OFFICIAL OPENING VK4RBW MT WATALGAN REPEATER

16 - May - 2010

RUSTY MCGRATH - PRESIDENT'S SPEECH

Madam Mayor, Lorraine Pyefinch, Councillors Wayne Honor, Lynne Forgan and David Batt.

President of Hervey Bay amateur Radio club, Wade Millwood other visitors, fellow members of the Bundaberg  Radio Club whether you are in blue club shirts or the blue and yellow WICEN colours, ladies and gentlemen.

I would like to especially welcome our Mayor Lorraine Pyefinch, Lynne Forgan whose portfolio includes that Council’s community grants, Wayne Honor, Councillor for Division 3 with 3749 sq kilometres of this hinterland around us and David Batt Division 8 and who works in Govenance.

This is a very special day the Bundaberg Amateur Radio club and for the Wireless Institute civil Emergency Network as we commission our UHF repeater here on Mt Watalgan.

This club has a long history of repeaters and it was just over forty years ago we installed our first VHF unit VK4RBU on Mt Goonaneman, adding a UFH repeater there in 1980.

In 1986 when Packet Radio came into vogue club members built up and installed a digipeater to enable club members to investigate this method of communications using digital techniques. Interest in Packet radio eventually waned and the equipment lay idle for some time.

As the century turned it became apparent that the Bundaberg area was the missing link in a system called APRS. The system of installing tiny GPS and Modems in vehicles which beacon out their positions to gateways on the internet.

The old Packet radio equipment  was revamped in 2009 and installed as and APRS digipeater and so the club has completed this missing link between Brisbane and North Queensland.

In the intervening years the Mt Goonaneman repeater was connected to Gladstone Club’s repeater VK4RGA on Kroombit Tops, which cemented the close cooperation of both clubs. Now the footprint of these two repeaters extends from Gympie in the south to Rockhampton and out to Biloela and beyond.

Over the years the repeaters on Mt Goonaneman have been upgraded several times including installation of a 30metre robust tower structure.

In 1990 the Town repeater VK4RBG was installed on the Southwest Water Tower at Sugarland. This repeater was designed to be used by WICEN groups as required but is also for general club member’s use.
The town repeater was installed on the water tower with permission and help of the then Bundaberg City council who were very much aware the WICEN commitment to assist with communications in times of natural disasters.

For our non-amateur radio guests let me explain that Amateur Radio is a scientific hobby, a means of gaining personal skills in the fascinating art of electronics and an opportunity to communicate with fellow citizens by personal short wave radio both with Australia and ALL countries of the world.

The licensing laws and regulations which the Radio Amateur must undertake include theory and pretty stiff Federal Government examinations to gain certificates of competency to operate our stations.
This training allows Australian Amateur Radio operators with Standard and Advanced certificates to build our own transmitters and receivers while the rest of the users of comms equipment, from Council’s, Fire services even the farmer on his tractor must purchase ACMA approved type equipment.  The onus of course is on the Amateur not to cause interference to other users so that makes us pretty careful.

It is for this very reason, of having to build our own equipment which has led to a member George McLucas VK4AMG building our first repeater on Mt Goonaneman from scrap components from the Department of Civil Aviation. George having been himself a junior member of the club’s Youth Radio Class rose through university and DCA whilst another member Graham Lucke also a Youth Radio student now owns and operates Bundaberg Electronics and is in fact the owner of this splendid site where we are housing our repeater here today.

And this brings us to the commission of our latest repeater and the first on Mt Watalgan.
The club committee has had Mt Watalgan in its sights for some time now a site for a new repeater and a few happenings over the last couple of years brought things to a head.

First we had Council amalgamations which saw the councils of Bundaberg, Isis, Kolan and Burnett joined. The new district boundaries meant that the existing repeaters could not provide reliable comms into the northern area and allow us to provide WICEN support to the Winfield area where the school has been designated a Welfare Centre in times of need.
Secondly, the Bundaberg Regional Council had a community grants program which seemed perfect for this type of equipment installation and we are very appreciative that our application was successful.

As an aside I must mention that BARC and Council has had a close relationship since the club’s inception in 1961. Alderman Doug Rattray, Chairman of Works committee was also our club patron for many years.
In 1963 the new Club HQ was opened by Mayor Cliff Nilsen and in 1970 council engineers dragged theodolite and equipment up to Mt Goonaneman and surveyed us a site to the satisfaction of Forestry who granted us a lease over a parcel of land.
I have already mentioned Councils assistance with locating the Town Repeater at Sugarland but I am proud to announce to Club Members here today that the Bundaberg Regional Council has granted permission to relocate our Town Repeater to their new communications tower on the Hummock. A move which will vastly improve our 2M footprint on 147.800MHz.
So it is very fitting indeed that we have our Mayor Lorraine here today to perform this important function for us backed up by Councillors LynneForgan, Wayne Honor and David Batt.

Before I ask Lorraine to put the repeater on line I would like to acknkowledge all the work for this project by club members.
As you know this is our first repeater purchased off the shelf so there was a quick and steep learning curve for members, a different perspective that building units over serveral months and sorting things out as your proceed.

First of all Ross Orpin VK4JRO whi is the leader of the repeater sub-committee and tireless expert in this area

Ron Graham, VK4BRG who spen hours on the Arcom controller, that marvellous piece of gear we purchased from the U.S. Ron was the previous owner of the Sarina Amateur Repeater and his base understanding of controllers saved many hours of frustration.

Graham Lucke VK4GBL , site owner and Icom agent who gave us much more help than one would normally expect when purchasing commercial equipment.

Mark Sandford who did all the mechanical engineering for antenna hardware and mounts.

Gail VK4ION our Secretary for the paperwork for the grant, all the work schedules and Gantt Charts for time lines for construction and Budget – presenting Pie Graphs to committee to keep us informed ast all times of the project. 

When Gail wasn’t doing the paperwork she was climbing the tower with Ross to install the antenna and cabling.

Thank you ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Mayor of Bundaberg Regional Council, Lorraine Pyefinch.

John (Rusty) McGrath 16- May - 2010

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