Category Archives: News

Field-day Weekend. Update 2

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On Thursday April 9th, Rex, John and Andrew went to view the field that the TSGARC will be using for its three-day extravaganza.  It was such a warm, sunny day that we could not resist the temptation too do some portable work in addition to just looking at the field 🙂

40m DipoleWe arrived about 1530hrs and were quickly on the air and making contacts across the UK despite the skip being a little longer than anticipated at that time of day.  Andrew brought along a 10m mast which we used to support a full-sized 40m dipole in an inverted ‘V’ configuration an IC-7200 HF radio plus the all important generator.  After spending some time on 40m we raised a 20m dipole from the same mast and then worked 20m for a while.

The image to the right shows the 10m mast and 40m dipole situated toward the S.W. end of the field.

Later in the afternoon we had some unexpected visitors: Rob, Andy and Dave somehow found us!  Was our signal that strong!  We stayed till dusk then packed everything away and went back to Rex’s house for tea and hot-crossed buns.  Nice 🙂

Andrew, Rex and RobEveryone was impressed by the size, location and RF quietness of the field despite some large overhead power-lines in the adjacent field. It will make the perfect spot for our three-day portable event.

To the left, Andrew, Rex and Rob man the temporary station setup on a plastic patio table…  The black box to left of the picture is the Palstar manual ATU.

Andrew
G0RVM

Field-day Weekend. Update 1

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Hopefully we are all aware that the club is running a 3-day portable operating weekend  between May 23-25th.

Planning is underway and we have a large field with a good low-noise floor, large tents and some masts, antenna’s, radio’s etc.  So its starting to come together.  But we need your help to make the weekend a success.

Please see this communication for further details.

Andrew
G0RVM

Time Signals

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WWV 20MHzNIST, the American National Institute of Standards and Technology are responsible for many things but one service which as radio amateurs we may associate to them is the broadcast of time and frequency information 24 hours a day from their radio station, callsign WWV, in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The information broadcast includes time announcements, standard time intervals, standard frequencies, UT1 time corrections, a BCD time code, geophysical alerts and marine storm warnings.  The transmissions are in the HF part of the radio spectrum and are powerful.  Transmissions on 5, 10 and 15MHz are at 10kW and 2.5kW on 2.5 and 20MHz.  Its worth noting that transmissions are DSB with AM modulation.

In the UK we can hear these transmissions depending upon time-of-day, ionospheric conditions and frequency.  They are RF frequency precise and thus can be used to check the alignment of a receiver amongst other things.

Recently WWV has started transmissions again on 25MHz radiating 1kW from a monopole.

For more information on WWV, including its history, images and a FAQ click here.

Have a listen on precisely 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25MHz and see what you hear 😉

Andrew
G0RVM

Space Station SSTV

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ariss_logoARISS (Amateur radio on the International Space Station) has announced that slow-scan television (SSTV) transmissions are planned for Cosmonautics Day on Saturday April 11th.  Cosmonauts Day is in celebration of the first human to reach space,  Yuri Gagarin on 12th April 1961.

The event will commence at 10:00 UTC on the 11th April and continue until 21:00 UTC.   All transmissions will use the high resolution SSTV mode PD180. Transmissions will be at 145.800 MHz.  In the past, similar events have sent 12 different photos with 3 minute periods between transmissions.

To receive the transmissions a 2 meter receiver, computer and PD180 capable software is required.  Software is available as a free download on the Internet at sites such as Hamsoft.  Received images can be uploaded and viewed at the ARISS image gallery.

Situational events may impact the schedule so, to keep up to date, monitor the ARISS Facebook page or the ARISS website.

Andrew
G0RVM

World Amateur Radio Day

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Courtesy of the ARRL:

On Saturday, April 18, radio amateurs worldwide will take to the airwaves to celebrate World Amateur Radio Day (WARD). It was on April 18, 1925, that the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) was founded in Paris, with ARRL Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim, 1AW, as  its first president. World Amateur Radio DayThe primary purpose of World Amateur Radio Day is to highlight Amateur Radio and its benefits to countries and communities. The IARU said World Amateur Radio Day is an opportunity for IARU member-societies to demonstrate Amateur Radio to the public and make friends with other amateurs around the world. Special event stations will be on the air over the April 18-19 weekend to highlight World Amateur Radio Day and the IARU’s 90th anniversary.

“Since its founding, the IARU has worked tirelessly to defend and expand the frequency allocations for Amateur Radio,” the IARU said in marking World Amateur Radio Day. “Thanks to the support of enlightened administrations in every part of the globe, radio amateurs are now able to experiment and communicate in frequency bands strategically located throughout the radio spectrum.”

The 1925 IARU Congress in Paris. ARRL Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim is third from the right at the front table.

The 1925 IARU Congress in Paris

The 1925 IARU Congress in Paris

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has recognized the IARU as representing the interests of Amateur Radio. Today, Amateur Radio is more popular than ever, with more than 3 million enthusiasts around the world, the IARU has estimated. As 2015 will also mark the 150th anniversary of the ITU, the IARU has adopted the theme, “ITU & IARU: Celebrating 150 years of Advancing the Telecommunication Art” for World Amateur Radio Day 2015.

From 25 countries in 1925, the IARU has grown to include more than 160 member-societies in three regions. IARU Region 1 includes Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia. Region 2 covers the Americas, and Region 3 is comprised of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific island nations, and most of Asia.

“April 18 is the day for all of Amateur Radio to celebrate and tell the world about the science we can help teach, the community service we can provide, and the fun we have,” the IARU said.

Member directory

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Members, you may have noticed our website now has a ‘Contact’ option on the top menu?  You need to be logged in to use it otherwise you will just get a message reminding you of that fact!  But if logged-in you will see a list of members and their contact information (telephone number and email).  The information is grouped by role.  Everyone is in the ‘members’ role but other roles exist.  For example, ‘Chairman’ and ‘ Secretary’.

Lots of information can be associated with each member.  As a start I’ve added call signs where I know them.  All types of information are supported including images and streaming video!  For myself I’ve included a picture.  My view is that the information for each member include a photo, so we know who we all are!  Actually, for newcomers its really useful to be able to associate names and faces.  Just makes us a friendlier place….

Any questions/comments please let me know.

Andrew
G0RVM

Sexy new Programme

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TSGARC ProgrammeGood 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.

To update the Programme you need to login.

Comments to: Andrew, G0RVM

Andrew
G0RVM

Kempton Rally

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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