Gympie Amateur Radio - About Us...

Over many years, the call-sign VK4RGY has been known to Amateurs around the south east of Queensland. This repeater, originally on 146.625MHz was originally sited on Mt. Boulder. Today, the call-sign is used on our 70cm repeater which is located in the town of Gympie. The call-sign of the Radio Club is VK4GYM.

The many local amateurs maintained the Gympie Amateur Radio Club and in conjunction with the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club alternated the local HamFests between the Sunfest and the Goldfest, each year.

By the turn of the century, GARC had suffered the fate of aging members and a falling amateur population and after one resurrection was finally wound up and the assets passed onto SCARC. SCARC maintained the repeaters within their network and maintained a positive commitment towards the Gympie area with a Monday night net, conducted by Len, VK4JZ initially on VK4RGY and then VK4RCM.

For several years Jason, VK4MIH had provided a good quality Motorola equipped repeater sited at Mt Corella, on a frequency of 146.725MHz and this is where the call-sign VK4RCM originated. This repeater has since been purchased by the Club and was relocated to Mt. Boulder. The Club's digital interfaces (EchoIRLP and AllStar) operate through this repeater as well. These days, the Motorola system is used as a stand-by repeater should the now installed Icom system fail. Two more repeaters were added to the area and the VHF systems are linked.

The introduction of the Foundation Licence has provided a new body of recruits to the hobby. Thus with enthusiasm, by the middle of 2008 a group of local amateurs got together to investigate the possibility of starting a new Gympie area radio club. From this the first meeting was called and by September, the Gympie Communications and Electronics Group had been founded as an incorporated society and affiliated to the Wireless Institute of Australia.

GCEGInc was formed as a new group, to promote the hobby and whilst acknowledging the efforts of its predecessors, it is setting its own goals and is decidedly looking to the future. The Group's Monday night nets have become a feature of the week and the monthly meetings are featuring a program of presentations for the benefit of members and visitors.

GCEGInc welcomes all interested persons to join us.

See also the History page for more and the Contact Us page for office bearers.
Repeater info is on the Repeaters page.