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Introduction

In the 1970's and 80's, the "Pitjantjatjara Bush Radio" was an incredible network of HF radios located in remote Aboriginal communities throughout the central western desert region of Australia. Conversations on this network were in the local Pitjantjatjara language, often seven at a time with speakers able to decipher their own discussions from amongst the cacophony of other conversations and static.


Mount Warrabillina Repeater Site: Helicopter, Installation, Testing

WaruTech has commenced construction of a wide area UHF CB repeater network on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands 1,300 kilometres northwest of Adelaide. Traditional Aboriginal Owner's have eagerly awaited this major step toward improving communications infrastructure in remote Australia and planning for the network, which covers an area of more than 104,000 square kilometres of central desert country, began over 3 years ago.

PY Media acknowledges the contribution of Peter Wrensted from Advance Communications, who proved equal to the challenge of designing a robust and technically simple network in spite of complex social and environmental demands. Peter was assisted by a very competent Brian Clark from Radspec Consultants.

UHF CB Repeater Community Coverage Maps

Objectives

To rekindle the 'Bush Radio' era by constructing a robust, low cost to user radio network based on UHF CB 'communicator' coverage within communities and 'mobile' coverage along main thoroughfares.

Promote economic development and social opportunity by linking repeater sites and providing strong signal zones that allow individuals, business, and support organisations to communicate and move freely across 'The Lands'
Reduce the isolation and danger of remoteness by strategically locating low cost and culturally appropriate Blue Pole access points for emergency roadside assistance
Aggregate the new facilities with existing broadcasting services to create a valuable community asset and reduced cost of ownership
Remove the 'call centre' experience from fault reporting by using Remote Area Diagnostic Information Collection And Logging (RADICAL) to supervise UHF CB repeater network and Blue Pole integrity
Choose site locations and dimension infrastructure to leverage redundancy and possibility for future services e.g. diversity coverage, CDMA cell extension, private data, and essential services telemetry
Turn remoteness into advantage through the use of unconventional antennae techniques that double 'communicator' coverage and reduce infrastructure cost i.e. the Australian Communications Authority limit transmitter 'reach' of repeater through the maximum EIRP allowed, but receiver 'reach' of repeater can be effectively doubled for low power communicator radios by using a Yagi antenna

Construction of the network involves establishing 16 repeater sites and began with contractor Central Communications installing antenna masts and equipment shelters on four mountaintops. These mountaintop sites are already operational and provide total coverage of road thoroughfares for vehicles fitted with UHF CB mobile radios. Marc Woods, Peter Bartholomew, and Daryl Fox (the Central Comms 'Boys') camp in subzero temperatures overnight at extremely isolated locations but remain cheerful with the help of an occasional chocolate moose desert donated by WaruTech. The back up of Sandra Hill and Jeff Farmer in Alice Springs also helps keep the 'Boys' sane, especially when the sleeping tent blows away during a 55km/hr wind gust or the car trailer breaks a spring on the 4WD only tracks.


Numpantja Pass	Waitunna	596m

Blue Pole Access Point

Blue Poles provide emergency plus social access to the UHF CB radio network from strategic locations along main thoroughfares.

Extreme vandal resistance plus suitable for permanent exposure to the environment
Location, function, and operation is obvious by design and signage
Field maintainable by non-technical personnel i.e. secure but quickly removed 'talking point' panel attached to single module containing all equipment


Blue Pole Talking Panel	Watinuma West Blue Pole

Blue Pole Access Points Map (pdf)

RADICAL

Remote Area Diagnostic Information Collection And Logging is a simple and low cost method of verifying UHF CB repeater network integrity plus providing immediate self-reporting of non-operational Blue Poles. RADICAL uses automated selcall or manual polling from any UHF CB radio. Control and monitoring of non-UHF CB repeater equipment is also possible e.g. retransmission services, security alarms.

Regularly interrogates Blue Poles and provides fault indication and logging
Verifies network integrity by intelligent polling i.e. Blue Pole interrogation verifies operation of access point as well as the associated repeater site and network links