No one would have believed, in the last years of the twentieth century that ...

Seriously, folks (and with apologies to H.G. Wells)! During the autumn of 1992 a bunch of lads - known at the time as the Flowerpotmen Contest Group - decided that an interesting technical challenge would be to provide a 6M (50 MHz) FM voice repeater in the UK. What seemed a relatively minor job turned into a full scale political debacle, and probably took a whole lot longer to accomplish than it needed to. I could write reams and reams of why, having first mooted the idea in 1992, here at the beginning of 1997 we still don't have 6M repeaters in the UK. But I won't ...

The scallywags who had been so bold to propose these devices included myself - G0RDI, Jim - G0JIM, Robin - G1DNY (now G0VJI), Derek - G1VIG and Peter - G4SVQ. Somehow (don't ask) I was strong-armed into agreeing that I would write the letters and generally handle the paperwork. Of course, at that time, I didn't appreciate that I was looking at the wrong end of four years worth of paperwork, but I digress.

One thing led to another and the Flowerpotmen Contest Group found that they had, over time, evolved into the Home Counties Contest Group. With that came the formal constitution, formal meetings, yet more paperwork. Still, we even managed to spend a bit of time counting sheep and playing with our radios. A little bird tells me that we won the Open Section of the 1996 VHF National Field Day Contest, too!

Inevitably along the way there were casualties and we lost the services of Derek, who got posted to a foreign land by his employer (he's back now, but far too busy to mess around with cissy things like amateur radio). And that in itself caused a problem, for Derek was our technical guru, and we didn't have anyone to replace him. Hey - hang on a minute! What's everyone looking at me for? Oh - I get it .... now I have all the paperwork to do and all the political antics to deal with and the repeater to build and maintain. I see!

Derek had left us with a working Motorola Compact repeater, converted to be on 51 MHz (a relatively trivial task, I am informed, since that's one of the bands those devices are designed to cover). Being left with the responsibility, I decided I wanted nothing to do with it, and made a present of it to another group who I felt would appreciate it (I wanted shot of it because a) I knew nothing about it, and (more importantly) b) we had no spares for it). But I bet I could convert those Low Band Philips F494's over there in the corner of the shack to work on 6M .... And I did. But guess what - I gave those away too (both of 'em!) I suppose I must just have enjoyed doing the conversions.

During our quest I have had a great time really (although there have been some pretty low spots, too), because I met and talked with a lot of folks that I wouldn't have otherwise had the opportunity to interact with. Some of them have been particularly helpful, and to them I am eternally grateful. Others were absolute pig-ignorant bastards; they know who they are, and they are not mentioned here! Of course, the fact that a particular person is not mentioned here in no way implies that I believe they fall into that category; only they would know that. If the cap fits, etc.

The people (in no particular order) who gave support, encouragement, sympathy, tea, and a whole lot of other things at times:-

Tony Horsman, G0MBA, who was a "new boy" on the Repeater Management Group when I started all this. Recently Tony resigned his post, having worked unselfishly for five years to help the many repeater keepers in his Zone, plus a few that weren't!

Peter Sheppard, G4EJP, who arrived and departed as President of the R.S.G.B. at various points in the proceedings. He still doesn't know when to buy a round, but we'll get there eventually.

Colin Dalziel, GM8LBC, who has done a good job of resolving technical questions raised at various times, prepared the submissions for all U.K. repeater applications to the R.A. and provided a particularly worthwhile web site so that RMC information can be widely disseminated in a timely fashion.

Fred Stewart, G0CSF, who brought some sanity into an absolutely crazy situation, and without whom I would most likely be behind bars!

Chris Goadby, G8HVV, who now has the uneviable task of dragging the behaviour and practices of the Repeater Management Committee screaming into the 19th century.

John Morris, GM4ANB, who had the courtesy to listen and the foresight to act when he could see what needed to be done.

Shirley Philipps, G0VRV, who has put up with my insane activities for a lot longer than this project has been under way.

R.A. staff who have listened sympathetically and offered constructive advice, including - but not limited to - Karen Scott, Denise Carter, John Allen and John Keeling

So here we are ... more determined than ever that we'll (one day, but who can say when?) have a 6M repeater!

Disclaimer: This page is the way it is. There's nothing you can do about it.

Design: Steve Jelly - G0WSJ
Input: Iain Philipps - G0RDI

Last updated:- 14 February, 1997