RRG AGM 2020

The AGM will be held via Zoom media at 19.30 on Wednesday 11th November 2020.  All members will be sent an email invitation and instructions by the administrator Nigel, G8VRI, together with the individual reports from the repeater keepers and an agenda for the meeting.

Group Newsletter

Rob G4XUT & Ken G1NCG have put together a update newsletter, please find under "Newsletters" or by clicking on https://ridgewayrepeater.blogspot.com/p/newsletters.html

We hope you will find it interesting given the activities of 2020 where by Amateur radio has I am sure you will agree kept us all in touch.

Letter from RRG Secretary regarding RRG AGM 2020

Please find a letter to all supporters and users of the RRG repeaters from the groups secretary Rob G4XUT.
 
Letter from RRG Secretary

GB3TD Audio level intermittent issues

Over the past few days it has been observed that the audio level on TD can, on occasions be much lower than it should. Please do NOT adjust your radios or think that your deviation level is wrong as its more likely the repeater.

We are trying to identify the issue but like most intermittent faults its not aways happening when you investigate. We "think" it happens more often when the TX radio gets warm but this is yet to be confirmed.

Please bare with us whilst we attempt to resolve this matter.

GB3TD Frequency Regression

It is with regret that the GB3TD repeater will be returned to its original frequency configuration 433.075/434.675MHz during the afternoon of Wednesday 30th Oct.

The RRG apologise to those that have already reprogrammed there radios however this regression is required to overcome some issues that have been experienced over the coming week.

This will be a short term fix whilst we discuss options with the Repeater Management Committee.

MB7USW - Off-Air

During on-site works on Friday 18th Oct, a fault occurred on the Raspi-Pi running MB7USW.

The equipment has been removed from site to resolution and will be returned as soon as partially possible.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

GB3TD Frequency Change from 18th Oct. - **** Action is required.****

Please be advised of the below frequency change notification for GB3TD. To complete this on Friday 18th Oct the repeater will be off-air from approx 1pm. We expect service to resume on the NEW frequency from 3pm

GB3TD Frequency Change

The Swindon UHF repeater GB3TD has been operational on the same frequency 433.075 Mhz and from the same site since 1994 and is managed by the Ridgeway Repeater Group.

In recent years the repeater has been suffering from interference in the form of clicking and pulsing noises and also from wideband transmissions which can severely desence incoming signals.

The group has spent many hours trying to determine the source of some of these without success.

OFCOM were consulted and tried their best to identify the problem without actually finding it due to restrictions gaining access to certain areas of private property.

The main interference to our secondary use band is from 433Mhz to 435Mhz which emanates from low power devices but also the MOD which is the primary user of the band.

When GB7TC our DMR repeater was commissioned and co sited with GB3TD and using the same antenna, the filtering system was complicated and caused extra losses in the system. Never the less has worked well.

A question was asked to the RSGB repeater committee asking if a 7.6Mhz wide band split would be possible for GB3TD.

The RRG were asked if the group would like to try a reverse shift to the normal Tx low Rx high configuration.

GB3TD output frequency will be 438.4375 and the TD receive will be 430.8375.

This was agreed and an NOV issue to Rob, G4XUT.

The benefit is that the filtering for GB3TD and GB7TC will be easier with less through losses with both Tx and Rx being at the same ends of the band.