  • to disconnect the IRLP connection, just dial “73” a the end of the QSO.

AREG wishes the JOTA teams and other users, to have fun with contacts via the IRLP Node 6214.

VK5RWN DSTAR Gateway Restored for the 2m/70cm repeaters

The VK5RWN D-Star repeater and gateway is also now fully functional after its computer rebuild. It’s new computer has been installed and the gateway configuration is now complete using the new ICOM G3 software.

Currently the configuration is;

  • Port C, the 2m port, is unlinked and available for general use or user linking to reflectors and gateways etc (147.0375 +600kHz)
  • Port B, the 70cm port, is permanently linked to Reflector REF023C and will output any activity on this reflector and will repeat local RF activity on the 70cm channel into the reflector network. (438.400 -5.4MHz)

NOTE: Port B may be disconnected from the link to REF023C with the unlink command, “^^^^^^^U” , (the ^ represents spaces)  then it may be connected by the user to another address.

VK5RWN activity is now being reported to various Dashboards,

D-Star network access seems to fully functional. Ben VK5BB reports that he has tested linking to several reflectors through the local gateway as well as connecting directly to VK5RWN via his JumboSpot hot spot successfully.

So, any members or DSTAR users in Adelaide who have an interest in D-Star, have D-star capable radios and are registered on the D-Star system, please give VK5RWN a try out and feedback will be appreciated please?

73 from Ben VK5BB

IRLP Node 6214 on VK5RSB 70cm off air!

Posted on by

The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group are sorry to inform the amateur radio community and the users of the IRLP node 6214, that the node is off air for the immediate short term future.

The IRLP node computer, a Raspberry Pi 1, was a victim of the lightning storm over Adelaide Tuesday evening on the 2nd October.

The QTH from where the equipment operates, was directly under a large lightning bolt, which did not strike the ground or local area. It appears though, that the Electro Magnetic Pulse from the lightning bolt did impact immediately below and caused inducted currents in the LAN Ethernet cables connecting the Raspberry Pi to the QTH computer LAN system and the NBN.

The effect of this induced current on those Ethernet cables, took out the QTH modem and the Ethernet ports on the IRLP Raspberry Pi and the shack computer. All other equipment was or does not appear to have been affected.

A call has gone out for a replacement Raspberry Pi 1 as it would be a drop in replacement. If a Raspberry Pi 1 cannot be obtained then later models can be used but, a new operating system image will need to be built up.

So, until a replacement Raspberry Pi is installed, unfortunately the IRLP node 6214 will be off air.

We will keep you posted when updates are available.

AREG to host an Amateur Radio exam session – Saturday Sept 8th

Posted on by

The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group is arranging for a round of Amateur Radio license examinations to be held at the Fulham Community Centre, Phelps Court, Fulham on Saturday 8th September starting at 9.00am.

For those members (and non members) wishing to upgrade their current Standard or Advanced license, or you wish to sit one of these licenses directly (no need to have passed a lower grade – you can directly sit for any license level in Australia)  we need to know by COB Thursday 16th (this week!) so we can arrange for exam papers to be ordered and have them arrive on time.

Foundation License training and exams will also be held. Registrations also need to be completed before Thursday 16th August. Those wishing to sit the foundation license should obtain a copy of the foundation license manual beforehand if they haven’t already done so, and start studying. Come along to the AREG club meeting this Friday (7.45pm) to discuss how to prepare for the exam with the organizers.

Places are limited (unfortunately) for the Foundation license due to the nature of the training so get in quick. If the course fills up, AREG will plan another exam day later in the year.

Costs to sit the exam will be advised later this week (pending the committee meeting). We look forward to seeing new faces join this amazing hobby.

You can email us to register your interest to vk5arg (at) areg.org.au

August Meeting – Using the Bureau of Meteorology Space Weather Site in Amateur Radio

Posted on by

This month AREG is pleased to present a talk by David Neudegg, Space Weather Physicist with the Bureau of Meteorology, on how Amateur Radio operators can use the resources on the BOM Space Weather website to understand HF propagation.

David will walk the audience through each of the resources and will show how the items available represent what people experience when operating on HF.

There will be plenty of opportunities for questions so come along! Everyone, visitors especially, is always welcome.

The club meets at 7.45pm Friday August 17th at the Fulham Community Centre, Phelps Court, Fulham. Help finding us can be obtained on the Adelaide VK5RSB 70cm repeater on 439.900 (-5MHz + 91.5 CTCSS tone).