Sheffield’s Abundance of Repeaters & Links

We are very fortunate in Sheffield to have access to about 8 Repeaters and Links in the Sheffield area to enjoy, covering a range of different modes from Analogue FM, DSTAR, DMR, Fusion, with some links having access to either Allstar, IRLP and Echolink. And whilst many local radio amateurs have recently been dismayed and disheartened to hear of the abuse recently on Chesterfield GB3EE, being played out, day in day out, we just have to remember that there are alternatives to use until the ‘madness of the current abuse’ stops. The above link will take you to a page highlighting where you can find our local repeaters and links.

It is important to remind ourselves that as much as we might wish to reason with such individuals, it is a breach of license rules to communicate on air with anyone who is not licensed, and it is certainly inadvisable to engage with someone who chooses not to give their callsign. The best thing to do, is leave the repeater alone, come back later, or go elsewhere, as it really isn’t worth the bother getting involved with such mindsets.

In the UK, the frequency allocations for repeaters are managed by the Emerging Technology Co-ordination Committee (ETCC) of the Radio Society of Great Britain and licensed by Ofcom, the industry regulator for communications in the UK. Each repeater has a NOV (Notice of Variation) licence issued to a particular amateur radio callsign (this person is normally known as the “repeater keeper”) thus ensuring the licensing authority has a single point of contact for that particular repeater.

Sheffield has a long history where repeaters and keepers are concerned, the oldest one being GB3US. This used to be situated on the roof of the University for many years before it was moved, and provides us with great IRLP/Echolink access. The second oldest in recent history is GB7SF, the area’s oldest DSTAR repeater run and managed by Steve M1ERS and the Sheffield DSTAR Group, who also maintains Sheffield’s first Yaesu Fusion repeater GB7SH. More recently has seen the introduction of the analogue GB3AB providing a high vista and catchment area from Worrall, as well as the DMR repeater GB7SR run and maintained by Andy M0GAV. These repeaters in addition to the various links to Echolink, Allstar and IRLP, just doesn’t fail to meet the expectations and needs of the radio amateur in Sheffield. We need to count ourselves as very lucky indeed, and we sincerely do owe a great deal of thanks to all these keepers.

Each repeater in the UK is normally supported by a repeater group composed of local amateur radio enthusiasts who pay a nominal amount e.g. £10—15 a year each to support the maintenance of each repeater and to pay for site rents, electricity costs etc. Repeater groups do not receive any central funding from other organisations. Our current repeaters in Sheffield have been well looked after and maintained by responsible repeater keepers including Andy M0GAV, Greg G4CUI, Steve M1ERS, Martin 2E0EVP and so on. We owe our deep thanks to these amateurs.

Repeaters, whilst free to use, don’t come free, and are normally set up by dedicated local amateurs keen to provide such a service for others to enjoy. No repeater keeper ever really asks for money, but it is fair to say that if you use one, you should at least consider from time to time some donation to a local favourite repeater you use regularly, certainly because maintenance and upkeep doesn’t come free, and will most certainly be appreciated by the keepers. Dig deep into your pocket guys if you value what we have, go and help out because eventually these repeaters will wear down. What then you might ask?

Current Repeaters and Links in Sheffield

• GB3AB – Worral – FM, 70cm, CTCSS 82.5, 433.175/434.775
• GB3US – Town Centre- FM with ECHOLINK 223073 and IRLP Node 5150, 70cm, CTCSS 103.5Hz, 433.000/434.600
• GB7SF – Wincobank – DSTAR, Port C, 145.1375//145.7375
• GB7SH – Wincobank – for FM/Fusion, CTCSS 71.9Hz, 430.9625/438.5625
• GB7SN – Meadowhead – Hyterea DMR, 439.6750/430.675, DMR Slot 1
• GB7SR – Fox Hill -Motorola DMR,  439.6375/430.6375, DMR Slot 2
• MB7ALB – Rotherham, FM, IRLP Node 5200, Simplex on 70cm, at 430.0625, CTCSS 71.9 run by G4NJI
• MB7IGC – Sheffield, FM, Echolink 471476, IRLP Node 5100, Simplex on 2m at 145.337.50, CTCSS 71.9, run by G4CUI
• MB7ITH-L – ALLSTAR, Echolink 437121, 145.21250, CTCSS 71.9Hz, run by 2E0EVP.