GB7HU – 70cm D-Star

Coverage

Quick details

ChannelDVU39
Output / Input frequencies439.4875MHz / 430.4875MHz
CTCSS ToneNot used
Modes12.5kHz spacing D-Star
LocationCave Wold Radio Station Riplingham, E. Yorkshire
LocatorIO93RS37
Power25W E.R.P.
AntennaProcom Co-linear @ 22m AGL, site 155m ASL
EquipmentIcom ID-RP4000V & ID-RP2C
Gateway SoftwarePi-Star on Raspberry Pi2
StatusOff-air

Details

The repeater replaced the 70cm GB3HU repeater which was little used at the time. It was established with the help of a grant from the National Lotteries’ Community Fund. The grant was requested to promote the use of digital radio communications in emergencies to be operated by the Repeater Group’s Emergency Communication division. The grant also allowed the Group to acquire equipment for training sessions leading to the licence examinations. The emergency division of the Repeater Group later merged with other emergency comms groups and became Humber Raynet.

Icom UHF D-Star repeater

The grant provided funds to purchase the Icom repeater hardware, a Procomm co-linear antenna, a Linux PC, two power supplies, two Icom-2820E dual band transceivers and five dual band IC-92E hand held transceivers, projector and screen. The equipment remains the property of the Repeater Group, but is used by Humber Raynet, who continue to have a close relationship with the Repeater Group.

Icom IC-2820E dual band mobile transceiver

Icom IC-92E

Initially, the Icom G2 software was run on an old distribution of Centros OS, that worked well but it was not being updated. The OS was replaced with Windows and a Windows version of the G4KLX software was used for many years. This too became a eventually became a victim of a lack of ongoing support and an alternative was sought. With the need to reduce power consumption in mind, the Windows PC was replaced by a Raspberry Pi 2 SBC running a Pi-Star image. This works well, but doesn’t cope well with the power being switched off between 10pm and 1pm; it often locks up. A solution is being sought.