[OZAPRS] Ballina area pretty dead for APRS

Mon Nov 8 12:09:45 EST 2010

Dave/All,

First a question, just which Novocastrian Dave am I talking to? I know 
it's not David Russell because he's SK.

A wish list? My supply of A band FM828's is dwindling. TNC2 compatible 
TNC's are always handy for UIDigi and power supplies never go astray - 
you always need n+1 but the number on hand is always n-1.

Since this morning I've done some plots at sites in Nambucca Heads and, 
quite frankly, the additional coverage on the highway isn't worth the 
trouble of making a phone call. I have re-plotted Mt Yarrahapinni and it 
would serve as a large(ish) area digi, something I've long known, having 
installed the first 2m voice repeater there yonks ago. A voice repeater 
still operates from the site so some desense would be unavoidable, but 
probably acceptable given the low level of activity. I would need to 
talk with the voice repeater operators. I already have authority to 
locate a translator there for the community radio station so there's 
another "in" that I can follow up.

Regarding the guy in Grafton, it's Bob, vk2yrg. He didn't answer his 
phone this morning but I'll try again later to see if I can stir up some 
interest.

I see there is a digi, vk2jub-1, 16km north of Grafton that gets to the 
IS via vk2rpl-3 and then vk4. If I remember correctly, the packet digi 
operated by vk2yrg was on a hill to the south of Grafton so there's 
probably a chance that site would also get in via vk2rpl-3. I remember 
Greg vk2pyu accessing the Grafton site for mail forwarding so there is 
some coverage down towards Coffs Harbour.

Stay tuned for more.

Ray vk2tv

On 08/11/10 11:24, dave at hunterlink.net.au wrote:
> Ray/all
>
> High from a lurker/shirker.
>
> I've been in Cairns for  8 months following 15 in Wooli (near Grafton).
> Since these were only 'temporary moves' as part of a 'Work around Aus'
> plan, and I had to take enough work tools and personal stuff to overfill
> the 4WD and Camper Trailer, I haven't carried any Amateur gear with me
> (not that I've ever been very 'active'). My gear is still in Newcastle,
> and I'd gladly donate anything that could be useful.
>
> Ray, it's good to have an update every now and then. And thanks for your
> efforts over many years!
>
> Anyone contemplating digi's or gates, put your 'wish list' out there, we
> may be able to help.
>
>
> Dave
>
>
>
>    
>> Hi Shaun/All,
>>
>> It was the loss of the major packet hub on Mt Sugarloaf (Newcastle) that
>> started the demise of the packet network for northern NSW. The rent
>> jumped to $5000 per year, from memory, when the government decided the
>> user must pay.
>>
>> Home based digis are not without problems either, but are still a
>> possibility in some cases. A couple of issues to face up here would be;
>> 1. finding an amateur living in a suitably high location who is able to;
>>       a) access the nearest digi (vk2rmc-1 around these parts) or,
>>       b) has decent internet access to be able to provide a gateway
>> (broadband is not universally available),
>>       c) is prepared to run the equipment 24/7 and,
>>       d) suffer desense to other 2m equipment (if they use 2m).
>>
>> Just thinking about some "local" towns ...
>> Macksville - poor coverage due to low elevation but could access
>> vk2tmc-1 from many locations.
>> Nambucca Heads - the town proper would provide good fill-in but most
>> residences are not on the ridge where the town is located (mobiles
>> easily access vk2rmc-1 from the town area).
>> Urunga - the water reservoir is a reasonable site but it's owned by
>> local government (enough said) (could probably access vk2rmc-1 from
>> water tower).
>> Coffs Harbour  - mostly in a hole, being that it's surrounded on three
>> sides by The Great Dividing Range (no access to vk2rmc-1).
>>
>> I wouldn't consider looking further north due to distance from here
>> (Coffs is 120km away). I can't for the life of me remember the name or
>> callsign of the  guy who installed a packet digi south of Graftion some
>> years back. Bob, I think, but that's the extent of my memory.
>>
>> Nambucca Heads has a couple of potentially interesting sites in the town
>> that I "might" be able to gain access to that I'll plot for coverage.
>>
>> Steve vk2sl is going to install a digi at his place behind Telegraph
>> Point. We've plotted and surveyed the site which will cover Port
>> Macquarie and fill in the Pacific Highway down to about Kew, leaving a
>> small gap from there to Coopernook. Some Wauchope coverage as well.  The
>> site can access vk2rmc-1 easily and, probably also vk2uni-1. Steve runs
>> a couple of properties that normally keep him busy enough but, recently,
>> he took on a beast and lost, leaving himself badly injured. We'll have
>> to await Steve's recovery before that project can continue.
>>
>> Ray vk2tv
>>
>>
>> On 08/11/10 06:49, Shaun wrote:
>>      
>>> Hi Ray,
>>>
>>> Ahhh yes, the good old cost of the site.  We went through the same thing
>>> in
>>> Sydney re a repeater site that just became to expensive.
>>>
>>> I had assumed Digis would be run from the home QTH, which could be an
>>> option
>>> however would need close coordination and obviously would be sub
>>> optimum.
>>>
>>> In any case you are still welcome to my junk box.  I will probably be
>>> passing
>>> in early Jan for the Coffs field day.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 73 Shaun VK2XPP
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, 7 Nov 2010 18:11:07 Ray Wells wrote:
>>>
>>>        
>>>> Shaun,
>>>>
>>>> It takes a lot more than some bits from junk boxes to get a reliable
>>>> digi to air.
>>>>
>>>> If it only required some hardware - radio, TNC, antenna, coax and power
>>>> supply - there'd be lots more digis. Hardware is the easy part.
>>>>
>>>> The difficult part about getting a digi to air is finding a site that
>>>> has;
>>>> 1. affordable rent at a respectable location
>>>> 2. decent access to that location, both in terms of vehicular access
>>>> and
>>>> no time restrictions.
>>>> 3. security of installed equipment
>>>> 4. power
>>>> 5. building or other suitable housing
>>>>
>>>> Garry, vk2uni, has access to a commercial site at the "right" price and
>>>> I'm fortunate to have vk2rmc-1 installed on private property that meets
>>>> conditions 1 to 5 above. The rent is free, the licence is not at $63
>>>> (from memory) per year. A pair of crystals for an FM828 is about $60
>>>> (for reliable crystals - read Hy-Q).
>>>>
>>>> I look at an aprs map every day that is set to show from Forster to
>>>> Grafton and out to Gunnedah. I'm probably more aware than anybody else
>>>> on this list about the gaps in coverage and, there's hardly a day goes
>>>> by that I don't ponder over how I can fill them, or at least some of
>>>> them. One day, Shaun, one day.
>>>>
>>>> Ray vk2tv
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>          
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>>>        
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