Top of the Roleystone tower at 80M (250') looking South East

Welcome to the WARG Newsletter for 1997. This is the first edition produced for publication on the
Internet. Limitations with producing the  Newsletter using  Desk  Top  Publishing for the Internet
result in a Newsletter different to what has been produced in the past. However the ability of the
Internet to reach many more people and allow the Newsletter to be seen in colour, more than make up
for the limitations. Text underlined are Internet links to extra information on that subject and of course
not available on the printed version. Note: WARG AGM is on the 5th of May 7.30 PM.

More information on the 1997 AGM

To view the WARG Newsletter on the Internet go to http://www.

The Past year

With the changes to the licensing conditions for voice repeaters, much of the Club's time has been
directed towards understanding and fighting the new licence costs as imposed by the SMA. In round
figures, WARG's licence costs have increased by about 3 times. This equates to half of WARG's income
from members every year. Added to this is the continued delay with the "new" voice repeater regulations,
now 7 years on, we can only be exasperated by the situation. Our efforts look like being rewarded.

However there have been achievements for the club in 1997, and in particular the work put into the Club's
Packet BBS, VK6BBR. The BBS is managed by Dennis VK6LD and Chris VK6JI. The photo above shows
one of the achievements. This UHF Yagi is atop the 250' tower at Roleystone, and is pointing at VK6RMS
digipeater Mt. Saddleback. The faint hills seen in line with the beam are not Mt. Saddleback but Mt. Cooke
on the East of Albany Highway, about 30 kilometers away. Mt. Saddleback is 70 kilometers further past
Mt. Cooke. The mountain range in the area of Mt. Cooke does make the path between Roleystone and
Mt. Saddleback a difficult one and hence the need for the beam antenna. Signals received between the sites
are in the order of only a few microVolts. This link forwards Packet traffic from Perth to the South such as
Bunbury, Mandurah, Katanning, Manjimup, Narrogin and Albany.

Interesting statistic: 76% of WARG members are also members of the WIA.
23% of WIA members are also members of WARG.
 

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