Image Tower with 4 stacked J-Pole Antennas
(Note: This article is written in Afrikaans and English. Please use Google Translate if you do not understand Afrikaans or English.)
This repeater was born out of a dream by two radio amateurs who had a conversation on the 40 meter band one morning and teamwork by many others to fulfill the dream. Nico ZS2N and Johan ZS1I discussed the need for a repeater in the North Eastern Cape area when the Late Colin Robinson ZS2CR joined their discussion and indicated that this idea must be taken further and that he would lend a helping hand to Nico in getting the necessary equipment to bring a repeater to life in that area.
This “idol” chat set the ball rolling and with in a week or two Colin came back on air to inform Nico and Johan that he managed to get a fairly old but solid repeater from one of his friends in East London. The excitement and enthusiasm was noticeably hearable in the voice tones of these three radio amateurs. In the meantime Nico secured a near perfect site on Kramberg a mountain in the Aliwal North district about 20 km from town.
Nico and Colin started the painstaking process to gather all the necessary bits and pieces needed at the site. The repeater was transported from East London to Aliwal North by Colin. A 9m tower and 4 x 2m folded dipoles were “homebrewed” by Nico as time permitted. Parts and odds and ends started rolling in when other radio amateurs heard of the project.
There was no turning back now. The repeater was now taking priority over many other chores and family matters and Nico worked hours at end to fulfill this “dream”. Within a couple of weeks the antenna’s were ready and a test with the MFJ Antenna Analizer revealed that the four dipoles resonates and is ready for the work of receiving and repeating. Nico tested the repeater at home one evening and found that their was something wrong with the power supply unit.
This is were real amateur radio spirit came to light. Hennie ZS2HG from Bloemfontein Amateur Radio Klub got involved and the repeater was transported to Bloemfontein for a good old re-alignment and thorough checking. Hennie fixed and aligned what had to be fixed and be aligned. The only problem now was to find a decent couple of cavity filters for the repeater.
Die filters is deur die Bloemfontein Amateur Radio Klub goedgunstiglik aan Nico geleen. Hennie ZS4HG was verantwoordelik vir die nodige verstellings aan die herhaler sowel as die filters. Intussen het Nico die toring en staal kas gemaak vir die veilige bewaring van die toerusting. Stadig maar seker is al die toerusting gereed gemaak totdat die groot dag uiteindelik aangebreek het. Nico en twee helpers is een Saterdag middag na Kramberg waar die toring opgerig is en die herhaler geinstalleer is.
Die tyd het hulle egter gou ingehaal, maar wou hulle nie weer die volgende dag terugkeer nie. So in die skemer, donker het hulle die finale afrondingswerk gedoen en is die herhaler aangeskakel. Die adrenalien het hoog geloop en is die nodige toetse gedoen in samewerking met Johan ZS2Z vanaf INDWE wat ongeveer 100km soos die kraai vlieg geleë is vanaf die Kramberg. Johan kon die herhaler met gemak sneller en het die manne die aand behoorlik die herhaler se gal gewerk. Self stasies sover as Bloemfontein het gedeel in die opgewondenheid. Verskeie kontakte is die aand bewerkstellig.
‘n Droom deur drie radio amateurs het waar geword, danksy wyle Colin ZS2CR wat die aanvoerwerk gedoen het vir die daarstelling van ‘n herhaler in die Aliwal Noord gebied. Natuurlik was die installering van die herhaler ‘n ware span-projek deur talle radio amateurs en is ek dus bang om elkeen by die naam te noem, maar gaan ek tog ‘n uitsondering maak om die volgende persone wat ‘n waardevolle bydae gelewer het tot die projek , te bedank. Die Robinson familie, Chris ZS2S,
Jim ZS2JM, Border Radio Club, Bloemfontein Amateur Radio Club, Hennie ZS4HG, Dennis ZS4BS, Port Elizabeth Amateur Radio Society, Chris ZS2AAW, Trevor ZS2AE, Nico ZS4N, Kenny Moolman (privaat indiwidu) Johan ZS2Z , Rodger ZS1J, DRIES ZS4AJ en laaste maar nie die minste nie almal wat bygedra het om die herhaler ‘n werklikheid te maak.
Repeater Technical Details:
Call Sign: ZU9LKE
Frequency.:
145.750 Mhz RX and 145.150 TX
Repeater Make:
Motorola Micor
Power Output: 15 WATT
Mountain Site:
Kramberg, Aliwal North
H.A.S.L.: 1958 Meters
Distance from Aliwal North: 15Km
Tower Height: 12 Meter
CO-AX Cable: RG213
Connectors: N-TYPE
Antenna: 4 X Homebrewed Folded Dipoles
Cavity Filters: 2 X RX AND 2X TX.
Repeater Coverage: Radius of 100—120 Km.
Foto: Die herhaler, holteresoneerders and ander toerusting.
Foto: Tuisgeboude gevoude Di-Pool Antennas
Image: Repeater, Timer, Speaker and UHF Radio Link installed in the cabinet.
Image: View from Kramberg, Aliwal North towards Bloemfonein.
