update on 23cm repeater systems centered around Sydney and NSW as of 22nd Oct 2023

 update on 23cm repeater systems centered around Sydney and NSW as of  22nd Oct 2023

OUTPUT / INPUT    Callsign    Location

1273.100 / 1293.100 VK2RTZ  Mt. Sugarloaf  - working,  it idents every hour, requires 91.5Hz CTCSS tone to access

1273.200 / 1293.200 VK2RWC   Chatswood  - working

1273.400 / 1293.400 VK2RAG  Somersby - working,  now linked to VK2RAG 6metre repeater, requires 91.5Hz CTCSS tone to access

1273.500 / 1293.500 VK2RWI Dural  -  working, carries Sunday WIA broadcast.

1296.850  VK2RMP FM Simplex analogue parrot repeater at Maddens Plains - working, it idents every 10 minutes with a CW message

All the above are Vertical polarised.

1294.000 FM Simplex, not heard anyone since July 2022.

visit to Mt. Sugarloaf lookout grid QF57sc, west of Newcastle - 21st May 2023

 As part of a recent road trip, I did a visit to Mt. Sugarloaf lookout SF57sc, west of Newcastle, home of VK2RNC, to look for a spot for doing 23cm DXing, plus activate VK2RAG and VK2RTZ 23cm repeaters, neither of which I could keyup. I also wanted to know was this site useful for doing WIA VHF/UHF Field Day contests from. Basically, the public carpark at the top, only gives a small window to operate up towards Port Stephens and up the NSW coastline,  any other direction would be useless due to heavy forested trees.

I did a walk up to the lookout, this was a rocky outcrop at the top, quite suitable for VHF and above, operating portable DX, but be aware that lots of tourists walk up to the top lookout, so you can't just consume all the space up there with gear and antennas, but I guess approx 50 sq metres of flat rock at the top surrounded by metal railings, good to strap small temporary antennas to. There is a road to get to the commercial radio site (not NBN3 or ABN sites) leaving about a 50 step ascent to the top lookout,

Grid Square locator is QF57sc and height approx 436m ASL

looking n.w. up the Hunter Valley

looking east to Newcastle/Lake Macquarie

NBN and commercial towers

ABC/ABN rusty tower

Gosford/Sydney between tower and trees

towards Lake Macquarie  and N.Z.

public carpark with Newcastle/Port Stephens in the gap

update on 23cm repeater systems as of 10th May 2023

update on 23cm repeater systems centered around Sydney as of  10th May 2023

Here are the operational 23cm FM Analogue repeaters I can work:

OUTPUT / INPUT    Callsign    Location

1273.100 / 1293.100 VK2RTZ  Mt. Sugarloaf  - working,  it idents every hour, requires 91.5Hz ctcss

1273.200 / 1293.200 VK2RWC   Chatswood  - working

1273.400 / 1293.400 VK2RAG  Somersby - working, has beep on the tail

1273.500 / 1293.500 VK2RWI Dural  -  working, carries Sunday WIA broadcast.

1296.850  VK2RMP FM Simplex analogue parrot repeater at Maddens Plains - working, it idents every 10 minutes with a CW message

All the above are Vertical polarised.

1294.000 FM Simplex, not heard anyone since July 2022.