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day until 20 assorted amateurs took over for
a very pleasant afternoon of chat, gossip and
looking back on a very busy year of radio!
Around 30 members and visitors attended
the December Christmas social laid on by
South Essex ARS
. The evening featured
several items of show-and-tell brought
along by members, a scrolling display of
videos from recent field days and activities,
plus a good selection of festive nibbles.
Thurrock Acorns ARC
ran a 2m activity
afternoon in November. The was to contact
amateur radio stations in the East/South
of England on the 2m band. The main
station was located at the home of Stella
in Chadwell St Mary. Between 1300 and
1700UTC other TAARC members visited to
help man the station and it was in constant
operation. During the afternoon 50 different
amateurs including Loren, aged 10, in Kent
were contacted. The club hopes to repeat
the activity early in 2016.
Cadets from the 106 (Orsett Hundred)
Squadron Air Training Corps spent time at
their HQ looking at the Foundation licence
requirements. Over two days they looked
at technical basics, transmitters, receivers
and antennas and how to make and receive
a voice message over the airwaves. Two
cadets, Williams and Hance, took the exam
and passed. While the cadets were sitting
their exam their Commanding officer Flight
Lieutenant Darren Attersley was leading by
example. He passed the Intermediate exam.
The event was support by members of the
Thurrock Acorns ARC training section.
There was a surprise in store for John
Mulye, G0VEH at the final meeting of the
year of
Loughton & Epping Forest ARS.
For his work as Chairman (1998-2015),
his ongoing role as leading Foundation
course instructor and keeper of the club
historical radio collection, he was awarded
an honorary lifetime membership. He was
given the award by the new chairman,
Richard, G4DDP. John still runs the clubs
Portable Group that promotes mobile and
portable operations. John also heads the
operating team for the clubs permanent
NoV station at the Royal Gunpowder Mills
in Waltham Abbey.
Harlow & DARS
will now be open on a
Tuesday night from 8pm onwards as well as
the normal Friday nights. The first Tuesday
had 10 in attendance. The benefits of being
open twice a week is a great step towards
making the hobby accessible to everyone
and is an opportunity for new amateurs to
get some practice with the key with support
of experienced members.
Around Your Region
radcom@rsgb.org.ukDengie Hundred ARS enjoyed
talks on Portable Appliance
Testing and ESD (electrostatic
discharge) from Maurice,
G6AHD. Merely pulling off a
length of transparent sticky
tape from its reel can produce
charges with voltages of around
12kV – if this charge is allowed
to discharge via CMOS and FET
circuitry it may cause damage,
which only becomes apparent
later.
Chelmsford ARS collaborated with Waters & Stanton to run an
Intermediate practicals session in November. Two candidates were
from South East London; three were from Waters & Stanton, having
previously passed their Foundation at the Thames ARG and two
had taken the CARS Foundation course. Peter, M0PSD, Christopher,
G0IPU and Carl, G3PEM were on hand to take the students through
the practicalities. Some of the candidates subsequently took their
Intermediate written exam at Danbury in a combined session with
Foundation and Advanced candidates on 7 December.
Norfolk Coast ARS spent a day evaluating the performance of a five band Hustler vertical antenna
that had recently been donated to the club. It was erected at the club station and hourly CW test
transmissions were made on 7, 14 and 21MHz and the feedback from the Reverse Beacon Network
was monitored. Hourly transmissions were also made using the club’s dipoles. Further transmissions
were made from the QTH of a number of club members, so that their own antennas could be included
in the exercise. The results, which were evaluated using the Spot Analysis Tool of the RBN, proved
to be very interesting. Eduardo, M0KEK can be seen showing Alan, 2E0DMI where to find the next
satellite.
Norfolk ARC
held its annual 2-day Morse
bootcamp at the home of Roger, G3LDI. A
total of 17 radio amateurs took part, with two
only able to make one of the days. The tutors
were Roger, G3LDI, Malcolm, G3PDH and
Peter, M0RYB who taught in three different
rooms for three different ability levels. The
group included one YL – Karen – who is not
even licensed yet, but who is becoming very
proficient at CW. Marshall, M6DXL also made
the journey from Littleport in Cambridgeshire
and is already at around 20-23wpm and
typing directly onto his computer keyboard.
There was plenty of cake, sausage rolls,
apple strudel, apple crumble, biscuits and
sweets – plus lots of dits and dahs!
At a recent meeting
Braintree & DARS
discussed ideas for the Construction Contest.
Neville, G8CDG gave a presentation of
some kits from the QRP Club, including
transmitters, receivers and an ATU. Club
members will start with the 40m Tx then
the Rx and so on, each developing it in their
own way with progress workshops at regular
intervals.
February 2016
89
region 13: east midlands
Lincoln Short Wave Club members
enjoying their Christmas dinner held in
early December.