VK3ROW Otways/BeechForest status

[VK3BA]

Otways/BeechForest VK3ROW repeater update: yeah, yeah, yeah it's been off since June 2009 and yes I've kept extending the time that I said we'd have it back on air. There's been a few other distractions along the way and we're taking the extra time to ensure we try and solve all of the problems that this repeater has encountered. The intent was to make it more reliable, fix the QRM and explore any options to improve the coverage. So there's no further need to send me emails, both light-hearted and bad, wanting updates about this project. Even though I'm relying on other parties for various stages, I initiated this project, it was my idea and it is my doing, so there's no need to blame anyone else except me for the slow progress. The highest priority is to decrease or eliminate all QRM - and if this means taking extra time or exploring all options available, then so be it. If everything goes to plan, I reckon there's a very good chance to have it running by mid January 2010. Our intent is to make it worth the wait and to re-launch it as a premier repeater once again.

Like many repeater sites, there's a few things to deal with, like vermin residue, vermin access, environmental fluctuations, adjacent high-power pager transmitters, etc, etc.

Thanks for being patient and please accept my apologies for the time taken thus far.

Cheers,

[VK2KRR]

Hurry up!

[VK3BA]

G'day Leigh, out of interest, what sort of signal strength would you have received it when conditions were flat during winter and when there was the usual average summer bit of enhancement? I'd be interested to hear what you think of it once it's back on air again, as you're a regular user of it to check conditions in this direction.

I hope to have an update for you in the next couple of weeks in order to narrow down the actual date of reactivation. At this stage, it's all looking very promising, without getting too ahead of ourselves.

Thanks for the interest.

Cheers,

[VK2KRR]

Hi Nik, pretty much impossible questions to answer with the great variation in tropo strength along the way.
Could I just say that conditions are never 'flat'. That would mean line of sight basically. There is always varying state of troposphere.
Its extremely difficult to make up an average figure. Winter and Summer are pretty much the same here and due to lack of moisture summer is probably worse during the day than winter.
Say maybe S3 to S4 on average. Sometimes full scale S9+60+ and sometimes cant get it, but only rarely. So quite a wide variation.
The only way to really tell would be to observe how it performs here over a time period of like a month or so would give a better indication. Unless of course it happens to come up at S9 all the time and you could then conclude its better. haha. But I doubt that will happen but you never know what you might have up your sleeve.
Were talking 486 Km path length here keep in mind.

[VK2KRR]

Nik

Any updates with VK3ROW?

[VK3BA]

Your patience is about to be rewarded...

[VK2KRR]

Come on Nik, I wanna see what sort of signal the new repeater is going to give us...

[VK3ALB]

Leigh,

Whilst the installation of the repeater relies on a small number of people there are many thing that need to fall into place behind the scenes. All of these things are outside of our control and involve a chain of goodwill gestures. The old repeater was in a terrible state and should not have been on air. It was unstable and at times spurious, the product of cohabitation with a family of rodents - it had to come out. I'm sure you're aware of the work that Nik and others have put into getting ROW back on air and if there was any way to speed up the process it would have been done so. Rest assured that the repeater is on it's way and will be there as soon as possible.

[VK3BA]

G'day all,

The diplexer is now at its temporary test location. The repeater module should be ready by the end of this week and then integrated with the diplexer.

It will then be in test mode in the Geelong area for approx 2wks to ensure it behaves itself before we go for a long drive. No point wasting a tank of fuel unless we're sure the repeater is good to go.

Cheers,

[VK2KRR]

Nik sounds great cant wait to see how it all goes.

[VK3BA]

As of this evening, it's now in test mode into a 1/2wave antenna on a garage roof for a couple of weeks, hence the range is limited to the Geelong area. The TOT is 3mins and CTCSS 91.5Hz is required.

Thankyou for your patience.

[VK2KRR]

Cough cough... range limited to Geelong area? OK we'll see about that I like a challenge

Nik does it all seem to be working OK? I'll have a look for it in a moment.

[VK3BA]

If you like a challenge, give a go. I'm listening for your call...

[VK2KRR]

Pfft, told ya.. I can hear it at least..

I'll key into it soon

[VK2KRR]

Nik there is deffinately a repeater on 147.275 now, its 5/9+20 here on Sat morning. Not hearing any ID coming back from it.