History of the Repeater Linking Project

Repeaters do a good job of increasing radio communication coverage. And since then, they have been providing useful services to its members, and during times of emergencies. Since their first installation in 1975, these repeaters only served the local coverage area. If any hams wanted to talk to other hams in other states using this mode, they would have met with disappointment. The thought of being able to use the walkie-talkie for a ham lives in Penang to talk to another ham lives in Johor or Malacca with just the press of the PTT (push to talk) has always been a dream. The reality that confronts MARTS to put up such a system was beyond the financial means and resources at hand.

In 2005, a task group was finally put together by MARTS to look into the possibility to link up the many repeaters situated in the various states. The need to have a complete radio communication coverage in peninsular Malaysia was further spurred after the tsunami in 2005. MARTS felt obligated to serve the community in times of emergency and disaster. By having radio communication coverage during these times, much help can be rendered toward to the support, health, and rescue agencies.

MARTS is a society that welcomes all hams to be members. It does so without any discrimination toward race, creed or religion. Being an open society, it is very fortunate to have in its membership many employees of Motorola, who have come forward to give support and help toward this project to link up the repeaters. Having professionals in various fields of engineering as its members, MARTS was able to obtain technical formation from these people to form a working paper for the implementation of this project. Support in the form of technical expertise and equipment made the project a reality. Extra repeaters were installed on Bukit Bendera in Penang, Gunung Berincang in Cameron Highlands, Gunung Ulu Kali in Genting Highlands, Gunung Ledang in northern Johor, and Gunung Pulai in southern Johor. For safety and security reasons the repeaters were all installed at Telekom Malaysia hill station towers and buildings.

Today, we have the completed task: ability to QSO (contact) from the north of peninsula Malaysia in Perlis till Johor Bahru in the south and not forgetting Sabah and Sarawak.