[Waverley ARS] Icom gives 5 more D-Star repeaters to the WIA

[vk2sob at box701.com]

 Just over a month ago, the WIA announced the gift from Icom (Australia)
> Pty Ltd of a D-Star repeater to be located at Olinda in the Dandenong 
> ranges, to serve the greater Melbourne area.
>
> D-Star is a digital protocol developed by the Japanese Amateur Relay 
> League (the JARL) and stands for Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur 
> Radio.
>
> Now Icom and the WIA, concurrently with the official opening of the Olinda 
> D-Star repeater VK3RWN, have announced the gift by Icom of 5 further 
> D-Star repeaters to the WIA so that a D-Star repeater will be able to 
> serve each of the other state capitals.
>
> The experience in Melbourne has been used as the basis of formulating what 
> is really a cooperative effort between a club, its individual experts, the 
> WIA and Icom.
>
> The WIA will consult with people in each state capital including the 
> appropriate Advisory Committee to identify a club or group of clubs, 
> supported by people with the necessary RF and computer skills, able to 
> provide a suitable site and supply the ancillary equipment.
>
> Icom will provide the D-Star repeater and provide general assistance, and 
> will maintain and repair the repeater on a warranty basis for 6 years.
>
> The WIA will licence the repeater and will meet the reasonable cost of 
> broadband connection.
>
> It is hoped that the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group in Adelaide will be 
> able to establish a D-Star repeater to serve Adelaide under these 
> arrangements, as the AREG group were already exploring the establishment 
> of D-Star repeater with Icom.
>
> The agreement between the WIA and Icom that forms the basis of these 
> arrangements makes it clear that each D-Star repeater shall be open to all 
> amateurs.
>
> The WIA acknowledges with gratitude Icom’s generous support.