wythall radio club

Communications is what the hobby of Ham Radio is all about but this week at Wythall Radio Club, we will be learning about a slightly different communications infrastructure.

One of our newer members, Martin M6GYH is going to talk to us about a subject he is bit of an expert on, namely Trans-Atlantic cabling.

It was a real struggle to create the first few Trans-Atlantic cables and Martin will be telling us about the history of cross-continent communications.

He will also be bringing us bang up-to-date on the current state of communications under the oceans – he will introduce us to WDM (see, you don’t know what that is yet!), the use of infared laser technology and explain to us how in the 21st Century, Gigabits of data are transmitted around the world.

Wythall House is the venue, Silver Street B47 6LZ – Tuesday 24th May is the day and 20:30 is the time.

Get there early for the best seat!

The worlds largest Amateur Radio event is coming to Wythall Radio Club, well… kind of!

One of the many Dayton halls

Dayton Hamvention takes place this weekend in Ohio, USA and amateurs from all over the world are currently travelling there. One way they are keeping in touch with each other is via the D-STAR amateur digital network.

Fortunately, Wythall has it’s own D-STAR repeater, GB7SO and for the next few days it will be linked to the Dayton Hamvention reflectors, enabling local Hams here in Wythall not just to listen to the radio traffic taking place there, but also allowing us to actually talk to people in the halls live!

So if you want to get a flavour of what the world’s greatest Ham event is like, just tune your D-STAR radio to GB7SO, listen in and maybe even take part!

2014 UK Contesters Mark M0DXR & Olof G0CKV watched by referee N5AW

Radiosport is the theme at Wythall Radio Club this week.

The World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC) is the focus of our weekly meeting.

This is a radio contesting event, held every four years, which attracts the very cream of ham radio operators from across the world.

In essence, it consists of 50+ two-person teams of amateur radio operators competing in a test of operating skill.

Previous WRTCs have been held in places as diverse as the USA, Slovenia, Finland, Brazil & Russia. But it is the most recent one held in New England in 2014 that is the subject of this Tuesday’s club evening.

A fantastic video was made of this event and, thanks to our facilities in the club shack, we will be watching this on our own “big screen”.

What not come along and join us for this fun evening? This Tuesday 17th May at 2030 at Wythall House, Silver Street, Wythall B47 6LZ. You will be very welcome!

The May 2016 edition of the Wythall Radio Club Newsletter is now available for download. Just click here! 

Features include a report on the fantastic 2016 Wythall Hamfest; a look at going bicycle mobile with new member Chris G3YHF; more details on how we achieved a Foundation pass for our visually impaired student, David and a 100 watt amplifier for 144MHz at little cost. There’s lots more besides, so download today – worth a read, especially as it’s free!

Thanks to all our contributors and of course Chris G0EYO, our faithful newsletter editor, who is in the throes of a house move, so how he’s found the time, who knows?