GB3KD Kidderminster 2m Repeater - Support & Feedback

There is no compulsory charge for using GB3KD, but if you use any repeaters, you should consider supporting them, financially or otherwise, because:

Repeaters have daily running costs.
The biggest cost is usually site rental, which for some repeaters can be many hundreds of pounds per year. In addition, the average repeater will use around £200 worth of electricity per year. Internet-linked repeaters like GB3KD additionally require a computer running 24/7/365, and an unlimited broadband connection, costing another £300 per year. Finally, public liability insurance is not cheap!
Equipment breaks down or wears out.
Even if the radio equipment is 100% reliable, aerials, backup batteries and feeders have a limited life and need replacing every few years. In the past two years at GB3KD, two amateur-grade collinears, and a 20ft scaffold pole have failed in service.
Equipment needs upgrading.
Technology evolves, and repeaters are expected to conform to new standards, such as CTCSS and 12.5KHz channels. Whilst repeater owners do their best to meet new standards by adapting existing equipment, it is sometimes necessary to upgrade the equipment to something more modern.

Our existing aerial mast is "Heath-Robinson" and as of April 2006 is becoming structurally unsound. When (not if) it fails, if we are lucky it will fall into woodland. If we are not, it will smash into one of 3 houses and gardens, costing an insurance claim and endangering the lives of people and pets. It is also too difficult to take down and put up for aerial maintenance. We urgently need to replace it with a telescopic tower, and these are not cheap. Additionally, we need to purchase a professional-grade collinear, because the amateur-grade ones are not up to the job, and we need lower loss cavity filters in order to improve the receiver sensitivity.
Manpower is short.
Sometimes the problem is not a lack of funds, but a lack of people, skills or time available to do the required work. Every extra pair of hands helps, if only to hold a ladder or fit connectors to feeders.

Of those who use repeaters, the percentage who actually make a contribution is small, so your support can make a big difference. If everyone gave a little, we could do so much more.

There are those who use several repeaters, yet support none of them, using the excuses either that they don't use any one repeater sufficiently enough to justify supporting it, or that supporting one repeater is unfair to the others.

However it doesn't matter *which* group you support, providing you support at least *one* of them. Visitors are welcomed on GB3KD, and likewise I'd like to think that our users are welcomed on other repeaters. In the bigger picture it all balances out.

What is an acceptable level of support?

No sum is too large or small, it depends entirely on how much you can afford or wish to contribute. We recognise that everyone's circumstances are very different, and would rather have a small donation than none at all. What are the repeaters worth to your hobby? Could you get more enjoyment from the equivalent cost of beer? Five pounds per year for example is only the cost of two pints, or not much more than a penny a day.

How to contribute

You may contribute instantly and securely via the web using a credit or debit card.

Alternatively, cheques, made payable to "Kidderminster Repeater Group", can be sent to the treasurer G0EWH, or to any other KRG staff. If you wish to offer your skills or time, please contact Paula G8PZT.

Do I have to join a repeater group?

You don't *have* to join the group in order to use GB3KD, but if you are a regular user, doing so would ease your conscience and give you a say in how the repeater (and other systems operated by KRG) are run. Anyone who joins the group, or supports the repeater in some other way, gets a say in how the thing is run, those who don't contribute have no say.

Kidderminster Repeater Group has recently incorporated Wyrepak, and meets bi-monthly for an informal get-together, where you can meet the system operators, get up to date with the latest news and developments, discuss repeaters, VOIP links and Packet Radio, and hear talks on interesting topics. So joining the group is worthwhile.

Sponsors and Donors

GB3KD does not currently have any sponsors. If you would like to sponsor the project or make a donation, in return for publicity or otherwise, please email us.

We would like to thank Peter G4KQU and the GB3DX repeater group for making a generous reduction on the cost of the ex-GB3DX duplexer, and Richard G0EWH for supplying cable and connectors, modifying the rigs and building various ancilliary units such as the watchdog and interface.

Wanted, dead or alive!

In an ideal world GB3KD would be constructed solely of brand new top quality equipment. However, in true Amateur spirit, we are having to make do with whatever old junk we can scrape together, which means the service can not realise its full potential. The following list shows some of the major items we require for GB3KD:-

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Have you heard or used GB3KD? We welcome reception reports, which will, for example, help us build an accurate service area map.