Repeaters ( Ham) locations and coverage maps

[Lightspeed]

Intention of the post is to share info on what is in place today across the UK. It happens to be on VHF and UHF frequencies. If a CB based reteater network were established I'd have included that too.

The repeater machinery is generally located in very favorable locations and always well above the ground.

These repeaters are a real life illustration of the range that can be expected from lowish powered transmitters located on hilltops ( or near to hill tops to maintain Opsec) Exactly as you say NR. But remember that not everyone in our group has the benefit of a military training behind them and so some of this stuff needs to be demonstrated first hand.

Example: Driving South from London the GB3SN 2 meter repeater can be heard almost constantly all the way to the coast. thats around 70 miles. pretty good for a 5w transmitter.

I'm sure that a CB repeater atthe same location would have generated similar results.

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(14 August 2012, 14:38)Paul Wrote: Sorry LS it's bad guy (non ham perspective) time.

All those repeaters are there because high frequencies mean low range.
THAT'S WHY THEY NEED SO MANY to get any decent range!
Will they all keep working if the lights go out? No.
Can a "non bacon man" like a lot of us are use them? No.

As our friend Lightspeed points out, it's frowned upon and illegal for ordinary people to access these repeaters.
Listening in though is normally a good cure for insomnia.

Question I always ask myself is 27Mhz for the run of the mill CB'er typically maxes out at 10 miles depending on terrain.
BUT add some decent altitude and aerial system and 4 watts goes a long long way. Yet CB DX groups don't use repeaters.

Could that be because they are better operators or just use better equipment and frequencies.

CB (11 meters) Rules OK!

Paul,

you're right, why have there never been any CB FM repeaters in the UK. Was it forbidden by licencing rules? Is it still forbidden by license free operation rules? I don't know.

If regs permit, we could consider creating our own SUK CB based repeater network. But who'll be prepared to fund this, and is it really a viable option?