News
- Details
- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
- Hits: 28
Today we receive the sad news that former member Bob Clinton G0BUX has gone SK.
He was a member of Mid Sussex ARS for many years and was an active member of RAYNET before going back to his native USA.
He later returned to Mayfield in the UK where he joined Southdown ARS.
You can read a lovely tribute to Bob on the RSGB blog here: https://rsgb.org/main/blog/news/silent-keys/2025/08/21/bob-clinton-g0bux
- Details
- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
- Hits: 51
A copy of my presentation from last Friday (12th September 2025) has been uploaded to the members section should you be interested.
- Details
- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
- Hits: 105
Just a quick heads-up for everybody...
This is NOT an official MSARS event, so the usual caveats apply regarding insurance etc. (i.e. there won't be any) but I will be operating a ROTA station from Beech Hurst Gardens to celebrate the Beech Hurst Miniature Railway in Haywards Heath on Sunday 28th September. Sadly, this year the railway will not be running that weekend (unlike last year) but at least the car park will be less busy!
Here is what AI thinks is an acceptable response to my repeated prompting to generate an image for this post. I gave up in the end, but still think it's amusing. The junior engine-driver is not real by the way, before anyone comes at me with the ridiculous Online Safety Act.
Not sure where I'll be set up exactly, but if the weather is fair, then probably on the bench in the top corner of the big activities field, however if it's raining cats & dogs, I may try and claim squatters rights over the white wooden shelter by the tennis courts.
If you fancy joining me in person or on-air, then you are more than welcome. I'll be using the SES callsign GB0BHR. I'll probably camp-out on or about the stated event frequencies of 7.15MHz and 14.25MHz. Of course I'll probably have a play on 7.074 and 14.074 too, especially if the bands are dead.
I won't be seriously trying to fill up the logbook, but I'll be having a bit of fun from 11:00am 'till 3:00pm (there is a four-hour parking restriction unfortunately).
See all the registered stations here: https://rota.barac.org.uk/stations/year/2025
More information on the railway itself here: https://www.beechhurst-railway.org.uk/
Berni M0XYF
- Details
- Written by: Chris G4ZCS
- Category: News
- Hits: 48
First, an important note. My computer has been seriously hacked, with many programs inoperable.
However some still work using a different e-mail address to try some recovery.
If you try the “Tiscali” address you might pick up a virus or worse, so please don't use it till its fixed.
So radio,a quiet month as expected with only two new ones for the year. The annual island activation season has been quite good with 9 different ones worked. The late summer openings around the evening grey line have given me loads of new grid squares in south America. I think the tastiest contact was with CX8FB in Fray Bentos, where the pies come from!
The paths to the USA are coming back, with 20 counties in 13 states this month, and, a few new rare grid squares.
Now I'm looking forward to the equinox propagation and hopefully a few new DX's to achieve 200 for the year.
Cheers & 73
Chris, G4ZCS
- Details
- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
- Hits: 75
What other kind of holiday fun is there?
A few snaps I thought I'd share with you. No moaning at the back please.
My marriage took a beating, as apparently spending an hour 'playing radio' is an eternity, when what you really want to do is go exploring on the beach. Still, it's all about compromise, I keep reminding her.
I managed a few activations whilst away, but failed to activate Happisburgh Cliffs (below), as the actual SSSI was closed-off due to a huge cliff collapse.
GB-0604 Happisburgh Cliffs (above).
GB-1267 Peddars Way is part of the North Norfolk Coast National Trail. This spot is near West Runton. It was very hot, with no shade. Just get the job done and retire to the beach cafe...
The beautiful GB-0256 Blakeney Point. Excellent Cod & Chips at the Kings Arms. Uncomfortable activation though, as a couple of 'old people' decided that they needed the adjacent bench more than I did. Numb-bum syndrome for a few hours afterwards, but I don't care - Blakeney Point is a 3-fer with GB-1267 Peddars Way AND it's within GB-0155 Norfolk Coast National Landscape. Nice.
For some of these 2-fers and 3-fers, you really have to plan your exact spot. You must be completely within the boundary of each entity you're activating - and so does all of your equipment. There is 30m of leeway when it comes to paths and trails, as we wouldn't want to inconvenience the general public by camping out in the middle of a footpath. Hunters love a multiple as much as activators, especially if they're also in a park.
Activating GB-0263 Norfolk Broads wasn't as easy as it sounds, with access to suitable locations near the water relatively few and far between. I even had to pay for car parking, and I don't do that very often!
Meanwhile, back in Sussex...
GB-4591 Farlington Marshes was a mixed bag. Great views, but with the busy main road located just behind the car park. I could have taken a walk, but I was on a time limit. On the upside, it also counts as a '2-fer' (a free double-activation) as it's also within GB-0022 Langstone Harbour Conservation Reserve. Yay!
If you activate here, look out for Stuart M0TTQ. He's regularly operating using a 12m Spiderpole a little way around the bay and has over 300 activations at this park.
Above is GB-0308 Chichester Harbour. I actually thought this was Langstone Harbour when I activated this spot, so I had to go back the next day to activate the real Langstone Harbour! Hardly a heartbreak though.
And finally, Bosham Quay at GB-0308. Stunning place, and I can wholly recommend a trip to the various towns and villages around Chichester Harbour in general, with the highlight probably being Emsworth. You just have to deal with the terrible A27 to get there from Mid Sussex :(
At Bosham, you can actually park for free (nothing more rewarding) on the foreshore. No radials required with all that salt water as a ground-plane.
Quick setup and takedown, but beware...
30 minutes after this photo was taken, my parking space looked very different!
Right, that's enough of my boring holiday photos. Enjoy your radio, whichever discipline you choose to take up.
73
Berni M0XYF
