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RV63 - Out 145.7875 MHz - In 145.1875 MHz - 103.5 Hz ctcss (G).


GB3JB is funded solely by donations from its' users and supporters. There is no club or group to join and no annual membership fee. We rely totally on your good will.

The system is located in South Wiltshire, in IO81vc, and provides coverage across South Wiltshire, South Somerset and North Dorset, with specific areas such as the City of Salisbury, Salisbury Plain, the Blackmore Vale and Cranborne Chase being well within its range. Coverage also extends, for fixed stations, across most of central and parts of North Wiltshire, Southern Dorset and West Hampshire, plus parts of North and West Somerset. See coverage map.

GB3JB is an analogue voice repeater, with no internet linking, simple intuitive logic and no bells or whistles. The beacon sends callsign and locator. The invitation to transmit is a single dit.

To access the repeater, users must continually transmit a 103.5 Hz ctcss tone. There is NO 1750 hz tone burst capability.

The system timeout has been reduced to 3 minutes, so please set your rigs' TOT accordingly.

The simple rules for using GB3JB ....

(1) GB3JB is available for ALL Licensed Radio Amateurs to use, be they 'newly licensed' or an 'old timer'.

(2) All users of GB3JB are expected to operate their station within the terms of their specific licence conditions and restrictions.

(3) When in QSO, please wait for the invitation to transmit (a single dit), and always leave a pause between overs' - always give others a chance to call-in.

(4) Please use good operating practices and procedures. Mobiles have priority. Remember, if a station calls in, during the gap between overs', always acknowledge them and please DON'T leave them sitting on the side, while everyone else has an over.

(5) Only use the minimum power necessary - remember there are other repeaters on the same channel. The repeater only transmits with 25 watts ERP, so if its' 5/9 with you, you don't need to use 50 watts to a high gain vertical, when 5 or 10 watts will do. If you use 25 watts ERP, then the signals strengths should be reasonably reciprocal.

(6) If, under lift conditions, you wish to use another repeater on RV63, please turn off the 103.5 Hz ctcss tone, otherwise you will still access GB3JB.

(7) Remember that you are Radio Amateurs, using an Amateur Radio facility, so please use the appropriate operating practices and procedures.

Since you have taken the trouble to get an Amateur Licence, surely it's not to much to expect of you, that you use Amateur Radio abbreviation and accepted terminology, such as the Q-codes. We do not have a '20', we have a 'location' or 'QTH'. We do not have a 'personal', we have a 'name', etc., etc., If you still use CB, that's fine, no problem, BUT please leave the CB lingo for CB, and not when you use GB3JB or any other Amateur Radio facility or the Amateur bands.

and finally .....

(8) Ignore any idots - If you don't hear a callsign, do NOT respond - EVER !


Wednesday, 3 October 2012

UPDATE - Tower / Turbine & Batteries

Hi All,

Firstly - Batteries/Turbine.

Went to the site again, this morning, Tuesday 2nd October.

The turbine is still charging OK, and the terminal battery volts are also OK.

One battery had 13.46 volts across it's terminals, whilst the other was at 13.59 volts.  Measured with the turbine stationary, and with the repeater in RX mode.

Secondly - Tower.

I also meet a guy, with a BIG digger, courtesy of Cotswold Archaeology, who are a Registered Charity, and who have been contracted by the Water Company to check out the site, before they go randomly digging it up, to install part of a new water main system.

We now have what is basically a 1m x 1m x 1m cubic hole in the chalk ground.



It was very interesting watching the Archaeologist doing a radar check on the area, before the hole was dug ... just in case.

I revisited the site, again today (Wednesday 3rd), and it would appear that they have found some things that they were not expecting to find, in the trenches that have so far been opened.  If / when I can find out more, I'll let you know.

So folks, we now need to get the tower (see pic at bottom) into the hole, and vertical, prior to the delivery of a load of concrete.

Not being a structural engineer of any kind, I'm not really qualified to determine what additions or modifications, need to be carried out on the tower base, or to come up with suggestions as to how the 15m tower should be got into the hole, and held securely vertical, whilst the concrete sets.

So, I've now got to the part where I say, "I've done my bit... for now".

Once it's up, and concreted in, I'm quite happy to deal with the install of antennas, cables, and solar panel, etc.,

I'm also quite happy to deal with the co-ordination of the process, and dealing with the concrete suppliers, or any other suppliers, etc., 

We will also need to have some form of anti-climbing devices fitted, in an attempt to prevent any "idiots" attempting to climb up the tower.

My gut feel, is that anyone with some portable welding gear, could well be of tremendous help.

I would suggest that all those of us who are going to be involved in this part of the process have a meeting, on site, at the earliest possible date.

The forecast for the area, for this coming SUNDAY7thOctober, currently looks good - Cloudybut dry, according to the met office.  Can I suggest, after lunch, say 3:00 pm on site.

Perhaps those who have indicated they are happy to get involved with this part of the project, would kindly get in touch, re site meeting, asap, along with anyone else who feels that they can "bring something to the party", as the saying goes.


Can I just add, that I feel that we owe a debt of gratitude, not only to Dick G0XAY, for donating his tower to us, but also to Onward Driver Training and Cotswold Archaeology.  Without their freely given assistance and support we would not be in the situation of being able to move the project forward.

You will note that I have added links to their respective web sites, to the "Useful Links" page.

Cheers & 73's
Dave, G3ZXX