GB3NB

Covering Norfolk

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Home GB7NB D-Star

Information


shx 70 digital		 gb7nbant

Membership
A Group of local Radio have amateurs have got this project off the ground by donating a foundation membership to the group, this has covered the members for 10 years membership.
Currently the yearly membership to the D-Star Repeater group is £10 and we encourage you join. Full details below.


Donations can be sent to :-
Chq's payable to "Norfolk Repeater group D Star"
David Catchpole G0PFN
43 Welsford Road,
Eaton Rise
Norwich,
NR4 6QB

Regards Norfolk Repeater Group committee
GB7NB Phase 1 went live on Friday 11th September at 15:00 the first QSO was with M0KXK Ray. Intiall reports are good however we do have a issue with Drop outs which we believe to be a mix with other transmissions on site. We are looking at this and have already been back to site to investigate.
Phase 2 will be to get the GB7NB connected to the gateway, this is well underway with the PC Server  (Thanks to Gavin M1BXF and the CRG) already built and tested and the Icom G2 s/w loaded thanks to Darren G7LWT. We are awaiting confirmation from site owners to see if we can use an exsisting telephone line on site or if we have to install a new one, once this is confirmed we can activate the ADSL service.
Phase 2 went live 24th Sept 2009 and we connected the Network immediately.

In the band 430.0Mhz to 431.0Mhz, which the input of GB7NB falls, there are power limitations in the UK as per your licence.  In this band both Intermediate and Full licence holders have an upper limit on their effective radiated power (ERP) of 40w, this is calculated as being the transmit power at the antenna (factor in coax losses) multiplied by the antenna gain, Foundation licence holders are limited to 10w ERP.  As an example; if you using an antenna with a gain of 6dB then Intermediate or Full licence holders may only transmit 10w (6dB x 10w = 40w) and a Foundation licence holder is limited to 2.5w (6dB x 2.5w = 10w).
Examples :-
Diamond X30 / Waston W30
 5.5db Coax Loss calculator here
Diamond X50 / Watson W50
 7.2db
Diamond V2000 W2000
 8.4db

General Repeater use when we are connected to the gateway.
When GB7NB is connected to the gateway you will need to register to use the D-STAR Gateway. Please use the form here. If you have previously registered no need to do it again.

If you have a 2820 or IC92D programmed by the Norfolk Repeater Group then your display may say "GB7NB U" or "NB Chat" this is the normal operating channel with CQCQCQ in your UR call.  To activate a reflector please listen to GB7NB first for a few minutes to ensure a QSO is not taking place, change your memory channel to UNLINK and momenterly key your microphone. GB7NB will respond "remote system not linked" or possibly "remote station unlinked" you have checked the status of the repeater. Change memory channel on your radio to the reflector you wish to connect to see list below.
For example on the latest programme for the IC92D select NB LK 5A which is GB7NB LINK Reflector 5A Key the mic and repeat you callsign. The repeater should reply "Remote station connected" which means you have linked to refelector 5A , you then need to move back to your "GB7NB U" or "NB Chat" memory on you radio and call, a suggested call would be " G0LGJ listening GB7NB and reflector 5A for any call" replacing my G0LGJ with your own callsign :)
Once you have finished your QSO there is no harm in leaving the repeater connected to the reflector however if you wish to call on another reflector then you will have to unlink it.
Remember to leave gaps between overs, this enables the Dongle users to come in and join the QSO as well as other stations wishing to join. Numerous reflectors are set up worldwide, these Reflectors form a network to were repeater and dongle users connect. A list of current reflectors can be found here.
A List of UK repeaters currently connected to REF005A
Station's last heard on the REF005A
The UKIT team have produced a guide on using the reflectors this can be  download from the UKIT website.
Along with the UKIT Darren G7LWT and Declane M0TMX have produced a "Basic user Guide" this can be downloaded also.
Transceivers Available can be bought from Mike at GMS Electronics.
Links
http://www.d-staruk.co.uk Icom Uk Site
http://dstar.rsgb.org D-STAR Node List
http://www.ukit.org.uk/ UK D-STAR Support
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dstar_digital Yahoo Group
http://www.dstar.org.uk D-STAR Uk forum
Reflectors
Complete reflector list available here