There are also three other repeaters in Tampere. OH3NE, the largest radio amateur club around, with close to 150 members, operated the OH3RNE repeaters in the Näsinneula observation tower on 2 m, 70 cm and 23 cm. The antennas were on a platform on the restaurant roof and the repeaters are in the ventilation room just below. We have a picture of the upper part of the tower with the antennas and some members of the OH3RNE crew standing on the platform. Our antennas are the ones on the left, two stacked dipoles for 2 m and two stacked dipoles each for 70 cm RX and TX, all on the same mast. This picture was taken some time in the late 1990's by OH3NJC with a telephoto lens from a nearby railroad bridge.
A new 70 cm repeater (OH3RUX, channel RU392, 434.900 out / 433.300 in) is operational about 15 km east of a small town of Virrat, about 80 km north of Tampere. It has a 4-bay stacked dipole installed on top of a 120 m high cellular tower, 305 m asl, with a 7/8" hardline feeder. The radio is a 50-watt Nokia BD58 with a Wacom BpBr duplexer The repeater was installed in April 2003. The mobile coverage is 50-60 kms from the site with some patchy coverage up to distance of 90 kms.
The FICORA, a group of valiant ladies and gentlemen whose task it is to ensure equivalent protection to all users of radio spectrum in Finland, has kindly allocated new BC FM transmitters on 90.0 MHz, 91.6 MHz and 92.2 MHz in Näsinneula. Use e.g. RFS to calculate the compliance of the choice of frequencies with the professional standards.
Due to massive interference from the broadcasters the 2 m and 70 cm repeaters were closed down from mid-February 2000.
After a visit by a couple of TAC officers, the representatives of the landlord removed some 'rusty bolts'. The repeaters were returned on the air on July 17th, 2000. The problems still exist but we have managed to get the repeaters at least partly operational, albeit with reduced power and sensitivity.
In due time the interference situation proved to be untolerable and it was decided to build a split-site 2 m repeater and move the 70 cm repeater in a temporary location.
The 23 cm repeater/beacon has been returned in operation on October 30th, 2004.
After the construction work in Näsinneula we had been planning to get it operational again since the summer of 1998, but at the time there seemed to be general lack of interest in mostly everything, especially in manufacturing mechanical parts for heavy-duty antennas. We took care of the interference problems in the 2 m and 70 cm repeaters first and finally installed a new antenna with new feeders. The club wants to thank especially Ilkka (OH3GMZ), Toni (OH3HWX) and Toni's father Reijo for the hard work in acquiring the needed parts and pieces and putting the system together again.
When the repeater is not used in speech transmission, the transmitter changes to beacon mode on 1296.975 MHz with FSK CW modulation.
The following developments are processing, but rather slowly, as it has to be up here in the cold environment:
We are testing the current split-site 2 m repeater with multiple receivers and a S/N voter designed by OH3GDO. When the project is complete, we will have eight receivers around town and the transmitter back in Näsinneula.
The next project after the new 2 m repeater is completed will be a new 70 cm repeater. The current one has been in service since about 1990, and the radio had already seen its share of Swedish country roads when we acquired it. We already have a Nokia BD58 UHF base station waiting for the necessary modifications.
There have also been talks about linking the 23 cm repeater with the OH3RTR 70 cm and 6 m repeaters in the southern suburb of Hervanta.
If you want to know more about the Finnish repeaters, see the official list of repeaters in Finland on the SRAL home pages.
