The New Years Eve welcome to 2018 will take place as usual on node 9200, the Crossroads reflector in the US where countries log in as they go through the New Year. GB3OA will be connected to this reflector when the countries who usually participate connect. These are:
- New Zealand – 11.00UTC
- Australia – 13.00UTC
- Malaysia – 16.00UTC
- South Africa – 22.00UTC
- UK – 00.00UTC
OA will be connected at five minutes to the hour for twenty minutes.
Users of GB3OA are welcome to connect OA to node 9200 at other times themselves, and especially for the US at 5, 6, 7 and 08.00UTC the following morning. As the connection will be via IRLP there is no need to put a # or * before the node number.
Other news.
A full backup of the nodes server software takes place during the afternoon of the first Thursday of every month. The nodes are taken down at this point, but this lasts only for about twenty minutes.
Most evenings of the week OA is connected to the Alaska Morning Net just after 6pm (9am their time). This net is not just for Alaskans! Anyone worldwide is welcome to check in when the Net Controller requests more check ins, and that includes locals direct into GB3OA. There is a different Net Controller each day and they run the Net as they prefer i.e. some ask how your day has been, some have a topic (e.g. what do you think of Chinese HTs), some have a trivia question related to radio, etc. Some of the check ins specialise and are very knowledgeable about a particular subject. The Net doesn’t run on a Sunday, but on other days, if OA is not connected to the AMN then please feel free to connect using DTMF tones 9109 between 6pm and 8pm. Please send DTMF 73 when finished.
Note that the Echolink Android app is now not available on Google Play Store until February when a new version will be released. However, the old version is available free from Amazon or the Echolink web site.
Finally, the Repeater Keepers wish all who use GB3OA Southport a Healthy and Prosperous 2018!