** Notice of business at the next WARG meeting 05/11/2007 **
From Will VK6UU

Request that regular business be expedited so a discussion can take place under the following topics.

Note; discussion without cost being part of the discussion (see below*)

1. Does warg intend to replace its existing 2M network in part or full?
2. What are the reasons for the replacement?
3. If so what equipment is to be used for the replacement (control board)?
4. How much replacement equipment is available?
5. Is the replacement equipment suitable?
6. How is this to be achieved (who is to do it)?
7. What is the time frame?
8. Would the REP-200 be a better choice if cost was not an issue?

Further discussion.

Does warg have a longer term strategy once (if) the 2M network is successfully replaced?

Under this question points for discussion.

1. Linking of warg’s repeaters.
2. Any new ideas outside rebuilding and maintaining repeaters.

*Cost could bog the discussion down. I believe warg has ample funds and should use them as members intended, however with my offer to fund the project in part of full, cost need not be mentioned and the discussion focus on the points (and others) raised in this motion.

Comments;

Warg have a long and successful history with the club being formed in the 1970′s and continues today with excellent attendance at meetings and considerable efforts by a range of amateurs to maintain the repeater network. For example work done at the Rolystone site over the past couple of years is to be commended.

However a critical examination of warg’s achievements over its entire history has repeatedly shown the club struggles, despite generous effort and time by many amateurs, to move beyond maintaining its existing network. The number of warg repeaters and linked repeaters is less today than a decade ago.

Why?

My examination of the problem is our efforts are fundamentally due to limitations in building our own 2M repeaters. It is the amateur tradition to build as much as possible and to scrounge and be resourceful, all skills to be commended, but not at the expense of being caught in a going no where situations. Repeaters like the ten & six metre repeater are separate to this due to their singular nature.

Warg should not be struggling to maintain its 2M network but fixing it and building in easy replacement so any repeater failures do not result in these systems being off air for months. If a reliable high quality 2M repeater can be achieved (and it can) warg can then move onto standardising and improving all the other important elements of a repeater installation. The talent and interest is there we just need to organise ourselves so we gain enthusiasm due to success.

Repeater linking (by RF) can be achieved in a better way than at present. Standardisation of linking equipment can be done so wherever a link is required it is plug & play. Hamtronics make a range of UHF RX/TX units ideally suited for linking.

Without a close examination of warg’s situation the club may not be able to make the progress it wants and deserves.

Will
VK6UU
Founding & life member of WARG