EYRG.net
East Yorkshire Repeater Group, a radio amateur group dedicated to providing repeater services including training to the East Yorkshire Region.
Aug
30
It seems the website fell on it's face at some point last week, and in all honesty, I cant figure out why. However! The good news is that it is now working, and i am applying the most recent patches released during my holiday and this should stop the issue from happening in the future. This does mean further downtime, but ill keep it to less busy periods.
Thanks,
Lyndon
Thanks,
Lyndon
Aug
07
Apologies to all users of GB7HU for the lack of Internet connectivity over the last few days; it's now back on.
Following the storm on Thursday afternoon HU lost the 5.8GHz WLAN link between the gateway PC at Anlaby and the repeater's controller at Weedley. Initially I thought the head unit at Anlaby Common had failed again but after noting the strenghts of a few other signals on the 5.6GHz Band B, I substituted the head today with another brand new unit and got the same result. Resetting both to factory defaults and reloading the configuration made no difference either. As I was still not seeing the Weedley end suspicion then fell on that end of the link.
While I was fiddling with the link equipment at my QTH I decided to check the original unit that had failed and, sure enough, the signal used as a reference was around 16dB down on what I got with the other two units, confirming beyond doubt that it is faulty so it will be returned to the supplier.
A quick run up to the repeater site this afternoon confirmed that all was not well as I was unable to contact the head unit with my laptop and it didn't even show an Ethernet link light. Fortunately, the usual first resort for IT problems, i.e. turn it off and then on, got it going again. A quick check with my laptop confirmed the link had established connectivity back to Anlaby Common so I plugged the link back into the repeater and kept my fingers crossed that it was going to work when I got home.
What I suspect happened is that the storm caused a blip on the mains supply and that locked the head unit's CPU. The repeater group does have a brand new 2.2kVA uninteruptable power supply to install and that will fix all of the brown-outs, low and over voltage, spikes and noise problems with the mains supply at Weedley. It will...
Following the storm on Thursday afternoon HU lost the 5.8GHz WLAN link between the gateway PC at Anlaby and the repeater's controller at Weedley. Initially I thought the head unit at Anlaby Common had failed again but after noting the strenghts of a few other signals on the 5.6GHz Band B, I substituted the head today with another brand new unit and got the same result. Resetting both to factory defaults and reloading the configuration made no difference either. As I was still not seeing the Weedley end suspicion then fell on that end of the link.
While I was fiddling with the link equipment at my QTH I decided to check the original unit that had failed and, sure enough, the signal used as a reference was around 16dB down on what I got with the other two units, confirming beyond doubt that it is faulty so it will be returned to the supplier.
A quick run up to the repeater site this afternoon confirmed that all was not well as I was unable to contact the head unit with my laptop and it didn't even show an Ethernet link light. Fortunately, the usual first resort for IT problems, i.e. turn it off and then on, got it going again. A quick check with my laptop confirmed the link had established connectivity back to Anlaby Common so I plugged the link back into the repeater and kept my fingers crossed that it was going to work when I got home.
What I suspect happened is that the storm caused a blip on the mains supply and that locked the head unit's CPU. The repeater group does have a brand new 2.2kVA uninteruptable power supply to install and that will fix all of the brown-outs, low and over voltage, spikes and noise problems with the mains supply at Weedley. It will...
Aug
02
One of the useful features of the D-Star is the ability to link repeaters together into groups using the Reflector system. Using the UK Reflector (REF005A) all the users on all the D-Star repeaters in the UK are able to talk on one big network. However, the problem is that most repeaters are linked into this Reflector by default, and as a result it gets used to hop between neighbouring repeaters during our daily commute.
We have been recently offered the use of one of the high bandwidth Reflector slots that would allow us to link together all of our local repeaters (GB7HU, GB7RW, GB7YD and GB7HX) together into a regional network – this is common elsewhere with regional networks in the Midlands, Wales and Scotland.
Users within this group are able to Link and Unlink as before, but are encouraged to use the regional network instead of using REF005A during peak hours - by programming defaults into the local repeaters.
We have been recently offered the use of one of the high bandwidth Reflector slots that would allow us to link together all of our local repeaters (GB7HU, GB7RW, GB7YD and GB7HX) together into a regional network – this is common elsewhere with regional networks in the Midlands, Wales and Scotland.
Users within this group are able to Link and Unlink as before, but are encouraged to use the regional network instead of using REF005A during peak hours - by programming defaults into the local repeaters.
Jul
25
If you have D-Star but have not yet registered your callsign through an existing D-Star repeater you will not be able to use the features of D-Star Plus such as linking through the Internet.
GB7HU is now enabled for the registration of callsigns to use D-Star gateways worldwide. If you wish to register your callsign through GB7HU then please email andyg0vrmATgmail.com or cliveAThesh.co.uk (replace the AT with @) with your callsign, name, surname and one or more of the following:
The purpose of this vetting procedure is to prevent misuse of the repeater going beyond its coverage area.
73
Clive
GB7HU is now enabled for the registration of callsigns to use D-Star gateways worldwide. If you wish to register your callsign through GB7HU then please email andyg0vrmATgmail.com or cliveAThesh.co.uk (replace the AT with @) with your callsign, name, surname and one or more of the following:
- Your address; it will be checked against the current Callbook so you must have a full entry and not a 'name and address witheld at licencee's request' entry.
- Alternatively you can scan the first two sides of your licence or if you have the PDF from Ofcom then forward the pages with your details on.
- Indicate that you have a current entry in QRZ.com
The purpose of this vetting procedure is to prevent misuse of the repeater going beyond its coverage area.
73
Clive
Jul
22
The D-Plus system is now fully working giving access to all other Internet linked D-Star repeaters around the world.
There was some difficulty with accessing the D-Star controller at Weedley from the gateway PC at my QTH in Anlaby that was traced to a problem with the 5.745GHz WLAN head unit. It was fixed with a firmware upgrade.
The Weedley end already had the firmware upgrade installed but the Anlaby end had been replaced (see earlier post) with a head unit that had not been updated.
Thanks are due to Darren Storer G7LWT who checked the bits of the system I can't see remotely from his QTH in Manchester.
73 de Clive G3GJA / G8EQZ
There was some difficulty with accessing the D-Star controller at Weedley from the gateway PC at my QTH in Anlaby that was traced to a problem with the 5.745GHz WLAN head unit. It was fixed with a firmware upgrade.
The Weedley end already had the firmware upgrade installed but the Anlaby end had been replaced (see earlier post) with a head unit that had not been updated.
Thanks are due to Darren Storer G7LWT who checked the bits of the system I can't see remotely from his QTH in Manchester.
73 de Clive G3GJA / G8EQZ
Jul
19
GB7HU Joins the Worldwide D-Star Network!
After working into the small hours, Darren Storer (G7LWT) of the UK Interconnect Team has installed the Icom Gateway Software onto our Gateway PC. The system has been approved by the Trust Server Team in the US and our D-Star Repeater GB7HU has joined the Worldwide D-Star Network. The D-Plus system which allows the system to link into other D-Star Repeaters and Reflectors worldwide is currently being installed, and should be operational by the time you read this thread...
I will be creating the training material and the .ICF files for the Icom IC-E92D handheld and Icom IC-E2820 mobile over the next few days to enable everyone use the system to its full potential.
Thanks go to Darren G7LWT for configuring the system in record time, and to Clive G3GJA for putting the wireless infrastructure in place to allow GB7HU to use his Internet connection from Anlaby at no additional cost to the group - something which is becoming an issue to the many D-Star repeaters around the UK.
73 de Andy
After working into the small hours, Darren Storer (G7LWT) of the UK Interconnect Team has installed the Icom Gateway Software onto our Gateway PC. The system has been approved by the Trust Server Team in the US and our D-Star Repeater GB7HU has joined the Worldwide D-Star Network. The D-Plus system which allows the system to link into other D-Star Repeaters and Reflectors worldwide is currently being installed, and should be operational by the time you read this thread...
I will be creating the training material and the .ICF files for the Icom IC-E92D handheld and Icom IC-E2820 mobile over the next few days to enable everyone use the system to its full potential.
Thanks go to Darren G7LWT for configuring the system in record time, and to Clive G3GJA for putting the wireless infrastructure in place to allow GB7HU to use his Internet connection from Anlaby at no additional cost to the group - something which is becoming an issue to the many D-Star repeaters around the UK.
73 de Andy
Jul
12
The Group purchased two pairs of EnGenius EOC-5611P wireless bridging units after it was found that some loaned units were unsuitable for getting an Internet link to the site. The EnGenius units were supplied by local wireless LAN specialist Solwise Ltd. As detailed in an earlier post, one of the units was fitted to the EYRG tower on the 27th June.
WLAN unit
Prior to this I had been busy refurbishing my home telescopic mast and rotator system so that I could use it to mount the other end of the wireless LAN link. It had been out of use for several years and needed replacement of the stub mast, bearings stripping down, cleaning and re-greasing etc. After reassembling the mast, attaching the bridging unit and cranking it up to the full height of 14m the CAT 5 cable was plugged into the laptop and ... nothing!! Not even a trace of the Weedley end of the link
There were some weak 5GHz signals from and adjacent mast at Weedley used by the wireless broadband company Quickline so I knew that my end was working OK and because the unit is on the rotatable part of the mast I knew I'd got the 290deg heading correct. Over the next week I tried linking to Weedley from a couple of locations where I could park my car and see the Weedley towers using one of the spare units and was succesful.
On Sunday 3rd July I decided to look at the Weedley end from the ground and re-checked the reciprocal bearing of 110deg. Although not very accurate as I was sighting the angle from the ground, the bearing the antenna was pointing as measured on my compass looked more like 150deg. A call to Richard YTV and Lyndon resulted in a rapidly convened working party at 4pm. We lowered the mast, luffed it repositioned the bridging unit and raised it again within two hours.
...
Jul
10
News from the "dstarsoftware" yahoo group is a new version of DV Node for Windows has been released...
The DV Node for Windows (WinDV) allows you to create a D-Star hotspot using either the DV Node Adapter board or the DV Access Point Dongle. It is aimed at replacing both the DVAR Hotspot program written by Mark McGregor KB9KHM (http://w9arp.com/hotspot/), and the DVAP Tool software supplied with the DV Access Point dongle...
Configuration was very easy as can be seen - just download the executable from the Dutch Star website (https://www.dutch-star.eu/index.aspx) and it's up and running.
The software can connect to the D-STAR network using either the Dplus (used on the Reflectors, by the Icom repeater gateways, the DV Dongle and many DVAR HotSpot nodes) as well as the DExtra protocol and the XReflector systems - some further reading required!
There is support for the ircDDB network which speeds up the updating of the D-Star Database and also the ability to forward GPS position reports (from both the Node as well as from any RF users) onto the APRS network through the built-in APRS-IS module.
Who knows what's around the corner - perhaps a replacement for the Icom Gateway software running under Windows?
73 de Andy
The DV Node for Windows (WinDV) allows you to create a D-Star hotspot using either the DV Node Adapter board or the DV Access Point Dongle. It is aimed at replacing both the DVAR Hotspot program written by Mark McGregor KB9KHM (http://w9arp.com/hotspot/), and the DVAP Tool software supplied with the DV Access Point dongle...
Configuration was very easy as can be seen - just download the executable from the Dutch Star website (https://www.dutch-star.eu/index.aspx) and it's up and running.
The software can connect to the D-STAR network using either the Dplus (used on the Reflectors, by the Icom repeater gateways, the DV Dongle and many DVAR HotSpot nodes) as well as the DExtra protocol and the XReflector systems - some further reading required!
There is support for the ircDDB network which speeds up the updating of the D-Star Database and also the ability to forward GPS position reports (from both the Node as well as from any RF users) onto the APRS network through the built-in APRS-IS module.
Who knows what's around the corner - perhaps a replacement for the Icom Gateway software running under Windows?
73 de Andy
Jun
27
On the 26th June, which was probably the hottest day of the year to date, a working party from the East Yorkshire Repeater Group visited our site at Weedley to install the 5GHz wireless antenna on the mast...
The easy part is lowering the mast on the electrically operating winch, the hard work is luffing tower to gain access to the aerials at the top - the whole process taking about an hour. This provides an opportunity to do some of the less technical tasks, systemic weed killer applied liberally to the remaining vegetation!
Why does the autofocus concentrate on the leaf in the foreground and not the intended subject?
A couple of jubilee clips and some outdoor Cat 6 cable and the whole lot has to go up again...
Where have all the helpers gone ? To do the more technical work of configuring and testing the wireless link on site in preparation for installing the other end with the Internet...
The East Yorkshire Repeater Group welcomes all willing volunteers, especially on maintenance days when there are numerous tasks: Applying grease to the tower's cables (which invariably ends up on one's best t-shirt), antennas to check, fences to paint, etc. However this does provide a rare change to learn a little more about how repeaters actually work!
The easy part is lowering the mast on the electrically operating winch, the hard work is luffing tower to gain access to the aerials at the top - the whole process taking about an hour. This provides an opportunity to do some of the less technical tasks, systemic weed killer applied liberally to the remaining vegetation!
Why does the autofocus concentrate on the leaf in the foreground and not the intended subject?
A couple of jubilee clips and some outdoor Cat 6 cable and the whole lot has to go up again...
Where have all the helpers gone ? To do the more technical work of configuring and testing the wireless link on site in preparation for installing the other end with the Internet...
The East Yorkshire Repeater Group welcomes all willing volunteers, especially on maintenance days when there are numerous tasks: Applying grease to the tower's cables (which invariably ends up on one's best t-shirt), antennas to check, fences to paint, etc. However this does provide a rare change to learn a little more about how repeaters actually work!
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