Any reason why UK radio amateurs need to use 433MHz repeaters?

[electrotor]

I took the test around 1979-80 when I was 16 for a 'G8' callsign. Then you were limitied to the amateur bands above 30Mhz (4m, 2m, 70cm etc). To use HF you needed to also pass a 12 wpm morse test. I assume its a bit different now ?

I took my test in 1971 for a GM8 callsign (M=Scotland) but never mastered morse code enough to sit the test for an A licence. I could never quite see the point even then if you only intended to use voice comms. It seemed a bit like learning to ski in order to get a driving licence. However you really did need a grounding and understanding of electronics because ready made gear was so expensive that many people made their own - a bit like aeromodelling used to be before the rise of cheap ARTFs.

[Zeeflyboy]

No disrespect to Zeeflyboy and his project, but perhaps IRC should be looking after a bigger section of the market rather than doing one off tailored firmware?

A) it's not a one off tailored firmware, the 16ch firmware will be for general release once Anthony gets back from china and has some time to incorporate it into a new build. I merely pushed them into expanding its abilities.

B) not sure I see any relevance? They already cater for the UK with the UK legal option. If you want a non UK legal option with high power you already have that too - just don't use the UK firmware. The only thing you can't do is use 459mhz with 500mw, but as mentioned that's illegal anyway so you may as well take as a take advantage of extreme hopping. As far as IMRC is concerned there is no logical argument for a 500mw 459mhz, so they haven't catered for it. Whether or not I managed to convince them to make a 16ch system has no bearing on the matter, so I'm a bit bewildered by your inference.

If you feel there is a need for 459mhz 500mw then make your argument to IMRC... If you are convincing enough and the hardware is capable then perhaps you'll get your wish.

For what it's worth, operating on extreme hopping is in my opinion the way you are least likely to annoy anyone AND ensure you have a robust link. On any given frequency there is no more than a momentary blip as the system hops through, most of the time it would probably pass unnoticed.

[DaveyLC]

Lets be realistic Ofcom are only ever going to get involved if you are causing a problem, if you actually listen really carefully in the middle of the specific band you've selected every few seconds you'll hear a tiny little click.. I doubt anyone would even notice, so I've no idea why someone would want to use 459 and then bump up the power? As ZeeFlyBoy says you either want to be legal or not, you cant be "half-legal" it doesn't work like that :D