[OZAPRS] Pros and Cons of changing VK3's APRS frequency

[Richard Hoskin]

Hi,

In answer to Eds question, I've been thinking of the impact changing
VK3's APRS frequency to 145.175Mhz would have on the APRS community. I'd
like to open a discussion on this, so I've come up with list of Pros and
Cons for APRS users Australia Wide that we could look forward to if a
change in frequency was performed. This list is by no means complete,
I'm sure you can add to it.

Pros.
---------
- One channel for all APRS in VK.
- Provide seamless communications for Mobile stations across the
country.
- Provide a seamless APRS VHF RF link between VK2 & VK3.
- Provide Mt Gambier with the possibility of being RF connected to
Adelaide. 
- Provide the possibility to link NW VK3 RF to the rest of VK3 via RF.
- Conforms to the WIA band plan allocations.
- Provide a good indication of VHF RF conditions (ducting) from state to
state.

Cons
---------
- Cost of changing the VK3 frequency is estimated to be about $2500 for
xtals and other items.
- Retuning of 14 Digipeaters and associated equipment would be required.
(Approx 1 months full time work to do this)
- Amend existing repeater licenses to include 145.175Mhz.
- Manage possible co-sited interference problems (This may or may not be
an issue but would need to be investigated)
- Possible increase in RF traffic for VK3 making traffic management
harder
- Problems with uneducated APRS operators using excessive paths to get
from VK2 to VK5 (We already have IGates for this)
- A reliable VHF VK3 to VK5 path has not been established. (excluding Mt
Gambier)
- Problems with digipeaters, RF traffic congestion and packet looping
when VHF RF conditions are good.

This would be a Large project to manage and coordinate for small number
of dedicated APRS Digipeater managers. Time and funding would be a major
problem as a project like this could take 12 to 18 months to complete.
The change over could leave the VK3 RF network in a disjointed state for
some time (the possibility of any digipeater being on 1 of 2
frequencies). On the up side all the Digipeaters would be retuned and
checked and all VK would have one single APRS channel to use.

What are your thoughts? 
Would you be willing to help (physically or financially) if a project
like this were started?

Regards
Richard
VK3JFK


 

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