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- Written by: Ken Gibson
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At the beginning of the new cycle the band conditions allowing better propagation are starting to become evident and participants in the HF nets are hearing each other on a regular basis. Sometimes everyone on the nets can hear all of the other members! That makes for better net control but all those involved are grateful and it’s good to have regular nets comprising 10 or 12 members all talking to each other.
These HF nets were set up to keep in touch with MSARS members who have moved away and to allow us to talk to other friends overseas and now we have regular contacts with Terry G0SWS, John GM8JBJ, Bob N4XAT, Barry SA7GDB, and David WB1EAD joining the Burgess Hill members on a daily basis.
This is a good test of the Burgess Hill antennas - some good, some very good and some in need of a little more TLC which becomes evident in the reports received from overseas. Ray M7AOE with just 10 watts to home made antennas has proved the point - everyone overseas can hear him in amongst the 400 watt signals from other members!
Local contacts are taken care of by the HY, 2M, 70cm and Zoom nets, all of which are just as important to allow those members with no room for HF antennas to also keep in touch. The net times also vary from early Sunday morning to late at night throughout the week allowing members a choice of operating times.
So, if you do not already participate in one or other of these nets and would like to chat to other MSARS members come and join us. You would be very welcome and the discussions which take place on a variety of subjects (not always radio related) might be helpful to you and will certainly keep you amused!
Take care all of you. One day we’ll be able to meet face to face again. Until then, 73 and let’s hear you on the nets soon.
Ken G3WYN.
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
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Thought I'd post a couple of photos of this because I was just so disappointed with it. I bought this because I could see it was clearly from the same manufacturer that supplied MFJ with their MFJ-7404. Same two blades, same retained allen key and adjusting screws to set the depth of cut of each of the blades. This also comes in a 3-blade version. Basically, it's rubbish, so avoid buying one. One of the adjusting screws doesn't even line up with the back edge of the cutting blade. Regardless of that fact, the adjustment for the blade which cuts the outer sheath of the coax (RG213 in my case) can't be set shallow enough to avoid slicing straight through the braid and then half way through the dielectric.
They come in different models apparently, but this was marked 'HT322S' and was specified as suitable for RG213. It isn't. If anyone has bought a cheap coax stripper that actually works, then please let me know as the boss is threatening to take away all my sharp objects 'for my own good'.
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
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7 June 2021 – An Introduction to Meteor Scatter Communications, by Gavin Nesbitt, MM1BXF
5 July 2021 – Assessing your station against ICNIRP EMF levels, by RSGB EMC Chair John Rogers, M0JAV
Without wishing to state the obvious... these free lectures all start at 8pm and are live-streamed via both the RSGB channel on Youtube, and via the BATC website.
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
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Good news indeed. Apparently, we came very close to losing this genuine national treasure for good due to the financial impact of Coronavirus.
No news yet on the reopening of the RSGB National Radio Centre, but radio amateurs are welcome to join the 80m NRC net which runs weekday mornings at 10.30(UTC) on +/- 3.727MHz and all are welcome to call in.
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- Written by: Maintenance Guy
- Category: News
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