[OZAPRS] National APRS digi QRG's????

Tue May 13 12:20:33 EST 2003

Hi All,

Here is a brief history on VK3 APRS.

In the mid 90's I had the idea that it would be great to incorporate the
'new' GPS technology with armature radio to track vehicles. I though this
would be a great tool for WICEN. I worked with a software writer in
England
in an effort to get his mapping software GPSS to work with amateur radio
ax.25. I wanted to use the allying local packet network to do this as
there
was little packet traffic on many of the channels.

After monitoring a number of packet channels for some time I decided that
144.900Mhz was the leased used in the Melbourne area and had a few
digipeaters that would allow experimentation with the ideas I had.

A little later I discovered Bob Bunnings APRS, saw it's potential and
switched to it instead of GPSS. At about the same time I found Darryl
VK2TDS
experimenting with APRS in Sydney.

In the late 90s I wanted to get a local APRS RF network established in VK3
by building on my current experimentations. I had the then rather ambushes
dream of providing an APRS network that would cover all major roads and
population centres in the state (primarily for use in emergencies by WICEN
use). I knew that frequency coordination was important an it would be
great
if APRS took off Nationally on a National frequency. I talked to Darryl
and
few others about this and we contacted FTAC requesting a National APRS
frequency allocation, suggesting that 144.900Mhz would be preferred as a
VK3
network was already established on that frequency.

About 12 months later FTAC came back with the recommendation that 145.175
Mhz be used for a National APRS frequency as the requested 144.900Mhz was
in
use in a few states as a packet BBS service and the owners for various
reasons where not willing to change frequency.

In the mean time with much assistance from a small number of dedicated
APRS
enthusiasts (call the VK3 APRS Group) we had established a substantial
APRS
network which included a few digipeaters that where not utilised and left
over from an old packet network. These unused digipeaters greatly
increased
the coverage of the VK3 APRS network.

When FTAC announced the National APRS frequency we decided to licence all
new APRS digipeaters for both the local VK3 APRS and National APRS
frequency.

Unfortunately one previously unused digipeater is co-sited with other
amateur repeater on the 2 mtr band which means changing it's frequency
from
144.900Mhz to 145.175Mhz could be rather difficult. If this digipeater
where
dropped from the VK3 network due to a frequency change the VK3 APRS
network
coverage would be substantially reduced. Hence VK3's APRS network will
continue on 144.900Mhz for the time being.

WICEN Vic has never really taken to APRS and all the benefits it has to
offer an emergency communications agency. Although they did develop their
own messaging software based on APRS UI messaging.

Incidentally there are currently 14 APRS Digipeaters on 144.900Mhz most of
which use crystal locked FM-828 radios. The cost to change the frequency
of
all these digipeaters would be around $1000

Hope this creates a greater understanding of why VK3 APRS is on
144.900Mhz.

Cheers
Richard
VK3JFK

-----Original Message-----
From: ozaprs-bounces at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au
[mailto:ozaprs-bounces at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au]On Behalf Of Geoff Gatward
Sent: Saturday, 10 May 2003 9:25 AM

144.900 in VK3 and Mt Gambier
145.175 in VK1, VK2, VK4 (Brisbane/GC), VK5 (Except Mt Gambier), VK6
147.575 in VK7

I think 147.575 in VK8

There are other pockets of APRS activity up the VK4 coast I found during
my trip to Townsville, but they are all on local packet frequencies.

Something about WIA in VK3 being big bully and forcing APRS digipeaters
to be licensed and too much hassle to change freq to the 'national APRS
freq'

It's painful!!

Anyway,  Traveling down the Hume Hwy on 145.175, The VK1 I-gate and
VK1RBM have good coverage of bits of the hwy (around Yass service
centers). The Wagga Igate and VK2CSU-1 picks up around the Wagga turnoff
and covers to about Holbrook, where 144.900 from VK3KAW-1 in Albury
starts coming good.

>From there 144.900 should be pretty solid.

Back into VK5, somewhere between Mt Gambier and Adelaide change back to
145.175.

Geoff
VK2XJG

-----Original Message-----
From: ozaprs-bounces at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au
[mailto:ozaprs-bounces at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au] On Behalf Of Howcho VK2TPH
Sent: Friday, May 09, 2003 7:33 PM
To: ozaprs at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au
Subject: [OZAPRS] National APRS digi QRG's????

Greetings all.I was wondering if any kind soul could supply me with a
list
of the current APRS frequencies used here in VK.

I am the curator / Digi supporter for VK2AMW-1 and AMW-2 here in the
Illawarra region and South Coast of NSW..

Both nodes here work on 145.175 , however a  trip to Melbourne via the
Princes Highway could be interesting once entering Victoria.

What frequency should I change to?  .Are we once again plagued  by the
age
old "break of Guage" Railway curse???????

After leaving Melbourne enroute to Adelaide , again do we have to change
to
a different frequency????

How about Melbourne to Mildura????Another frequency change????If so ,
what
frequency????Railway curse AGAIN????

Surely to GOD , not in this day and age!!!!!

PLEASE   PLEASE    PLEASE ,can we get a NATIONAL frequency
impelmented?????

OK how about VK6!!!C'mon lads watts happening over your way????I get off
the
Indian Pacific train at Perth with my Subaru and want to get onto the
APRS map whilst visiting my mate James VK6FJA..What frequency do I dial
up???????

For once we have the chance to get it RIGHT FIRST TIME,,,, or is it too
late
already????

Hey bring on the new digi's and network expansion , but PLEASE let's
make
this network , a network to be proud of!!

73 to all de Phil VK2TPH for the Illawara Amateur Radio Society ,Packet
nodes and APRS curator

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