Thank you for all those who have been involved in the latest addition to our repeater and website, a personal thank you to Martin our Webmaster and Michael 2E0MRE for the live audio streaming, this has been very successful, the live audio streaming, has increased traffic on both repeaters and it’s all over the internet, also along with facebook and twitter.

A quick update on the current status of GB7OK, as most know we again have found ourselves in the position that we are unable to connect to the reflectors, this is obviously a server problem and we have to rely on Darren G7LWT to sort out this problem, Gary 2E0ULA is already in contact with Darren to get this problem resolved. To all those who have emailed me over the last few weeks regarding this, I am sorry that I haven’t answered them personally there were just too many, but hopefully this update will be good enough. I will keep you posted on any further developments.

Tony.

Once again we offer our thanks to Michael, 2e0mre, for his help.

Thanks to Michael we are testing a new web based "Live Audio Feed" for the repeaters.  The plan is that the feed will mirror both repeaters, showing priority to the D-Star box, gb7ok, reverting to the UHF box, gb3ok, when gb7ok is not in use.  While we are testing the feed it will only be on gb3ok.

Currently, the links open up into a new page, but we aim to embed the player into the website.

To listen to the live feed, Click Here

There is also a link in the main menu under "The Repeaters".

If you don't hear any audio there are two possible reasons.  One, your volume is turned down, or two, nobody is using the repeater.

With the help of Michael, 2e0mre, the Bromley Repeater Group now has a twitter account:

http://twitter.com/BromleyRepeater

There is also a 'mirror page' on the website:

http://gb3ok.com/twitter.html

While we are testing these new features, we'd appreciate any feedback or reports of any problems you may experience.

There is a thread already set up in the forum for any reports. You can find it HERE.

Many thanks.

Hi folks,

Tony and I have received several emails regarding 7OK and its operation, ranging from ‘how do I..’ to ‘someone disconnected it while I was enjoying what the two foreigners where talking about!’. In the light of this, and to hopefully reduce some of the repeated, (no pun intended!), questions, I have written a document to cover some of the more common situations that people ask about. Hopefully it is of assistance to the many newcomers of the DStar system and as a gentle reminder to some of the ‘veterans’ of the Dark Side!

As I say in the document, it is not an in depth, full user guide, but it is a starting point and as amateur radio is supposedly all about experimentation – good luck and fill your boots!!

Catch you all soon, 73

Gary 2E0ULA

Demonstrating DStar was the main order of the day with contacts to Australia and the States via the reflectors. The best must have been a Belgian talking to Japan on Reflector 1C (reflector for the USA). Chris Taylor G0WTZ at Martin Lynch & Sons informed and thanked us for our demonstration which resulted in them, selling all their stock of the new Icom ID880 radios that they brought with them shortly after midday!

We managed to program around a dozen different DStar radios, handhelds and mobiles including the new 880, (thanks Dave, G7AKM for your help with that). We also received several donations towards the repeaters upkeep.

Also thanks to ICOM UK Amateur Radio Product Specialist John Turner G0KFO for freebies that we were able to give away and the literature that he provided.

It was commented, by the organizers, how busy the stand was for the whole day and that they have already asked us to return in November for the next Rally!!
I’d like to thank everyone who came to see us and kept us busy for the day, and those who kept us in Tea! Thanks to Dave, G7AKM for his help throughout the day and of course to Tony, G1HIG who organized this event.

Hope to speak to you all on the air soon, especially those with their new programmed radios. Gary, 2E0ULA.

Gary, 2E0ULA and I will be at the next Kempton Radio & Electronics Rally on the 18th April with our own stand for GB7OK D-Star Repeater / Bromley Repeater Group.

We intend to demonstrate some of the functions available on the D-Star system and what can be achieved in comparison to the traditional analogue system using the internet gateways and reflectors. We will also have along with us a DV Dongle which we hope to have working this time round, (unlike Rainham!!). Once again, Gary will have his programming side of things with him, and there will be plenty of opportunities to ask questions about D-Star.

We will have the programming files for the IC91, IC92 and 2820 D-STAR radios from the download section of this site, so if you're coming along, don’t forget to fetch your radio(s) with you, as we are more than happy to program them for you.

We look forward to seeing you all on Sunday.

Hi all, yes I am still around and yes I am still active on the radio – you just have to get up pretty early to catch me!! For those of you not aware I am giving a little presentation this Wednesday, (24th February), at the Darenth Valley club on how to use the ‘callsign’ programming in the memory files I produced for the DStar radios. I know its short notice, so Tony G1HIG and I will be at the Rainham Rally this weekend (28th February) with our own table, to answer any questions you have pertaining to the DStar radios or the repeaters. If you ask me really nicely I may even program your DStar radio, (HT and mobile) for you with the Nov09 file, if you haven’t done so already!!

I look forward to seeing you all either Wednesday or Sunday,

73’s Gary 2E0ULA.

GB7OK is now live on the gateway. However, it has not been a simple or easy ride.

As most will know, investigations into bringing the D-star gateway to GB7OK started and stalled several times, the main reason for the length of these delays was down to the availability of ADSL Internet connectivity, needed to connect the repeater to the rest of the World. This was for two reasons. The firstly could Internet connection be possible. The second being ADSL availability at all being available due to the distance between the repeater site and the local (or not so local as the case may be) exchange. Read more:

As I am sure you are all aware, GB7OK is now fully Gateway connected!

This means the DStar system is now available to its full potential in and around the London area. Because of this development, I have ‘volunteered’ to conduct a presentation at the Darenth Valley club, (address below), on 11th November starting around 20:15. I am hoping to demonstrate the system in action and to show people its capabilities and also endeavour to explain some of the intricacies of ‘programming’ the radios.

Darenth Valley Amateur Radio Society
The Crockenhill Village Hall
Stones Cross Road
Swanley
Kent, BR8 8JH.

Everyone is welcome to attend, DStar & non-DStar users alike, and fetch your DStar radios with you!!

I look forward to seeing you there, Gary 2E0ULA

It is with great sadness to inform you all of the funeral arrangements for the late George G0TMI.

The service will be carried out at: Surrey & Sussex Crematorium, Balacombe Road, Crawley, RH10 3NQ

On Friday 13th November and will commence at 2:30pm

Anyone who wishes to attend the service would they please contact Arthur G0EDV on 07943931036 ASAP.

My thoughts & prayers are with George's family & close friends for their loss. Jeanette

In addition to the introduction of the GB7OK gateway, we have also made a couple of updates to the website.

Firstly, there are three new downloadable .pdf files on the GB7OK, D-STAR Downloads page.

1. D-STAR Radios and Operation Basics
2. Icom Radio Data Cable Connections (schematic)
3. UK Reflector User Guide

Secondly, we have added a link (also in the GB7OK section of the menu) to the "Last Heard on GB7OK" page of the dstarusers.org website. 

The long awaited D-Star gateway for GB7OK is now live, I would like to thank all who have assisted me with this project, Darren Storer G7LWT from the UK D-Star Interconnect Team for installing G2 Software and spending many days commissioning the gateway, also technical support of Justin Johnson G0KSC installing and configuring Centos operating system on the server.

Also not forgetting Martin Maynard G8CIX for contacting me in the first place to use GB7OK for Amateur Radio Station live from the Plinth in Trafalgar Square, (One & Other Live Artwork) which gave me the push to continue with this long awaited project and the support I received from Ian Lockyer M3INL (Marketing Manager Icom UK).

Regards Tony.

On Friday 2nd October GB7OK D-Star gateway project began, the PC server was installed and tested, the ADSL is now activatated thanks to the IT Support from Justin G0KSC. This should be completed next week and on the world wide D-Star network soon.

Regards Tony.

One & Other is a live artwork by sculptor Antony Gormley in partnership with skyARTS.

2,400 participants representing every region of the UK each spend an hour alone on the empty plinth in Trafalgar Square for 100 days and nights.

On 25th September 2009, Martin Maynard, under the callsign GB1AO, had his hour on the plinth.  He used this hour to do a public demonstration of amateur radio, part of which included D-Star.

Click Here: or on the image to watch the full video.

In response, we have added a PayPal Donate button to our support page.  This allows you to choose how much you want to donate and gives you the option of paying via your PayPal account or paying with a credit/debit card direct.  All transactions are secure.

Thank you for your continued support.

GB3OK is now back on-air.

The problem was simply a powerline fuse had blown.

Apologies for the downtime.

GB3OK is currently off air due to an as yet unknown technical problem.

So far I have been too busy to get up to the site to investigate, and will probably not be able to do so until Tuesday of next week.

Apologies for the inconvenience.  Service will be restored as soon as possible.

Over the years, the gb3ok.com website has undergone a lot of change and some of the information has become out-of-date.  The time has come where we need a complete overhaul.

Rather than trawling through all the pages of the website to correct the out-of-date information, we have decided to create a totally new site. This also gives us the chance to revamp the design.

Thank you for being patient and we hope you find the new site helpful and interesting.

Regards Jeanette..................

I have recently applied to the RSGB Repeater Management Committee for a new digital TV repeater for SE and East London and would be pleased to enlist your support for this proposal.

Key Technical Objectives (not all delivered on day one!)

Build a digital TV platform that can be easily received with the minimum of equipment and cost (i.e. a digital Satellite box, pre-amp and antenna).This means using the DVB-Satellite format with output frequency in the 23cms band.

Four multiplex channels; two input frequencies, one analogue in 70cms and one digital in 13cms with simultaneous dual operation possible

One HD information channel carrying technical topics material and demonstrations designed to support amateur radio as a hobby at special event stations and possibly GB2RS news broadcasts.

D-Star APRS display and ATV information channel and application development, perhaps SSTV and internet inputs etc.
Sound channels possibly carrying local repeater outputs.

Establish an open-source for groups to develop new applications and ideas for the repeater.

The objectives of the proposed repeater are to:

Encourage the up-take of ATV within the hobby
Encourage home construction of ATV Transmitter equipment and to promote experimentation and self-learning of Digital TV techniques
Encourage new entrants to the hobby via public event station demonstrations of ATV
Encourage amateur radio groups to develop applications on the DVB-S platform and to experiment with new codec technologies and improvements in receiver and transmitter design.
Having fun!

If you would like to support the application, I would be very pleased if you would e-mail me, please feel free to include any ideas that you may have for application or service development or any features you would like to see.

Justin G8YTZ email details g8ytz@btinternet.com

http://groups.google.com/group/gb3ts?hl=en

Regards Jeanette..................

http://www.myrednoseday.com/rogerandout

Regards

Jeanette…………