A new location for an emergency radio repeater gives it greater coverage – but please don’t use it for your intimate conversations!
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For over 20 years, the Guyra VRA (Volunteer Rescue Association) has provided a free public access radio repeater on the government-allocated Emergency radio channel of 5/35 on the UHF CB radio.
This repeater has recently been moved from its previous site at Ben Lomond to atop Mt. Duval, north of Armidale.
The repeater covers many parts of the Armidale Regional Council area.
The new site provides greater coverage of the New England Hwy, Waterfall Way, Thunderbolts Way, Guyra Road, and many ancillary roads in New England.
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You may notice new road signs on major roads advising of its existence.
ALL members of the public with a UHF CB radio can access the repeater for EMERGENCY purposes only.
Soon, a community-based organization called CREST will source volunteer members of the community to monitor UHF CB Ch. 5 repeater.
They will provide a 24 hour “Listening Watch” for urgent UHF radio calls, and provide up-to-date and relevant information to road users.
This information could relate to road closures or diversions due to road incidents, significant weather events, bush-fire danger information, or phone messages of an urgent nature, etc.
To access the Emergency radio repeater, place your UHF CB on Channel 5 with the repeater function (duplex) activated, and be in the repeater’s coverage area.
PLEASE do not use Ch. 35 on your UHF radio as your own “chitchat” channel. This is the input channel for the emergency repeater on Ch. 5.
You may think your conversation on Ch. 35 is relatively private – but it will be broadcast for all to hear in the Ch. 5 coverage area, and could prevent services attending an emergency call.
UHF CB 5/35 is reserved by law for Emergency use only, and strict penalties for misuse can apply.
The Emergency Repeater Ch. 5 DOES NOT REPLACE “000” in an Emergency in any way.