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D-STAR Repeater Marks Opening of National Radio Centre on the RSGB Centenary Day.

The National Radio Centre, based in Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire is now fully open to the public and providing a showcase for radio communications technology in the 21st century. The Centre is very much the focal point for the Radio Society of Great Britain’s centenary celebrations…and there is no finer time for the Society to show its commitment to the future of the hobby and the latest digital technologies by the installation of the new UHF GB7BP D-STAR repeater donated by Icom UK.

Graham Coomber, G0NBI, General Manager of the Radio Society of Great Britain said, ‘The National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park was built to showcase 21st century radio technology. D-STAR, being a relatively recent innovation in radio communications, is a very fitting addition and brings with it a new dynamic way of promoting amateur radio to the general public as well as providing a spectrum efficient service to local amateur radio operators’.

He added, ‘The GB7BP D-STAR repeater will 24 hour access to this technology to those amateurs who travel in the area, and will encourage those who have not already experienced D-STAR to have a taste of what Digital communication can achieve. Likewise non radio amateur visitors to the National Radio Centre will have the opportunity to have worldwide communications via the D-STAR UHF internet gateway link demonstrated to them and shown the benefits of long distance communications without ionospheric propagation’.

He went on to say, ‘The GB7BP repeater has been designed as a local community repeater serving the radio amateur population around Milton Keynes and Bletchley, as well as providing D-STAR operators worldwide the opportunity of communicating directly with the prestigious Bletchley Park site. Its secondary purpose is to increase local hand held coverage and giving a DX opportunity to those who find installing HF antennas impossible’.

The D-STAR UHF digital repeater that Icom UK have donated the RSGB comes with Icom ID-RP2C Controller, Procom Bandpass filter, Procom duplexer and case.

Ian Lockyer, Marketing Manager of Icom UK said, ‘we are really pleased to have donated this D-STAR repeater to such a historic and important venue. We wish the Society the very best wishes on their centenary and look forward to being a partner with it for the century to come.’

Icom UK Marketing - marketing@icomuk.co.uk