Beltana Trip 2005.

On Saturday the 12th March, Mike ZL3MJS, Harvey ZL3CH, Paul ZL3TX and Mike ZL3TMB set off from Christchurch to do some site testing of Beltana an existing repeater site North of Cheviot near Parnassus. Ivan ZL3TIV went to Cass peak site in Christchurch to get some signal readings. Geoff ZL3QR acted as a HF relay and performed a number of tests to help us out.

Beltana Trip 2005
Location map

There is currently 4 repeater sites there already all mains powered, BCL, Telecom, and two mystery sites at this time I’m yet to find out who owns them.

  • Highest site
  • highest site
  • highest site

Here are some photos of the highest site, which I think would be the best for our project(s).

  • Looking down the hill
    The Telecom site.
  • Looking down the hill
  • Looking down the hill
  • Looking down the hill

Looking down the hill you can see the Telecom site.

The other site

There is also this site near the telecom one.

  • BCL Site
  • BCL Site
  • BCL Site
  • BCL Site

BCL site

  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
  • The View from the top was fantastic
    The View from the top was fantastic

The View from the top was fantastic.

It was rather surprising just how many repeaters we could access from here, and the good coverage on Sate 1 from Cheviot to Kaikoura, due to time commitments we were unable to test the coverage from Cheviot to Christchurch by road which could be done at a later date.

Repeaters accessible from there.

National system, both Marleys and Blue Duck

  • Cass Peak 438.500
  • Marleys 438.400 and 147.050
  • Herbert 147.250
  • Eyrwell 147.200
  • Kaikoura 146.900
  • Ward 145.600

Lower signal strength but still workable

  • Belmont 147.100
  • Barton 147.325
  • Hawkins Hill Data 146.6625
  • Tekapo 146.800 (Uncertain could be another repeater some where) Strength 1
  • Geoff ZL3QR gave good reports simplex for his home in Tuahiwi.
  • John ZL3ADF and Bill ZL3NB gave good reports in Christchurch on both 2m and 70cm.