_ _ .  _ . . .  . . . _  _  .  . . . . G B 3 Edge Hill  _ _ .  _ . . .  . . . _  _  .  . . . .

An Amateur Radio Repeater operational on 70cms channel; RB8 from Edge Hill in the South Midlands (UK).

Users' Page

The Repeater is housed as a secure installation, adjoining a grain-drying barn on the cusp of Sun-Rising Hill. The antenna pole, topped-off with its slender co-linear, rises a full but modest 50ft alongside the large motor-room housing the grain dryer - some 3-phase motor, that is! The site is totally rural, being only a few yards from the escarpment which falls away sharply to the North. This favours RF penetration into Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespeare!), and thence to the M40 Motorway corridor and the southern outskirts of Birmingham including the M42 corridor. Tall and very mature broad-leaf trees once surrounded the site, leading to some variations between summer and winter coverage. However, almost all such trees were felled (in Spring 2001, by the site owner for his own purposes) to leave the antenna with an almost totally uncluttered horizon.

And - yes! - this is indeed the Edge Hill which is famed for the Battle of 1642 when Charles-I had his well-documented 'set-to' with Oliver Cromwell, at the outset of the Civil War. [Web]

... the event being commemorated with a mural in The Castle pub.

To the East, the next land feature of equivalent height is in Russia; being The Urals. Perhaps this fact explains the bitterly cold winds which we often experience each Winter, especially when adjusting the antenna guys? But happily, The Castle, is a most authentic English pub only a two-minutes' drive away, with its ample servings of traditional ales and meals available on an all-day basis. In the summer, it is a popular area for serious walkers to meander in the balmy afternoon heat, having paused, of course, for their well-deserved libations at The Castle, after visiting the Battle Monument Stone on their rise up this dramatic and historically-significant escarpment. But it is equally popular with those who prefer an evening leisure drive for a breath-taking halt in the beer garden to watch the sun sink over Wales.

_ _ .  _ . . .  . . . _  _  .  . . . .   GB3EH is controlled by a Logic module - which is compatible with CAIRO-8. For Engineering details please proceed to the Logic-8 sub-site.

 

Once we had dual-antenna working; that is until the two aerials fell in love and got married.
The Ceremony on the roof wasn't much but the Reception afterwards was amazing! Ouch!