RAYNET

Spectacular IRLP QSO!

As you know, GB3OA through IRLP and Echolink and DTMF tones can communicate with other repeaters throughout the world. There are some truly interesting locales, like Wagga Wagga (6260) in Australia, or Palmer Station (8838) in the Antarctic, but it seems that Steve M0SPI (Mawdesley) has at least equalled this by contacting new repeater 9N1SP (5511) in Kathmandu, Nepal at the foot of Everest!

The repeater is on 2m and only a month old, mounted on a building of the Pulchowk Engineering Campus at Tribhuvan University. It’s been set up in answer to the recent earthquake disaster there to help with comms in any further disasters, just the same as GB3OA is mounted on a protected and secured building and available to Southport & District RAYNET during emergencies.

Steve’s first contact was with Bejay 9N1KB, one of the students at the University, and added to by Ajay 9N1AJ, also a student. Then, Steve paused for any callers on OA and David G4TUP joined the net. The audio quality and signal strengths of their rigs came through perfectly and over the 50 minutes a number of topics were covered – birthday celebrations, web sites, Southport itself and of course the weather.

Users of 9N1SP are now looking for contacts and welcome a continued connection with GB3OA. So feel free to dial in 5511, remembering the time difference – they’re 5 hours ahead.

Further details can be found at:

http://www.qsl.net/9n1sp/

And further details of the use of GB3OA by Southport & District RAYNET Group here:

http://gb3oa.org.uk/raynet-connections/

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Latest details on RAYNET use of GB3OA on 31st August

Specifics have now been finalised for the Rotary Walk between North Liverpool and Southport on 31st August 2014 when RAYNET will have exclusive use of GB3OA.

The times of RAYNET’s use will now be 08.30 BST until at least 16.00 BST (07.30 UTC till 15.00 UTC).

As before, IRLP and Echolink interlinking will not be available between these times, but the Shoutcast stream will not be affected.

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RAYNET use of GB3OA during August 2014

There will be a Southport RAYNET Emergency Service practice session on the repeater from approx. 18.45 til 20.15 BST on Wednesday August 20th.

And on Sunday 31st August RAYNET will be engaged on a local Rotary walk from approx. 08.00 till 14.00 BST.

During both these events the repeater will be handed over completely to RAYNET, interlinking will be cut, and it will be appreciated if non-RAYNET operators forgo using GB3OA.

The Shoutcast stream will not be affected and continue as normal.

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Safety and Emergency use of GB3OA

Sunday February 9th 2014 saw the first occasion when the Southport RAYNET Emergency Service used GB3OA exclusively. This was for an important safety and emergency exercise during the Mad Dog 10km run to test the use of the repeater when used in a real emergency when operators would be  stationed in various areas of Southport.

The trial worked 100% and Southport RAYNET Group Controller Stuart G3OCR, at the end of the exercise commented over OA how well the repeater had handled the traffic and thanked normal users from refraining to use the repeater during the exercise.

According to the Shoutcast stream logs there were a number of listeners worldwide, including Dutch SWL Paul PE7B who sent in an admirable report on all RAYNET stations  using the repeater, and commented “from the comfort of my warm and quiet living room over here in Holland”.

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