Complete the sentence

[vk1da]

If?


Andrew Davis VK1DA & VK2UH
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Vk1da.info vkfaq.ampr.org vk9na.com

[VK4BLP]

If nobody used repeaters . . . . . . . .

There would be no "Repeater Wallys".

One thing that has driven people away from utilising the great resource of repeater systems, is the existence of the bloody wallys who think they "own" the repeater and cause disruption when someone uses "their" repeater.

I use HF much more, and if there were no repeaters I'd probably not miss them. But there are also plenty of wallys on HF. You'd be amazed how many frequencies are "owned" by this net or that, or some yanks who use such and such a frequency for their morning chat despite the frequency being in use.

... or the couple of VK4's that think it is their god given right to jump from repeater to repeater without checking for current usage and 'rag-chew' in their own native tongue, i.e. non-English.

[VK7DR]

If nobody used repeaters . . . . . . . .

Radio clubs would have to find some other justification for their existence....

[VK/9V1CJ]

I hope I am not flogging a dead horse - but has there been any change in 70cm activity in VK4 land? I've been listening for 2.5 weeks and have only heard one conversation. One.. and it's not about repeater coverage. I've carried a portable around almost every alternate day out of curiosity, changed antennas for the "base" and short of swopping to a yagi I really don't think it's RX problem on my side.

Seems deader than a dodo out here, almost as bad as my own country. I've heard 2 chats in 2 years back home. It's a pity my interest lies on the 70cm band.

[VK3ALB]

I hope I am not flogging a dead horse - but has there been any change in 70cm activity in VK4 land? I've been listening for 2.5 weeks and have only heard one conversation. One.. and it's not about repeater coverage. I've carried a portable around almost every alternate day out of curiosity, changed antennas for the "base" and short of swopping to a yagi I really don't think it's RX problem on my side.

Seems deader than a dodo out here, almost as bad as my own country. I've heard 2 chats in 2 years back home. It's a pity my interest lies on the 70cm band.

Everyone listens, less talk, even less call. The trick is to convince people to answer your calls. Don't give up, they're out there.

[VK3VKT]

VK3RBW is the go

always someone listening there



Andy

[VK4TS]

Apparently heard on 20M

"Yesterday, my XYL said she'd leave me if I didn't give up ham radio. Over."

[VK/9V1CJ]

Need some help here. From emission designator 16K0F3E channel spacing should be set to 25KHz am I correct? Finally managed to reach repeaters (VK4RBR/VK4RZB) with my portable but my voice sounds weird (muffled?), to say the least.

Strange thing was at 0130H today I couldn't reach them - and at 1551H suddenly it seemed ok. Odd, considering I changed nothing!

[VK2DDS]

Finally managed to reach repeaters (VK4RBR/VK4RZB) with my portable but my voice sounds weird (muffled?), to say the least. Strange thing was at 0130H today I couldn't reach them - and at 1551H suddenly it seemed ok. Odd, considering I changed nothing!

Without knowing where you are relative to those repeaters it's hard to say exactly why they come and go, but tropospheric ducting can cause UHF/VHF to go much further than normal. Two days ago I was getting a repeater ~200km away, and later than day had a 2m simplex contact 250km away with strong (S9+) signals both ways. Normally though those contacts aren't possible (thankfully, as said repeater is on the same frequency as the local one).

If said repeaters are close to where you are then it won't be ducting, if you're on a handheld (is that what you mean by portable?) I'd call it luck.

[VK/9V1CJ]

Finally managed to reach repeaters (VK4RBR/VK4RZB) with my portable but my voice sounds weird (muffled?), to say the least. Strange thing was at 0130H today I couldn't reach them - and at 1551H suddenly it seemed ok. Odd, considering I changed nothing!

Without knowing where you are relative to those repeaters it's hard to say exactly why they come and go, but tropospheric ducting can cause UHF/VHF to go much further than normal. Two days ago I was getting a repeater ~200km away, and later than day had a 2m simplex contact 250km away with strong (S9+) signals both ways. Normally though those contacts aren't possible (thankfully, as said repeater is on the same frequency as the local one).

If said repeaters are close to where you are then it won't be ducting, if you're on a handheld (is that what you mean by portable?) I'd call it luck.

I am on a handheld aka portable. I only flew over to Brisbane with portables.

You might certainly be right, as I noticed the same phenomenon again today. 0130H very weak (~-105dBm on RX handheld), 0230H zilch signal, 0700H back to same ~-107dBm, it seems to be almost coinciding with sunrise periods. There is one big however - this only affects 1 repeater, VK4RBR (south of my location, have 1 more to the north and 1 to the west, all within 15km radius, my estimate).

In addition, I live smack in the city, and with high-rise buildings all around, I have my questions on how tropo-duct will work with reflected signals particularly this is the 70cm band I'm operating in. Furthermore being the CBD, the rate of ground heating should differ quite differently from other locations, and when you throw in the river about 500m away, it only gets more complex.

Short of keeping 24 hour days and transmitting every 30min I'm not sure how I'm going to determine this or measure. It is certainly a challenging question, but I'm glad that I have something to chew on.

[VK4ADC]

Joel

Make the most of that new callsign on the 2M repeaters as well. Try VK4RBN on 147.000, Bayside 146.875 and Ipswich on 146.900. I hear a reasonable amount of activity on that band as I drive around but I don't have 70cm in the car so can't compare.

The answer to the "sentence" for you is persistence.

[VK/9V1CJ]

Thank you for the advice Doug, certainly I should be making an effort to step out of the 70cm comfort zone

[VK4BLP]

Joel

Make the most of that new callsign on the 2M repeaters as well. Try VK4RBN on 147.000, Bayside 146.875 and Ipswich on 146.900. I hear a reasonable amount of activity on that band as I drive around but I don't have 70cm in the car so can't compare.

And don't forget the Southside ARS repeater at Mt Cotton on 147.075 (+600 and no tones).

[VK3MIX]

One thing that has driven people away from utilising the great resource of repeater systems, is the existence of the bloody wallys who think they "own" the repeater and cause disruption when someone uses "their" repeater.

Luke VK3HJ

When I first got into amateur radio I was on the Gold Coast on holidays, gave a call out on the only repeater in range of my portable held hand. No answer, I decided to give echolink a go on the same repeater to my hometown repeater. After sometime of talking back home some nut decide to disconnect echolink via DTMF tones with no call sign what so ever. I dialled back home to have the same thing happen. After all this two operators decided to have their local chew without even acknowledging that I was there.

[VK3DXE]

One thing that has driven people away from utilising the great resource of repeater systems, is the existence of the bloody wallys who think they "own" the repeater and cause disruption when someone uses "their" repeater.

Luke VK3HJ

When I first got into amateur radio I was on the Gold Coast on holidays, gave a call out on the only repeater in range of my portable held hand. No answer, I decided to give echolink a go on the same repeater to my hometown repeater. After sometime of talking back home some nut decide to disconnect echolink via DTMF tones with no call sign what so ever. I dialled back home to have the same thing happen. After all this two operators decided to have their local chew without even acknowledging that I was there.

I'm of the inclination to name and shame such w@nkers.

Whatever happened to (if you really NEED to use the device) asking if you can butt in and make contact with your mate and then moving to another frequency? It's easy enough to move to another device around town to have your local chat while a visitor uses "your" repeater.