Updates – 2024 – First for GB7HQ and FreeDMR DFR – DMO

Not much has happened for a while, however recent changes in our licencing in the UK has given us a chance to experiment more, to this end we have introduced a experimental repeater using a new DMR mode, DFR allowing simple DMR radios to operate via a repeater without a duplexer, instead making use of the TDMA technology of DMR at the repeater site. The advantage is very easy to deploy repeater especially on VHF where narrow split duplexers are involved.

Other News

Also our Yaesu Wires X Repeater has had a callsign change, so we welcome GB7AF to the air located Near Hucknall.

I am told it busy with Wires X Traffic using Yaesu System Fusion.

Reports welcomed

 

73,

GB3IN, GB7RR, GB7IN, GB7AF, GB7NV,GB7HQ
Repeater Team

 

 

 

 

More News for April FM is Back on GB3IN 

Recent developments by our good friend Jonathan G4KLX, has after GB3IN was enhanced to use the MMDVM FM had to take a side step almost 3 years ago.

However we always hoped it one day may return and over the last few days a new firmware has been developed by Jonathan to allow FM as one of the modes you can choose, so as usual we have been helping with the testing and are pleased to announce GB3IN is now able to offer  DMR – FM  – DSTAR – YSF -P25 and potentially NXDN

We will have to monitor usage and see how which we will offer  FM is of course the common mode to all radios and DMR is by far the busiest in recent times.

So during the testing phase I intend to Offer DMR and FM …..because the FM may show some interest initially Slot 2 GB3IN default will now carry the 2350 and GB7IN slot 2 the world wide 91 traffic.

However with the new DMR features with user linking on both slots now running see below there is more choice for everyone.

Have Fun

73,

GB3IN, GB7RR, GB7IN, GB7AF, GB7NV,GB7HQ
Repeater Team

 

 

 

 

Latest  Breaking – DMR News April 2020….

SUDO-Reflector- TalkGroups – New Concept

Easy to use DMR  No radio programming

GB3IN Slot 1 and Slot 2 both TG 9   Default 23590 & 2350

GB7IN Slot 1 and Slot 2  both  TG9  Default 23590 & 91

Access any TG Number in a simple to use way

Private Call Manual Dial TG Number you want and then  TG 9 to talk.

Voice Announcements on  Talkgroups – Know which TG your using

Dial 5000 for which TG Repeater Slot is linked too.

Dial 4000 to unlink when finished.

Details

2020 March and we are all locked down for the fight against Coronavirus please keep safe everyone !!

DMR is now the main digital mode and has taken new shape with hundreds of Talkgroups, all very confusing particularly when mobile.

There must be a better way to know what you are talking through on your favourite digital repeater ? …..and to limit the number of TG’s linked to what is at most 2 voice channels. ?

After some thought and with the recent announcement BM were planning to finish reflectors at the end of the year  (sadly these had become unreliable and often disconnected from the associated talkgroup)  without a fix possible. What to do ?

The conventional TG system is very difficult to use on an open amateur repeater, users monitoring simply can’t follow whats happening unless you have the latest radio and are watching the display or a dashboard, not practical on repeaters intended for mobiles.

I had a word with our good friend Jonathan Naylor G4KLX who after all made all this digital system possible in amateur radio .

With with an idea for his brilliant DMRGateway and new idea for functionality for it.

As is often the case with Jonathan, within a few days he had come up with a first untested release and with a few more testing sessions on GB7IN small issues were resolved and SUDO-Reflectors Talkgroups were born.

These were just like our old friends the reflectors, even the same commands for linking, manual dial Private Call  to connect to  a TG of choice, Status Private Call 5000 to see what the repeater is linked with and Private Call  4000 to disconnect. All with announcements to stop us tempted to looking  at those  displays !

However now you were actually with the help of the DMRGateway using  Talkgroups but much enhanced and managed way.

And a bonus, now we only need to remember a single set of numbers as the SUDO -reflectors use the same TG numbering, remembering we are really using the TG functions and providing the rest from the DMRGateway.

Give it a try, just like reflectors manual dial the TG number, this makes the link through the DMRGateway to and from the network to the selected TG and back to TG 9. As you dial the TG  PC 2351 perhaps  you will hear back the familiar announcement that you are linked to 2351 for example, to talk just switch to your TG9 and put out a call. DMRGateway does the rest no more programming hundreds of TG’s into your radio and oh dear … finding you haven’t got the one they use now.

Once finished your QSO  you can disconnect with a PC 4000 where you will again hear the announcement not linked, generally in a short time the repeater will default back to its default TG where it resides for most of the time.

 

29/7/18

Please see latest XLX005 page for update the transcoding is now working after a short test phase thanks to those involved
with this special project

28/7/18

GB7IN back on air

1/7/18

We have been suffering some issues and GB7IN has been off air also GB3IN has limited modes DMR is working

1/1/18

Happy New Year to All I have updated some of the webpage content to reflect the current system at GB3IN and GB7IN.

Sorry the webpages are often behind the features provided due to lack of time

7/12/17

Not to much to report about the repeaters.

I have recently been busy consolidating our datacentre services providing infrustructure for the UK D-Star DCS005 as well YSF reflectors and Brandmeister DMR UK Master servers

The services are now hosted in a datacentre near London.

The system consists of our own dedicated server which runs a virtual host environment and individual virtual machines run the different services we provide. Things have grown over time and often the server is supporting upto 500 connections to repeaters gateways or hotspots.

22/5/17

We are currently testing some new software at GB7IN which allows us to be multi-homed onto different DMR networks (currently 2) You have all the standard features you know on Brandmeister our primary network which all work in exactly the same manner.

We also now have access experimentally to the DMR+ Pheonix network via TG8 on Slot 2 Reflectors on DMR+ can be selected by prefixing the reflector by an 8 ….so if you wanted 4400 you would simply dial 84400 this is a trial with thanks to those on Pheonix UK (note this is not network bridgeing and both networks remain seperate the repeater has the ability to join both networks.

In order for this experiment to work for users of both networks, we are also carrying TG 235 slot 1 and TG 844 slot 2 East Midlands, however this is not the recommended method of access for our own users and is aimed at users only familiar with TG operation.

We would always encourage access through the DMR+ Pheonix reflectors that are on TG 8 slot 2

 

10/2/17

Finally the D-Star returns to GB3IN

So we now have D-Star and Yaesu C4FM Dual mode on GB3IN

Today I have configured the long awaited (I am told) D-Star this includes of course full networking to all systems ircddb routing and CCS7 and all the features we have grown to expect on GB3IN, remembering the G4KLX  D-Star repeater started here something we are very proud to be a small part of.

Enjoy

Still some work to do to improve the RF performance of the Yaesu DR-1X this needs to wait till warmer weather !!

73, Jon G4TSN

 

Currently I am working on getting the D-Star returned to GB3IN, we bought a so called plug and play solution from NW digital, so it should just work famous last words !!

I hope to complete this in the next few weeks.

Also the Yaesu repeater RF performance is poor to say the least currently, we have always had commercial spec. equipment, although old this has always worked very well in an environment with multiple transmitters close by not so for this Yaesu so far. Watch this space.

 

The refurbishment is going well

GB7IN  is now installed and is working well, actually it has surpassed all expectations, proving the  G4KLX  MMDVM HB repeater to be much better for Amateur radio  than any commercial DMR offerings,at a fraction of the price, without compromise of performance.

Thanks of course to our good friend Jonathan G4KLX once again for his dedication to this work for the good of Amateur radio, and we are really very proud it all started here at GB3IN

Careful choice of radios is a key factor with MMDVM and we have gone with the TAIT 8100 series which, really are suited to this purpose.

GB3IN is coming on well and shortly hope to complete the upgrade returning D-Star to compliment the Yaesu C4FM

 

 

 

After several years service we have recently started an extensive upgrade to the hardware and services provided by the repeater.

After much thought we have decided to go completely digital.

This has started with Yaesu System Fusion C4FM but with a link to the YSF reflectors, rather than Wires X Network.

I firmly believe this is offering the best structured network connectivity currently for Yaesu C4FM.

May we take this opportunity in thanking Lee Marsh of ‘LAMCO’ Lam Communications Ltd Please Note NEW ADDRESS  5. Doncaster Road, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 1TH. For the Donation to the Team of a Yaesu DR-1XE Dual Band Digital Repeater, Good Luck at your new address. 02/12/2016

Shortly this will be joined by D-Star on 2m with all the usual linking facilities that comes with D-Star Dplus DCS XRF and IRCDDB

So the aim is for Yaesu C4FM and D-star on GB3IN as dual mode

We have applied for a UHF repeater GB7IN which will be  on the same site as the VHF repeater once licensed this should compliment GB7RR repeater and other DMR repeaters on the FreeDMR UK network.