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Archive for September, 2018

Wythall Signals from Space!!

September 26, 2018 By: Chris G3YHF Category: Club

What circles the earth 400km up and is as big as a football field? 

Yes, its the International Space Station! 

Communication via the ISS’s amateur radio installation has been a focus for Wythall Radio Club members in recent weeks.

The ISS’s ‘digipeater’ (digital repeater) receives messages send by radio amateurs and re-transmits them back to earth.  Using a hand-held digital radio (see picture) and a simple antenna, Wythall Club members Lee G0MTN and Chris G3YHF exchanged greetings over the 800km path to the ISS and back.  

Careful planning is needed, as the digipeater can only be accessed when the ISS is passing over central England.  This takes place once or twice a day, and each pass only lasts 10 minutes. 

The ISS’s Russian crew have also been transmitting pictures, and these have been received by Neil 2E0LUH. 

The ISS crew occasionally use voice transmissions to call schools and radio amateurs.  We’re hoping to catch one of these rare opportunities in the near future!

This is all part of the exciting ARISS (Amateur radio on the International Space Station)  project.

Wythall goes worldwide!

September 11, 2018 By: Chris G3YHF Category: Club, Fun, News

“How many different countries can you contact by radio?” That’s the challenge for Wythall Radio Club members!

Almost 700 amateur radio operators in 163 different countries have been contacted by Club members in the past month – and several of our operators have contacted 100 or more countries each. 

The map shows in green the countries one of our members has contacted.  Still a lot of countries in Africa and south east Asia to talk with!

Members are using voice, Morse code and digital transmissions in their quest to span the world! 

Some are having great success with simple antennas and low power – you don’t have to be high tech to work stations around the world!

Our Wythall Worldwide Awards competition runs for 6 months.  There are 339 different countries for amateur radio purposes so there are lots more opportunities for Wythall radio operators to reach around the world!