I was actually going to go up there today and have a look at things but we had to defer it for the moment. Even if there is something wrong I feel it will be very miner and the antenna upgrade will be the best progress that could be made.
The Perons I think will be a bit far however fog bay would be a definite for improvement in that direction. There is the repeater on CH 80 at the Perons . Might be able to get the coverages of the repeaters to overlap.
To put it simply, anywhere that has patchy/scratchy evan to the point of being unreadable reception now will have a good contact with that much gain increase.










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To my knowledge, the VCG havent gone further with repeaters.
you can join as a full member (ie help out ) or as a member that just uses them for cll log in and assistance.
They do have a boat but last i heard, it was out of action

Guys

Please contact me at AFANT chris@afant.com.au or 0415471600 regarding the antenna issue. We may be able to help.

Regards

Yeah count me in for. Contribution to the new set up as I didn't chip in for the original !!

Hi everyone.

There are a few things happening behind the scenes wrt the network. It'll come out shortly.

Meanwhile the first logical question which will be asked is " You want us to become involved with the network. OK then tell us a couple of things".

. How much use does the existing repeater get?
. how effective is it?
. how does it enhance the safety of boaties?
. how much will it cost?
.what services are already provided on the repeater?

Those questions need to be answered.

I think one of the fundamental problems is the Darwin mindset wrt VHF marine communications in Darwin.

The VHF system has been historically dominated by Darwin Harbour Control. They're the big noise and people are reluctant to use the VHF not wanting to attract criticism. I'm not suggesting Darwin Harbour control intends that perception.

Darwin Harbour control does not own the airwaves. They're simply a user like everybody else. Like others they can use Ch 16 as a shared calling freq but it then has its own port operations working channels.

Other users who share Ch 16 also have their own working channels. In this case long range Ch 21 is one of those available.

What needs to happen is that 5-6 regular users need to be working the channel. Set up a few demonstrations over long distances. Visit a few fishing guides who have VHF and demonstrate the coverage. Word will soon get around.

One of the major drawbacks at the moment seems to be a lack of reliable monitoring service. A central point if u like for comms to be directed at. Position reports, problem reports, eta reports etc etc. Bit like Darwin Harbour control but for recreational boaties.

The most logical group to do that is the Coast Guard. Being the preferred service provider to assist the NT water police meet its obligations, the CG needs to have an active presence.

I understand that there are a few problems with the boat at the moment but an on-water presence is only one of the activities that CG needs to provide.

An electronic presence ( radio service) also needs to exist.

That service can simply be a VHF radio at someone's house. Simple as that to kick it off. Remember Kevin Costner's " Field of Dreams" movie?
Build/Provide it and they will come was the underlying theme. Same here.

Finding who to talk CG with in Darwin isn't easy. Can anybody provide a contact name/number please?

I'll try talking to CG in Darwin and the national CG commander down south.

Can u fellas think about the first part of the suggestions?

Form a little nucleus of 5-6 people to use Ch21 all the time and perhaps monitor from home if possible to get some activity generated.

Sounds like the other guy quite a few years ago Ron that radioed in (after setting of the beacon) that he had run out of fuel and was anchored in front of Browns rocks. He bought the power boat a week before and was driving it up the coast for reasons then unknown from Noosa. Getting a bit rough so his intention ws to shelter around near the ltop of the island, he also had never heard of the breaksea spit and is alive today because he ran out of fuel. Wide Bay was shut according Tin Can and the Hervey Bay wouldn’t cross the spit, it was 20 -25 I guess mabey a bit more. VMR 466 who were coordinating had a chopper over at Waddy point after is eperb was deployed and had over flown the 8- 9m boat but were to scared to drop him fuel in case they sunk him and he wouldn’t leave the boat. They landed at waddy and came with the rangers to see if anyone would take fuel upto him. No great line up but the Father in law was talking about it so I guess I was in on it with him. In those days we lived up at Waddy point commercial line fishing out of there (he had been there for 8 or more years).The problem was it was 2pm already and 2 or 3 hours to Brown in that and then we wouldn’t get back into the gutter before dark , both stuck out for the night so it was a big call. We insisted that they try with the fuel again and gave them some pot floats and longer rope to drape over him and drop the fuel cans in the water and let him retrieve them. Anyway it worked and he got the 60ltrs and was off again (North!!). They finally talked him out of that and he bashed his way back down to Waddy Point and we talked him through the gutters with a hand held VHF. He somehow made it nearly broaching down hill about 3 times and he just kept her going until he was as far up that beach as the waves would wash him. He hoped out onto dry sand eventually with eyes like dinner plates. It was on bend down browns coast watch a few times. They sort of dug a channel and got the boat back to water a week or two later. In the mean time Robbie Graham came over from the Hervey Bay water police and had a chat to him they ended up having a look on board and found some drugs and the usual shite that the lower end of that gene pool carry, so they processed him for that plus some safety gear and other marine offences, he was back a week or so later trying to get support to get the boat back in the water and get off the beach. He paid the shop keepers tp dig drains and push and pull the boat into water and we were rid of him.
Ron that would be 20 or so years ago Steve Price was acting ranger in charge as Bart Klekar was off the island on leave. Steve did a good job and made some ballsy calls for a young bloke. The bloke driving the boat ....NFI, the bloke driving the chopper was also a bit of a disappointment in that he wanted to take the soft option and have us head out into the gates of hell.
What happens if they wont leave the boat and they have set off the beacon.

If they let the beacon off and won't leave the boat, they can stay there. I would turn his beacon off as there was no distress at that time. If he turned it back on again, I'd have siezed it and grabbed him for a hoax mayday. He could spend the night in Robbie Grahams cell.

Did u know Warren aka The Ferret? He ended up running the Gold Coast or Brisbane Water Police after a stint at Thursday I. I think he and Robbie Graham were at HB at the same time at one stage.

Had that happen with a couple of yankee women who set off a epirb. We went out and found them, took them off boat. Pretty rough. They insisted on leaving beacon on to enable the boat to be located later!! Nearly an international incident as we insisted it be turned off and if they didn't we were going to do it and skulldrag 'em onto our boat. They accused us of piracy, kidnapping and lots over other stuff. Went to media about it. They did the same thing a few months later near Mackay.
You must havbe been around when Big Red went over on the Spit. Couple killed. My friend (a marine dealer from HB. He had the haines dealership) lost his finger when the heli lowered him onto what was left of Big Red and then suddenly took off again as he was trying to do something. Finger got caught and ripped off.

Had the police at M'boro ask me one night (black as anything) if we'd go out to Breaksea Spit (42 nm) just south of the lightship to get 2 coppers who had gotten into trouble driving a small boat up the coast without checking the weather. 30 - 35 knot s/e so I reckoned they'd be standing up out there. Bad place to be in the dark. In the end I said no. I'd been out there in daylight in 6 metre seas and these would be bigger.

The sums didn't add up risking 4 for 2. Found out later that was what he wanted to hear so he could get chopper from Brisbane which did the job. They measured the waves at 29 ft on the winch rope!

Only job I ever refused.

Trying to think of the marine dealers name. Big lump of a fella. Largest dealer in HB at that time. Think his father actually owned the shop.

Dont know of the big red incedent but that ferret is a very funny man.