GB3GD

A single-site repeater, and our oldest at more than 35 years of age!

	Snaefell	GB3GD First Came on-air at 19:00 on 31st January 1985
TX:	145.625MHz
RX:	145.025MHz
CTCSS:	110.9Hz
E.R.P.:	20 Watts
Antenna:	Procomm CXL 2/70C
Height:	3 Metres AGL

		Site Information Snaefell Mountain is the home of GB3GD, our 2-metre repeater. We have operated from this site for well over 35 years. The site shown, which houses our systems, is owned by the Isle of Man Government and is one of two radio sites on the mountain top; the other being operated by the UK’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS).
		Technical Information The basis of GB3GD is a Philips FX5000 base station. The radio is basically unmodified but the control logic, designed by GD4HOZ, has been “grafted” into the radio to take over control from its internal logic. The radio has a 50 watt P.A. and, since we are licenced to radiate 25w ERP, it is backed-off to about 30w out. This means that it has a very relaxed time of things and no additional cooling is required.
			The Duplexer is manufactured by Sinclair and, in common with most 2-metre amateur band duplexers, is of the notch filter variety.

			The Procomm Antenna in its temporary location at 3 Metres above ground. (Click for larger image)

Snaefell Images

Looking South over the corner of the summit hotel
Our cabinet with spare antenna hardware in the background
Our cabinet with spare antenna hardware in the background
Top half of the rack. FX5000, PC monitor, Simoco PRF1060 (GB3IM)
GB3IM's PRF1060 and the PC running Allstar software for GB3GD
Our Sinclair, 6-cavity duplexer for GB3GD
Upper section showing the FX5000
Aerial Facilities bandpass filter and the antenna isolator (black box)
Rear of GB3IM's PRF1060 and a Belkin UPS for the PC.
General view
Looking up the 43 metre tower. The westerly leg is on the left, South leg on right.
Looking towards Douglas
Easterly view of Laxey and Lonan
Looking west through the haze. Corrin's Folly on Peel Hill is centre shot.
The view to the North over the Point of Ayre. Southern Scotland is just visible
Looking down on Sulby Reservoir
Another shot of Sulby Reservoir
The 'HOZLogic mounted on the FX5000 control module.
A closer view of the logic installation
An overall shot of the cabinet arrangement
The Marconi 2955 test set in action.
The last working X30 that we ever had, on the west leg, before the weather got to it!
This is what happens to X30's on Snaefell. There's not much left of it!
The old wooden tower structure alongside the newly built mast
The old radio hut and antenna structure. GD's antenna is on the right-hand side of the hut
Note the rather sorry looking dipole!
The intrepid team of labourers who hauled the original kit for GB3GD to the summit in 1988
The IOMG radio site looking south.
Approaching Snaefell from the South.
There is no vehicular access to the summit. The Manx Electric Railway is the only transport route.
Looking directly up the tower from the base.
Tram car number 2 of the Manx Electric Railway's mountainering fleet
A lovely view of Ed's boots near the top of the tower
A rare glimpse of Snaefell on a nice day. Looking south from near the top of the tower.
The test set checking out GB3IM's receiver.
The analyzer settings for the next picture...
The signals around GB3IM's Input Frequency. Not nice!
It's noisy up there.
The Procomm dual-bander. It's a hefty beast.
Matty helping around the back
Newly built logic for GB3IM-S (there's a dead spot in the display, and I got the year wrong in the software!)
It's asleep....