News
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
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John Portune W6NBC gives a talk to MSARS members on building and using a simple and effective RF detector.
He also offers advice on how to resolve issues of common mode current with chokes.
Many thanks to John for sharing his experience and knowledge. Whilst there may not have been many members in attendance on the evening, many more will undoubtedly benefit from watching the video now uploaded to YouTube.
Find a link on our Videos page.
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- Written by: Chris G4ZCS
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I managed to get along to the Autumn 'Junk Sale' of previously loved equipment. It was great to meet up with many of the club members and friends. In one box of bits, I saw lurking a bit of mechanical wizardry, the drive assembly from an Edison wax cylinder recorder/player. This came from one of the many models made around 1886. Now that’s junk?
On the 6th I finally made my target of 200 DXCCs in a year. This one was an island off Brazil - not too rare but with huge pileups on FT8 and SSB, I got him on SSB with 200W and the blue wire loop.
I have been trying to sort myself out by checking my QSL cards, ClubLog, and LOTW for the many islands I have worked over the years but not claimed. The result is another 15 added to my score and qualification for the 400-island award (to be claimed in the new year together with some recently worked ones, yet to be confirmed).
On the 15th I worked G2SZ from Southampton. This station is run by David Goyder, nephew of Cecil who as a young man worked UK to ZL for the first time in 1924.
The last weekend of October sees the annual CQWW SSB contest, a great free-for-all with no on-air score, just a location zone exchange. I know that several other club members were active so it will be interesting to hear how they did? I could not make out how to check my score, but I made a submission anyway. My scores included 106 QSOs to 23 zones, 50 DXCCs and 18 IOTAs. Some interesting contacts gave credence to my earlier comments about 15 metre propagation following the sun from morning to nighttime. The usual problems of over-driven transmitters and splatter made things tough going but it was worth the effort, and I am glad I got involved and I enjoyed the challenges.
Unfortunately, due to health problems in the family the month finished on a quiet note as radio had to take second place. However the postman finally delivered my IOTA North America certificate - now to find some wall space to show it off!
As I write this, more DX has appeared, so more next month.
Good DXing
Chris, G4ZCS
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
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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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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
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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
