Grampians 70cm linked repeater system update

[VK3BA]

G'day folks, the network has recently grown again to six repeaters which now includes one just over the NSW border near Yarrawonga. Another one from SW Vic may be added into the network in coming months as well.

Linked 70cm repeater network diagram

Latest updates and other relevant repeaters in the area, such as DMR, P25, DStar, NXDN, 6m, 2m, 23cm and IRLP are on my QRZ page...
https://www.qrz.com/db/VK3BA

Cheers,

[VK7HH]

G'day Nick,
Good work.

Have you considered using VKLink for your linking instead of RF?

http://www.vklink.com.au/

We currently have 2 x 6m repeaters linked full time.
Three sites in the South of Tasmania are "voted" and simulcast on the same frequency, then linked to the North via VKLink all using the same system.
You can view status of "nodes" here -
http://status.vklink.com.au/

Status of the voted stations RSSI in real time here -
http://hh.vk7.com.au:83/voter.php?node=1727

In VK3 they have linking happening from the SA border > Mildura > Swan Hill > Balranald > Wodonga. Any of these links can be dropped/re-established somewhere else, even to VK7. In fact every Monday night at 6:30pm we link almost all of these together for a TechNet via hub.

This months WIA magazine has an article on the voted/simulcast repeater here.
If you need more information please contact me.

Regards
Hayden VK7HH

[VK3BA]

G'day Hayden,

Thanks for the update re the border system. All good re the vklink system. I've been keeping an eye on that one. I reckon there's about four systems in VK3 now. So you've got the one that runs along the border, the GARC one that runs from Geelong along the coast to Warrnambool, the Grampians that runs from Melb into western Vic and including into VK2 near Yarrawonga and then the Bairnsdale to Mallacoota network which I think the lads are working on getting back running again.

I think the linked analogue linked systems are great for when one is mobile and the linked digital networks are great when one is hanging around home where one can steer the links easier.

Cheers,

[VK7HH]

Hey Nik,
OK all good.

Just to clarify that VKLink can be controlled via Allmon (phone or laptop etc) to connect any node, or via RF using DTMF. Very handy.

73
Hayden

[VK3BA]

G'day All,

Latest update re the RBA linked repeater network. We now have the whole system permalinked to IRLP REF 9503. What this means is that if you are out of range of the RBA linked network, but are nearby a local IRLP node, that you can connect to the RBA network via IRLP by connecting to Reflector 9503. What you can't do though is use the normal RBA network and dial/connect out to another node or reflector - this functionality has been disabled on purpose. More info on this on my QRZ page.

Thanks to Ian VK2HK & Doug VK4DW for assigning us the 9503 reflector and of course Tim VK3TIM for his fine engineering work.

Cheers,