VK5RSA Adelaide CBD Repeater - Returned to Service

VK5GR · Post by **VK5GR** » Sat Feb 20, 2021 2:24 pm

The VK5RSA 70cm repeater that has been based in the Adelaide CBD since ~2000 had been off air for the past 2 years sue to the loss of access to the site atop one of the buildings in town.

Now, thanks to the sponsorship of Phil VK5ZEY and https://kernwifi.com.au/ VK5RSA has a new home atop Westpac House. At 134m it is one of the tallest buildings in Adelaide. This was a 12 month project to arrange the sponsorship and rebuild the repeater so it can withstand one of the busiest UHF comms sites in Adelaide.

Part of the changes sees VK5RSA change its receive frequency. It is now operating on:

TX 438.025MHz (-7MHz offset)
RX 431.025MHz - using 91.5Hz CTCSS

The move to -7MHz was necessary due to the ACMA LMR frequency plan on UHF that sets up situations where two TMR base station transmitters can be placed 5MHz apart in the 403-420MHz band. That caused an almost incurable intermod product for the repeater. Moving to a 7MHz offset has completely cured that interference.

VK5RSA has now also been linked to the Central SA repeater network which includes:

VK5RAD 439.925 -5MHz Adelaide Wide Area

VK5RKW 438.050 -7MHz Adelaide NE

VK5RMB 146.875 -600kHz Murray Bridge

VK5RAH 146.775 -600kHz Adelaide Hills

VK5RVH 147.100 -1.6MHz Victor Harbor

AREG looks forward to hearing signal reports from VK5RSA. Initial indications is that its coverage is an order of magnitude better from the new site than was achieved with the original location in Flinders Street.

More information can be found about VK5RSA, our Sponsor KernWiFi and the Central SA Repeater network here: https://www.areg.org.au/central-sa-repe ... ork-member