QUA Welcome, to issue 23 September 2018 of the Stockport Radio Society (SRS) Newsletter Written and compiled by SRS members, ‘QUA’ (Have you news of… ?) is your source of news, views and informed opinion on all matters relating to - and about - your hobby.
Club of the year picture from hamfest
National Club of the Year - Large Clubs 3rd Place - A massive achievement for our club @G8SRS @SRSContestGroup
StockportradioSociety
Chairmans Corner Hello to all members. Autumn is now with us, with the dark nights of winter closely following. So now is the time to spend some time in the shack away from the repeats on television. Well that’s my view anyway. We have had quite a busy year at Stockport Radio Society with courses, rallies, contests, special events and more. I was disappointed at the lack of support for the IOTA Open day at Walthew. A lot of work went into the organising of the event. Thank you to the members who did attend. Thank you to Neil M6NAE for the hands on demonstration of digital radio. I know many will say that it is not true radio, but it is advancing technology which, who knows, could lead to the future of further development with communication as a whole. And it is developed by amateurs like ourselves. Most of you will be aware that the RSGB courses syllabuses are changing for all three levels. Our team of trainers are going to have a busy time in 2019 amending the structure of the courses to take into account the changes. It is no mean task as this was done, albeit on a smaller scale, in 2014. Please remember that it is your, the members, club and we, the Committee, endeavour to organise events to suit all members as best we can. If you have any suggestions please speak to a Committee member. Also any snippets of interesting news that Heather M6HNS can publish in QUA are most welcome. As this is the last QUA of 2018 may I take this opportunity of thanking all members for supporting our club and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. 73, 88 de Tony M0SAV. SRS Chairman
See you all in 2019 2
Offer from Richard G3CWI at Sotabeams We sell lots of antenna hardware from our factory in Macclesfield and SRS members get a discount with the coupon code G8SRS https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/antenna-accessories-andhardware/ In the last issue of QUA, I did put Bob M6TMA’s Callsign incorrectly. Apologies Bob. Slapped wrists also to the people who read and checked this for me.
Contact Emails General Treasurer Website / QUA Membership Courses Contesting -
- info@g8srs.co.uk treasurer@g8srs.co.uk - srswebsite@g8srs.co.uk membership@g8srs.co.uk courses@g8srs.co.uk contesting@g8srs.co.uk
Website -
www.g8srs.co.uk
SRS Contest Group is the ‘Contesting Arm of Stockport Radio Society’
Date of Next Issue - 10 January 2019 Articles to be sent to QUA by 20 December 2018 If you have news, events, contest information etc that you would like to share with your fellow members, please email : srswebsite@g8srs.co.uk 3
Diary of Events - October 2018 Tuesday
2
Magnetic Loop Antenna—Phil Evans
Friday
5
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Monday
8
Advanced Tutorial Session 3
Tuesday
9
6m Net 51.550 FM 7.30pm
Thursday
11
2m Net 145.375 FM 7.30pm
Friday
12
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Tuesday
16
Radio Night
Friday
19
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Monday
22
Advanced Tutorial Session 4
Tuesday
23
Skills Night
Friday
26
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Saturday & Sunday Wednesday
27 & 28 31
CQWW SSB 48hr Contest with SRS Contest Group 2m Net 145.375 FM 7.30pm
November 2018 Friday
2
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Monday
5
Advanced Tutorial Session 5
Tuesday
6
Friday
9
Oliver Heaviside: Forgotten British Electronics Pioneer (Pete Singleton M0PTB) 70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Tuesday
13
6m Net 51.550 FM 7.30pm
Thursday
15
2m Net 145.375 FM 7.30pm
Thursday
15
Committee Meeting
Friday
16
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Monday
19
Advanced Tutorial Session 6
Tuesday
20
Radio Night
Friday
23
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm 4
November 2018 Continued Saturday & Sunday
CQWW CW 48hr Contest with SRS
24 & 25 Contest Group
Tuesday
27
Skills Night
Wednesday
28
2m Net 145.375 FM 7.30pm
Friday
30
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
December 2018 Monday
3
Advanced Examination
Tuesday
4
Improving Your Receive Audio (Roland
Friday
7
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Tuesday
11
Radio Night
Thursday
13
2m Net 145.375 FM 7.30pm
Friday
14
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Tuesday
18
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Friday
21
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
Thursday
27
Christmas New Years club meeting-
Friday
28
70cm Net 433.525 FM 2.00pm
If you know of anyone who may be interested in giving a talk or demonstration at SRS on one of our society nights, please let Evan know either at a society meeting or email him at: treasurer@g8srs.co.uk You can also view the diary of events upto the end of 2019 on our website. www.g8srs.co.uk 5
IN RESPONSE TO AN ARTICLE IN ISSUE 21 ON TRAINING Cockenzie & Port Seton ARC Training and Comments I started the training program back in 1995 up to 2001 running the Novice Licences, from 2002 to present running Foundation Licences Courses, from 2004 to present running Intermediate Licence Courses, from 2001 to 2006 invigilating Full Licence exams and from 2006 to present deliver the Full Licence training. We have taught 325 people, some have just done the Foundation Course, Some have done the Foundation and Intermediate This was our view from the marquee. Courses and some have done all three (Foundation, Intermediate and Full Courses). Our course schedule which runs for a total of 21 Saturdays from August to March, basically the winter months as after that I need a rest and also I want to do other things. The Saturdays are historical due to when I was working as I could never commit to being available through the week. For us it works as we draw in lots of people who couldn’t be available through the week but are available on the Saturday. Unfortunately we cannot train on a Sunday as the Community Centre that we use is closed. The training program follows the following format: Foundation Course then an Intermediate Course then another Foundation Course followed by another Intermediate Course and finally a Full Licence Course. The target is enable a person starting off to do all there training courses in the training year. What we do works for us but may not for other radio clubs. Reading the feedback Pete stated I do recognise some of them. As far as I am aware we have had absolutely positive feedback in how we deliver training, responding to queries, etc which is really good to know. Below are some comments that have been said to me:
Clubs saying that they offer training and it’s done on their club nights
they sign up and pay for training to find in a 2 hour club night only 30 minutes spent? Training done by just reading the book…. Don’t do training and do not offer solutions to who does… Not prepared to offer just exams (I have turned one or two down over the years but it has been due to work or family circumstances) Can you not just run a course for “me” and get snotty when you can’t.. I am sure there are a few more but they don’t spring to mind. My pet hate though is someone sends an enquiry and you respond but they never get back to you. A polite not interested or a thankyou would be nice. People grumble about the costs and think I am doing it to make money, heh I would be rich if I did that…. They won’t accept that the cost covers – EXAM Fees, Training Book and kits and lastly the room hire. These people want it all for nothing… I am sure you have met them. 6
For me training is about getting people into this great hobby of ours and then helping them along the way to achieving their Full Licence. Letting them decide what aspects of the hobby they enjoy and not forcing them into what I think they should do. Lastly yes we encourage them to come along to the Club Nights and take part in our events but it is their choice. It would be difficult for many though as I have had pupils from Carlisle, the Scottish Borders, Glasgow and the Central Belt, Fife and even as far north as Aviemore. Yes a massive geographic spread. There you go a brief outline of the CPSARC training…..
Bob Glasgow BEM GM4UYZ
The new amateur radio syllabus rsgb | August 10, 2018 For some years now the RSGB and affiliated clubs have been providing the route to gain an amateur radio licence. This involves not only setting the syllabus for the three licence levels but also ensuring the club volunteers are adequately trained in order to deliver the necessary preparation that aspiring radio hams need. The key milestones in the next few months include a meeting of the Examination Group in September to review progress on question writing, as well as demonstrations of the new online examination process at both the National Hamfest in September and the RSGB Convention in October. It is estimated that the changeover from the old to new syllabus examinations will begin in August 2019; this will be the beginning of a three-month period in which any resits or delayed examination sessions under the old syllabus can still happen—however, from this date all new exam registrations will be based on the new syllabus. In the January 2019 edition of RadCom you’ll be able to read a full outline of the syllabus changes and more detail about the project activities that will happen in the six months leading up to the changeover. Through these carefully-planned updates to the syllabus, the Society will help radio amateurs over the coming years to understand and keep abreast of new technologies and their application with amateur radio. For further information see page seven of the September edition of RadCom. 7
A Winter’s Tale or You Cannot Win During Autumn, it was decided that some tree cutting and pruning would have to be carried out on four massive assorted trees, now reaching a height of some thirty odd feet, three times the size from when we move here, and now blocking sunlight to the rear of the property. This has been on my agenda over sometime. Much to the objection of the XYL, who is a lover of all things green, country wise and garden, and a follower of ‘Monty Don’t’ and ‘Alan Titchmarsh’; irrespective of the time spent cleaning leaves and drains all year round, plus, like most XYL’s. not enthusiastic about antenna and masts around the garden, with a usual comment ‘can't it go elsewhere’ or ‘does it really need to be there’ So a local tree surgeon was booked to carry out the work early in December, but the main mast and doublet had to be taken down, due to the close proximity of two of the trees to be pruned etc. Good I thought, as this would allow an overhaul of both to be carried out ready for next year’s contesting seasons. However, how wrong can one be in advance of ones intentions, for mid December after the work had been carried out. The gremlins began to determine the weather rapidly, along with the pressing preparations for Christmas came too an abrupt halt, when I started with the cold/flu like symptoms followed by the XYL. This situation put a cancellation on the seasonal activities, having to inform the family etc to cancel visits until all is clear from being passed on, and for the next six weeks, we remained housebound health wise and weather wise apart from forage for medical and food supply’s End of February into March saw a brief break in the weather with some fine, but still cold conditions which gave me a chance to make a start on the overhaul of the present mast or erect a temporary one. The latter of the two, seamed the best option, the quicker the better, because of the cold and windy conditions. All this with ‘BERN’, in mind, having missed out on ‘AFS’ and ‘T/Band’ contests - winter does not favour an outside shack The second choice was a fishing rod, that I had bought two years ago at the SRS Rally from Mark, our local table top trader and supporter. It was bought with emergencies in mind and never used until now, but on drawing the sections out to full length revealed that the two very top sections were too flexible and whippy to support any form of halyard and fastening, and were therefore removed. 8
This was solved with the use of a 1” diameter jubilee clip, 12” piece of nylon cord and an ant insulator, making sure that the jubilee clip screw movement is free and well greased also the knotted cord. The halyard fixture was made by threading one end of the piece of cord, through the 1” plastic ring, and joining the two ends together and tying a looped knot (fig 2). 9
A Winter’s Tale or You Cannot Win continued … The jubilee clip is then slipped over the knot of the cord and together passed over the tope end of the mast and secured with the jubilee clip at about 5” down under the knot of the cord (fig 1). Having previously removed the two top sections of the mast, the third section now supporting the halyard has an open end of approximately 3/4” which is not closed off - will allow ingress of moisture and rain water. This was plugged with the use of an old cork from a wine bottle ie ‘Harvey’s Bristol Cream’. Well its almost a year since the work was carried out and the antenna is up, a shortened version of a ‘Widom’ or as called today an ‘OFCDP. For experimental results against my half wave doublet. So we will see how it performs during the contesting season. The above write up is a glimpse into the window of opportunity of daily life, alongside our hobby. Coping with all elements, domestic, health wise and the weather, which without doubt affects all our members at some time or other. However the trees are in leaf again more prolific than ever. ‘You just Cannot Win’ Yours Old Timer
(your friend Eric G3GMM)
Articles for QUA If like Eric you would like to write something for the magazine, then please send it in to me. Across is how Eric’s came to me, and I was more than happy to type the article up on Eric’s behalf.
10
Stockport Radio Society Contest Group Contest Dates The Contest Group now have their contesting dates for 2019. If you are available to assist with the setting up or dismantling up at Common Barn Farm, please speak to Bernard G3SHF and let him know. If you are interested in contesting, again speak to Bernard G3SHF who will give you all the information you require. Russian DX CQ WPX SSB CQ WPX CW RSGB National Field day IOTA SSB/CW CQWW RTTY CQWW SSB CQWW CW
24hr CW/SSB 48 hr 48 hr 24 hr CW 24hr 48hr 48hr 48hr
16/17 March 2019 30/31 March 2019 25/26 May 2019 1/2 June 2019 27/28 July 2019 28/29 Sept 2019 26/27 Oct 2019 23/24 Nov 2019
Please add these dates to your calendar’s
A Date for the Diary UKFMGW AGM 2019
At the recent UKFMGW AGM which took place at Morley Green Club in Wilmslow, Stockport Radio Society Committee offered their venue at Walthew House to host the next AGM in 2019. This was done so that members of the group can get to different venues around the area. Each year a request will go out to the clubs to see if other clubs will be willing to host the following years AGM. The date is Monday 2 September 2019 - 7pm to 10pm. Refreshments will be available. On behalf of myself as Secretary and the rest of the Committee, we look forward to welcoming UKFMGW to Stockport Radio Society. 11
Sunday 9 September was Mast and Antenna Maintenance Day A team of members from SRS have recently been maintaining the antennas and mast, and also updating software on the radio stations. We were also clearing out the shack and tidying up the storage room.
Nigel 2E0CKA, Phil M0XYA and Nigel 2E0NGE
Thanks to Phil M0XYA, Nige 2E0CKA, Nigel 2E0NGE and Neil M6NAE for maintaining the masts and antennas, also Roy G6RSU for helping with the software on the stations. Thanks to Tony M0SAV and Alan G0ROW and me for clearing/tidying the shack. Thanks to Neil’s Daughter for lunch - Heth M6HNS Finally, thanks to Neil M6NAE for taking the photos - there are lots more on our facebook page. These are just a few to show what they were doing. 12
Hamfest 29 September 2018 Club of the Year results - third place SRS won Region 3 large club of the year earlier this year, and 6 weeks ago we were informed that we were in the top 3 for the Nationals which would be announced at Hamfest. This is the first time in the history of SRS and also Region 3 that we have got to the Nationals. Well done to everyone.
13
CQWW RTTY Contest - Set Up Photos taken by Nigel G0RXA
Tom M0DCG talking to some ramblers about SRS and what they are doing
The Trailer Mast
Tom M0DCG checking the mast out before it is put into position
The Mast in position
This pictures kindly taken by Nigel G0RXA will give members an insight into how much work goes into setting up this contests. If you can help they guys, please speak to Bernard G3SHF, Tom M0DCG, Pete M1PTR, Evan M0TJU or Kieran M5KJM at any club meeting 14
Checking the mast
Lunch time (Pete M1PTR)
Technical Talk
Testing the Antenna
The Trailer Mast 15
Just for fun (Alan has approved this!!)
Frequencies LF (Low Frequency) 2000m : 135.7 - 137.8Khz
Here is another pic that people have captioned
MF (Medium Frequency) 630m : 472 - 479Khz 160m : 1.81 - 2.0Mhz HF (High Frequency) 80m : 3.5 - 3.8Mhz 60m : Consists of 11 spot frequencies check band plan 40m : 7.0 - 7.2Mhz 30m : 10.1 - 10.15Mhz 20m : 14 - 14.35Mhz 17m : 18.068 - 18.168Mhz 15m : 21 - 21.45Mhz 12m : 24.89 - 24.99Mhz 10m : 28 - 29.7Mhz Note for operating on 60m Only available to advanced licence holders
VHF (Very High Frequency) 6m : 50 - 52Mhz 4m : 70 - 70.5Mhz 2m : 144.0 - 146.0Mhz
UHF
(Ultra High Frequency)
70cms : 430.0 - 440Mhz 23cms : 1240.0 - 325Mhz
In the picture Alan G0ROW (giggling), Nigel 2E0CKA’ backside and John M0JFM’s hand The twister competition gave me the giggles - Lee M6MZP
When I key up the transmitter the hairs on his legs stand up Richard G3WCI
For gods sake Alan your bound to go bald some day … there’s definitely a bald patch Neil M6NAE 16
Club Nets
Membership You can become a member of Stockport Radio Society by completing a membership form and, either emailing it to membership@g8srs.co.uk or handing the form to the Membership Secretary, Nigel 2E0CKA, at any Society meeting.
Payable Annually on Dec 1st Senior Family Country Pensioner Junior
£12.00 £12.00 £ 7.00 £ 7.00 £ 1.00
Juniors upto 18 yrs of age Senior upto 64 yrs of age Pensioner from 65 yrs of age
Meeting Admission £2.00 per meeting. If you are interested in paying your subs by standing order, please contact the Treasurer on treasurer@g8srs.co.uk
It has been decided, that the following callsigns may be used by any full licence holder chairing the nets G8SRS, G6UQ, G3LX, M5MDX All club call signs will be used on a rotational basis by full licence holders authorised by Alan G0ROW. This will give members a chance to gain points for the SRS Centenary award 2m net, 6m net, 70cm net If you have any queries about the use of these callsigns, please speak to either Tony M0SAV or Alan G0ROW at any Club meeting
Net Controllers We are also looking for net controllers to chair a specific net. If you have the equipment and would like to try and chair a net, please contact Alan G0ROW who will happily help you. If you would like to try a net with a current net controller with you, again speak to Alan G0ROW The current Net Controllers are: Alan G0ROW, Neil M6NAE, Heather M6HNS,
Tony M0SAV, Nigel 2E0CKA, Nigel 2E0NGE
LAST MINUTED NEWS THE FRIDAY 2PM NETS HAVE NOW BEEN REINSTATED. FURTHER DETAILS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE GOOGLE GROUP, SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WEBSITE 17
Using an ‘Analogue’ Transceiver with an SDR Receiver – Part 2 In the previous edition of QUA, I described how you can use a transceiver in tandem with a software-defined radio (SDR) receiver to show activity across the entire band that you’re on. Facilitating this setup – the purpose of this article – requires a means by which the antenna feedline is switched between transmitter and receiver. If you have a typical station, both transmit and receive duties will be handled through a single antenna. In such a case, you will want to enable the transceiver to ‘take’ the antenna while transmitting and, then, allowing the SDR receiver to ‘take back’ the antenna after you’ve finished each over. Someone competent in homebrewing equipment could make such a switching device, but – thankfully for me – these are available off the shelf. MFJ’s 1708 and 1708SDR (see picture) are probably the best known retail examples, and each sells for about £90. Both flick the antenna feedline between the transceiver and the SDR by employing very fast relays. As soon as RF from the transceiver is detected, the little relay acts to ‘grab’ the antenna for the transceiver. (There is also the ability to control the switching directly, though the rig’s PTT line.) CW operators may be concerned that the relay movement risks the truncation of Morse characters (e.g. an ‘M’ – dah-dah – being heard as an ‘A’ – dit-dah), but the relay’s action is quick enough that this isn’t an issue.
18
The difference between the MFJ1708 and the MFJ1708SDR is that the former will feed all of the received signal energy into the receiver, thereby effectively making your transceiver a transmitter, only. You may want this, of course, especially if your SDR has substantially better receive performance than that of your transceiver. The 1708SDR, on the other hand, directs the received signal to both the transmitting radio and the SDR receiver, which permits the operator to listen through the transceiver while using the SDR’s waterfall display as a bandscope. This ‘splitting’ of the received signal results in the SDR getting only half of the power that it otherwise could – a 3dB drop, or equal to half an S-point on the meter. That sounds like a big deal (‘50% of the power!’), but SDRs are so sensitive – and the HF bands so noisy – that you typically put in 10dB-plus of attenuation, anyway. 73 Evan Duffield M0TJU
The SRS AGM takes place on 18 December, 2018
Minutes of the last AGM Treasurers Report Reports from Committee Members Election of 2019 SRS Committee
19
Morse Code
Morse Code
Phonetic Alphabet
1
._ _ _ _
A
._
A
Alpha
2
.._ _ _
B
_...
B
Bravo
3
..._ _
C
_._.
C
Charlie
4
…._
D
_..
D
Delta
5
…..
E
.
E
Echo
6
_....
F
.._.
F
Foxtrot
7
_ _...
G
_ _.
G
Golf
8
_ _ _..
H
….
H
Hotel
9
____.
I
..
I
India
0
_____
J
._ _ _
J
Juliet
K
_._
K
Kilo
Our Morse
L
._..
classes run
M
__
L
Lima
on each club
N
_.
M
Mike
night from
O
___
N
November
7.00 to 7.30
P
._ _ .
O
Oscar
pm.
Q
_ _._
P
Papa
R
._.
Q
Quebec
Come and
S
…
R
Romeo
speak to
T
_
S
Sierra
Evan M0TJU
U
.._
T
Tango
if you would
V
…_
U
Uniform
like to give
W
._ _
V
Victor
this part of
X
_.._
W
Whiskey
the hobby a
Y
_._ _
X
X-Ray
try.
Z
_ _..
Y
Yankee
Z
Zulu
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PLEASE CAN YOU HELP? PAY YOUR MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTION BY STANDING ORDER SRS is run by volunteers who work hard to make the club vibrant, interesting and welcoming. The less time these people devote to admin activities, the more time they can devote to society activities. With this in mind, I would like you to consider paying your membership subscriptions by Standing Order, which facilitates automatic payment of your subscription on a set date each year. Payment by Standing Order is safe, secure and, once set up, will take no effort on your part to pay your subs. Facilities to pay in cash and by cheque will still be available. Paper receipts will be issued for all subs payments – including those made electronically’ (i.e. by standing order and bank transfer). When you phone your bank or log in to its website, have the following details at the ready: Name of Payee: SRS Bank Name/Address: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, Leicester, LE87 2BB Sort Code: 20-53-77 Account Number: 40346314 Amount of Each Payment: [See subscription types below] Date of First Payment: 01 December 2018 Frequency of Ongoing Payments: YEARLY, UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE Payment Reference: [family name, callsign] Senior (non-pensioner) £12 Pensioner/Country £7
Family £12 Junior £1
Once you have set up a Standing Order, you do not need to inform SRS that you have done so, as your subscription will be shown on the SRS account with your reference. Information is available about paying by Standing Order. Please email treasurer@g8srs.co.uk and I will forward the details to you. If you have any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to answer them. If you wish to pay your subscription by bank transfer ('BACS') each year, contact your bank at least a few days before each due date, and provide SRS’s account details and your payment reference. Evan Duffield M0TJU SRS Treasurer 21
Courses - FLC/ILC/ALC Course Secretary John Marsh - M0JFM courses@g8srs.co.uk
Are you interested in taking a course with Stockport Radio Society. We run all three courses at Walthew House, in Stockport. If you would like to put your name down for one of the three courses, please email John on courses@g8srs.co.uk. These courses fill up very quickly, so don’t delay book NOW!
Course Fees Foundation - £50.00 - Based on a minimum of 6 students Intermediate - £116.00 - Based on a minimum of 4 students (Inclusive of construction kit) Advanced - £95.00 - Based on a minimum of 4 students These prices were correct at the time of printing.
Foundation Here are our new dates for the next course Saturday and Sunday 26 & 27 January 2019 Saturday 2 February 2019 for examination
22
Intermediate Our 2019 intermediate dates are as follows Saturday – Sunday 9 & 10 February 2019 Saturday – Sunday 23 & 24 February 2019 Saturday 2 March including the exam.
Advanced Below are the dates for the current course. Advanced Tutorial 3 - Monday 8 October 2018 Advanced Tutorial 4 - Monday 22 October 2018 Advanced Tutorial 5 - Monday 5 November 2018 Advanced Tutorial 6 - Monday 19 November 2018 Advanced Examination - Monday 3 December 2018 Good luck to all those taking their advanced examination in December. SRS Committee
Remember when you have your new callsign do not forget to inform the Membership Secretary Nigel 2E0CKA on m6bbl@btinternet.com and he can update his records and then forward onto Heth M6HNS to update the website. QUA is compiled by Heather Stanley M6HNS. If you have any articles, reviews or announcements that you would like to see in the pages of QUA, please send your information to srswebsite@g8srs.co.uk or give Heather a call on 07506 904422 23
SRS Links RSGB www.rsgb.org UKFM Group Western www.ukfmgw.org.uk Ofcom www.ofcom.org.uk ARRL www.arrl.org QRZ.com www.qrz.com UK Repeaters www.ukrepeater.net Raynet www.raynet-uk.net Summits on the air www.sota.org.uk BYLARA www.bylara.org.uk Echolink www.echolink.org
Club Log (HF Ladder) If you wish to join Club Log and also get entry into the HF Ladder with the end reward of entry in the HF Ladder competition at the end of the year, and you chance to win a trophy for the year, follow the information below. If you wish to join SRS DXCC league in Clublog, please follow these instructions:
Register your details with Clublog at www.clublog.org Click ‘settings’ and then go to the ‘clubs’ tab Select SRS - Stockport Radio Society and click ‘join club’ Your membership of SRS will show as pending until approved by the Administrator
The SRS DXCC League can be viewed from this link http://www.clublog.org/league.php? club=99
Ham Links www.eham.nets Hack Green SDR www.hackgreen.co.uk
If you have any Links you would Like to see on this Page please email srswebsite@g8srs.co.uk
Get your logs in and get yourself on the HF ladder with your chance to win a trophy at the end of the year. If you are new to the HF Ladder speak to Pete M1PTR at a club meeting or email info@g8srs.co.uk for further Information. 24
Repeaters - www.ukfmgw.co.uk 23cm
Output
RX1
Mode
GB3SE 70cm
1297.0750 Mhz 1291.0750 Mhz Analogue
Stoke on Trent
GB3CR
433.1500 Mhz 434.7500 Mhz Analogue
Mold
GB3LI
433.2500 Mhz 434.8500 Mhz Analogue
Liverpool
GB3LL
434.0000 Mhz 434.6000 Mhz Analogue
Llandudno
GB3MA
433.0250 Mhz 434.6250 Mhz Analogue
Bury
GB3MF
433.0500 Mhz 434.6500 Mhz Analogue
Macclesfield
GB3MR
433.3500 Mhz 434.9500 Mhz Analogue
Stockport
GB3PZ
430.9000 Mhz 438.5000 Mhz Analogue
Dukinfield
GB3SM
433.3250 Mhz 434.9250 Mhz Analogue
Stoke on Trent
GB3ST
433.2250 Mhz 434.8250 Mhz Analogue
Stoke on Trent
GB3WP
430.9375 Mhz 438.5375 Mhz Analogue
Hyde
GB7DV
439.6125 Mhz 430.6125 Mhz Digital
St Helens
GB7WC 2m
439.4875 Mhz 430.4875 Mhz Digital
Warrington
GB3MN
Analogue 145.6500 Mhz 145.0500 Mhz Digital Fusion
Stockport
GB3MP
145.7500 Mhz 145.1500 Mhz Analogue
Denbigh
GB3VT 6m
145.7250 Mhz 145.1250 Mhz D Star
Stoke on Trent
GB3SX
50.7900 Mhz
Stoke on Trent
51.2900 Mhz
Analogue
Location
If you use the repeaters on a regular basis, please subscribe to them www.ukfmgw.co.uk. Please check the website to confirm which are currently working 25
SRS DXCC Ladders Sept 2018 Propagation - While we remain at the sunspot minimum, forecast activity on the upper HF bands remains sporadic with few openings from our location in the UK with 20 metres and perhaps occasionally 17 metres providing the most reliable HF DX. However, as I discovered during September while on holiday in the South of France at around 0600 UTC on 40m there are regular openings from UK to VK and ZL. As reported by the RSGB in early September we are now moving towards the autumnal equinox so HF north-south paths may start to improve for our location, but we may have to wait another month or so for an improvement in HF east-west paths, such as UK to North America. Band Activity - While sometimes it seems that the bands are dead careful listening at different times may find the odd gem. Since the last report the SRS contest team entered the IOTA contest from Arranmore Island, off the coast of Donegal, Eire. They found conditions quieter than previous years yet still managed over 2500 QSOs in 24hrs covering 79 DXCCs and at least twice that in ladder slots. HF & 6 DXCC Ladder - Looking at the leader board confirms that 40m has been popular recently with an impressive slot count from Barry VK2BJ*. In the northern hemisphere Carsten G0SYP increases his lead in the competition no doubt using his trusty 6m Moxon Antenna to add to his already leading 6m slot count. Yours truly M1PTR is second with Kieron M5KJM in third place. Al G0ROW must have found some surprise openings on 15m to keep fourth place. Finally, welcome to Tom, M0DCG who appears in the table for the first time this year. * Barry has decided not to enter the SRS competition this year so his entry is a non-competitive check log. 2 & 70 DXCC Ladder - This table remains unchanged from last time with Neil M6NAE remaining in the lead, Les M0LPB second and Jake M6PGO third. Perhaps the recent Fusion C4FM D Star ‘hands on’ demonstration by Neil M6NAE will generate renewed interest here. Check the direct link for up to date results www.g8srs.co.uk/hf-ladder-inc-vhf2m-70cm it saves you logging onto Clublog to check your scores. If anyone needs help with a submission please drop me an email or catch Neil or me at the club. We’ll be glad to help. 73 and Good Dxing, Pete Ridley, M1PTR 26
Note: The SRS DXCC Ladder competition runs to the end of November so you still have a few weeks left to grab those points and upload to Clublog.
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Stockport Radio Society Walthew House, 112 Shaw Heath, Stockport SK2 6QS 07506 904422 / info@g8srs.co.uk Print Sponsor of QUA, and general printers of all SRS Literature Olympic Press Soapstone Way, Irlam, Manchester M44 6RA Tel : 0161 775 2555 / sales@olympicpress.co.uk
Stockport Radio Society are affiliated members of RSGB (Radio Society of Great Britain) and NARSA (Northern Amateur Radio Society Association) 28