Welcome to GB3LC.CO.UK

GB3LC Louth 70cm's Repeater

LINCOLNSHIRE COAST REPEATER

Webmaster Roger G4IPE

UPDATED 1st April 2005

I recently did a PowerPoint presentation on the history of repeaters & GB3LC to the members of my local radio club (Eagle Radio Group)

If you would like to see the presentation you can now download it by CLICKING HERE (N.B. file size 2.8Mb)

Hopefully GB3LC will be re-engineered shortly with new coax & aerials etc.

I am on the lookout for a new base station (Such as a Tait T300/800, Key KF450 or Nokia BSR450) if anyone knows of any base stations available at the right price please email me, Thanks

Photo's by David Dunn G3SCD (Now VK3DBD)

Left Photo from left to right: Roger G4IPE, The late George G3NMM (then deputy mayor of Louth) & Mick G8OOS on the repeaters official opening on February 20th 1980

Right photo, Original repeater using Pye equipment

CHANNEL RB13 (RU266) Output 433.325Mhz - Input 434.925Mhz

CTCSS Tone 71.9hz (B Group) + 1750hz Tone Burst

Photo's by Roger G4IPE

Above Photo's show Mick G8OOS assembling and then fitting prototype full wave dipole's on top of the 50 foot mast which were made from a article published in Practical Wireless, note the ground plane fitted between the two dipoles this was to help with the isolation between the receive aerial (top) and the transmit aerial (bottom)

Although I am no longer the repeater keeper for LC I still like to think of it as my baby so to speak, therefore I have included some information which might be of some interest to you.

Louth's UHF Amateur Radio Repeater has been on the air since 1980, it was instigated and built by myself G4IPE & Mick G8OOS (with help from Ron G4GAB & Mick G8TDB) I believe that it was the first repeater in the UK (if not the world) to have a talking clock fitted (nicknamed Fred see more info below) back in 1981 and which became well known nationwide. The repeater is situated approx. 2 miles south of the Town of Louth on a hill known as Kenwick Top, Locator JO03AI approx. 300 feet ASL

It is sad to say that the repeater is now not operating as it used to be since it was re engineered, The coverage seems to have been reduced and the repeater is now seldom used by locals. However I would like to see it back up to full health sometime upon which there might be a possibility that it could be linked via the Internet using either EchoLink or IRLP software, if you have any comments please email me.

Repeater is now run by the Louth Radio Club (Louth GB3LC Repeater Group)

Repeater Keeper is Steve M5ZZZ

Output Power Unknown, however was licenced for 16 Watts ERP

I believe the following technical spec. for LC is as follows:-

Base Station Storno 9000 with 70Cms receive preamp

2 X aerial working using UHF Colinears/end feed dipoles? at approx. 60 -80 feet AGL using RG213? coax

Microprocessor Logic G1SLE with signal strength indicator in CW - battery power indicator in CW (not sure if battery backup is still fitted) and CTCSS fitted (encode/decode 71.9hz)

Photo's by Roger G4IPE

Hard at work installing the new mast & equipment when it was located across the road from it's present location.

From Left to Right: David G3SCD (Now VK3DBD), George G0GNW, Lee G7TII

Photo By Dave G3SCD (Now VK3DBD)

Above photo is the original mast (1980) which was 50ft high, Receive aerial was a Jaybeam C8 colinear & Transmit was a ex. commercial 4 stack UHF dipoles

Photo's by Roger G4IPE

Photo's I have taken recently of the commercial PMR site which LC is situated

I think that LC's aerials are colinears Receive Top right and Transmit bottom right (nearest mast)

FRED (Sharp CT-660) THE SPEAKING CLOCK FITTED TO GB3LC IN 1981 (FIRST IN THE WORLD?)

CLICK ON PICTURE TO HEAR FRED

This is a recent picture of Fred, he is now over 22 years old & still working!!!! I believe that the Sharp CT-660 was the first ever domestic talking clock in the World. I think he cost me Ł45 (I got him at trade price as I was working in the electronics trade) which at the time I was only earning about Ł60 per week as a TV engineer therefore he was expensive!!. Fred became well known throughout the UK (and abroad) due to the fact that no one had ever heard computer generated speech on a repeater before. He used to announce the time on the hour with speech & BBC style pips (click on picture to hear sample). Fitting Fred to GB3LC caused a lot of confusion to the repeater management group & the DTI as they didn't know if computer generated speech was legal!!! In the end the DTI suggested we remove him until such time they could decide if he was legal or not. We removed him after approx. 6 months & we didn't hear back from the DTI etc. so he was never replaced.

ORIGINAL COVERAGE MAP OF GB3LC