At the end of last month, due to winter precipitation and heavy snow, the "Diamond X-510" antenna at the site of our local R0 repeater fell and broke. This antenna, installed at the end of 2023 thanks to a donation from members of our club, significantly improved the coverage of the R0 repeater.
After learning of the unfortunate event, our dedicated intervention team reacted quickly. In a short time they went to the site, dismantled the damaged antenna and installed a replacement in order to ensure uninterrupted operation of the repeater until the "Diamond X-510" is repaired. The team then proceeded with the repair and restoration of the antenna. The antenna was successfully repaired and additionally reinforced at the point where it had broken.
After the repair was completed, it was agreed to return the antenna to the site, waiting for favorable weather conditions. Last weekend we took the opportunity and returned the "Diamond X-510" antenna to its place, whereby the R0 repeater regained full functionality.
During this period we also actively worked on preparations for relocating the DMR repeater from the old site to this one. On that occasion we also provided and configured a 5 GHz wireless link for the needs of the DMR system. With the completion of this action, almost everything is ready for the installation of the DMR MMDVM UHF repeater, which should be put into operation by the end of the year.
Two amateur radio repeaters will now operate at this site:
- 2m-VHF repeater,
- 70cm-UHF DMR repeater.
These systems will significantly improve coverage with analog and digital signal in the area of the city of Banja Luka and the wider surroundings. In addition to power supply via the electricity distribution network, both systems also have backup battery power, which enables their operation even in the event of a power outage.
We thank all friends and associates for their help in realizing this project, which is of great importance not only for us, but also for civil organizations, the local population, and other organizations to which we can provide technical support in the event of natural disasters or other situations in which modern ICT systems may fail.