Happy Dance Time!
I am very, VERY pleased to announce that the “Last Spike” in the WARA/Island Trunk System (ITS) has been driven and we now have a fully functional connection with the Island Trunk System (ITS).
This means there is a continuous RF link from Victoria to Port McNeil.
This link was made possible using a repeater that was donated to WARA by Darrell Wick, VE7OV. This repeater is on Mt. McDonald. WARA donated coax, connectors, a link controller as well as a power supply. Island Communications donated tower and shack space on Salt Spring Island. Island Communications is based in Nanaimo and are extremely supportive of the ITS.
On Thursday, October 10, a team from ITS made the trip to Salt Spring Island and installed the linking radio, associated cabling, two antennas as well as other equipment. It was a long day for them.
At 5:41PM, the first end to end RF contact was made by Brent, VA7RV, and Jamie, VA7JMY in Woss, just about the entire length of Vancouver Island.
Later, about 7:48PM, I talked to a fellow ham located in Sointula, Ivan, VE7IVN, completing the first contact from Victoria to the most northerly repeater on the trunk. Sointula is on Malcom Island off Port McNeil. I then had a chat with Bailey Meers, VA7AIB, now located in Campbell River.
I want to thank our members that worked hard to complete our end of the link. Aside from myself, they are Al Muir, VE7BEU, Hans Oeste, VA7OES, James Byers, VE7KAJ, Christopher Munz-Michielin, VE7ALB and Stuart Taylor, VE7HDR. Thanks also goes to the ITS team that built and installed the “Last Spike”.
For your programming information, the repeater call sign is VE7RAA. The Receive freq. is 443.575MHz, 5.00MHz Plus offset, Tone is 136.5.
Be aware that this repeater is NOT and will not be connected to the WARA repeater network.
So, program up your radios and enjoy using the Island Trunk System.
Doing the Snoopy Happy Dance,
Brent, VA7RV
President