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Archive for November, 2015

A Homebrew 100w Transceiver

November 29, 2015 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Fun, News

One of Wythall Radio Club’s top home-constructors has just completed one of his long term projects – and it really is a “biggie”! SDC13818

Barry M0DGQ is one of the club’s most avid constructors – there always seems to be a project on his bench, but this one has even surpassed his previous efforts.

Barry announced this morning that he had finally completed his home-brew 100 Watt Transceiver.

This project has been going on in smaller segments for some considerable time now. It’s an all band, all mode, dual VFO machine and we can’t wait to hear it on the air!

Barry has promised a write-up in the near future, so stay tuned to this website and we will let you know when you can find out more.

Meantime here are some photos to whet your appetite!

Well done, Barry!

Another Foundation Success!

November 23, 2015 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, News, Training

Another newcomer to the Amateur Radio hobby has been born thanks to the team of instructors at Wythall Radio Club.

Paul Lunn

Proud Paul with pass certificate

Lead trainers Roger M0GWM and Chris G0EYO  are celebrating following the success of wheelchair-bound on-line student Paul Lunn.

Paul is no stranger to education – he is a senior lecturer in Digital Music Technology at a local University. He took the on-line course we held in the summer but was on holiday when his colleagues sat their exam – last weekend was the first day we could find a mutually agreeable date to take it.

We send our warmest congratulations to Paul, who we hear passed with a VERY high mark, and our best wishes for the Intermediate and Advanced exams which he will be doubtless studying for soon.

A Place in Europe…

November 19, 2015 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Contest, Fun, News

Lee & Jamie

Jamie 2E0SDV on the mic with Lee G0MTN logging at this year’s SSB Field Day

Great news today for the members of Wythall Radio Club.

We have just heard that we have finished in a “podium” spot in a European-wide contest.

Back in early September, a team of Wythallians took part in two concurrent events, the RSGB’s SSB Field Day Contest and the IARU Region 1 SSB Field Day Event.

The results of the EU contest have been released and our club station G4WAC/P finished in 3rd place out of the 15 entrants.

A very well done to all members involved, including team organiser Callum M0MCX and his “little helpers”, Lee G0MTN and Jamie 2E0SDV and everyone else who took part and supported our team.

A great result – and who knows? Maybe an even better result in 2016?

RSGB Convention comes to Wythall

November 17, 2015 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Contest, Fun

Lee_G0MTN

Lee in “contest” mode!

Well, kind of… To be more precise, one of the lectures from the 2015 RSGB Convention is coming to Wythall Radio Club this evening.

Lee G0MTN, who is a regular speaker at the RSGB event, is also a long-time member at Wythall Radio Club and is also one of the world’s top contesters.

Mind you, with a young daughter in tow, he hasn’t been able to be quite as active as in recent years (but that’s a different story!)

Tonight in the club shack, Lee will be giving the talk he gave in Milton Keynes last month entitled “HF Contest Station Design Tips”.

A talk from Lee is always eagerly anticipated at the club and tonight is no exception.

It’s a great evening to come along as a first-timer too so feel free to join us at Wythall House in Silver Street, Wythall B47 6LZ anytime from 2000 – the talk begins at 2030.

Remember, Remember…

November 05, 2015 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Fun, News

It’s Fireworks time at Wythall Radio Club – not that any of our equipment is going up in smoke, you understand…

fireworksEvery year, the Wythall Community Association, where we hold our meetings (and indeed our annual Hamfest) puts on a Bonfire and Fireworks display. This brings in much-needed funds for the Association.  And each year, members of the constituent associations are asked to provide volunteers for the event.

While members of Wythall Radio Club have done this faithfully for many years, this year we are going to be using more of our radio skills.

Club liaison Dave 2E0HPD is arranging our shifts so that we can use our radios a little more as we did in the Wythall Fun Run in the summer. And so a bumper load of members is now getting ready to help with comms at the event in a way we have not done in previous years – it should be fun!

If you are thinking of coming along, you should know that the gates are open at 6:00pm with the Bonfire lit 30 minutes later: the two firework displays are at 7.30 and 8.30 – tickets are £7 on the gate but under 11’s get in free! And if you see people with walkie-talkies and wearing a reflective vest, why not tell them you heard about them from this website?

Jamie’s Number One!

November 04, 2015 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Contest, Fun, News

CQWW screen

Click the picture once, then click again for more information on Jamie’s scores

Yet more good news for 15-year-old Wythall Radio Club member, Jamie 2E0SDV.  We have just heard that young Jamie has performed very well in the recent CQ Worldwide Radio Contest.

Jamie recently spent the majority of a 24 hour period on the radio, trying to get as many contacts as possible (without falling asleep for too long!) And it looks like he succeeded. Recent raw scores show him in 16th place in the world for his section, 40 metres low power.

Jamie’s licence restricts him to just 50 watts output power, but he certainly uses it to good effect. Using a SOTAbeams dipole, his raw score of 26,325 points also places him 11th in Europe, but a rather magnificent 1st in the UK.

Adjudicated scores are yet to be finalised, but we would bet Jamie will still be there or thereabouts.

Certificate on the way? We hope so!

Latest Club Newsletter is out!

November 02, 2015 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Fun, News

The latest edition of the Wythall Radio Club Newsletter has been published today. WRC 2015-11

Editor Chris G0EYO has been burning the midnight oil just to get the latest fun-filled edition to you!

Highlights this month include not one but two visits to Ian M0IDR’s workshop, reports on SSB Field Day and our club visit to the RSGB Convention; Roger M0GWM provides a training update and we look forward to Youth on the Air in December.

There’s even some news on a new US callsign in the club – what’s that all about?

To find out, click the photo or grab your WRC Newsletter fix here!