Image: Aasvoëlkop Repeater, Albertinia, Southern Cape
The Aasvoëlkop Repeater site in the Southern Cape has once again been upgraded with the addition of a FREE sponsored Internet connection provided by Whisper Net. Thanks must go to Vivian Louwrens ZS1VIV who led the negotiations with the above service provider. If it was not for Viv then this valuable free Internet connection would not have been a reality, especially if you take the location of the Aasvoëlkop site into consideration.
Image: Whisper Net Coverage Area (Click on image for larger view.)
Some of the purest of the pure might say but this is no big deal as it is just an Internet connection which is in any case not amateur radio. I would like to invite those to look what benefits the Internet would bring to a repeater site in general. If you want to explore and experiment with new technology today you cannot be without the Internet and computers. Both has become part and parcel of amateur radio. Enough rambling let's look at some of the possibilities such a connection might bring to the site:
1. Installing IP cameras on site for additional security for the Aasvoëlkop Repeater.
2. Installing IP cameras to monitor a wide circle area to spot veld-fires, severe weather conditions, thunderstorms and lightning etc.
3. Installing a Digital Weather Station linked to the Internet that provides a wide variety of data like, Temperature, Rainfall, Wind Speed, Wind Direction etc. One can even install censors to detect and monitor pollution and other atmospheric conditions.
4. Install an Aviation ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast). ADS-B system that broadcasts aircraft location and other information to other aircraft and ground stations. A great service to the aviation and public communities in the Southern Cape and World Wide.
5. Install an Automatic Identification System (AIS) that is a short-range coastal tracking system currently used on ships. It was developed to provide identification and positioning information to both vessels and shore stations.
6. Linking the Aasvoëlkop Repeater to various other local repeaters in the Southern Cape via Echolink, AllStar, DMR Bridge or SVXLink. Although currently not needed the option is always available.
7. Linking the Aasvoëlkop Repeater to Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN) which is currently operational in the Mossel Bay area.
8. Installing an Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN) Node on the Aasvoëlkop Repeater tower that will provide amateur radio emergency communications when needed.
9. Installing a HF Remote Radio Station on site. A remote HF station allows amateur radio operators to control their radio equipment from a location away from the radio shack. Especially handy for those radio amateurs that cannot install antennas at their QTH.
10. Installing a cloud server on site for the 625 Amateur Radio Group use.
I am sure there are many other options available not mentioned above. But from the above one can see the benefits of having a Internet connection on the Aasvoëlkop Repeater Site. Work on-site will begin shortly to install the Internet connection to the repeater site.
Finally: Once again a big thank you to Whisper Net, Viv ZS1VIV, Johann ZS1AAC and all the other helpers that will assist to get the connection to the repeater site. Look out for future updates in this regard.
Image: Whisper Net (Click on image for large view.)
