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Archive for July, 2016

Islands on the Air!

July 28, 2016 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Contest, Fun, News

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The club tower in the field last year

This weekend, 30th & 31st July, Wythall Radio Club are taking to the field – to take part in the “Islands on the Air” radio contest.

IOTA, as it is known, is the Radio Society of Great Britain’s largest competitive event – and since the UK is an island, we get to be a multiplier for the contest!

Normally, we take part in VHF Field Day for our annual outdoor radio event and club barbecue, but this year, we thought we would try something different and join in with an HF contest instead.

We will be on Wythall Park fields all weekend (it’s a 24 hour event!) with our trailer tower and hopefully the bands will be humming with both voice and morse code transmissions.

We will set our sights high and see how we get on. Who knows? If it is successful, we might even repeat it next year!

Summer Newsletter now out!

July 27, 2016 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Fun, News

The latest edition of the Wythall Radio Club Newsletter is out today! Frontpage

Hot off the press from editor Chris G0EYO, this edition features M0IDR going QRP.

Also busy is M0MCX getting to grips with the WSPR mode, and a report of members visiting G4JGV in the Canary Islands.

More from M0IDR on the new Digital Fusion mode and how to use it with a DV4Mini dongle and of course there is the usual Training, editorial and Club news, with more about the Lew Williams Shield award, won recently by Kev G4XLO.

It’s a bumper edition, as always, and can be found here, or by clicking on the Newsletter Graphic on the right of this article.

Enjoy!

A new radio!

July 13, 2016 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Fun, News

Wythall Radio Club members are proud to announce a new arrival in the club shack! IMG_1088

Yesterday we took delivery of a new Icom IC-7300.

This is a radio which is taking the world by storm.

It is a true software-defined radio, but unlike most SDRs it doesn’t need a computer to work it. It has its own screen and software built in.

What is more, it is styled to look and work like a traditional analog radio, meaning the learning curve is very gentle.

IMG_1093The demand for these has been great worldwide and thanks to our friends at Martin Lynch and Sons, we have finally managed to get our hands on one!

At last night’s Committee meeting, Chairwoman Anita 2E0DUO perfumed the ceremonial unboxing (pictured) before a large group of excited members got their paws on it.

It’s early days but it looks like it is going to be the most popular radio in the Club shack already!

Why not click on the pictures for a closer view?

Field Day – not in a Field!

July 08, 2016 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Contest, Fun, News

Last weekend was VHF Field Day here in the UK – and for a change, Wythall Radio Club decided to do it from the club shack!

9 members and visitors activated the club callsigns and made plenty of contacts.VHFNFD

It was particularly pleasing to see some folk who wouldn’t probably consider themselves contesters taking part and getting some operating experience.

Phil WTH and Roy HDF in particular took up the mic and worked a few stations. Even more nerve-wracking than usual with a few onlookers!

Conditions on VHF/UHF were not inspiring – no signs of any E’s or tropo, and online we could see that many other groups had showers and storms. Best DX on 2m was to France.

There was a break for a fish and chip (or kebab) dinner, where 2016 NFD will go down in history as “Curry-Sauce-Gate”. Don’t ask – especially don’t ask Pete M5DUO!

We will be out in the field soon though – IOTA weekend at the end of July is our big event this year – and of course there will be the annual club BBQ! Yum yum!

More Exam Successes

July 05, 2016 By: Chris G7DDN Category: Club, Fun, News, Training

Fantastic news from the Wythall Radio Club Training Team – we have yet another 100% success from our latest Intermediate Course.

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Michael M6GWQ, Terry M6KKO, Stuart M6GYF & Rob M6FRF with pass certificates

Lead Trainer Chris G0EYO explains, “I am pleased to confirm that last night’s four candidates passed their Intermediate examination with excellent scores, one even got 100% but I won’t embarrass Stuart by mentioning his name!”

Chris continued, “My thanks to the training team and invigilators who ran the course & exam very professionally as always.  Click on the pic for the smiling faces.”

All four have expressed an interest in doing our Advanced Course starting this September.