South East Radio Group - Repeaters & Beacons
The South East Radio Group owns and operates a number of repeaters:
UHF Repeater
VK5ROH UHF voice repeater 439.825 mHz output, 434.825 input, 29.230 simplex gateway.
(Note frequency change date from 28 May 2005)
Located on the side of the Valley Lake volcanic crater at Mount Gambier Approximately 100m ASL. Range 30-40km.
CTCSS is NO LONGER turned on as the change of frequency has overcome the LIPD problem.
(If no response use 118.8 CTCSS for access to repeater but we are hopeful this will no longer be needed. The gateway on 29.130 is licensed but currently does not have an antenna)
Two Metre IRLP and EchoLink
VK5RSE the IRLP/EchoLink and general purpose repeater installed 3 September 2005 on Mt Graham.
This repeater is not connected to the south east two metre network
146.800 output and 146.200 input
(IRLP node 6875 at VK5WSR in Millicent)
VK5RSE is also connected to EchoLink via Tony VK5ZAI's system (Node 352970)
for local users of Echolink entering via VK5RSE, a # must prefix any external node number address. This separates the Echolink system from the IRLP function.
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 David VK5HDW and Mathew VK5HMW raise the phased folded dipoles into position. Three hours later they descended with concave feet after standingon the tower's horizontal bars. Well done fellas. |
The two metre south east network
made up of VK5RMG (The Bluff), VK5RKN (Mt Benson), VK5RNC (Naracoorte), VK5RBT (Willalooka)
Coverage
map updated 25th August 2008
VK5RMG
146.900 output and 146.300 input
VK5RMG at the Bluff - 2M+UHF links
to Naracoorte (442.375) and Mt Benson (430.475)
37deg 43min 52sec S
140deg 34min 12sec E
Club members at antenna change at The Bluff Voice Repeater |
The 2metre repeater + UHF
links |
Col VK5DK, Charles VK5XCP, Andrew VK5KET and
John VK5DJ behind the camera adjusted levels at VK5RMG and ensured
links were working on 3 October 2007
VK5RKN Mt Benson (37.0327S, 139.8114E)
147.375 output and 147.975 input
Link to The Bluff on 430.475
The Kingston repeater has been moved to Mt Benson (70metres) between Kingston and Robe. VK5RKN is now a duplex repeater with a UHF link to VK5RMG at the Bluff. Mt Benson is really just a small hill but thanks to the flat nature of the South East's terrain it will provide very good coverage.
Tony VK5ZAI installed the antennas on 25th September 2007. The final 'test' installation was completed 16 October 2007.
An overall view of the busy site at Mt Benson.
Tony's balancing trick on the fire lookout as he installs the 2M VK5ZAI
extended J-Pole for 2M.
The antenna in place
The UHF link at Mt Benson to The Bluff (VK5RMG)
Tony VK5ZAI checking out cables in the VK5RKN future shack.
Bill VK5FWEJ left, Col VK5DK centre and Tony
VK5ZAI right at the working bee to complete installation.
Kevin VK5NKJ behind camera.
The finished VK5RKN at Mt Benson. From top to bottom:
Cavities: Three receiver cavities 3 with TX notch plus one small
one with a pager notch. TX two cavities with RX notch.
Tait repeater 147.375/147.975 positive shift
Link transceiver PRM80 430.475
Power supplies
Sam the guard dog, Tony VK5ZAI's mate.
VK5RNC
146.650 output and 146.050 input
Links 420.375 to Willalooka, 442.375 to The Bluff
The VK5RNC site belongs to the Naracoorte Amateur Radio Club and is an important component of our repeater system. It receives the signals from Willallooka VK5RBT and The Bluff VK5RMG. The input frequency is 146.050MHz while it outputs on 146.650MHz with about 20 watts.
The guyed tower was removed on 23 September 2007. The antenna is a 4 folded dipole array. The new tower was installed in May 2008. This is a 70 foot windmill tower and is a much safer proposition than the old guyed tower even though it is slightly lower. The system is built from TAIT units purchased by the South East Radio Group. A new set of cavities was prepared by Trevor VK5NC and tuned by Chris VK5MC. The controller is a VK5DJ design.
The system uses an audio bridge to enable two link transceivers to be connected to the single link port on the controller. The link transceivers connect to VK5RMG and VK5RBT.
The South East Radio Group wishes to acknowledge a generous donation by John VK3FXJR which enabled SERG to purchase a number of surplus TAIT UHF link units and a VHF repeater. These have been installed at Naracoorte and Willalooka by SERG.
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The new gear at VK5RNC showing (left) the TAIT links to Willalooka VK5RBT (top), to the Bluff VK5RMG (bottom) and the dark box under the TAITs is the audio bridge. To the right is the TAIT 2M repeater installed 24 August 2008. The repeater controller is in the die cast box on top of the 2M repeater. The cavity filter is below. The battery to the left provides backup for the light system on the tower. |
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The hut at Naracoorte. Red back spiders and brown snakes make life interesting when servicing the gear. John VK5DJ is seen hard at work. The grass has since been mown by the Naracoorte Club. |
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The new tower and antenna system at Naracoorte. The 2M antenna system at Naracoorte features 4 folded dipoles for 2 metres at the tower top. About one third of the way down can be seen the small UHF beam carrying the link transmissions to the Bluff about 60km away and to the lower left is the horizontally polarised UHF link to Willalooka. The aircraft LED beacon light can be seen on the tower above the UHF vertical beam. Not required but an optional extra. |
VK5RBT (linked to the SouthEast network)
147.350 output and 147.950 input
A joint project of the South East Radio Group (SERG) and the Naracoorte Amateur Radio Club (NARC).
VK5RBT is located at Willalooka (Swede Flat) and is a duplex repeater with a link into VK5RNC at Naracoorte. To use this entry into the South East network, operate on 147.350 MHz RX and 147.950 TX. The unit has been updated from its original two 828 transceivers and is now a TAIT repeater running 50 watts. Another UHF TAIT connects to VK5RNC on 420.375MHz. The home brew two half waves in phase was made by Alan VK5ZLT and provides the repeater antenna whereas a 12 element beam points at VK5RNC. There are 4 of the 5 cavities in use enabling one antenna for the duplex side of things. The controller is of VK5DJ design and includes remote control functions.
Range is very good - to the north it reaches 55km up the Pinnaroo Road from the Keith/Bordertown highway, to the East it reaches to Kaniva and to the west to Culburra between Coonalpyn and Tintinara. To the south, the line of hills cuts signal south of the Bordertown turnoff on the Naracoorte/Keith Road but the Naracoorte repeater is adequate at this point. Signals to the southwest are very good and the gateway reaches to the Salt Creek/Kingston Road from about 15 Km south of Salt Creek and right through to Kingston.
The Naracoorte Amateur Radio Group installed VK5RBT on 11 October 2003 and the updated duplex repeater on June 2, 2006.
On August 3rd 2008 members of SERG installed the new UHF link at Willalooka and a new 12 element UHF link yagi
 Naracoorte club members install the original repater in October 2003 |
 The new VK5RBT at Willalooka - TAIT repeater on 147.350 (middle) with +ve shift, the new TAIT UHF link to Naracoorte (top), controller, power supply(bottom). 4 cavities, the front cavity remains in case it is needed but not connected. |
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Digipeater
VK5RSE 147.575 mHz digipeater. VK5RSE relays to VK5SR (our BBS).
Beacon beams to right, folded dipole above is digi antenna |
The digi is at bottom of left cabinet, above it 20A power supply, beacons on 6th tray up |
VK5RSE runs 20 watts to a 3dbd collinear at approximately 230m ASL on Mount Graham, near Millicent. VK5RSE provides the radio link to the outside world through VK3RPG about180km away on Mount William in Western Victoria.
The
digi, IRLP and beacon site at Mt Graham near Millicent
37deg 31min 41sec S
140deg 26min 46sec E
The club operates three beacons:
VK5RSE 144.550 MHz -
Idents as the Mount Gambier beacon every 20 seconds. It is located on Mount Graham near Millicent at approximately 230m ASL. 25 watts to beams pointed west, east, north east and to Adelaide (400km by road).
VK5RSE 432.550 MHz -
The 432.550 beacon is at Mt Graham as is
VK5RSE 1296.550 MHz
This last beacon was installed in late January 2005.
The 70cm beacon has 2 by 8 element yagis (East and West)
The 1296 beacon has 2 by 10 element yagis (East and West)
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The beacons for 432MHz and 1296MHz are shown in this photograph. Top left is the regulated 24V power supply for the 20 watt 1296 amplifier (centre) while the 25 watt 432MHz amp is on the right. The white box at bottom contains the low power stages of 1296 (left) and 432 (right). The box includes the keyer. The 2M beacon is in another cabinet in another building. A new 2M beacon is on the drawing board. |
The antennas for the 2M packet, 2M beacon, 70cm beacon and 1296 beacon are on this tower. We share with commercial services. Click on the picture for a larger photo of the tower where the antennas can be seen more clearly. 2m and 70cm beacon antennas are about 15 metres (the lowest of the visible antennas) 1296 MHz antenna is at the top of the lattice work at about 30 metres. |
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VK5SR The club’ s Packet BBS.
Located
in the SERG clubrooms at Mount Gambier the BBS has a user frequency
of 147.575mHz. Operating on a Linux kernel, VK5SR uses the popular
F6FBB BBS program.
The club rooms are at
37deg 50min 22sec S
140deg 46min 18sec E
IRLP NODE 6875
A recent addition to the SERG repeater network
Our IRLP node is located in Millicent, approximately 50KM NW of Mount Gambier, The node operates through a UHF link to VK5RSE on Mt Graham about 10km from the town. VK5RSE transmits on 146.800 and receives on 146.200MHz
To use the IRLP VK5HDW has prepared some notes. Download here.
The IRLP node uses Redhat 7.3
The club acknowledges the support of Adrian VK5ZSN in the provision of equipment and valued software support and the assistance of Phil VK5HAM in setting up Linux.
The transceiver is a Phillips 828 running 25 watts on 440.025. The antenna is a 5/8 wave antenna at about 50 feet.
How to make a repeater coordinator happy
A portion of the cavities recently gifted to SERG by an appreciative organisation. SERG Repeater coordinator, John VK5DJ, examines four UHF cavitiies with notches. Some of the VHF cavities are shown left.
The future
SERG has two audio bridges that will be used to link the South East system across the border in the event of a request from our Western Victoria friends. The club is also investigating a possible link between our UHF repeater in Mt Gambier and the IRLP repeater on Mt Graham.
For information on the VK5DJ repeater controller
project go to John's
site