Wanneroo's Wireless Web: An Association Weaving a Repeater Network Across Western Australia

WANNEROO, WESTERN AUSTRALIA – The Northside Radio Association Inc. (NRA), established in 2003, presents a somewhat distinct model within the Australian amateur radio community. Its genesis lay not in the traditional formation of a social club, but in the pragmatic necessity of maintaining a Citizen Band (CB) repeater, PER01. This foundational act of service has since evolved into a broader mission focused on extensive infrastructure provision and a unique pedagogical aim: guiding CB radio operators towards the more structured and internationally recognised world of licensed amateur radio.

From those initial efforts with a single CB repeater, the NRA has significantly expanded its operational footprint. Shortly after its inception, the amateur repeater VK6RNA was established in Wanneroo. By 2008, its network grew to include crucial repeaters in Perth's central business district (PER08) and Millendon (PER04). The association has also demonstrated a capacity for strategic consolidation, taking over the stewardship of the Mandurah repeater (MTJ07) following the closure of the local club there. Today, its list of supported repeaters is extensive, indicating a substantial commitment to maintaining wide-area communication capabilities across Western Australia, stretching from Wanneroo and Perth to regional centres like Albany, Kalgoorlie, Brunswick Junction, and Cranbrook.

A core tenet of the NRA's philosophy is providing "valuable news & direction" to CB operators, fostering a pathway for them to "take the next step in their radio journey & join the Amateur fraternity." This is complemented by its practice of broadcasting Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) News and local news bulletins over some of its CB repeaters, with ambitions to extend this service across its entire network in the near future. This effectively transforms their infrastructure into a community information conduit.

While governed by a committee – led by President Arthur Thompson (VK6HSV), Secretary Steven Crouch, and Treasurer Blair Weller – the NRA appears to operate less as a traditional social club with regular, publicly advertised physical meetings, and more as an infrastructure provider and enabler. Its success is measured, in part, by the number of repeater users who have subsequently pursued and obtained amateur licenses, thereby validating its 'stepping stone' approach.

The Northside Radio Association thus carves a unique niche. By focusing on the nuts and bolts of repeater infrastructure and the methodical guidance of CB users into the amateur fold, it plays a distinct role in expanding and sustaining the radio communication community across the vast expanses of Western Australia. The association can be contacted via its post office box in Wanneroo or the phone number listed on its website.