VK6RST Mt Barker

Mt Barker Beacons operational on 3cm and 70cm !

The WA VHF Group Inc commissioned a 200 mW beacon on 10,368.564 MHz on Sunday 5 October.

An exciter and keyer in the hut results in an FSK signal at about 518MHz being sent up the coax to a multiplier chain and PA mounted at the back of a 380mm dish. The dish has a bearing of 106 degrees (ie towards Melbourne - well we can dream, can't we?).

Mt Barker [OF85ti] is about 50km north of Albany.

The beacon has been heard at Albany by VK6KZ/p and VK6WG. It has also been heard in the Stirling Range (north east of Mt Barker) by VK6ZWZ.

Additionally a beacon on 432.564MHz was commissioned on the same site and this has close to 50 Watts split into two 10 element yagis - one towards Melbourne and the other towards Perth. It is being heard quite consistently in Perth under present conditions (about 340km).

The WA VHF Group hopes to replace the Southern Electronics Group 2 metre beacon at Albany - now withdrawn from service - with one at Mt Barker.

73
Wally
VK6KZ

A list of operational and experimental beacons may be found here, as well as beacons undergoing refurbishment.

Created by vk6kch
Last modified 2008-09-04 09:47 AM