News
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- Written by: Chris G4ZCS
- Category: News
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During storm Goretti I was working 5 Meg when I noticed some strong lightning interference. I checked my weather map and found an intense snow storm over South Wales. I kept an ear open for this for a while and it faded after about a quarter of an hour. Strange!
Checking the web I noted a phenomenon called snow thunder. This is caused when the ice laden moisture in the air produces the lightning discharges we usually associate with lots of rain and huge cumulonimbus clouds.
I took the opportunity to do a system check and as it had not been raining for a day or so I decided to go out and check the antennas in the garden. I found some Fir tree branches wrapped round the dipole, so a quick prune with my long handled trimmer and I'm back in business again.
On the nineteenth the radio system started to play up, again. The SWR was moving all over the shop and the tuner was making a funny noise.
I stopped transmitting and a couple of minutes later I smelt something hot. Close inspection found the ATU was very hot! I went out to the shed and got a screwdriver and proceeded to open the beastie up. I wish I hadn't as it filled the room with acrid smoke. Inside was a disaster zone - burnt PCB, capacitors and relays, all gone up in smoke.
That stopped operations for a week or so. By chance that Friday was the evening of the sale of Gavin's shack contents at the club. I managed to get permission from the domestic manager to go out for a couple of hours, and looking on the sale bench was an MFJ ATU, just what I wanted! Luckily I was the only bidder so it is now cleaned & tested and working in the shack. I am sure that it is the one that Gavin outbid me on at a junk sale, so I am pleased that it is now in my shack.
By coincidence that week was the one of great upheaval on the Solar front with auroras down south again and with most of the bands blanked out.
My activities are a little limited to late afternoons and early evenings so the DXCC count is a bit low this month, however some good DX was had.
On the first I bagged Paraguay and a couple of minutes later N6WT in California, both on 15m.
I got Vietnam on the fifth (on 60m), on the sixth the Philippines. The ninth produced N7WET in Arizona and 9Y4C on Trinidad. I managed Aruba on 15m followed by VK8DNT, the fourteenth saw Rhode Island in the bag followed by Curacao. Because of the failed tuner there was a short break and during the testing phase I bagged a load of Russians and Brazil (just like the old days) There followed a session of WWA stations, 65 in all and I got an award! On the last day of the month I was working CW for a change and managed Gilbert ZD7BG on St Helina Isl.
So the month finished with 347 contacts and 79 DXCCs 53 of which were on 60m.
Better luck in February?
Cheers & Good DX,
Chris, G4ZCS
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
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A quick roundup of snippets and one-liners I've been mentally dragging around with me this week that you may (or may not...) find interesting.
Firstly, I've just received the committee meeting minutes for the last two meets in 2025 (September and November) which I have posted to the members section. Go on, you know you want to.
Next, Bob N4XAT passed on to me a link to a Pennine Ham video (on a DXpedition to Penyeta del Moro) where he and Ken were 'caught' chatting - which was a good spot on his part. Link here: https://www.youtube.com/live/IP-2A8wLCks?si=bsxE1dnr90-_GUmi&t=12
Bob's doing OK by the way, given the freezing conditions in his part of the world. He reports that 'It has been extremely cold here. This morning at 8:00am local, the temperature was minus 15C or 5F'. And we thought we had it rough.
What's next. Oh yeah - for those of you that didn't make it to last Friday's club night, Gavin's SK sale went really well, with lots of people in attendance and it was a very respectful 'do'. In total it raised £870-odd and 10% did go to the club from the estate, which was nice. The rest of the gear will go onto Worthing if you want to get down there and have a rummage.
Video of the week for me was easy to select. It's this: W4USA Shack Tour 2026. Absolutely nuts. If you ever get the feeling that your friends or family think you have too much radio 'stuff', then reset their expectations by having a night in watching this together. I'm a gadget guy, but this is off-the-scale fruit-loopery. The only thing missing is a cat flap.
And finally, back in the safety of the artificial world, anyone interested in what reality will look like in a few short years from now would do well to watch two of the architects of that future here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3u_FAv33G0 and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqVbypvxDto
You have to keep in mind that these fellas ARE Google Deepmind, but get ready nonetheless. The industrial revolution in the rear view mirror has got nothing on what's in the front-facing Lidar sensor.
"Information being the most fundamental unit of the universe, not energy, not matter, but information." Demis Hassabis
Berni M0XYF.
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
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It's a way off yet (Friday 17th July 2026), so you'll get reminded nearer the time, but here's a glimpse of last years event from Stella:
Skittles Evening 2025
We had a fantastic turn out for our Skittles and Pizza evening last year. Great evening with the sun shining (seems a far and distant past).
There were 17 of us in total. There is always someone missing from the photographs taken of such a large group.
We had an evening of beer, skittles and pizza. Followed by some of us having the great desserts on offer.
This is always a social evening.
Venue - The Bull Inn, Mockbridge, Henfield. BN5 9AD.
Time - From 7pm to close at 9.30pm
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
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Following the sad departure of Gavin late last year, Phil G4UDU was asked by the family to help out with the, let's call it 're-distribution', of his collection of radio-related equipment.
Let's face it, anyone who's been in the hobby for a few years will understand that much of the radio equipment we collectively own will potentially outlast us, and so it is somewhat reassuring to know that our friends and colleagues will continue to enjoy using and benefiting from the 'stuff' we leave behind.
Phil has spent a significant amount of time going through, clearing and selling-on the (literally) shed-loads of equipment from Gavin's shack, and will be bringing an assortment to the MSARS club meeting on the 23rd January at Cyprus Hall.
All of it is for sale, but make no mistake - this is not a 'junk sale', nor is it a 'bring and buy sale'. There will be no commission payable to to the club, and all the money will go directly back to the family. Anyone who knew Gavin will know that he appreciated quality kit, so you can imagine that there are some desirable items available.
His equipment is intentionally being offered to MSARS club members before anyone else. What isn't sold on the night will subsequently be offered to members of the Worthing club, of which Gavin was also a member.
Equipment prices to be agreed on the night, and will be 'fair'. If you would like to walk away with anything offered, you should speak directly with Phil on the night.
Regards,
Berni M0XYF
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
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One of our latest members, Tony M0WND has been out on the road with the G5RV callsign, and having a lot of fun by the sound of it.
This is what Tony had to say:
Attached is a pic from yesterday, I won’t lie, I sat in the car as the wind was biting!I think though whilst I do have a G5RV (half size) I should look at taking that with me on a POTA outing when using the call as it’s only right! I used a JNC MC-750 which I have to say is an excellent portable antenna and deploys in less than 2mins. It tunes nicely thanks to it's band guide markers on the telescopic whip minimising any fine tuning, usually <1.5:1
Tony made 70 SSB contacts, and logged them as three POTA activations. You can see which parks G5RV has been used at on the Parks On The Air website here: https://pota.app/#/profile/G5RV
If you fancy giving Louis' callsign a celebratory airing either from home, out at a park or wherever, then drop Phil G4UDU a note and agree a date to put the famous callsign back on the air. You can check to see which dates you can expect to hear it in use on our special G5RV calendar at the bottom of the main MSARS calendar page.
Not a member, but still want to spend the day in Louis Varney's virtual shack? Simply join MSARS today... :)
