WANTED - DX70TH....

Hi All,

The Wessex Repeater Group have asked us to publicise the following, with regard to their new GB3WX 6m/10m cross-band repeater.

"We are looking for an ALINCO DX70TH.....

Anyone out there got one they want to sell to us ........

As you are aware, we now have the NoV and are looking for another DX70TH, to go with our existing unit - one for each band.

We have approached the main supplier, who did not have any secondhand units, and was only prepared to offer a discount equivalent to the shipping cost (!) on a new unit. Bearing in mind the product has now been dis-continued, in favour of the newly released DX-SR8E.

Anyway, if you have one or know of anyone who has one that they may be prepared to let go for a sensible price, or even donate (hi, sorry had to get that in) please ask them to contact us."

Interruption To Service.....

Hi All,

As some of you may have noticed, GB3JB was off-air from 4:45pm through to 6:20pm yesterday, 2nd.

Clem, Paul (M3BDI) and myself needed to replace a damaged guy, resulting from the gales over the weekend. This required the mast to be lowered.

While we were at it, we replaced all the main top guys, as these were also showing signs of degredation.

Cheers & 73's
Dave, G3ZXX.

QRT Shack Clearence

Hi All,

One of our longtime supporters, Ron G1LJT, is unfortunately having to effectively go QRT, as a result of ill health, and consequently a move of QTH.

He has much equipment to sell, quite quickly.


Yaesu FT920 HF Transceiver - £550

Yaesu FT847 HF Transceiver - offers around £500

Moonraker 40m and 80m mobile whips (not Pro Am Type) £12 each

Magnum Ultraforce 10/11 meter AM/FM/SSB 30 watt Transceiver boxed (exc condition) £100

Magnum 257 30 watt 10/11 meter AM/FM/SSB 30 watt Transceiver boxed VGC £100

Leda 250 watt HF ATU (nice) £40

HF / V/UHF Duplexer £12

Ascom 4m (70mhz) in base station cradle with fist mic and optional desk mic - 240v £50

Remote Head mount for ASCOM 4m Rig £5

6m to 2m Log perodic (TDARC 1st Reserve) free to a good home but new owner to dismantle.

4m 3 element beam (Ian G0GRI has 1st Reserve) £15

20/15/10 Rotary Dipole (Moonraker) £60

Altai Rotator, controller and bearing £15

VHS Video Recorder boxed £5

Sky Sat RXs (several) £8 each

2 x TV/VHS Video Combis £5 each

14 inch LODOS TV/DVD Combi boxed exc condition £20

If you are interested in any of the above, please make contact with Jon, G0IUE who's e-mail is as follows: G0IUE@aol.com

Please feel free to pass this information on to anyone whom you feel may be interested in any of the above items.

GB3JB - Back At Full Power

Hi All,

Just to confirm that 'JB' is now on Full Power, 25w (14dBw) ERP.

GB3JB - Back On Air

GB3JB came back on air at approx., 3:45 pm this afternoon, running on 8 watts ERP.

The batteries are still quite low - the d.c. rail is only 22.8 volts, so we still have quite a way to go to get the system back up to a fully charged state. It shows how little UV and wind there has been at the site over the last 5 days.

The forcast for tonight and tomorrow is for high wind, so with a bit of luck, we should get a good charge over the next 24 hours.

However, it would be appreciated if use is kept to a minimum, for the next day or so.

Dave, G3ZXX, is planning to go up to the site tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon, to return the repeater to it's nominal 25 watts ERP, if the batteries are back to their nominal status, by then.

GB3JB Off Air ........

Hi All,

Pleased be advised that GB3JB is currently off-air. It was switched off at approx., 3:20 pm yesterday afternoon.

Due to the poor charging conditions - low wind speeds for the Turbine over the last week or so and very little Sun / thick cloud cover for the Solar panel over the last few days, the battery voltage had dropped to the critical level and the safety trip switch was activating.

Again, thick cloud and very little wind, so far today, Friday.

Clem and Dave will go back to the site tomorrow afternoon (Saturday), and check the charge state. If it is at an acceptable level, they will switch 'JB' back on again. However, it may well be at the reduced output level, 8w instead of the nominal 25w ERP, to give the batteries further time to fully recover.

73's
Jan, G8CYV - GB3JB Team

Annual Site Fee & Insurance

Hi All,

Yes, another year has passed us by, and yet again its that time when I have to remind you that at the end of October our annual £150 site fee and £165 insurance costs are due for payment.

As you are all aware, 'JB' is not supported by a membership subscription, it is only supported by your donations.

Last year, many of the users of 'JB' were able to make donations towards these on-going annual costs, and we hope that we will receive the same level of support this year.

As usual, donations can be made via PAYPAL.

The email for donations at PAYPAL, is: gb3jb.repeater@googlemail.com

You can make a payment from your bank account, debit card, credit card or if you already have a PAYPAL account, from your PAYPAL account balance.

If you would prefer the more traditional methods, such as a CHEQUE or a POSTAL ORDER, then these should be sent directly to:

GB3JB Repeater,
c/o “Cariad”,
Yarnbarton,
Templecombe,
Somerset,
BA8 0JH.

Please ensure that ALL cheques and postal orders are made payable to “GB3JB Repeater”.

Please also ensure that your Name and Callsign are clearly printed on the reverse.

If you have email, please include this and then we can confirm receipt of your donation.

Please do NOT send cash under any circumstances.

73'sJan, G8CYV - GB3JB Team

The Rig Register

Hi All,

What an excellent idea...

Hugh Golding, G7UOD has created a national database for stolen amateur radio equipment.

The Rig Register is a simple site that allows users to store their details and serial numbers of various equipment types.

These can then be marked as lost or stolen and checked by the participating shops and second-hand purchasers, as well as amateur radio clubs, etc.

Can we suggest that registering all your kit may just be a good idea.

GB3JB Off Air

Hi All,

GB3JB will go off air for a short period of time tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully, no more than a couple of hours, from around 2:00 pm onwards.

The purpose, is to enable a winch arrangement to be installed to enable easy raising and lowering of the antenna mast, when required.

Assuming the weather stays dry, we may also attempt to re-install the 6m and 10m antenna system for the GB3WX cross-band repeater.

ISS Tracking.......

As we occasionally get some QRM from the ISS, we thought that it might be useful to provide the ISS tracker, opposite.

It might just give us clue as to when we might expect to get some interference on the repeater output frequency, but it could well be useful for those who may be interested in listening on 144.800 for the stations working through the on board 70cm/2m repeater.

GB3JB Back On Air...

Hi All,

GB3JB was put back on-air at approx., 1730 local time, Tuesday 22nd.

Whilst we were carrying out the initial work for the GB3WX antenna system, we checked out the 'JB' systems.

All the batteries were fully charged and both the turbine and solar panel were developing power.

The antenna VSWR was 1.2:1 and based on the power output from the filter system, nominal feeder loss and nominal antenna gain, the system was operating at 14 dBW erp.

GB3JB Off-air......

Hi All,

'JB' will be going off-air this morning, from about 10 am.

The purpose is so that the 6m and 10m antennas for GB3WX, can be installed and the scheduled test transmissions started.

This should not take too long, but as we all know, 'MURPHY' will always try to have his evil way.

We'll get 'JB' back on air as soon as possible.

Site Developments.....

Hi All,

Just thought that it would be useful to bring you up to date, with developments.

As you are probably aware, it has been decided to allow The WesseX Repeater Group to install an up-dated GB3WX (6m / 10m cross-band repeater), at the 'JB' site.

This repeater having previously been operational, as a 6m repeater, from a site near Kilmington, in South Wiltshire.

This development is of course subject to them receiving approval from the authorities, to change the repeater parameters and it's location.

With regard to 'JB' and its supporters, we perceive that there are no significant implications for either the repeater or its funding.

Like 'JB', The Wessex Repeater Group are funded by donations and they will be funding all the cost associated with their project.

With regard to electrical energy, they will be tapping into the 'JB' supply.

However, we do not see this as a problem as more often than not we are shunting energy into the dump load, to prevent the existing batteries from being over charged.

The only implication for TWXRG, in this respect, is the need or them to supply us with some additional batteries to support their additional power loading, when no charging is taking place.

TWXRG will also be expected to either organise their own insurance, which will offer the same or better cover than our own policy, or they will be expected to pay for the additional costs associated with adding their equipment to our policy schedule.

TWXRG will also be expected to contribute 50% of the annual site fees.

Between now and the end of June, 'JB' will go off-air for a short period of time, which should last no longer than a few hours, while changes are made to the antenna support structure to facilitate the installation of the proposed GB3WX antenna's at the site.

This is so that TWXRG can carry out test transmissions from the site, on both 6m and 10m simplex freqiencies.

We will advise you all as soon as the date is known.

If you have any interest in their project, we are sure that they would appreciate you visiting the TWXRG web site, and completeing their on-line survey.

6m to 10m Cross Band Repeater.....

Hi All,

The WesseX Repeater Group, have posted the following on their web site.

We guess that they would be pleased to receive your input, via their survey.

"Posted: 8th May 2009.

6m to 10m Cross-band Repeater.

The WesseX Repeater Group is proposing that a 6m to 10m cross-band FM voice repeater be established in South Wiltshire, on the site currently occupied by GB3WX.

As can be seen, from the GB3WX coverage area, the 6m coverage of the system will be significant, and it is anticipated that the 10m coverage should be very similar.

There is of course the potential for significant Sporadic E's and MUF DX propagation, which should of course significantly improve with the increase in solar activity, as we start to move towards the next solar maximum.

Therefore, as this would be an significant and ground breaking project as cross-band repeaters have not previously be allowed in the UK, prior to making the formal application to the ETCC / Ofcom we need to assess the level of support that such a system would receive from the Amateur community.

It would be very much appreciated if you could share your thoughts with us, by completing the linked survey.

Click here to go to the survey page."

Interference from PLT... A NEW Petition. - UPDATED 29th April.

Hi All,

You might like to take a look at the follow sites, when you have read the main posting below:

www.rsgb.org/emc/plt.php

www.elmac.co.uk/pdfs/whyPLTisbadforemc.pdf

For the technically minded, the latter is very informative, but even if your not technically minded, then it is still a very interesting document to read.

------------------------- Original Posting -------------------------

Hi All,

We thought that you would be interested in the following.

It is the text from an e-mail received from Neil, G7EBY, plus some additional comments from G3ZXX.

"Hi all,

After my first experiance of power line technology transmissions, recorded by a friend up in Bedford, myself and many others have become aware of the threat that the WHOLE HF band could and will be thwarted with nasty digital noise from 2-34 MHz, if the devices that provide home networking through the mains wiring are continued to be allowed to be sold.

M6ZAP (Paddy) is an affected user, give him a call (or me) on 'JB' to hear the dreaded noise.

Some units do notch our bands, (except 5MHz,) but the noise is still accross the broadcast bands and the rest of HF.

Ofcom have and are removing the devices from people's property's, FREE of charge. Yes folks, you don't have to pay a penny, if you are not the origionating source of the QRM!

The origional 'test' in a foriegn 'test house' failed them, but a second test in Germany, let them pass, because they were in standby mode! (Direct source of this information is on the www.UKQRM.org (website.)

This amazing new technology is NOT legal, but like LPD 433-434MHz trancievers and the like, has crept into our market without warning. Next will be broadcast FM no doubt!

The range can be quite astonishing, up to 1/4 of a mile in one case!

Anyway, if you just want to sign up and make your invisble voice heard on the petition site, here's the link, for what its worth: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SaveShortwave2/

The previous petition came back with an interesting response, stating that the devices SHOULD comply with the current regulations, of which they obviously don't.

This new petition is to enforce this even more, to an end that the government should and will remove these devices from the marketplace.

The fight continues.

www.ukqrm.org

Thanks for reading.

73 de Neil, G7EBY."

Although, as is indicated, some units notch some amateur bands, the interference does spread into the LF and HF ends of the bands, and although weak and not necessarily causing too many problems to SSB users, it is still be a major problem to users of Digital Modes, like myself, with noise spikes every 50Hz !

It is also impossible for me to attempt to listen to any short-wave broadcasts.

Question. Don't transmissions from legal broadcasters, like the BBC and BFBS, even if on the shortwave bands, come under the heading of a "protected service" ?

As with the first petition, I have signed this new one.

Whether or not you are directly effected, it is important that the authorities are obliged to enforce the Law and that these devices and anything similar are removed from the market, as well as from the users installation, where any interference is reported.

I also urge you to sign the petition.

Cheers & 73's

Dave, G3ZXX.

Note: The views expressed above are those of the individuals concerned and do not specifically reflect the views of any other individuals associated in any way with GB3JB.

International Marconi Day - Andover Club...

Members of the Andover Club will be operating the special events station, GB8IMD, in celebration of the Marconi transmissions from Salisbury plain, in 1897.

The group will be operational from midnight on the 24th April, through until 15:00 on the 25th.

They will be operating ssb, cw and psk 31 on 80, 40 and 20m, as well as some 2m simplex and GB3JB.

They have a delta loop for 20 mtrs and various other antennas supported by 3 x 60 foot pump up masts.

Please take some time to give them a call. It will be much appreciated.

Lets hope they have good weather.

GB3JB Systems Check....

Hi All,

Dave, G3ZXX, carried out a regular site visit / systems check, this afternoon.

The batteries were all fully charged, with the main nominal 24v regulated dc supply voltage being at 26.55 volts. The nominal 12v dc supply to the repeater was at 13.77 volts, in standby, and 13.64 volts in TX mode with an input signal at the RX.

The turbine was turning freely, the solar panel was providing 1.6 A, with the Sun side on, and the 'dump load' was intermittently humming. Thus confirming the charge state of the batteries.

RF power outputs were also checked, and again all were at their nominal levels, giving approx., 25 watts erp, based on the nominal feeder losses and nominal gain of the antenna.

All external fixings were checked as were the mast guys. All were in order.

In all, 'JB' was effectively off air for around 5 minutes, whilst the RF power levels were checked.