Repeaters NW NSW

[VK2AOH]

Planning a trip later in the year to Tibooburra in the far NW corner of NSW, roughly via Condobolin, Ivanhoe.

Thinking of taking my 2 metre hand held along, does anyone know whether Boona Mtn repeater near Condobolin and the repeater at Broken Hill are running.

Thanks for any info on this.

Nick

[VK2HRX]

Broken Hill was going when I was out there 2 years ago. Apparently I disturbed the serenity of the place by using it, took them by suprise.

[VK2AOH]

Thanks Compton, I had a feeling Broken Hill was running although a lot can happen in two years. Think a 10 metre repeater is on air at Broken Hill so will keep that in mind as being something useful.

Pretty sure Boona Mtn has long gone along with a number of others. The WIA list is very much out of date and know of two repeaters in the Bathurst region that are listed which have not been operating for a couple of years at least.

Very little if no activity on the repeaters that remain working. From what I read on various forums etc this appears to be pretty well worldwide.

Not much incentive to go out and get a decent 2 metre radio to supplement my ageing IC2A.

Anyhow thanks again perhaps someone else will pop up with the info.

Cheers, Nick

[VK2XSO]

It's a bit empty out there. I've not been south of the barrier hwy for a while now so I'm not sure what's still working.
I had been trying to expand the VHF APRS network into western NSW, but maintaining digis was becoming too hard and now I'm a bit short on quality modems to cover areas which see almost no traffic.
The lightning Ridge guys have been slowly working to getting their 2m repeater running. But that's a long way north of your route.
Orange, Parkes, Condy, Dubbo, Coonabarabran, Mt Kaputar are the repeaters on the western edge of civilisation in NW NSW.

[VK4ZEJ]

Broken Hill 2 mtr repeater was still working when I was living out there for 6mths up til March this year. Never heard anyone on it though.

Eddie - VK4ZEJ

[VK2AOH]

Thanks everyone for the updates, it is evident things are pretty far apart west of the Blue Mountains repeater wise.

H.F would be the go with a VHF handheld for the times I run into one of the towns where there is a repeater running just to have a chat.

[VK2ZIW]

A Full Duplex repeater makes for significant infrastructure needs, both 6m and 2m.
Really good receiver, good cavity set (expensive and bulky).

Would a Half Duplex (store and re-transmit) system make life much much easier.
One transceiver, no duplexer, single antenna.

And, a major benefit, one could hear one's audio and determine it's clarity, s/n ratio.
Today's small computer boards, Pi etc. make it so so easy.

But still a very effective repeater.

Alan VK2ZIW

[VK7HH]

Would a Half Duplex (store and re-transmit) system make life much much easier.
One transceiver, no duplexer, single antenna.

In terms of equipment needed yes. In terms of convenience, no. It would then double the amount of time it takes for a QSO.