Good morning fellow TSGARC members!
Have you seen our new Programme listing yet? Is it looking good or what!
Events are now presented in a calendar view and are grouped into different categories. Event details can be automatically entered into your personal schedule/diary using the ‘iCal’ button if your diary application supports that capability.
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Comments to: Andrew, G0RVM
Andrew
G0RVM
Also known as the West London Radio & Electronics Fair and possibly the largest rally now in the UK. Its terribly easy to get to – follow the M4, the M3 and you are basically there! So, a quick and easy drive for us…
In attendance are: Waters & Stanton, Radioworld, Moonraker, Icom, Kenwood the RSGB… Yup, you get the picture is a well attended rally.
It occurs on Sunday April 19th and doors open at 10AM. If you would like to attend please contact Andrew G0RVM.
Rally website: http://www.radiofairs.co.uk
Calling all TSGARC members…
Roger G4ROJ, who is giving us a talk about kite supported antennas on the 18th March [Make sure date is in your diary] will also be at the Wythall rally which takes place on 8th March and hopes to be flying some antenna’s.
Andrew
G0RVM
Announcement: Change to the TSGARC Programme.
For some time now I’ve had it in mind to give a talk about the importance of matching the antenna to the radio and to identify some common myths. I’ve dropped this into our programme on Wednesday 25th March just prior to our clubhouse antenna maintenance day on the 28th.
Andrew
G0RVM
Whilst browsing the Internet today I discovered a new video series by the AmateurLogic.tv guys. Its called Ham College and focused at those new to Amateur radio. Its aimed at the American amateur but, those parts aside, there is some excellent foundation content.
In the first episode they build a basic CW key and sounder then extend it to be a spark gap transmitter. The second episode is about a crystal receiver. Definitely worth watching but be prepared to skip around the bits that are not applicable here in the UK.
Andrew
G0RVM
Bletchley Park
WOW sums up my day at Bletchley Park (BP). What a place. I can highly recommend a visit to anyone who has not been. Well, actually even if you have been!
We arrived just as the doors opened and stayed until they shut and still we felt we could have spent another day or two looking around at the various exhibitions. Bletchley Park actually consists of several museums. One is dedicated to WWII codebreaking, Enigma, the Bombe etc another to the National Radio Centre and there is also the National Museum of Computing.
The wartime museum tells the story of Bletchley Park exceedingly well. Not only where the exhibits excellent but the staff were very knowledgable, keen to talk and to show exhibits working. How cool was it to see a genuine working three-rotor Enigma 🙂 One of the major creations of BP was the Bombe and to see it working is amazing. Just its sound and smell are truly memorable.
The National Radio Centre was good and it told the story of radio well. But with the station, GB3RS, I was very disappointed. In fact I’d say it was the most disappointing element of my day, probably as I had high expectations. It did not have that welcoming feel and in looking through the door-way I didn’t see much that I felt would draw non radio amateurs in to discover more. The station was capable of V/UHF and HF operations, however, the V/UHF was unattended and did not appear to be doing much apart from tracking a cube-sat and the HF radio was being used by the RSGB representative initially for Morse then SSB phone. An area of technology that seemed almost totally unrepresented was data. This seemed strange as data is the dominant form of communications and is core to the IT and software world that we live in nowadays. Data modes are great for attracting the inquisitive; its easy to erect some big displays showing waterfall diagrams and real-time contact mapping (e.g. psk reporter, wsprnet), add some computers running ROS, JT65 etc and I’ll bet GB3RS looks more interesting to visitors.
Colossus Bletchley Park
The National Museum of Computing is full of that stuff we all threw out years ago believing it was nothing more than junk. It has the earliest computers, Colossus, through to the latest and everything in between! I was fascinated, as they seemed to have each pivotal piece of equipment ever made! It goes without saying that Colossus was amazing, but imagine my surprise to find an early magnetic disk which must have been 4 foot in diameter! Everything that I’ve grown-up with was there: the Research Machines RM-380z, Sharp MZ80K, Sinclair ZX81, PDP-11, MicroVAX, Commodore PET, VIC-20 and 64. Dragon 32, IBM PC, BBC Micro (In fact they had a whole room of working BBC micros!). The list goes on and on. I even found a genuine and working Space Invaders arcade machine. Now that is COOL!
The afternoon weather was foul. Cold, wet and windy which made moving between the huts that house the exhibitions unpleasant. It would be so much nicer in the summer when the weather is more conducive to loitering outside looking at the lovely old house or duck pond.
OK, so you get the message. I had a great time 🙂
So, thanks to my co-conspiriters for a great day: Paul, JohnL, Andy and David.
Till next time,
Andrew
G0RVM
Bletchley Park is famous for its wartime codebreaking activities but it also hosts the National Radio Centre. As visiting radio amateurs we are welcome to spend some time operating this station if its open and if we bring a copy of our Amateur Radio License. The station has the callsign GB2RS.
The TSGARC will be visiting Bletchley Park on Sunday 22nd February. Bletchley is near Milton Keynes and about 2.5hrs drive away. The centre is open from 09:30 to 16:00hrs. People who have been say its well worth a visit and to allow plenty of time to see all its attractions. The plan, therefore, is to depart at 07:00hrs in the morning as this should get us there for opening time.
The entrance fee is £16.75 for adults unless you are an RSGB member and then its free! Yes free 🙂 But RSGB members MUST bring with them an admission voucher which they can obtain from the RSGB website. Login with your account details and then look for a link called ‘Visit Bletchley Park’. That will take you to a page that allows you to get an admission voucher. Note that the voucher is only valid for the selected day and named individual.
When the trip was discussed last Wednesday at the club, six people (who know who they are) confirmed that they would be attending. If you wish to go and have not yet let Andrew know, please do so ASAP so that he can arrange transport.
Andrew
G0RVM
Please note that our talk on Kite supported antenna’s by Roger G4ROJ has had to be moved to the 18th March 2015. I have updated our Programme calendar accordingly.
Andrew
G0RVM
G4ROJ – Kite supported Antenna
I have secured us a new talk.
Roger, G4ROJ has kindly agreed to come and give us a talk on kite supported antenna’s. The presentation has been entered into programme for Wednesday 25th March 2015.
Roger has been doing some amazing stuff with kite supported antenna’s and I can highly recommend a look at his website. He has also reached stardom, appearing in episode 3 of the TX Factor.
Roger suggested that on the day of our talk he would most likely get to our patch mid/late afternoon and, weather permitting, have a couple of hours free prior to the talk to fly an antenna. So, have a think people and if anyone has time before the talk and we identify a suitable location in our neighbourhood there is an offer to get some hands-on time. Roger also indicated that he is willing to come down on a Saturday or Sunday and fly from a field, salt flat or beach.
Andrew
G0RVM
I’ve had this long held dream of getting on top-band with a full size antenna! Just imagine what could be achieved on a winters night with a full wave loop 😉 Even a full sized 1/4 wave vertical with a good counterpoise should be a magnificent antenna… Don’t image I’m thinking shortened antenna’s here, no, I’m thinking BIG 😉
So, who is up for a bit of fun this winter? We have several sandy beaches nearby with vehicular access that offer more than enough space to erect such an antenna… OK, so what planet am I on, you ask? Ah, well like Baldrick I have a cunning plan 🙂 But I’m pretty sure my plan will work as its been done several times before and by Marconi himself…. Yes, I’m thinking kite antenna’s. 🙂
First off, the 1/4 wave vertical seems like an achievable start and flown above the worlds best counterpose it should be phenomenal! Other configurations would work too – why not a delta loop? OK it needs a couple of kites but that should be doable… There are lots of video’s on Youtube but check out the website of G4ROJ and also note that he lives just up the road and is willing to do a club talk…..
Who’s in?
Andrew
G0RVM