Welcome to MCBARG
Mid Cornwall Beacon and Repeater Group
Find us at GB3NC.org.uk and GB3MCB.org.uk
GB3MCB 144.469MHz Beacon upgrade
On 24th October 2024 a replacement 144MHz beacon was brought into service.
Based around an RF-zero exciter the beacon identifies both on JT65B and CW.
MCBARG Goes Solar!
On 19th March 2023 we received the word that the RSGB Legacy Fund had approved the funding or our "Sustainable Beacon Project".
After a huge amount of planning by Paul G6MNJ followed by intensive MCBARG volunteer site works, the Solar Array, Batteries and Inverter System were brought into service on 29th May.
- Capital costs were sponsored by the RSGB
- Installation costs were “sponsored” by our members
- Ongoing operation is now sponsored by our local Star – Sol!
MCBARG with three repeaters and nine beacons on site is now fully solar powered.
Don't forget to add a note with your callsign and any comments! We are very grateful for your contribution however small.
GB3MCB gains 3 new Beacons
On Sunday 25th September 2022 the Mid Cornwall Beacon and Repeater Group brought into service 3 new CW/FT8 Beacons at 28.215MHz, 40.050MHz and 60.300MHz, each using the callsign GB3MCB.
Located at IO70oj in mid-Cornwall on a 100ft tower at 1000ft above sea level, these beacons, constructed by Peter G8BCG, are ideally situated for trans-Atlantic Es/F2 and particularly for Trans Equatorial Propagation. The new beacons are co-located with existing beacons on 50MHz (as part of the Synchronous Beacon Project), 70MHz, 144MHz, 432MHz, 1296MHz and 10GHz.
GB3MCB is now, de-facto, the UKs premier beacon cluster.
The new low VHF cluster at 28/40/50/60/70Mhz will enable invaluable propagation monitoring and analysis as the MUF rises.
We are fortunate in that as we are a non profit organisation, run by volunteers and support Cornwall Search and Rescue and Air Training Corp with their radio comms. We therefore do not have to pay the commercial rates which for a company would exceed £7,000.
We do have a lot of outgoings to maintain our facility, the major one of which is electricity. To keep us going on air, maintaining the repeaters and beacons costs in excess of £1800.00 per year in electricity alone.
Replacement antennas and radio equipment designed for 24/7 * 365 is also quite expensive. So we are always on the look out to raise funds via subscriptions or donations.
We request £20.00 for full membership of the repeater Group with the right to vote at our Annual General Meeting and to stand for office and take the group forward. New ideas are always welcome along with the zest to get things moving. We will also accept funds of any amount as a Donation towards the running expenses of the group.
We will also accept the donation of goods for sale which we will attempt to sell and raise funds at the radio rallies we attend throughout the year. Many items will be advertised on this web site under the For Sale banner.
The Repeater site is located in the china clay Area of St Austell knows as Hensbarrow Downs. Our height above sea level is 1000 feet and our Mast 100 feet. The locator is IO 70 OJ.
Our 9 Beacons give out their call sign GB3MCB whilst the Repeaters are GB3NC for 2 metres - GB3HB for 70cm and GB3NQ our Fast Scan Television Repeater.