VHF/UHF repeater utilisation

[VK2FABS]

Based on my relatively short observation here in Sydney, the utilisation of public accessible repeaters seemed to be quite low. Some activities during work travel time, a few club based slots, but generally quite quiet. Then there are some very quiet repeaters eg. VK2RGR, a 2M that's readily accessible from home, one that I have never heard anything on.

Is it because all the hams are on other bands and modes or does it reflect the AR scene? Shame to see perfectly set up repeaters being left idle.

[VK4DU]

Hello Weiyun

A very good question!

I am often in Sydney, and I am an ex VK2.

25 years ago, 2m in sydney was flat out. Lots and lots of QSOs, all day.

People are still driving to/from work...

Strange.

73
Glenn

[VK2FABS]

25 years ago, that's barely in the early 90s. Feels like yesterday. Do you think that there are still a good number of hams but are just using mobile/email for day-to-day comms? What's the HF scene like? More or less compared to the 90s?

[VK3DXE]

In Melbourne, most of the activity is at Drive Time and much of it on 70cm.

Outside the peak commuting times, most VHF/UHF FM chat is on simplex frequencies scattered across the bands.

PLEASE don't get stuck with the idea that VHF/UHF is ONLY FM and ONLY REPEATERS! There is all sorts of stuff going on down in bottom ends of the bands in the weak signal portions - SSB, CW, JT65, EME, Meteor Scatter, Aircraft Enhancement, etc., etc.

[VK4DU]

25 years ago, that's barely in the early 90s. Feels like yesterday. Do you think that there are still a good number of hams but are just using mobile/email for day-to-day comms? What's the HF scene like? More or less compared to the 90s?

HF is as busy as ever.

Most of the Sydney FM activity seems to be on the CBD/Horsley Park linked repeaters, with a bit on the Blue Mountains repeater 147050.

The halcyon days of channel 4 (146800 Heathcote) and channel 8 (147000 Dural) are gone, alas...

[VK2FABS]

VK2RCF 438.450 at Carlingford is also used by some regulars.

[VK3TCX]

Have to travel to Melbourne for the day @ every month or so, can't recall ever not having contacts on city 6 (FM), 2 and 70 repeaters each time. Wouldn't call it busy but always people there who answer; mostly I'm there in the 1000 >1400 local time slot.

Cheers
Ian
vk3tcx

[VK2HRX]

snip VK2RGR, a 2M that's readily accessible from home, one that I have never heard anything on.

No doubt some one will correct me but I believe that repeater is used for ATV liason. There are others that are used especially at specific times. Keep tuning around and calling.....

[VK2XSO]

Back in the 90's the big three repeaters used to be Heathcote on 146.800, Dural on 147.000 and Springwood on 147.300 (now 147.325). 70cm was almost dead

Now of course most of the activity is on 70cm. Blue mountains 2m on 147.050MHz had been popular in the last 10 years.
The 70cm blue mountains repeater was the most popular, but because the repeater now has poor performance, most of the cool club drive time have moved to Carlingford on 438.450.
The Horsley linked repeaters are also popular these days.

The main thing about repeaters in places like Sydney is that the groups of people that use them form their own social groups.
If you jump in on their net or group you need to make a good impression on them. If you just jump in and say something stupid or irrelevant or ask for a "radio check", then next time you
call on a repeater people might choose not to answer. Asking for 'pointless' radio checks on multiple repeaters or multiple times on the same repeater because you don't have anything interesting to say is going to make a band go dead quicker than an electromagnetic transient.

There are plenty of groups and it's not hard to find one where the people have similar interests and personalities.

No doubt some one will correct me but I believe that repeater is used for ATV liason...

Most of the Sydney ATV voice traffic is on 147.325MHz, for both repeaters.

[VK7ZA]

My experience is that it really comes down to only a couple of people "manning" a repeater, and being happy to chat to anyone and everyone, so that not many calls go unanswered. I know there are some repeaters i never bother using as there's never anyone there, while another has one regular who will nearly always say g'day if someone pops on. That certainly gives it a lived in real, and generates traffic. This role is generally fulfilled by retired members, but if you are able to have a radio on your desk at work, I think you'll be surprised how fast one person can rejuvenate a repeater community. Especially with new call signs looking for a repeater to call home, as a lot of operators now end up with a 5w HT as their first radio.


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