Category Archives: Repeater News

News about AREG Repeater systems

VK5 Central Repeater Network – Major Upgrade Underway

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Many amateurs in central SA today make use of the central state 2m/70cm band repeater network that covers from Victor Harbor to the Riverland, and Adelaide to the Central North. Unfortunately, due to the loss of the central VK5RAD repeater hub site, a major rearrangement of the repeater network needs to be undertaken. The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group has offered to host the 70cm network hub (formerly operating at VK5RAD) at their Summertown repeater site to keep the network operational. However, to establish VK5RSB as the new hub, there will be some disruption to operations as link frequencies are changed and equipment is relocated.

Final hub equipment installation work is planned to take place starting August 23rd. That will include deploying a new repeater control system & hub repeater at the AREG VK5RSB repeater site.

What does this mean for users?

The key change Adelaide amateur  radio operators will see is that, rather than accessing the network via the old 439.925 MHz 70cm repeater at VK5RAD, they instead will need to use the recently commissioned 147.175 MHz (+600 kHz)  (91.5 Hz CTCSS) repeater at Summertown (VK5RSB).

For those still looking for 70cm band access, the AREG VK5RSA Adelaide CBD repeater, (sponsored by Kern Wi-Fi) on 438.025 MHz (-7 MHz) or the VK5RKW Adelaide NE repeater on 438.050 MHz will continue to be available.

How long will the full migration take?

Once the new central hub is installed, one by one, each of the network links will be migrated. This will result in the network being fragmented (part working on the new backbone, part working on the old one) for 1-2 weeks, while we travel all of the linked sites to make the necessary frequency and control changes. We hope to have all of the network migrated to the new hub no later than the 6th of September.

As you can appreciate, this move will take time. The affected repeaters in the network are VK5RSA, VK5RKW, VK5RAH, VK5RMB, VK5RVH, VK5RBV, VK5RWR, VK5RLD, VK5RLX, VK5RMK, VK5RLH as well as VK5RSB which will be introduced into the system.

We will post updates as each of the links is moved. Meanwhile, thank you for your patience.

 

Adelaide VK5RSB 23cm repeater – temporarily off air

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AREG regrets to announce that the VK5RSB 23cm repeater service has temporarily been suspended.

The repeater has been switched off following the appearance of some wide-band interference on the 23cm band that has affected the repeater’s input. The club believes that this interference is coming from someone operating what appears to be either a radar or other type of wide-band transmitter (which is the primary user of the 23cm band) in the Adelaide area. This interference (which appears to be over 20MHz wide) is also affecting weak signal SSB operations in the metropolitan area.

The VK5RSB 23cm repeater, which normally operates on 1273.5/1295.3 MHz will remain shut down until we can either identify a way of either preventing the interference from triggering the repeater or until the interference ceases. As the secondary service on this band, Amateur Radio operators do not have many (if any) options regulatory wise, to resolve the situation.

We will provide a further update once the situation has become clearer.

AREG Meeting Friday 16th Sep: Introduction to DMR Digital Voice Radio Systems

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As a reminder, AREG is hosting a presentation this Friday night introducing DMR Digital Voice networks, following the commissioning of the VK5RWN DMR Repeater.

The meeting will start at 7.45pm ACST (8.15pm AEST) and will be relayed to YouTube with thanks to Hayden VK7HH via the HamRadioDX Channel

You can attend in person for the presentation by visiting the AREG clubrooms, off Phelps Court, in Fulham, Adelaide. Doors open from 7.15pm

 

The Adelaide AREG DMR repeater is in part made possible through internet services obtained from KernWi-Fi, who also sponsor AREG’s Adelaide CBD analogue repeater site VK5RSA.

VK5RWN D*STAR Site July 2nd – Service RESTORED

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AREG Services from the VK5RWN D*STAR repeater site  on 147.0375MHz & 438.400MHz will be offline for much of the afternoon while we undertake maintenance and preparation works for a planned upgrade.

UPDATE: July 2nd 5:45pm – The work has now been completed and the DSTAR repeaters have been returned to service.

DMR repeater preparations now well advanced

Today the works included preparing the site for the commissioning of the new AREG DMR repeater. VK5RWN DMR will soon be operating on 438.900MHz -7.0MHz, in parallel with the DSTAR repeater on 438.400 -5.4MHz.

The work today included preparing the VK5RWN antennas for the new combining arrangements. The antennas were taken down, refurbished, rearranged and re-installed on the tower and the DMR repeater was installed in the rack. There are, however, a few more things still to do on site to complete its commissioning. Those activities are planned for later this month. Stay tuned for more updates!

One Step Closer: DMR Repeater returning to Adelaide soon!

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AREG is pleased to announce that is now one step closer to returning a digital voice DMR repeater service to the Adelaide metropolitan area.

Members voted to support the project earlier this year, after a call for interest in re-establishing a DMR service was made in July 2021. Since then, a DMR repeater has been donated to the club by Andrew Chapman VK4QF (one of the leading lights behind multiple DMR projects around Australia). We offer our sincere thanks to Andrew for his generosity!

Preparations are now well advanced to install it up at the club’s digital repeater site – VK5RWN atop Anstey Hill, which overlooks the Adelaide Plains. This is the same site used by the current D*STAR repeater. Paul VK5BX has been able to source  and build a multi-coupler/diplexer for the club, to enable the DMR and D*STAR repeaters to be combined onto the same antenna system. The repeater will, once activated, operate on 438.900MHz (with a -7MHz offset).

Timing of the final install is now subject to weather and availability of members for the working bee required to complete the installation (which includes some rearrangements to the UHF repeater antennas on site to accommodate the multi-coupling). It is our objective to have the system operating in the next 6-8 weeks, (earlier if everything falls into place).

Why DMR?

AREG has always been supportive of experimentation and providing opportunities for radio amateurs to try new things and to find new ways of communicating. This is what drove AREG to support the original D*STAR repeater system (then co-sponsoed by Icom and WIA now solely maintained by AREG).

In the case of DMR, AREG considered providing a service after the unexpected closure of the original Adelaide DMR repeater – VK5RSF, which saw the end of all DMR repeater access in the Adelaide region. With an existing KernWi-Fi internet served site covering the metropolitan area (VK5RWN), AREG was also well placed to support the Adelaide DMR community, and in particular its own members who were interested in DMR. This was all the motivation needed!

More information on DMR and the VK-DMR network in Australia can be found via the vkdmr.com website. Keep watching the AREG website too for further news about the final commissioning date for VK5RWN on 438.900

How can you get involved?

The best way to support the new service and to get involved is to become a member of AREG! Your membership will help connect you with other amateurs interested in DMR in Adelaide, as well as helping offset the costs of running the service, particularly the internet link and power used to run the system. Details of how to apply for membership are available (here)!

AREG’s VK5RSA Adelaide CBD repeater – supported by KernWi-Fi

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One of the services that the Amateur Radio Experimenter’s Group provides is a network of repeater stations that cover the Adelaide metropolitan and surrounding areas. These systems operate on the 6m-23cm bands from 3 sites in and around Adelaide.

One of the first repeaters conceived by AREG was the Adelaide CBD repeater. Inspired in the 1990s by the original 438.025 VK3RCC repeater in Melbourne (which was located atop one of the hi-rise towers in Melbourne CBD), the intention was to reach the deep CBD buildings and the Adelaide foot hills shadowed by the existing repeaters atop the Mt Lofty ranges.

The AREG repeater in Adelaide was originally established on top of the original Angas Street police station building – then 11 stories high in Victoria Square. When that building was subsequently demolished, it was moved to another building off Flinders Street, where it ran for many years before finally developing a terminal fault.

Today, VK5RSA is back on what now is one of the best communications sites in the CBD. This is all thanks to the support AREG receives from KernWi-Fi, who are sponsoring access to Westpac House on King William Street in the heart of the Adelaide CBD.

VK5RSA operates on 438.025MHz TX -7.0MHz RX with 91.5Hz CTCSS

The repeater also received a major coverage boost when it was restored,  as we were able to connect it to the new central SA repeater network. This enhanced coverage for hand held users deep within the Adelaide CBD and extended it right across across central SA to places as far afield as Pt Wakefield, Yorke Peninsula, Victor Harbor and east as far as Tintinara.

AREG offers it’s sincere thanks to Phil Kern at KernWi-Fi for his support for the project to re-establish VK5RSA – it is fantastic to have been able to restore this service for the amateur radio community in Adelaide – and from such a fantastic site too!

About our Sponsor

KernWi-Fi supply Fibre, NBN, Fixed Wireless Internet, VoIP, Event Wi-Fi and Radio Communications to residential and businesses all over Adelaide.  They also specialise in servicing the black spots of Adelaide.  To learn more, visit their website!

They are 100% Adelaide based and owned Licensed Carrier and work with many local communities to provide high speed internet services. They also sponsor various community groups across the state.

AREG AGM: Friday July 16th – Presentation: Central SA Repeater Network

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The next meeting of the Amateur Radio Experimenter’s Group will be our Annual General Meeting. This will be held on Friday July 16th.

The guest speaker for the evening will be Dean McGinty VK5HMV who will take us through the construction of the central SA linked 2m/70cm analogue repeater system and provide an insight into how it works. This is the network that the AREG Adelaide CBD Repeater VK5RSA is connected to on 438.025 MHz (-7MHz 91.5Hz CTCSS).

VK5RSA itself is proudly sponsored by KernWi-Fi who arranged access to the new home for VK5RSA atop Westpac House in the Adelaide CBD.

Presentation Details

The presentation will start at 7.45pm ACST, 8:15pm AEST (1015 UTC) from the club rooms at the Fulham Community Centre, Phelps Court, Fulham.

For members who cant (or due to COVID dont wish to) attend in person, the program will also be streamed via Zoom.

Online visitors will be able to watch the presentation via YouTube thanks to Hayden VK7HH’s HamRadioDX Channel.

Links will be posted closer to the event.

AREG AGM 8:30pm July 16th

At the conclusion of the presentation, members will be invited to participate in the AREG AGM via Zoom and in person. The AGM will commence at 8:30pm and is expected to last no more than 15-20 minutes.

The event down at the hall will be run as a COVID Safe event. Note that given the rapidly changing COVID lockdown situation, the AGM will be deferred to being an online presentation should we be prevented from holding it in person at the hall.

If you want to  visit us in person, you can find the clubrooms here:

map

We look forward to seeing you all in July!