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

[Darryl Smith]

If you go ahead count me in for $100.

Darryl

---------
Darryl Smith, VK2TDS   POBox 169 Ingleburn NSW 2565 Australia
Mobile Number 0412 929 634 [+61 4 12 929 634 International] 
Darryl at radio-active.net.au | www.radio-active.net.au  

-----Original Message-----
From: ozaprs-bounces at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au
[mailto:ozaprs-bounces at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au] On Behalf Of Richard Hoskin
Sent: Tuesday, 30 September 2003 3:33 PM
To: ozaprs at marconi.ics.mq.edu.au
Cc: 'M. Parsons'
Subject: [OZAPRS] Pros and Cons of changing VK3's APRS frequency


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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