David began by giving his requirements for a 4m and 23cm beacon: Transmitter location close to Central Bedford, Nominal tx power of 10w erp, Antenna omni or simple dipole with horizontal polarisation, Operation 24/7, FSK and Data operation, Mains power on site. Filtering of low and high power stages, and a Remote switch off. The site found had been previously used by another repeater now closed down. Construction of the beacon began with an RFzero commercially produced PCB available on line for about £70.
23cm Received signal reports on Beaconspot.co.uk showed best DX reported so far by G4DDK was 120km at Felixstowe and G8FIG in Rainham Essex, Also 73km by G4HTZ in Suffolk. Further measurements will give David info as to how weather and the Seasons affect signal propagation at UHF