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 Presentation: Introducing Slow Scan TV

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AREG in conjunction with Hayden VK7HH @ HamRadioDX presents an introduction to Slow Scan TV by Grant VK5GR and Mark VK5QI on YouTube tomorrow night.

The broadcast will commence at:

  • 7.45pm Australian Central Daylight Time
  • 8:15pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time
  • 7:15pm Queensland Standard Time
  • 5:15pm Western Standard Time
  • 0915 Universal time

Next AREG Meeting: SSTV Operation – Friday 18th February

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The next AREG meeting will be held this coming Friday (18th February) at our clubrooms at the Fulham Community Centre. Doors will open at 7.15pm.

This month’s presentation will be on basic Slow-Scan Television (SSTV) operation, by Grant VK5GR, who will introduce some of the simple software you can use at home to generate, send and receive slow scan TV on HF.

The talk will include a live demo on either 20 or 40m and will also introduce the new AREG SSTV Skimmer receiver now in operation at the club’s remote receive site. SSTV Contesting Japanese style will also get a mention!

 

The presentation will commence at 7.45pm ACDT and will also be streamed live for members on Zoom (that is 7.15pm QST or 8.15pm AEDT for our interstate members). The meeting will also be live-streamed on Youtube on Hayden VK7HH’s Ham Radio DX channel.

The presentation will be followed by a general business meeting. All members are encouraged to attend either in person at the hall or via Zoom if you are remote. The event at the call will be run in a COVID safe manner.

To find us in person, the meeting will be held at the Fulham Community Centre, Phelps Court, Fulham SA. See you there!

Next Fox Hunt: This Friday Night!

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The next monthly AREG foxhunt is scheduled for this coming Friday night, the 11th of February, with hunters meeting from 6.15pm at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre car park.

This hunt will again see our usual two 2m and as well as our 70cm foxes deployed somewhere within the Adelaide metropolitan area. The hunt kicks off with the transmitters being activated at 6.30pm.

Liaison will be via the Summertown UHF Repeater on 439.900MHz (-5MHz Input with 91.5Hz CTCSS).

With only two months of daylight savings left, this is a great opportunuty to hunt our foxes while there is still plenty of daylight.

As usual, everyone is welcome to join in on the fun, members and non-members. We usually meet at the southern end of the car park.

Hope to see you on the night!

AREG member Louis VK5FLY finds the 70cm fox stuck to the back of this street sign in the Adelaide parklands.

 

 

Next AREG Meeting: Holiday Projects Lightning Talks – Zoom Meeting Only – Friday 21st January

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Happy New Year to all from AREG, and hopefully you are all staying safe!

Given the current COVID situation in South Australia and the high risk of an in-person meeting, the AREG committee has decided to run the January business meeting as an online-only Zoom meeting.

Lightning Talks

The presentations this month will be a series of ‘Lighting Talks’ (5 minutes hard limit!) from members, about what projects they have been doing over the holiday break. This could be anything from a (short) presentation on a technical topic, to a live video demonstration of a project they have been building!

The Zoom session will open at 7.30pm ACDT (8.00pm AEDT, 7.00pm QST), with presentations starting at 7.45pm ACDT, followed by a business meeting. Invites for the Zoom session will be sent out on the AREG mailing list closer towards the evening.

We hope that the COVID situation calms down in the coming months, allowing us to return to in-person meetings.

73, Mark VK5QI

Next Fox Hunt – Tomorrow Night!

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AREG had hoped to hold a combined foot based hunt and picnic in a park for our January hunt however due to the current COVID saga in Adelaide, the committee has decided not to proceed with this, so we have decided to hold our usual car hunt instead – apologies for the late notice.

The hunt will commence from the usual meeting place at the southern end of the car park at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre. Hunters usually meet from 6.15pm and the hunt begins at 6.30pm.

Liaison will be via the Summertown UHF Repeater on 439.900MHz (-5MHz Input with 91.5Hz CTCSS).

As usual, everyone is welcome to join in on the fun, you don’t need to be a member of AREG to participate. We hope you can make it!

Next AREG Meeting: Virtual Christmas Party – Friday 17th December

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Merry Christmas everyone from the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group!

With rising uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 after the South Australian borders opening, AREG has decided to hold December’s meeting virtually via Zoom. This will be a round-table session hosted by Matt VK5ZM. Bring your glass and share some cheer as we all start planning for 2022!

The Zoom session will open at 7.45pm ACDT (8.15pm AEDT, 7.15pm QST) and will last as long as the merriment prevails! Invites for the Zoom session will be sent out on the AREG mailing list closer towards the evening.

A short online business meeting will be held at 8.00pm ACDT to present a couple of motions that need membership endorsement for a new project AREG has been asked to support.

AREG will resume meeting in person in January, with events such as a BYO picnic and foot-based fox-hunt planned for the Sunday the 16th of January.

Stay safe everyone and we wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2022!

December Fox Hunt & Upcoming January BYO Picnic Foot Hunt

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Members and friends are advised that our next monthly fox hunt is scheduled for the evening of Friday the 10th of December, kicking off at the car park of the Adelaide Aquatic Centre.

Participants usually meet at the southern end of the car park from around 6.15pm and the foxes (hidden transmitters) are activated at 6.30pm.

Our usual three foxes will be deployed. Two transmit on the 2 metre band and one on the 70cm band.

As usual, participants are free to liaise on the club’s 70cm VK5RSB repeater on 439.900MHz (-5MHz input with 91.5Hz CTCSS).

With the weather warming up, we have also planned a BYO picnic and foot-based hunt for Sunday the 16th of January, at Felixstow Reserve, kicking off at 12pm. For those new to fox hunting who would like to give it a try, there will be equipment available on the day to use if you don’t have your own. Please stay tuned for more details.

UPDATE: Due to the current COVID situation in South Australia the foot-based hunt has been cancelled and been replaced with a car-hunt on the evening of Friday the 14th of January, starting at 6:30PM at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre. The car-based hunts present a considerably lower risk profile than a foot-based hunt and picnic where equipment would need to be shared.

As always, everyone is welcome to join in on the fun, members and non-members alike, so we look forward to seeing you there.