RAYNET Isle of Man (incorporated in the IOMARS)

RAYNET EXERCISE 07/02/2010
On Sunday 2nd of February, an exercise was held to assess the contribution a mobile/portable repeater would make in the event of communications failure.
At 13.00hrs Matty, MD0MAN set up a portable repeater station at a location known as the Sheep Pens, on the mountain. The frequencies to be used were the Isle of Man Raynet frequencies of 144.6125 MHz and 433.700 MHz. All available stations signed in on the GB3IM repeater network.
The stations signing in were as follows:
GD3TNS, MD0HEB, GD0NFN, MD3YLX, GD0HYM, GD0MWL, GD7DUZ and GD4RAG.
Each station was asked to transmit first on the 2m frequency, with the audio quality being monitored by MD0MAN at the repeater site, and also at the QTH of GD0OUD.
The exercise was then repeated using the 70cm frequency, and the following results were logged:
Station------- 2m Trans. Audio Quality------- 70cm Trans. Audio Quality
GD3TNS -----Good--------------------------- Nothing Heard
MD0HEB ----Nothing Heard------------------ Good
GD0NFN ----Good---------------------------- Poor
MD3YLX (north) Fair------------------------- Good
GD0HYM (port.) Nothing Heard -------------- Nothing Heard
GD0MWL------- Broken, v.poor---------------Nothing Heard
GD7DUZ -------- Good------------------------ Good
GD4RAG-------- Nothing Heard--------------- Nothing Heard
The exercise was completed at 13.50hrs.

GD4EIP added that 70cm reception was very poor in Foxdale, 2m was not heard, although the stations of GD0OUD and GD7DUZ could be heard clearly.
The following report was received from MD0MAN at the repeater site:
“X-band between 2m, 70cms, active from 13:08 to 13:48
X-band between 6m and 2m, 13:50, 14:00
Was an interesting exercise - 70cms didn't seem to be as good as 2m for strength, it would be good to try a couple of other sites (and using the Raynet kit) to see what can be done to cover areas that aren't served well by the repeaters (valleys etc).
The sheep pens don't seem so good for propagation towards NFN's QTH, and not so good for Port Erin / Port St Mary, although there's excellent coverage to the Castletown area.
Steve was coming in well on 6m, but I wasn't getting out so well, I'm thinking this is due to the antenna just being put up on a mag mount (Diamond CR-8900 quad band) - it really needs a 'proper' earth for 6 and 10m use.”

Thank you to all stations who took part, your patience is appreciated in what can be a long and drawn out exercise.
Please bring your suggestions, criticisms and questions to the next Raynet meeting.
Stuart, GD0OUD Raynet IOM Call out Officer.