19-October-2004
MB7FM
The UK's first unattended "store and forward" single frequency voice relay was switched on by Iain G0RDI, at 13:30 GMT on Saturday, 16th October 2004, from our Tring site.

To use the relay:
Key up on 70.4375 MHz FM and speak, your voice will be recorded for up to 2 min's.
De-key and the recording of your transmission will be replayed on the same frequency.
When the carrier drops the next station transmits and records their message etc.
MB7FM is carrier access only, no toneburst required, no CTCSS required (even though the announcement say's it is!). CTCSS may be introduced later if we get interference problems. Technical changes may take place over the coming weeks as we gain operational experience.

14-Aug-2003
GB3AL - Part Deux
Further work on site by myself and G4MDC (three hours of swearing, plus many cups of tea) has seen further improvements in the 'AL installation and operability. As far as I am now concerned - this is it. If it's still broken, someone else can fix it .....

As a special bonus, the transmitter is now set to run 10 Watts rather then the 2 Watts we were using up until now. I like the talkthrough audio, whereas G8ADM described it as "LowFi squared". It's staying as it is, though! (But he did change it later and it's now perfect! G8ADM)

 

13-Aug-2003
GB3HZ Configuration Change
It has been agreed with RA that GB3HZ will use a different antenna configuration until 1st September 2003. After that time the matter will be reviewed and a decision taken regarding the operational parameters of this repeater.

For those not fully up to speed - we're trying to help RA overcome some problems with vehicle immobilsers and a car park that someone has carelessly provided right on 'HZ's doorstep.

Ultimately, while the vehicle immobilisers are an unprotected service, we may have to accept changes to our operational parameters in order to live in peace and harmony with our neighbours.

 

10-Aug-2003
GB3AL - Sorted (?)
After a number of weeks being troublesome, I finally gave up with the existing hardware and put one of the new Kenwood repeaters into service this evening.

Initial indications are that the receiver sensitivity and TX power are just about equal to the kit that's just been swapped out. Deliberately, the repeater has a distinctive two-tone beep, and there are some other features in the logic that may come into play at a later date.

One thing that's important to note is that the current software does NOT have a "beacon" mode (I never really agreed with that, anyhow) so the repeater will NOT ident just for the sake of it when it's not actually in use.

What will happen is the machine will ident on initial access providing the ID period has already expired, and then it will ID every 5 minutes 20 seconds (or thereabouts) when it is in use. You may also be pleased to hear that it won't ID every time it's accessed from 'cold' now, either!

 

09-Aug-2003
GB3AM - Normal Service Resumed!
Finally, free time and good weather coincided and it was possible to remove the very battered and broken folded dipole from the tower. It has (for the time being, at least) been replaced with a Comet GP15 triple band vertical. This is, in fact, the antenna that 'AM used originally.

Coverage seems to be (just about) back as we'd expect, so we're now hoping for more trouble-free months of operation from "old faithful".

 

01-Aug-2003
GB3AL Status
As many of you are doubtless aware, GB3AL has been out of service since 18th July. A fault has developed which is impossible to diagnose on site, and nearly impossible to reproduce under 'laboratory' conditions.

Given that I was just about to leave the country for some well-earned rest and recreation, I took the decision to close the repeater down until my return to the UK and when I would hopefully have some time to devote to the matter.

In the interim, I had a call from Martin Lynch's Sales Director - Chris Taylor - who told me that Kenwood Electronics in the UK had some suitable replacement equipment which they were willing to sell to me at a very "helpful" price.

Two complete replacement repeaters have been ordered, along with sufficient technical data to allow integration of the repeater controllers. If all goes according to plan, it should be possible to begin "live" testing of one of these units on or around August 8th - maybe before if we're REALLY lucky. Watch this space .....

 

29-Apr-2003
Maintenance Matters
Regular users of the repeaters will have doubtless noticed that each of them has been suffering some minor ailment or other over the past months. In the main, the delay in addressing these issues has been that G0RDI has been a proper poorly soldier and hasn't been able to do much about them (until very recently). Here, then, is a brief status / update regarding each of them.

GB3AM
The repeater itself continues to operate perfectly. There is, however, an antenna fault (one end of the folded dipole has broken - presumably due to a stress fracture) and this is limiting the useful range of the system. Just as soon as we can (and weather is conducive to mast climbing) we will be effecting necessary repairs. Watch this space.

GB3AL
After providing a couple of years sterling service, the 2M machine started to make some "interesting" noises that made it appear the receiver was drifting off of its frequency (which it wasn't - it only sounded like that!) As an additional irritant, periodically the talkthrough audio would vanish entirely. When you put these two "features" together you end up with a (worse than) useless repeater.

Yesterday (28th April) G0RDI, G4MDC and G4XRV made an excursion to the site and dismembered the machine, determined to trace and cure the problems. The "noises" were traced to a defective multipole front panel switch (which has now been replaced by a length of wire and some solder), while the disappearing talkthrough audio was due to a fault with the logic board. At the time or writing, all now seems to be restored to its proper performance. We shall see ...

GB3HZ
There is an intermittent receiver fault which manifests itself as bursts of "white noise" which appears on top of even the strongest signals. Initial investigations suggest that it will take some time to effect a proper cure for this, so our current plan is to swap out the repeater and place a spare on site while we track this problem to its cause. We are building the replacement and we hope to have it available in a relatively short space of time.

06-May-2002
Progress made on Internet Linking
We have (between us) a number of ongoing internet linking projects:-

Until we make some permanent arrangements with distant linking partners GB3AM will be on "open" access to casual internet users (some of whom may be simplex RF links, or repeaters), and they may be just listeners or they might call through the repeater.

It has been noticed that individual users who connect to the GB3AM server get bored very quickly and go elsewhere if nobody answers their calls. So if you happen to be doing nothing in particular and an "internet" user calls through at least let them know they're accessing the system (and repeater) OK.

 

01-Apr-2002
(No ... it's not a joke!) Archived (off line) the old news items and updated the information about internet linking