D-STAR Repeater GB7IC Nears 2000 Registrations

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The Icom UK D-STAR repeater, GB7IC is approaching 2000 D-STAR callsign registrations. GB7IC's first registration was in April 2008, and ten years later nearly 2000 people have registered via the repeater to the gateway.

“To have this many registrations from one D-STAR repeater is an incredible feat and congratulations to the Icom UK team for registering all those users.”
— ICom

D-STAR is the worlds most popular digital amateur radio network with currently 1652 repeaters globally*.

In the UK, there are currently, 77 operational D-STAR repeaters with another 12 licensed and more coming online. Many, many more callsigns are registered on these other repeaters.

More information about D-Star - http://www.d-staruk.co.uk

Theft of MB7TV SSTV Repeater

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MB7TV, the SSTV repeater run by the Martello Tower Group is currently off air.

MB7TV is located in a secure, locked box at a very high level, requiring a two section ladder to reach it. However, someone has hoisted a ladder up, ripped the box apart, cut all the cables and stolen the aerial, 20ft support pole, coax, radio, PSU, filter (the repeater was in an industrial area where there was a lot of close by noise), heater, wi-fi link and interface.  All that’s left is the broken box and the brackets the pole was mounted on.

Estimate lost is somewhere between £600 and £700 worth of equipment.

Martello Tower Group - http://martellotowergroup.com

CTCSS Changes in North Essex, UK

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The Martello Tower Group have recently invested in a new TSF2025 Simoco base station to upgrade their three analogue voice repeaters, GB3TE on 2m (Thorpe-le-Soken), GB3CL (Clacton-on-Sea) and GB3CE (Colchester) on 70cms.  

As part of this upgrade, they have taken the opportunity to consolidate the CTCSS tones used for the repeaters so that they’re all the same.  As from Saturday 27th January 2018, all three repeaters are now using 67.0Hz CTCSS (tone A) for access.   It’s also possible to access the repeaters using a 1750Hz tone burst.

The Martello Tower Group provide a wide range of services to radio amateurs in Essex and surrounding areas including three analogue repeaters, a DMR repeater, a D-Star repeater, APRS digipeaters, an SSTV repeater and a number of beacons on the microwave bands.  

More Information - http://martellotowergroup.com