P25 Repeaters for Sydney and surrounds - as of 11th February, 2025

 P25 Repeaters for Sydney and  surrounds

VK2RCG GPT Sydney City 438.200 MHz now standalone

VK2RNS Asquith (Sydney North) 439.975 MHz standalone

VK2RHP Horsley Park, (Sydney south west) 438.1375 MHz  TG10700

VK2RMB Terrey Hills 438.175 MHz  is standalone

VK2RWK Kurrajong, 439.825 is standalone

VK2RWS Berowra 438.275  w/ -5.4MHz  (WICEN rpr) - unknown status

VK2RWH Nelson Bay 439.625 standalone (WICEN rptr) - unknown status

Non-operational or redeployed :

VK2RHR High Range - being repaired

VK2RGN Goulburn - off air.

VK2ROT Paddington, off air, possibly gone
VK2RWI Dural - now a VK-DMR rptr
VK2RHT Chatswood - now a VK-DMR rptr
VK2RAG Somersby - gone, redeployed
VK2RCF Carlingford - gone
VK2RLE Heathcote - gone

Digital mode hotspots and bad choice of operating frequency

 I was having a look at the VK-DMR and Brandmeister network dashboards today, seeing what new repeaters are active and what hotspots are running to gauge usage on DMR (as it seems rather quiet lately) and I noticed again, that there are still plenty of STUPID people running their digital hotspots on the most inappropriate frequencies, I have trouble trying to fathom how people with "supposedly" technical background and license (ham radio license) can make such stupid blunders, with 20MHz bandwidth to play with on the 70cm band, that they can't find a simplex without interferring with other services, especially the amateur satellite segment on 70cm, why would someone setup their hotspot in the amateur satellite segment when there are lots of amateur satellites constantly circling the globe operating across many frequencies ? People can't seem to grasp that you don't need lots of watts to work a satellite travelling overhead. That's why you can work ISS with a small handheld. Your little hotspot running milliwatts can interfere with amateur satellites passing overhead.

Likewise, why would someone setup their hotspot on the same frequency as the input of a analogue voice rptr that's less than 100km away ? Same for the output frequency.  The hotspot may only run milliwatts, but given some enhanced propagation, that tiny signal can go a long way.  I run three hotspots, for P25, VK-DMR and BM and I try to run them with as minimal impact on each other and maximum isolation between each hotspot and other services, i.e. power output turned down and use internal antennas, I was surprised how far away I can hear my hotspots when out walking with my P25 and DMR handhelds, a couple milliwatts, cct bd antenna and located downstairs in the garage and I can hear them almost a kilometre away. Weak signal experimenters will agree, small signals can go a long way under the right conditions.

If you see a friend operating a hotspot on an inappropriate frequency, can you politely ask them to think about a more appropriate simplex. Also if you running a low pwr hotspot you don't need a repeater frequency pair. Repeater frequency pairs are for high powered repeaters providing a large coverage area and as such, are licensed as repeaters. And if you running a hotspot whilst mobile all over the countryside, the choice of frequency for your hotspot is more important it needs to be on a simplex frequency, not on the allocated voice repeater allocations.

P25 Repeater update for VK2 (Sydney and NSW)

 I been auditing which P25 repeaters  are still working on the 70cm band here, looks like 7 are now gone.

as of 3rd May 2022,

Operational :  

VK2RMB Terrey Hills but is standalone, waiting to be configured and linked to P25 network 

VK2RNS Asquith, currently standalone, as it not linked due to recent lightning strike

VK2RWK Kurrajong, standalone

VK2ROT Paddington, standalone

VK2RCG Sydney city (GPT) - linked into P25 network

VK2RHP Horsley Park, linked into P25 network

VK2RGN Goulburn - not sure if linked

Non-operational or redeployed :

VK2RWI Dural - now a VK-DMR rptr

VK2RHT Chatswood - now a VK-DMR rptr

VK2RAG Somersby - gone maybe redeployed

VK2RHR High Range - failed, getting fixed

VK2RCF Carlingford - gone

VK2RLE Heathcote - nothing

VK2RWS Berowra - gone

and possibly a P25 repeater for central west NSW (Bathurst-Orange region) being configured.

Talkgroups for these linked ones are typically TG10700 or TG10400

Brisbane VHF Group VK4RBB Beacon Update

These UHF and microwave beacons repaired and on-air 

432.440 MHz

1296.440 MHz

2403.440 MHz

3398.440 MHz

5760.440 MHz

10368.440 MHz

24048.440 MHz

VK2RCW 439.700 repeater back on air

 VK2RCW 439.700 Mhz repeater is back on air as of today,  after it had failed  some time back. 

It is now a multi mode repeater supporting FM analogue  and P25 digital modes.

This repeaters belong to ARCWG (Amateur Radio Central West Group)  and this repeater is

co-sited with the club's 2metre repeater FM repeater on 147.200 MHz.

Planned for the future, is to link the 439.700 P25 digital into the P25 network.

The Wireless Institute of Australia (wia.org.au)

P25 Repeaters, VK1 and VK2

extract from latest WIA Repeater Database

I appending YES to ones tested in last few days

A.C.T. and New South Wales
438.1375 432.7375 VK2RHP Horsley Park Sydney (L) O - - - NME -        YES, LINKED TG10400
438.175 433.175 VK2RMB Terrey Hills Sydney O 5 150 3 2MB 91.5 1     YES, soon to be linked
438.200 432.800 VK2RCG Sydney Sydney City O - - - NME -                   YES, LINKED TG10400
438.275 432.875 VK2RWS Berowra North Sydney O - - - NWN 91.5 80
438.425 433.425 VK2RLE Engadine Sydney O 50 110 3 2LE -                   YES
438.450 433.450 VK2RCF Carlingford Sydney O - - - NME 91.5                YES
438.575 433.575 VK2ROT Paddington Sydney O 50 90 3 2BV 91.5 23       YES
438.675 433.675 VK2RPL Mt Nardi Lismore O 50 850 3 2SRC 123
439.600 434.600 VK2RRR Razorback SW Sydney 1/19 U - - - 2VVV 91.5
439.825 434.825 VK2RWK Kurrajong NW Sydney O - - - NWN 91.5 80
439.950 434.950 VK2RAG Somersby Central Coast O - 300 3 2EH 91.5     YES, LINKED TG10400
439.975 434.975 VK2RNS Hornsby Northern Sydney O 50 225 3.5 2MA - YES, LINKED TG10400

You can see they predominantly in and around Sydney

P25 activity in Sydney 9th July 2020

Out again walking my dogs at night, I often take my Uniden scanner to listen for P25 , well...  tonight yielded some good P25 activity on 70cm,  VK2ERG, VK2MPJ, VK3FJAW, VK4HG, VK7HSE ,
they were on the P25 Pacific Reflector TG10400, which includes  P25 repeaters 438.200 MHz VK2RCG  GPT Sydney and 439.975 MHz VK2RNS Hornsby, which I could hear both while walking, plus VK3FJAW was using VK3RMC 438.875 MHz P25 down Moorabbin area.   This is good, I starting to build up a picture of these P25 connections.

Click on the image for better viewing.

VK7HSE's P25 blog extracts

post mortem summary of the WIA Summer VHF/UHF/SHF Field Day Contest 12th/13th January 2019

here is summary of the weekend:

operated  from Mt.Lambie (QF46xm) on Saturday afternoon, 2m SSB, 23cm SSB,  9cm SSB, 6m (52.525) FM, 70cm (439.000) FM.   At last minute we didnt take 6m yagi or multimode.  The 70cm yagi for SSB did not work, later finding a damaged centre pin in connector, and did not take 10 GHz unit as too big to fit it.  It was clear skies, so solar panel & battery adequately provided power, so did not need to run generator. Packed up and left Mt.Lambie at 5pm.

Saturday night at QF46pu, we did some portable microwave contacts with Dave VK2JDS (QF46pu) across to Justin VK2CU's location (QF46qu), worked all 11 x bands 50 Mhz to 76 GHz until midnight.

Sunday morning did not go to QF46xe, instead stayed at QF46pu to operate all bands again, then continued on after lunch  doing contacts for Ross Hull Contest. Also did some driving around looking for possible portable sites, ie. high spots that can be cleared.

Summer VHF/UHF Field Day Contest - 12th / 13th January 2019

almost end of 2018 and just realised that it only two weeks until the 2019 Summer VHF/UHF/SHF Field Day Contest.   I missed the Spring Field Day for 2018, so more effort required to ensure I go portable to operate VHF through SHF, obviously a mountain in the western side of Blue Mtns. The plan is to go Saturday morning setup for 12noon start, do 6 hrs stint will be enough. Not serious to win, it's about just getting out portable to give out some numbers to others and build up microwave skillset. I got everything for 6metres and above, but primary focus is on microwave bands.

Modifications for the TYT TH-9800 FM quad-bander mobile transceiver

These TH-9800  quad band FM transceivers  (a clone of the Yaesu FT-8900 transceiver) have an issue of blowing the transmit driver FET.  I have documented a modification to fix this, as it would be a considerable amount of work to replace the drive FET, or even the PA FET for that matter. Easier to do the mod and run at less output power, better than having a dead tx PA. It basically adding a 8v (7808) regulator into the supply circuit for the Driver FET,  which is fed hot from the 13.8v DC input.

http://www.qsl.net/vk2kfj/th9800.html

RF site testing at QF46qu on Easter Sunday, 16th April, 2017

Doing some site testing at a friend's farm at QF46qu at Gowan, north west of Bathurst NSW.
my GPS estimated 950m ASL mostly cleared, with almost 360degress of clear horizon, good for playing radio. As it was Sunday morning I made use of the fact that the WIA morning broadcast was one reason to listen for it on various known frequencies including 2metres, 70cm and 6metres.

I could hear 146.775 Newcastle, 146.725 Somersby, 146.850 Maddens Plains, 146.975 Knights Hill,  53.650 Maddens Plains, 146.950 Mt Ginini.   Could not hear anything from Dural. This was using quad band radio (TYT TH-9800) and quad band vertical from the vehicle. Should be much easier with some yagis up a mast.

Looks to be excellent site to run microwave equipment from (23cm and upwards).

 a little bit of trees to north east,

 looking to north coast & mid north coast NSW, all clear.

 looking to Newcastle through Sydney, all clear

Looking back to Bathurst

 Looking to south and VK1

Looking to VK3 & VK5 all clear.

Looking west, a couple trees

Facing to north west, highest point where these pine trees are.

 Looking north, a few sparse trees, but nothing Roundup or a chainsaw can't fix

Good flat area, for parking, camping, whatever.

Field Portable QF46pu Gowan NSW

For Easter weekend, April 2017, was visiting QF46pu, to get on 2m,70cm, and 23cm AE nets in the mornings. Did some testing on 23cm gridpacks and dish against the Dural beacon 1296.420. Did not hear any other 23cm beacons.

 This is small gridpack looking back towards Newcastle.

 This is a larger gridpack, certainly slightly better than the small gridpack

 IC-910H was hooked up to 2m yagi, 70cm yagi and 23cm  running from solar panels and batteries

 The 3metre diameter mesh dish with 23cm feed, aimed towards north coast NSW

 Smaller gridpack aimed at Sydney Dural 23cm beacon (approx 180km)

Looking towards Melbourne in the gap between trees

 Looking toward VK1, worked VK1KW and VK1DJA on 2m SSB

 2metre and 70cm yagis

I took 3.4Ghz and 10GHz  but did not get time to flash it up.

Best activity was working Compton VK2HRX who was SOTA portable up the Warrumbungles, worked him on 2m SSB, 70cm SSB and 1294.000 FM

Aiming to the right of the big tree to work Compton VK2HRX/p at QF48mr SOTA spot CCW001 a distance of 209km, not bad on 1294 MHz FM as Compton was using a 1w handheld.

and screenshot from VKLogger

For next time,  remember take my portable generator.

DMR radio

I been doing some more playing with DMR using my TYT MD-380  UHF handheld. Since I first started playing with this, there is now a second network operating locally,

http://dmr-marc.net/   the original DMR network here in VK

and the other network

https://brandmeister.network/ or referred to as DMR-BM,

which is very interesting  as it comprises of homebrew repeater equipment, such as the MMDVM repeater which is based on Arduino a kit and interface board, which does more than simply DMR, they also doing C4FM   and planning on P25 support.  Also DV4mini doing Dstar, C4FM and DMR

http://ve1cra.net/main/dmr.html

http://mmdvm.blogspot.com.au/

http://ve1cra.net/main/dstar.html


Just in the Sydney basin, we now  have VK2RCG  439.500  (Sydney city),  VK2RWW 438.100 Dural, VK2RLE 438.425 Heathcote, VK2RHP 439.750 (Horsley Park),  VK2RAG Central Coast and one planned up Newcastle.
And of course the DMR repeaters in pretty much all states now, including Canberra VK1RBM.
What this means is since they share Talk Groups, you can be travelling around Sydney and switch  repeaters and maintain the same  Talk Group QSO. You don't have to chat via a public Talk Group, you can setup a private QSO with another person.

In summary,  a whole different concept compared to the old fashioned FM analogue repeater, it takes a bit of thinking to get used to the idea, but once you understand the concepts, then you soon realise the benefits of it. As it grows, you will see  a lot of multi-mode digital repeaters and gateways appearing.

GippsTech symposium 2016

this coming weekend is GippsTech 9th/10th July at the Federation University in Morwell Victoria.
Lots of  good technical discussions to listen too, meeting microwave gurus and top it off with some on-air activity on sunday afternoon on 3.4 Ghz

recent VHF/UHF/SHF DX

last week was pretty good for propagation from Sydney, with the High pressure cells sitting over the Tasman sea for days, we were presented with consistent tropo ducting up and down the coast of NSW and across the pond to ZL as well as trops across the Great Australian Bight which provided paths from vk6 to vk5, vk3.

As far as paths from Sydney, we had openings to Tamworth to both their 146.750 and 439.950 repeaters,  paths to Buladelah 147.100 regularly, good paths to south coast such as 146.825 near Bega, 146.625 Goulburn  was strong on quite a few occassions, in fact one day it was 60/9, with Mt Ginini 146.950, and the local Canberra repeaters 146.725 and 147.175 heard on occassions. One one night I found 147.025 from Mt Canobolis (Orange) accessible, I called someone to come up on it, but that repeater faded into the noise before we could make a contact.

monday night this week, heard activity on 146.700 near Nowra.

Last week several VK2 and VK4's made it across the pond to ZL1 on 2m,70cm and 23cm SSB, even ZL1TPH/p was receiving the Dural VK2RWI 1296.420 beacon on more than one day, that's pretty impressive, but makes me optimistic that more regular 23cm contacts across to ZL are probable. It provides me with more incentive to get 23cm SSB gear active and a dish up and aimed at ZL next summer.

I did note that the tropo just does not extend inland and with enough intensity for contacts on 2/70/23 to ZL, I think the inland inversion ducting is the much more common propagation mode, which of course occurs mainly at night.