Why is MB7FM down?

[2E0EKF]

I just wanted to ask why is MB7FM down? I hope the keeper didn't shut it down for good, it was a great simplex repeater! It has not been on since 12th November, does anyone know why?

The official 77hz.org website closed a while ago where i wished it didn't, i hope the keeper did not pack MB7FM in.

[G4OXY]

I Echo 2E0EKFs comments
Does anyone know whats happening?
Larry

[G8KNJ]

I was about to order up a pair of crystals to work through MB7FM using my Pye Westminster, when I was told that it had gone off air. As everyone knows, crystals are b****** expensive these days and I cannot listen on the frequency. If anyone has any news, (good or bad), please let me know.
Thanks
Trevor
G8KNJ

[M0SAT]

Hi Selim, Larry & Trevor

I have been trying to track down Iain G0RDI who is the keeper but he is very elusive at present. I also asked one of the other members of the group that run and maintain MB7FM, Jon G4MDC. I got the following reply from Jon this evening.

"The usual reason for no Parrot is power supply. Site is prone to power cuts and for some reason it eats UPSs as well. Getting in there has become a right pain - used to be able to go there and reset over a lunchtime.Not any more sadly.

Iain is about the only one able to arrange access and he's been frightfully busy such that even I can't find him. The 2m Dstar box there seesm to be off too but that's unconfirmed - might just be very quiet. The UHF Box still works at least.

I would love to see MB7FM back ASAP.. 73"

He can't confirm when it will be back on but they have not shut it down deliberately and there are no plans to take it off the air

I would think with the roads being icy & snowy and knowing where MB7FM is located it might well not be back on at the earliest until this cold spell is over.

Hope that helps.

Best 73 de Dave M0SAT

[2E0EKF]

MB7FM is down yet again....been so for 3 or more weeks now....

[M3HIM]

I have good line of site to the MB7FM parrot and it does appear to be down, although my 70MHz hand-held's battery needs a charge. I'll check it again later, once I'm sure that I'm putting out a good signal. In the meantime, I'll monitor activity on another receiver.

There was a half-hour power cut in the Aylesbury area a few weeks ago after a particularly heavy deluge. It extended far and wide throughout Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, so it's possible that either the deluge or the power cut has affected the repeater site, on the Buckinghamshire / Hertfordshire border, and it hasn't come back up properly.

[M3HIM]

Well I can confirm that this is still down.

Some of the contact details I have for the repeater keepers is out of date since the 77hz.com site was retired some time ago but I'll look through the e-mail and address book on my laptop during the week and see if I can find something more recent.