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Barry, SA7GDB is a long-term member of the MSARS 15m lunchtime net, and has recently sold his farm and moved to a smaller (relatively) premises with two large old timber barns.
After many struggles, he has now completed the re-installation of his Hexbeam, in the hope of resuming the 9+15 reports he regularly received from us here each lunchtime.
Putting up such a beast doesn't come without it's challenges as you can imagine, and other than the cherry-picker required to mount the thing in the first place, Barry has strategically placed a couple of small rocks 😲 to anchor the necessary guy wires, thus ensuring that the antenna stays put for the foreseeable future.
I think you'll agree that over-engineering in this regard is never a bad idea!
Barry does seem pretty happy with its initial performance, as you can tell from his slightly cheeky email to Ken:
Well. It’s up in the air at 46 feet, see photos. Spoke to a dejected Dave yesterday, who told me to take it down again 😊 said my signals were peaking at 15 over 9.
Haven’t received the bill yet, but its up now. Also, I could snatch a few spoken words with Bob in New Jersey on sideband and his CW was STRONG at 5/9++ 😊.
I could 'just about' hear Phil, walking around in the street /PD (pedestrian mobile!)
An Italian station called in to the net and I seem to be the only one who could hear him in Europe. I asked the boys - Dick, Gavin and Chris? But no. Dave could and did, say hello to him though 😊
Hope to have a 'direct-radio-net-contact' with you soon Ken.
Many thanks to Barry for sending over the photos. I was receiving Barry at 20 over 9 on Tuesday's net, before dropping back to zero, but it's certainly working in between the waves of poor propagation.
Berni M0XYF
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From this month's RSGB magazines/newsletters...
Routine availability of paper exams to end on 31 December 2024
Currently 97% of amateur radio licence examinations are taken online using the TestReach platform, either at home under remote supervision or in a club setting. Following the implementation of Syllabus v1.6 on 1 September 2024, the new examination question bank will only be maintained online. Generating paper exams will involve significant additional work for the RSGB Examinations Department, with the associated costs. Therefore, from 29 November 2024, we will stop taking routine bookings for paper exams.
Dates to remember:
•   Paper exams will continue until 13 December 2024
•   The final date to book a paper exam to take place in December 2024 will be 29 November
•   From 1 January 2025, paper exams will no longer be available except in approved cases of special educational needs
How would I apply for a paper exam?
The process for applying for a paper examination on the grounds of special educational needs will be the same as currently used for special requirements in exams, such as extra time and readers etc. It should be noted that many special requirements, e.g. font face and background colour, can be met using the TestReach platform.
Any other reasons for wanting paper exams should be put in writing (by email) to the Examinations Department via
What do I do if I’ve already planned to take a paper exam?
If you are a Club Examinations Secretary and have advanced plans for paper exams in the period up to 13 December 2024, e.g. candidates primed and exam room booked, please ensure your booking is received by the RSGB Exams Department on or before 29 November 2024.
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Alex M0TOT is selling a Yaesu FT-817, as below. Please contact the webmaster here:- https://midsussexars.org.uk/register, and I will pass on your interest.
Yaesu FT-817 Radio
includes:
- Collins Yaesu C.W. Mechanical Filter, XF-115C, 500Hz
- SOTABEAMS Yaesu FT-817 Filter Module
- Mylar Speaker
- User Manual
- rtSystems, Version 5 Software and C.A.T. Cable
Weight 2.30 kg.
Sale price £450.00
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Another chance to watch the rather interesting talk given to the Society back at the end of July by Geoff Budden G3WZP.
Maybe you didn't see it first time around? Well, no matter. Here it is on YouTube for all to enjoy. Why not give our video/channel a 'like and a subscribe'. You know how it goes... 😊
Find the link on our Videos page: https://midsussexars.org.uk/videos
Berni M0XYF
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- Written by: Chris G4ZCS
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September started off quite well for me, with two contacts with St’ Paul Island (CY9C) off the Canadian coast. The first week brought in W0IL (OIL) from South Dakota, and Bob from the battleship New Jersey (NJ2BB). Thanks Bob for calling in to the lunch-time net. It was my first contact with the NJ and the propagation held for over half an hour. Bob was using the ship’s radio room and a floating 6,000 ton ground-plane!
In the middle of the month was the annual celebration of Route 66 across the USA. This time there were 23 stations on the air, but I could only get through to three of them. Better luck next year.
This time of year brings in the African stations. I started to get a couple, and with them I managed to hit my next target of 195 for the year. On the 19th I was monitoring 15m FT8 and heard what can only be described as a 'Didgeridoo' sound. It was an African island that I needed, working at the very lowest end of the audio band using 'Fox & Hounds' sub-mode of FT8. That evening a low-level signal popped up, so I worked him. After getting the '73' I checked his location, only to find he was on Midway Atoll, a very rare one for me to hear and another 'ATNO' for the logbook. Now all I need to do is get confirmation; however, I’m not holding my breath! A few days later I managed another African - Zambia, and Guernsey. Not DX, but not easy on 15m.
As I have mentioned before, when things get quiet, I leave the FT8 program running in CQ mode. This brought some great surprises. I was called by a YB7 for another rare Oceania Island, and FK8 for New Caledonia - another ATNO. Sometimes FT8 can be a bit boring but still needs watching carefully. One evening I saw a Z81 appear, and thinking it was Macedonia I jumped in and got the contact first time. It was only when I was filling in the log that I realised that it was South Sudan! I kept an eye on his activity, and he worked for over 3 hours without the need to call CQ again!
With the equinoctial change in propagation, Barry SA7GDB has returned to the lunch time net. On the other hand, the wet weather has kept me in, so I have managed to get the LOTW loaded on my new(ish) computer. A quick update and some housekeeping bought loads of confirmations for DXCC and my IOTA score. While sorting my QSL cards I found this little bit of rare history. A card from Monk Apollo, now silent key.
As I write this the centenary activation has started with GB2NZ, I got him on day 1, and am now waiting for the other stations!
More next month (I hope)
Cheers
Chris, G4ZCS