Remote Stations

[VK4GHZ]

...Another example where technology advances and the LCD does not perhaps.

Along that theme, has anyone else noticed the term "ACA" is mentioned five times in this document?
In the context of the document and the way this term is used, we assume this to mean the Australian Communications Authority.

An authority that ceased to exist from July 1, 2005, when the ABA and ACA merged to become the ACMA.

Very sloppy.

[VK6LD]

As one of those mentioned having a remote station, I feel my reasons for setting up & operating it are purely genuine/legitimate.

I'm not a contester, DXCC or grid square hunter. I'm not in it for the glory or the certificates. I do it to have a chat with operators in the eastern states and give them some DX to chase on the VHF/UHF bands on this side of the continent. I have experienced the thrill of working long distance DX on VHF/UHF bands when I lived in the area from 2007 - 2011 and getting bitten by the bug. After I moved from the area in 2011, I continued to see those callsigns & DX spots on the Logger and knew I couldn't work it any longer and it was when I missed it most.

There have long been "complaints" from the eastern states that there are hardly any active amateurs on the WA South Coast interested in working the DX on the VHF/UHF bands. I'm fortunate to have the equipment, knowledge, location & means to setup a remote station in Albany to give operators in central & eastern VK another station to work in VK6. In turn I hope this gives some incentive to upgrade antennas, transceivers & alike to work back this side of the Bight.

Regarding regulation, unless it says I can't do it, then I don't see a problem. Like Andrew VK3OE, my system is protected by passwords, non-standard ports and other network security. Physically the system is secured in a locked cupboard and isn't much use anyway when the remote face is with me. I don't see the need for a separate callsign when using the remote station. Besides contributing further unecessary revenue to the Govt, all the separate callsign says really is code for saying VK6LD/remote (my preference) and/or VK6LD/portable.

When using a remote station for claiming certificates, etc, I agree that where ever your transmitter & antennas are stationed is where you should claim whatever you are chasing. I have no problems telling anyone that I'm operating remote from Albany as there is nothing to hide and in fact I'm quite pleased to tell people about my system.

To me, the borderline for one's ethics is probably hiring or subscribing to one of the commercial remote ham bases in the US for a contest or claiming DXCC. See: http://www.remotehamradio.com/ I feel it would be borderline ethics to claim you have worked DXCC or big points in a contest as your station, when you are operating one of these monster stations. For what its worth, my remote station is very very modest by comparison.

Cheers all.

Rob...
VK6LD & VK6LD/remote.

[VK2AAH]

10 Portable operation of an amateur station
The licensee must not operate an amateur station at a location not
mentioned in the licence for a continuous period of:
(a) if the station is an amateur beacon station or an amateur repeater
station — more than 7 days; and
(b) in any other case — more than 4 months

The key word here is "continuous". If the license holder is switching between their normal station & the remote regularly I hardly think you could argue that the operation is "continuous" whether the radio is there more than 4 months or not. It is only "on" when the operator is logged in so for the rest of the time it is just a radio minding its own business...

If people want to pay ACMA more than they need to by applying for a 2nd license who am I to begrudge them contributing to the nation's debt repayment scheme- so long as what one person does is not assumed to be correct and applying to the rest of us who subscribe to Kerry Packer's belief in paying them as little as we have to.

Cheers

Richard
VK2AAH

[VK2EM]

Rob

I absolutely agree with you! Anything that increases the chances of "catching a rare one", is to be applauded.

I say "well done", and lets have more enterprise and experimenting, especially from the "soothsayers" out there!

I am listening for your signal here on the east coast.

73 Bruce VK2EM

[VK4WDM]

I believe that remote stations could pay an important role in keeping our elderly hams active. Many are confined to places where antennas are not permitted and a remote station, perhaps sponsored by a local club, and modest to keep costs down would be a good way of doing this.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK2OMD]

As far as I understand, there is the relevant law (the Radiocommunications Act) and subordinate documents like the LCDs.

To confuse the issue, we operate under not one LCD, but two, and both must be observed.

The Amateur LCD refers to portable operation, but doesn't define the meaning of portable. Is it a station that is not fixed? What then is a fixed station (term is not used in the Amateur LCD)?

We talk about mobile operation, but there is no mention of mobile in the Amateur LCD, perhaps that is included in the category "portable", and subject to those limitations.

Then there are the "Amateur operating procedures" on the ACMA site that have been mentioned, but do they have the force of law (they seem to incorporate some of the content of the Amateur Operators Handbook that was deprecated by the Radiocommunications Act when it took effect). For example, if you do not announce your callsign at the start and end of EVERY transmission in the prescribed manner, can you be prosecuted? Can some petty minded person take a recording to the ACMA and ask them to action a breach of the guidelines?

I mentioned WSPR earlier, is it a beacon? Exactly what constitutes a beacon, the LCD sets out conditions for a "amateur beacon station" but does not define what it is, or what activity requires a "amateur beacon station" licence, and what is permitted under the other licences. The term MEPT (Manned Experimental Propagation Transmitter) was invented as a label to work around regulatory requirements in some jurisdictions, but If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

Owen

[VK5PO]

Yes it may be a "beacon", but if it is being operated from your HOME STATION address, it is NOT a Beacon as the remote type beacons are.

If I was to set up and operate from a remote station, I would certainly make sure the ACMA are aware of it, I think Andrew VK3OE/VK3OER is doing it right.

The remote has a different callsign from the home station, and I would think that the remote station is correctly documented with the ACMA.

I reckon the ACMA would get a tad pissed off if they DF'ed a remote station that was causing interference to other services etc, and did not have a
Station address listed.
73, John

[VK3ZAZ]

I think VK3ZAZ is just having a whinge because he doesn't use a remote station.
.

Hardly Rick
My Remote at Wannon circa 1992 was just fine thanks along with its 37 metre tower and
VK3SIX VK3RMV beacons running on 6M and 10M from mono yagis at 37M and 40M agl
or dont you remember?
Crude by 2013 standards but the Ballarat RIs had the DTMF tones to key the beacons OFF via VK3RWZ if any interference occured.
It was classified as an unmanned site/beacon and had to be licenced. maybe rules have changed in 2013.

I understand you still CANNOT run an unmanned beacon, correct me if I am wrong.
And even unmanned amtor like VAGE got shut down at one stage for just that reason.
Maybe they are more lenient these days..

whatever.

The catylist was the VK5 who dropped his /P and KH6SX spotted he had worked VK5 which he had not.
And then someone started talking abou the excellent VK6LD station.


/p has been an issue for ACMA for many years.
Maybe no one cares today.

Half the people ID wspr the rest just run and changeover.
I thought you are supposed to ID even in morse every ten minutes.
But lots of data modes do not.



And Rob Tnx for making me correct VK6LD to LD/P which reduced the distance of the qso.
You were so weak at beginning I thought I was working VK6LDdid not hear the /P.

[VK5ZD]

Hi

I thought you are supposed to ID even in morse every ten minutes.
But lots of data modes do not.

Doesn't have to be morse. The LCD says "by voice (using the English language), by visual image or by an internationally recognized code."
Any commonly used digital mode would be 'an internationally recognized code'.