IARS

I’ve set up a discussion board on the IARS forum for interested amateurs to discuss D-Star in the Illawarra, and the new IARS D-Star repeater.

You also can get directly to D-Star information on this site by consulting the sidebar at the right of this page.

Have fun!

Neil Vk2VNJ, Webmaster

Please note this post now shows the corrected frequencies.

Well…. the big day is almost upon us. D-star day that is! Tentative frequencies have been allocated, and the repeaters programmed, we are presently waiting on ACMA confirmation. The frequencies will be (pending approval):-

Band: 23cm, Mode: DD (Digital Data)
Rptr TX: 1298.500MHz
Rptr RX: 1298.500MHz Simplex

Band: 23cm, Mode: DV (Digital Voice)
Rptr TX: 1273.950MHz
Rptr RX: 1293.950MHz (Offset: + 20 MHz)

Band: 70cm, Mode: DV (Digital Voice)
Rptr TX: 439.7500MHz
Rptr RX: 434.7500MHz (Offset: – 5 MHz)

Band: 2m, Mode: DV (Digital Voice)
Rptr TX: 146.7625MHz
Rptr RX: 146.1625MHz (Offset: – 600kHz)

Repeater callsign: VK2RDS (pending approval)

Neil VK2VNJ reports the gateway server hardware has been checked out at his home QTH, and awaits the D-Star gateway software and internet connection at the repeater site before it can be installed and activated. (Thanks to Shaun VK2HCO for donating the server hardware.)

Test transmissions will occur over the next fortnight. Stay tuned for details of test dates.

Once the D-Star repeaters are commissioned, there will be a D-Star information session held, come along and have a look at the D-Star radios, listen to the clarity, and have a QSO over the network.

The D-Star committee has been working tirelessly to provide you with a world class amateur radio service. We appreciate the support from all the members of the Illawarra Amateur Radio Society, and thank Icom Australia, The W.I.A., and the A.C.M.A. for their involvement in this project.

G’day all,We have applied for the SDSL broadband internet connection today for the Maddens Plain Repeater site. All going well (Fingers crossed) we hope to have an active Internet connection for the D-Star system within a couple of weeks.

All we need now is some Repeaters, the appropriate Licences (This is to be furbished by others-hopefully sooner rather than later) and some more onsite works and we can finally put some RF out on the air.Cheers for now – The wheels are well and truly turning!

Tony StoneVK2TS – IARS President.

G’day one and all

Well things have been happening behind the scenes with the IARS D-Star project. As usual we don’t do things by halves, and the system promises to be of a world class standard. I thought it was about time we let you all know about our progress.

The two 2Metre/70Centimetre/23Centimetre Triband Hi-Gain Diamond Collinear Antenna Arrays were put in place on the Easter Weekend at a D-Star working bee at the Maddens Plane site. This was a very successful day and also an opportunity for a think tank with all the IARS members involved. I can’t remember how many times our guys aloft disappeared behind the thick cumulous clouds at the end of a 100 metre length of Nylon rope used to hoist everything including their barbecued lunch and drinks that they whole heartedly enjoyed after about four hours in the clouds.

Thanks must go to Steve VK2TSB (IARS Secretary), Ross VK2VVV (IARS Assistant Secretary), Rob VK2MT (IARS Vice President), Neil VK2VNJ (IARS D-Star Administrator and Unix/Linux Guru), Simon VK2XQX (IARS Club legend and damn good Barbecuer) and of course Tony VK2TS (IARS Club President – Me).

Since that day Steve 2TSB and Rob 2MT have worked until darkness and Ross VK2VVV has also been to site numerous times (Waiting on broken Telstra appointments) and he has also performed extensive tidying up of the Communications cabinet and installation of cable tray to provide a much more professional and serviceable system to be realised.

Today, Wednesday the 2/4/08, Ross VK2VVV has once again travelled to the site and has advised that the telephone line has been finally connected following a 5week debacle and 5 visits by Telstra technicians! Ross on one occasion spent 10 hours on site awaiting a visit to site by a Telstra Tech only to be told the visit had been cancelled!!! A big thanks must go to Ross for his patience and vision that the D-Star project must reach completion no matter what!

Our next step is the application for the 512K/512K SDSL Line – Fingers crossed.We are currently awaiting the licence application that is being processed by the WIA via the ACMA and also delivery of the 4 x Repeaters and the repeater controller.

Once again the IARS is well ahead of others and hope that we can soon put some RF into the antennas.

Will keep you all posted on the latest developments.

Cheers

TonyVK2TS – IARS Club President

On the 10th June 1948 the Postmaster-Generals Department issued the Experimental Licence VK2AMW, and Illawarra Amateur Radio Club is going to celebrate this special time with a special Club call sign, VI2AMW60.

June is the 60th Birthday month with lots of activities for members and non members to join in, have fun and celebrate 60 years of amateur radio in the Illawarra.

Continue Reading »

There is a brand new ‘F Call Net’ now being held on the coast link repeater network most Friday evenings starting around 8.10pm.  The net is primarily designed for new foundation licence holders, but is open to any amateur who would like to participate.  You don’t have to be a member of the Illawarra Radio Society to join in.  If you are a new licence holder who hasn’t spoken to any other station yet, or if you are a seasoned operator, come along and say g’day.  Ted VK2ARA the club’s senior training officer, is net controller and will help you in the net.  To access the coast link network in the Sydney, or Wollongong area use 146.850 MHz, in the Nowra – Southern Highlands area use 146.975 MHz, or in Ulladulla – Bateman’s Bay area use 146.675 MHz. 

The back issues of the Propagator, the newsletter of the IARS, that previously we available on the old IARS Yahoo! group are now available directly on our web site. You can see the link in the sidebar to the right.  

Neil VK2VNJ  

Icom in conjunction with the WIA have chosen the Illawarra Amateur Radio Society along with the Manly Warringah Club to receive a 2Metre/70cm/23cm D-Star Repeater system.

This system will be located at Maddens Plane and will entail Digital Voice and 4.8KB/s simultaneous data on 2Metres 70Centimetres and 23Centimetres along with 128KB/s high speed data on 23CM’s. We will keep you informed as the project unfolds. I know what I will be in the market for at Wyong this year! Congratulations to those in the committee involved in the successful expression of interest and good luck to the repeater committee including D-Star repeater project officer (and Club Vice President) Rob VK2MT.

Another example of the IARS leading the way.

Cheers

Tony VK2TS President IARS.

Greetings all amateurs. The next meeting of the Ilawarra Amateur Radio Society Inc. will be held on Tuesday the 12th of February 2008 at 7.30pm at the usual venue at Industry World Consiton. All members, prospective members and visitors are welcome.

So come along for a great evening!

73′s de Tony Stone VK2TS

President IARS Inc.

Good evening one and all,

The December Christmas meeting of the Illawarra Amateur Radio Society will take place at our normal venue at Industry World Consiton on Tuesday the 11th of December at 7.30pm. The club committee has decided it would be rather nice to shout everyone a nice meal at this meeting to celebrate 2007. Food will be delivered and served at 8pm so don’t be late or you might just miss out! Please ensure you dispose of your food left overs in the right manner so we can leave the meeting rooms in a good tidy state (Unlike after the November auction) .

We look forward to seeing you all on the night.

Don’t forget their is no January 2008 meeting and the next meeting will be held on Tuesday the 12th of February 2008. (Gives everyone a chance for a decent Christmas break)

Let me also take this opportunity to wish one and all (Including the families) Seasons greeting and best 73′s.

Cheers

Tony VK2TS – Club President