VK5RSE
The club operates three beacons at Mount Graham, 11 km north-east of Millicent, approximately 180m ASL. A triple band generator, designed & built by ZL2BKC controls both CW & JT4D digital modes on all 3 beacons.
VK5RSE 144.550 MHz
Identifies as the Mount Gambier beacon every minute alternating between CW and JT4. Output power of 25 watts to clover leaf antenna.
VK5RSE 432.550 MHz
The 70cm beacon has 2 x 8 element yagis, pointed East and West
VK5RSE 1296.550 MHz
NOTE : Currently off the air due to an antenna fault
The 23cm beacon has 2 x 10 element yagis, pointed East and West
SERG operates a 6M beacon located at the club rooms in Mount Gambier. This beacon uses the ZL2BKC controller/exciter. On 50.458MHz the beacon runs 15W to a square halo.
The beacons for 144MHz, 432MHz and 1296MHz are shown in this photograph.
The upper box contains the amplifiers for the three bands while the lower box contains the exciters and logic control including the GPS lock for frequency control. The beacons are capable of both CW ident or JT5 and are remote controllable by means of a two metre link receiver built from a discarded WeatherAlert module.
The antennas for the 2M packet, 2M beacon, 70cm beacon and 1296 beacon are on this tower. We share with commercial services.
Click on the picture for a larger photo of the tower where the antennas can be seen more clearly.
2m and 70cm beacon antennas are about 15 metres (the lowest of the visible antennas)
1296 MHz antenna is at the top of the lattice work at about 30 metres.
The 10GHz beacon is located mid way between Millicent & Mount Gambier at The Bluff, 200m ASL, but is currently off the air. Hopefully will be replaced in the near future.
The club now has a 6M beacon. It is located at the clubrooms in Mount Gambier and operates on 50.458MHz GPS stabilised. Running about 15W it has alternate modes of CW (VK5RSE) and JT5 on one minute intervals.
The photo below shows the square halo for the 6M beacon located 15 metres up the club’s 30M tower at the clubrooms on O’Halloran Tce, Mount Gambier
Colin VK5DK is our beacon coordinator.