GB3TF Repeater

70cm Little Wenlock C4FM/analogue voice repeater

Band: 70CM ( RB08) Output frequency: 433.2000 MHz RX Frequency: 434.8000 MHz

Mode: FUSION DUAL MODE VOICE REPEATER CTCSS: 103.5Hz

ETCC Region: Wales (Cymru) and Marches
Location/Whereabouts: LITTLE WENLOCK
Location: NGR: SJ64870698 Locator: IO82RP Latitude/Longitude: 52.659429 / -2.520758
CURRENT STATUS: OPERATIONAL
Database Entry: 13 Nov 2015
Date of NoV Issue: 17 Nov 2015
Renewal Date:

Interactive map and all details as above GB3TF on UKRepeaters.net

GB3TF – the Telford repeater goes C4FM

The new Yaesu Fusion Repeater for GB3TF became operational on Wednesday 6th January 2016, ten years (to the day) after the previous Tait equipment was installed, and 24 years (almost to the day) since GB3TF first became operational at its old QTH in Dawley Bank in 1992 using Pye equipment. After a few initial ‗wobblies‘, ‘TF is working well. Users seem to have adapted quickly to the non-existent ‗pips‘, and rapid carrier cuts at the end of an ‗over‘.

Its auto-ID is currently set at 10 minutes, and the logic is set to ‘auto/auto‘, which effectively means analogue FM IN gives FM OUT, and C4FM (digital) IN gives C4FM OUT. In addition to requiring 103.5Hz CTCSS on transmit to access the Repeater, many users have set their radios to only open their squelch from the reciprocal 103.5 CTCSS sub-audible tone transmit-ted by the Repeater. This reduces the annoyance of a digital (C4FM) signal (loud white noise) being heard on an FM-only rig.

The old 1750Hz access tone no longer works on ‗TF, so CTCSS is now essential. Receive sensitivity has more than doubled with extra filtering now fitted to ‘TF on both the receive and transmit ports. Put another way, GB3TF has a far wider ‗footprint‘ and is far more accessible in all directions. It is interesting to note that GB3LH (Shrewsbury), GB3VM and GB3VN (Ludlow) now all use Fusion Repeaters, so it is a County wide system, with several others opening up across the Midlands. Best of all, whether you want to go digital (Yaesu way!) or stick with your faithful FM gear, the choice is yours on ‗TF.

GB3TF finally linked via Fusion (C4FM) to the Internet: 1st December 2016

It is now operational. . . .

The Repeater at LWVH is there for all to access. Just to clarify one important point: you don’t have to have a Fusion (C4FM) rig to access worldwide stations, as it also works with an ordinary FM transceiver, albeit with a few less ‘bells and whistles’ – so long as the FM rig can transmit DTMF tones. The list of stations available (there are hundreds) can be found on the Yaesu Wires-X website. It takes a bit of getting used to, but essentially you access GB3TF with the usual ctcss of 103.5Hz, then transmit the hash (#) key tone plus five unique DTMF tones. These stations, nodes and repeaters are listed on the Wires-X website. A series of ‘dashes’ signify you have made the link, and then you can call “listening through…” or whatever. After completing a QSO (or getting no reply!), after several minutes, the link will automatically end by sending a series of ‘dits’. It’s probably good practice to disconnect yourself with the DTMF command ‘#99999’ once you have finished with the link if no one else wishes to continue. Remember also to leave 3-4 seconds between ‘overs’ for the various servers to switch.

Above all, we recommend that you consult the Yaesu Fusion and/or Wires-X websites to learn how the system works!