I may have just helped with that. A digipeater is now running from G/LD-025…would expect it to reach into Lancashire.
Photo taken when setting off…
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one on Black Coombe would be really useful too IMO! would give awesome coverage down the Fylde/Lune coast! but yes, ill hopefully score a few hits onto seatallan 
well done buddy
Alan
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I would also like to know this
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I would like to know more about the hardware used for low power. I see heltec V3 mentioned and then RAK units.
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I appreciate the digipeaters on top of hills are fun and a good technical challenges. However, does this reflector want to be promoting (especially in places where other people visit in national parks) this and how does it align with the SOTA rules (code of conduct):
Care must also be taken to avoid leaving litter. It is both unsightly and potentially hazardous to livestock and wildlife. Where fire hazards exist, activators must be vigilant to avoid causing fires.
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I personally see no issue with it, providing the equipment is fairly discreet, and clearly marked. and the owner is prepared to do what is neccesarry in the event of something happening (swift removal of equipment etc). there are also licencing requirements surrounding unattended beacons etc so provided these are adhered too aswell, I honestly dont see an issue personally. however some people may have a different opinion! haha
Alan
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sadly very much sheilded to Walney, but im heading up to seascale this afternoon, so hopefully ping something then!
Alan
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No new invention, just showing off what I built.
A few weeks ago, I ordered the HELTEC Wireless Tracker, mentioned in some posts above. This week it arrived and I couldn’t wait to get it going, using Ricardo’s @CA2RXU firmware.
I don’t have a 3D printer, so had to make a box myself. I found a small plastic pill box, and made an inner “chassis” from pieces of PCB to hold it all toghether. The battery is an 1800 mAh Li-Ion cell from a laptop battery.
Here some pics.
The inner works (before I added the two buttons):
Finished box with labels:
Instructions on the back:
When in use, you can follow it’s position on aprs.fi as ON7DQ-7, -6 or -9
(just ON7DQ is the TM-D700 in my car)
73,
Luc ON7DQ
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Great job Luc, looks good.
Geoff vk3sq
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Seems to be working okay.
I put a fresh set of batteries in the unit on my way down from the summit this morning, and unfortunately a crimp failed on one of the JST connectors. I’ve bodged it together, but its on borrowed time…will try to get up next week to effect a more permanent repair.
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yes, it tracked me well… couldnt see me in Millom, but suprisingly had me in seascale at the ice cream shop! well done buddy, thats brilliant!
Alan
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I will expand a little on my post earlier today.
The number of people enjoying the outdoors seems to have grown exponentially in the last 5 years. To a point, this is a very much a good thing. However, it leads to ever increasing tension with land owners; parking problems, people leaving litter, abandoned tents, fires etc. That tension could easily have a knock on effect into SOTA. Indeed, we see it does with some summits. However, we can easily say “don’t worry, I’m only here for an hour and I’ll leave no trace” when on open access land. I would argue that SOTA should be very much aligned to promoting leave no trace.
If we look at examples of geocaching, people leaving trail cameras in woods, there are plenty of examples of individuals leaving things unattended, likely without land owner permission. Indeed, leaving RF gear on top of hills (with land owner permission) has been going on for a very long time. However, if more and more pop-up digipeaters get installed on hill tops, especially on National Trust land (the owner of G/LD-025) and it becomes associated with SOTA (e.g. someone google searches the call sign or image searches the mysterious box and either brings them to this forum), does it then have a knock on effect for SOTA rather than just for individuals? As has been stated earlier, land owners tend to default to not liking things like this. Does the SOTA reflector want to be seen to be promoting something not in the spirit of leave no trace?
This concludes that SOTA was probably not the problem, but a walker seemingly sent a letter of complaint to the RSGB. However, it is a good example of people (perhaps incorrectly) associating one thing with another.
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You are of course correct, that we should not be littering the hills with radio paraphernalia. The point you raise is one I have been bothering about myself I am fastidious about leaving no trace when wild camping. I hate to see even the smallest bit of litter on the fells
I would not want to find similar setups on lots of summits, and I not 100% supportive of my own setup, even though its now in place.
The chosen location is very low impact, somewhat hidden. Indeed, is lower in impact than a couple of small rainfall monitoring stations that are located in the western fells, such as the one at Scoat Tarn.
The setup is entirely temporary…no drilling into rocks or similar, and easy to be removed by anyone who has a dislike of it.
The current setup is an experiment that will be regularly visited, and promptly removed before falling into disrepair. I visit this particular hill frequently for overnight camping.
Ultimately, our very use of the hills has an impact,. Similarly, the placement of cairns, stretcher boxes, walls, fences, summit shelters, old iron fence posts, and various old workings plus intensive grazing, mean that many Lakeland hills are far from the pristine natural environment. By following the above setup principles i have kept the installation within the “noise”, so to speak.
I suspect my regular summit top camps would also be refused permission by NT if I asked them. Wild Camping, even when observing “leave no trace” can have a significant impact.
If the opinions on this site felt strongly that the installation should be removed. It would be gone within a week or two at most.
I should add also, my long term plan is to install a unit on a disused road sign at elevation…and will then remove the one on g/ld-025
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Looks great! Well done!
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Made a ‘thing’ this evening was meant to have a Heltec v3 but that turned out to be duff so need to return and purchase a new one.
Not sure how long the battery will last it is old but for some quick range testing should be fine.
Not as flash as some of yours but it is a start
Just need it to stop raining now!
edit: should have said it is an iGate running the GitHub - richonguzman/LoRa_APRS_iGate: LoRa APRS iGATE for ESP32 Based Board with Rx + Tx capabilities firmware the plan is to deploy it on the roof of the motorhome when away to provide coverage for the area but mainly to experiment with
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That SMA through a plastic box with a big antenna on it looks like a weak point to me. What was up with the Heltec board?
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100% agree v2 will have a chassis mount type n connection.
The heltec well lets just say i hate ipx connections
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Looks like it lasted around 16hrs before the battery dead which for an old 2700mah battery I am OK with.
is there anything on this screen I should consider changing?
Internal sleep Voltage - what does this do?
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Wait for the new firmware then it last 4 days
73
Julian
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You should enable the internal sleep function to stop the board over discharging your battery. The plot shows it was probably over discharged and may be damaged. 3 Volts is probably the right level depending on your battery chemistry.
I would also set the RF beacon to once an hour.
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