VU2CHN Cochin Amateur Radio Repeater

Hello All,

VU2CHN Cochin repeater is an active repeater for HAM radio enthusiast in and around Ernakulam district. The repeater frequency is 145.600 , -ve shift with enabled digital squelch to avoid local QRM. The digital squelch code is D023N. Set this Transmit squelch and you can trigger the repeater.

Daily evening net (Cochin Metro Evening Net)  is conducted between 8.30 and 8.45 IST. One echo link node is also operational during this time (VU3IPL-L) , but with limited connections.

Do check in during the Net times and welcomes all for rag-chewing :-)

73's
DE VU3KNB

GSM Mobile booster

I had coverage problem after shifting to my new house.  Opted for MNP ( Mobile Number Portability) but no use. Was googling for few options to increase the signal strength and came to know about GSM signal boosters. 

Checked in flipkart , ebay etc. They have few sellers with GSM boosters , but the price is too much :-( 

Finally landed in Aliexpress.com , they have plenty of GSM boosters with somewhat nominal price range. After doing lot of analysis and research , ordered for one GSM booster on April 23 , 2014 paying $36.50

At last wait is over and postman delivered item on May 12th with a customs duty of Rs.260/-.   

The parcel consists of :

1) Repeater device
2) 5V 1 A  , AC to DC Power adapter
3) Internal rubber ducky antenna
4) External stock antenna
5) 10 meter high quality co-axial cable to connect external antenna to the repeater unit

External antenna should be placed outside where we have good coverage , and the co-axial cable should be connected to the repeater. This repeater should be placed in a good location inside the house so as all the mobile phones can catch signal from the internal rubber ducky antenna.


                                     Figure : Showing Indoor antenna and power supply point

                                     Figure : Showing outdoor antenna point                                                                  

                                                      Figure : The complete setup

Figure : External antenna and power supply

Did one round of testing with this temporary setup and the result was amazing. Before switching on the repeater , mobile was showing only 2 signal bars and after the device switched on , mobile started showing full signal bars. 

I will keep on testing this and update in this blog.