Southport

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/

Spectacular IRLP QSO! Read More »

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.

Latest details on RAYNET use of GB3OA on 31st August Read More »

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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Blackpool….. covered!

Those amateurs visiting or living in Blackpool will be interested to know that we’ve now heard that Blackpool is just about fully covered by OA. This is after receiving useful information on signal levels from OA around and about the town….

Ian 2E0EDX emailed to say:

I have been accessing the Southport repeater for a few days now with the intention of trying out IRLP in the coming weeks ahead. I have also worked Ronnie M3KDO on a couple of occasions.

On looking at the repeater website it makes mention to contacting you with regards to the repeater coverage. I can definately say that I receive the repeater 56 report with no white noise from most parts of Blackpool while /M. I can also receive the repeater from north Blackpool in the Thornton Cleveleys area again while /M at a 53 report.

Hope this helps and I look forward to using the repeater more often in 2014.

Thanks to Ian for that. It would be interesting in the future to find out who the first two holiday visitors are to have a QSO from the end of the pier Southport, to the end of one of the piers Blackpool, via OA! There’ll be a Certificate in it for them both! Please post your interesting QSOs via OA to David G4TUP, Head of Quirky and Unusual QSOs Via OA – david (at) norris (dot) org

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Storm of the Century?

After very strong winds, rain and 100mph gusts battered Southport last night, 12th Feb14, surprisingly this morning GB3OA’s mast and antenna were still stood up strong. Phil G8XVV and David G4TUP had a QSO via OA at the height of the storm, and although lights were dipping OA continued at full strength.

However, son Michael of Repeater Keeper Mark G4EID was one to get caught in the storm when he and other personnel and customers were evacuated from a leisure centre that stands right by the coastline after part of the roof became damaged.

The immense storm last night certainly tested the repeater’s mast and antenna to the full….

Storm of the Century? Read More »