On Wednesday 27 September at about 16:30, Paul ZS1V, Jan ZS1VDV and Wiaan ZS1WB met a representative of our Internet sponsor at the Helderberg high site to install one of the WCRWG Motorola SLR5500 DMR repeaters.  The Helderberg high site is one of the easier ones to access due to its relatively low position at around 500m ASL and its proximity to the urban area of Somerset West.

Despite the relatively low elevation in comparison to other WCRWG high sites it is quite prominent above the 100m ASL average ground level.  Good coverage is expected over most of the False Bay side of Cape Town, the Cape Flats and Northwards to Stellenbosch.

The team installed a Webb HD400 UHF dipole antenna and a short run of about 8m of EC4-50 Heliax.  Shielded and UV resistant UTP cable was run from the repeater enclosure to a nearby enclosure for the DMR repeater’s Internet access.  The SLR5500s configuration was updated to reflect the new IP environment before everything was tested and found to be satisfactory.  Antenna SWR was measured at 1.2:1.

A first QSO on the new repeater was had on talkgroup 655 between Paul ZS1V and Koos ZS5KDK before the team wrapped up and left the site just before 19.00.