Wythall Radio Club members celebrated World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) with a night on the air.

The Club’s Kenwood TS590SG was hooked up to our big doublet in the trees and members used our Club call GX4WAC.

We made contacts around Europe on 40m, and across ‘the pond’ to Canada on 20m (photo shows Ian M0LQY and Martin G8VXX in action).

Meanwhile Neil G1TZC had a nice QSO with 8Q7MZ in the Maldives to start his WARD activity – via QO-100, using the satellite system he has developed at home. 

The photo shows the 5 turn jar version of the ice cream cone (3d printed) helix antenna he recently built for the satellite uplink.

It is with sadness that we share the news that long time club member Vic Trend M0AEJ became a silent key last weekend. 

Antenna and QTH limitations meant he was never a huge signal from his home in Moseley, but he regularly entered club contests going back to the mid 90’s, and also took part in the RSGB Club Championship and UKAC events on 80m and 2m helping to boost the team scores. 

Vic also enjoyed the morse proficiency classes run before the regular Tuesday meetings.  Vic would also diligently take minutes for the club AGM’s year after year.

We understand that Vic’s funeral will be on 4th April at 3.30pm at Redditch crematorium.

Vic and Jane, his wife, at the Club’s summer barbecue; Vic building beam at National Field Day; Chris G0EYO and Vic building antennas at NFD; Vic in the field day caravan.

Lee G0MTN/ Chris G0EYO

There has been something of an out break of Rally Nostalgia at Wythall Radio Club recently. (it’s that time of year) so how timely that David G7IBO should dive back in time  and recall his rally experiences.

Confessions of A Rally Addict  by G7IBO

In 1990 I was just a naïve young lad, vulnerable to the seductive pull of RF of which I knew nothing.  And there was nowhere more suffused with it than the local Radio Rally!

My ‘friend’  Ellis (GM4GZW) introduced me to my first hit.  “Come to a radio rally near Glasgow (Ervine actually)” he said, “but beware that we’ll be there all day”.  I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy it or more likely get totally bored but…. YOU COULDN’T DRAG ME AWAY!

I’d discovered what I’d been missing in life:  technology that I didn’t know existed;  affordable stuff that I could buy and tinker with; rigs that I could drool over (but never be able to buy!).  I was like a kid in a sweet shop.  And that was it for me.  One little taste and I was hooked.

Unfortunately, living in Edinburgh, the Rally calendar was pretty sparse.  The few that took place were small / medium affairs and didn’t really satisfy my craving.  I was informed that to get to the good stuff required more time and commitment.  The first outing with ‘the boys’ was Blackpool.  It was a good few hours drive but I was getting desperate for a fix.

It did not disappoint.  They had everything!  I bought my first ‘Wessy’ (Pye Westminster) and spent many hours fiddling and learning, buying the relevant crystals, tuning it up, putting in a preamp etc but eventually the high wore off and I needed something more.

Elvastan Castle is the stuff of legend.  It was the best rally ever – so good in fact that four of us travelled from Edinburgh, spent the night at a Travelodge and the next day in Ham ecstasy.  It took place in a field, three main tents (huge), and a number of other small ones.  The flea market was never ending and everywhere you looked there were dealers pushing their wares.  I think that was my last really long trip (~550 miles) but it shows how much of a junkie I had become

Ellis (GM4GZW)  and   Azeem  (GM8KWQ) who were still making the trip from Scotland!                             

I moved to deepest Englandshire in 1992 and discovered that the Midlands is at the centre of all that is Rally related.  Just about all of the major rallies are within 2 hours drive.A one off rally was the MARS rally at Alderbrook School in 2006. (See below right)

I could never understand why this was never repeated.  It is just at the bottom of my road – I could have walked! But I didn’t.  And it wasn’t bad!!

But then I discovered Wythall.  It was many years before I joined the club but I was certainly a devoted attendee at the rallies.  I remember the tent between the huts, the mud bath parking, the move to Woodrush school.  And I remember the park and ride – I wonder which member was driving the minibus???

I always thought that this was a great rally.  I have many mementoes sitting on my shelves.  And it was so close too.

Wythall became one of my annual go-to events but there were a number of others.  Some of them moved location over the years.  The Leicester Amateur Radio Show was in Granby Halls in Leicester when I first sampled its delights.  Granby Halls – what a dive –but an interesting rally.  It moved to Donnington Park in 1998 and stayed for 10 years.  It consisted of one huge hall with a few flea market bits outside.  It reminded me a bit of the hall at the National Hamfest.  Unfortunately after moving to Loughborough University in 2009 (which I missed) it disappeared into the mists of time.

Another rally which has seen a number of venues is the excellent Telford Rally.  When I first went to this it was housed in a large sports hall.  I will forever remember my trip there in 1997.  I switched on radio 2 as I was heading along the M54 and was greeted with strange sombre church music, not at all what I expected.  The cause as I’m sure many will remember was the announcement of the Death of Lady Diana Spencer.  We had a moment of silence in the Rally hall, respected by all, and remembered by all who attended I am sure.

From the year 2000 it was then housed at RAF Cosford (for the next 5 years).  It was great to be able to be distracted by the large jet fighters surrounding the vendors and provided an added dimension to the whole experience.  I was sad to hear that they were leaving and I must say I did not like its new home at the Midlands Showground out near Shrewsbury.  A poor venue and it seemed like a real hike to get there.  Fortunately, the next year saw a move to ‘Enginuity’ (Ironbridge) which was a much more interesting place, and this excursion lasted 16 years.  It again offered alternative entertainment to the actual rally (my addiction must be waning – I actually went round the museum once – but then the rally had probably finished).  It recently moved again to Harper Adams University near Newport.  This is a good venue and it is still one of the good rallies to attend.

The Rugby Rally has had a couple of moves over the years but it seems to have settled at Princethorpe College and is one of the best ‘outdoor’ rallies but don’t expect any of the major retailers.  It’s like a smaller version of the Newbury rally –  great for the rummagers amongst us. 

As I’m getting older I find that much of the old technology that I used to drool over in my youth has become more available.  And then some has become unavailable again when the collectors start to move in.  I used to be able to pick up a BEEB (BBC micro computer) for a tenner at one time!   

The National Vintage Communications Fair (or RetroTechUK as it now known) is a great place for nostalgia.  Plenty of old gadgets – some even older than me!  This has some ham gear but is much more diverse than most rallies.

The Milton Keynes Rally has moved around a bit but the venue now has a mixture of indoor and outdoor stalls. The indoor bit doesn’t thrill me much but there is plenty in the field.  And after the rally it’s off to Bletchley Park for the wife and I.  If you are a member of the RSGB you can download a voucher and get in for free so it’s a no brainer really.  For those who want to see the vintage computing museum (well worth it) you will have to pay though.  It really hits the spot for those of us who have tinkered with computers since the 80’s.

There are two pilgrimages for the rally junkie.  One is the Dayton Hamvention in Ohio which is on my bucket list.  The other is Friedrichshafen.  Both are three day events and are massive.  This is just one of the four main halls and there are talks and auctions and other special events.  There was a steampunk gathering when I was there (2017) which I found particularly fun.

The Main Halls at the Famous Friedrichshafen Rally in Germany: David and Juliet (and probably Ian M0IDR) are in there somewhere!

And you never know who you will meet!  It’s a small world! Jamie M0SDV with Juliet M6RSC (below right)

Lake Constance is beautiful.  There are boat trips all around to see the sights, museums, Zeppelins in the sky, and it would be a fantastic place to just go for a holiday.  The addition of a rally with every ham related item you could dream of (including many things you don’t see in the UK) makes it one of the essentials. 

We were surprised to meet Jamie (2E0SDV) in Germany but I am never surprised to meet the only other ardent rally goer in the club.  Ian (M0IDR) seems to be similarly afflicted to me.  I am not surprised that his garage is rumoured to overflow with old radio gear.  You just keep finding bargains!

I could go on and on (you already have I hear you say) about the various rallies but this ramble would not be complete if I didn’t mention the National Hamfest.  This has been a fantastic addition to the rally calendar.  It is huge, and has just the right mixture of dealers and junk.  There is something there for everyone and its definitely  one not to miss.  It is unique in the UK in that it lasts 2 days.  It takes me 1½ hours to drive there, but I still make the trip on both Friday and Saturday.  Real hard core rallying on the Friday but I take Juliet, my wife (M6RSC), on Saturday for a gentler saunter.  I was devastated to hear that this year’s excitement was not to be.  But it will be back!

Unfortunately, many of the rallies that kept me satiated have ceased to be (including our own).  There has always been some coming and going of rallies over the years but the pandemic really did for us.  I hope that it recovers but I worry that the growth of the online auction sites has made life too easy for us gatherers of junk.  It is much easier to obtain that special item that you have been looking for for years but I still prefer that rush when you find your long searched for treasure in a box under a table marked £1.

David G7IBO

The G7IBO Rally Curriculum Vitae in Full !

National Hamfest Newark, Elvastan Castle, Drayton Manor, Wythall, Rugby, Junction 28 Alfreton, Milton Keynes, Derby, Black Country, Leicester Amateur Radio Show, TelfordNEC (RSGB & Vintage radio) ? 90’s, Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Brighton and Hove, Newhaven Fort, Galashiels, Cockenzie & Port Seton, Blackpool, Wakefield, Lancaster University, Newbury, Kempton Park, Dunstable Downs (Luton) Andover, Harwell-Didcot, McMichael Rally Reading

Wherever next??!!

                                                Nostalgia can be a funny old business

In 1963 as a 16 year old I went to Bletchley Park to learn how to become a Government Radio Operator. I had to learn to receive morse code at up to 25wpm and to touch type. I was never taught to send CW. In 1986 I was able to pass the old 12wpm morse test to get my G0 call. In each passing year I made a New Year’s Resolution to become a proficient CW operator. I never got there. Sending morse from a prepared text was not the problem although it never took long before my wrist got stiff and I fell off the key.

Although I love the new digital forms of communication our hobby has given us, I believe CW is the purest method of communication and it has been an annoyance that I never gained the confidence to master sending it. I wish I was blessed with John, M6KET’s dedication to pursue this mode to the exclusion of all others. I have also long admired the proficiency that other friends such as Dale G3XBY and Lee G0MTN showed as CW operators, especially mastering Iambic keying which is supposed to be the most efficient way of sending morse. I never fancied using machine generated morse (MGM), although I believe it is very popular with contesters and DXers. I guess the key to sending CW in a QSO is the ability to think about your reply and actually send it at the same time without reading it from a text.

Strangely enough it was the sad passing of Roy G0HDF last year that triggered a series of events which have resulted in me deciding to make a real effort to become a proficient CW operator. In Roy’s SK sale was a Kenwood AT230 manual Antenna Tuning Unit. In 2014 I had purchased the Kenwood TS530 previously owned by club member Walter Chance M0GRO (sadly also SK). This got put away in a cupboard and came with me when we moved from Hollywood to Redditch in 2016. Seeing the two units together I realised what a thing of beauty this radio was, so set about looking for the matching Kenwood speaker SP230, which I eventually found on E-Bay.  

From Roy’s SK sale I also purchased a Japanese Ameko K-4 telegraph key. Practising with this key I found I preferred its feel to my Hi-Mound HK702 key. Perhaps I now had the right gear to do something about my long held ambition. Being of an older generation I have a real empathy with real knobs and switches, touch screens and the endless menu options of modern rigs has just never appealed to me. Fat arthritic fingers have never been best tools to use on touch screens.

My usual HF rig is the Yaesu FT847 working into an SGC230 Auto ATU and long wire. This is exclusively devoted to FT8 using Ham Radio Deluxe, WSJT and JTAlert. I have to thank Roger M0GWM for putting up the antenna and running the feeder and control cables in and Ian M0LQY for setting up the FT8 software, a couple of years ago. The Kenwood vintage line-up looked as if it would fit on my office desk with the computer screens on a shelf above.Having only one antenna and no wish to erect a second one, the problem to be solved now was how to connect a second radio up to it. At first I looked for a coaxial transfer switch as shown in the schematic below. As the switch is turned through 90 degrees , Tx 1 port is disconnected from the antenna port and connected to a dummy load port. At the same time Tx 2 port is disconnected from the dummy load port and connected to the antenna port: foolproof and ensures each transmitter is connected to an antenna or a dummy load, thus avoiding transmitting into an open circuit. Such transfer switches are common in commercial broadcasting or communication systems but are very expensive, so that wasn’t an option.

Looking through my junk boxes I found a couple of coaxial switches which might provide a cheap solution. One was a 4 way coaxial switch and the other a three way coaxial switch (see PHOTO below)

I used the 3 way switch to route the output of the FT847 set up to either the 4 way switch or the 100W dummy load. This would enable me to connect the output of the FT847 (via the Nissei Digital Power Meter) to a dummy load when using the TS530 set up. Not fail safe but an acceptable manual solution. The 4 way switch routed the output from the TS530 rig via a Welz Power/SWR meter to the feeder supplying the SGC230 External Auto ATU and Long Wire antenna. The Kenwood AT230 ATU has a dummy load switch position. When not connected to the antenna I can feed the TS530 output to a 500W dummy load under the desk.

The TS530 transceiver is a hybrid with transistorised receiver and drive amplifier working into a tube based power amplifier. There are two power switches; one for Mains On and the other switches on the Heaters to the PA valves. By leaving the Heaters OFF, the set is in Receive Mode but I can key the internal oscillator to practise my CW and adjust the VOX Delay and Gain control to allow the break-in to work to my keying speed.

I will persevere but I now need to practise regularly and take up the kind offer of Chris G3YHF and John M6KET to be a friendly “fist” at the other end of a real QSO. Hopefully I will learn to operate the key and think at the same time without having to read a script. Let’s see how competent I am this time next year. Might even have a go at the Lew Williams CW Trophy!

Chris G0EYO

Beaver Scouts from Wythall chatted with radio amateurs on the west coast of the USA during their communications evening. 

Fifteen 6-8 year-olds talked with Doug KK7BRS and Olivia KK7HDO from Lake Washington Ham Club in Seattle.  This radio club is very focussed on young radio hams, one of whom is Olivia.

The QSOs were hosted by Les 2E0LRV from Wythall Radio Club (photo left).  He used a Yeasu FT8800 mobile radio with a patch lead as an antenna into an All Star node tethered to his mobile phone, using the phone data to connect to the internet.

Matt KN4ZXV in Florida kindly stood-by in case of any difficulties getting through to the Washington repeater.

The Beavers – from 1st Tidbury Green (Wythall) Scout Group – also sent and received simple messages using  Morse code buzzers, helped by John M6KET and Chris G3YHF, two of the Club’s CW enthusiasts.

And Roger M0GWM ran a session in which groups of Beavers used licence-free handhelds to exchange messages via the phonetic alphabet.

This communications evening is a regular event for Wythall Radio Club.  We held similar ones in 2018 and 2019.

At the end of the evening, each Beaver received a certificate confirming the communication skills they had gained. 

They went away buzzing, and several were overheard excitedly telling their parents about speaking across ‘the pond’ – and right across the American continent too!

We’d like to thank our friends in the US for assisting with the QSOs – they showed the real Ham Radio spirit!

“All in all a terrific little Package”..

”The 817 is a super little package.. it changed ham radio.”

“The 817  was sublime”

 Two of Wythall radio’s geographically distant members have recently been paying tribute to the  amazing  (but now sadly discontinued) Yaesu  FT 817 radio. This little radio was first introduced in 2004 and has remained amazingly popular with radio amateurs all around the world for its versatility and suitability for QRP (low power) and mobile operation.

Our south coast correspondent Kevin Tatlow  G4XLO, has recently acquired one (left) and is excited at the prospect of portable operation out on the moors on Dartmoor in the Spring; a trial at his local allotment in Torquay is imminent! Not only that the amazing potential of this little radio on really low power has  enthused Kevin to stick with QRP for a while.

Meanwhile down in South Wales Darren GW7HOC reveals that he has two of these superb radios  and owned one of them for 20 years, working all over the world , including remarkably Australia (VK) from a tent in Devon on 20m. He has also worked the USA on 0.5 and 0.25 watts on CW much to the amazement of the high powered USA stations at the other end !!

The word that keeps recurring with the Yaesu 817 radio is ‘Fun’:  a comfortable fit for the Wythall Radio Club oft repeated motto:

 HAVING FUN WITH RF

PHOTO: https://www.pauloxmanpublishing.com/On-The-Antenna-Again,12804.html

Twenty-four members were active during Wythall Radio Club’s 7-day Christmas Contest.

Our members operated on all bands from 160m to 23cms, from home, mobile and portable.

We used SSB, CW, FM, FT8, Zello and digital voice modes, including the Club’s GB3WL repeater when necessary.

Martin G8VXX/M made lots of QSOs from his canal barge moored at Wootton Wawen, while Clive M7OCB was active /P while walking his dogs.

Ian M0IDR won the Jim 2E0BLP ‘Voice of the Midlands’ Trophy for his top score in the 2m/70cm FM section.  Great work from his QTH near Evesham – not an easy path to Club members who are mostly located in Redditch and south Birmingham.

However, he alone worked Simon G4TVR/P who was on his handheld in Ross-on-Wye, and Kev G4XLO/P on his day-trip to south Worcestershire.

Miles 2E0YZW and Sylwia M3SSP came second and third in the 2m/70cm section, and Sylwia was also the leading Foundation licencee is this category!

In the all-modes and bands section, Don G0NES retained the Reg Brown G7OBO Trophy helped by picking up all the band, operating and mode bonus points (left, receiving trophy from Mike G4VPD, Club President). 

As happened last year, Don G0NES made a special trip by car to make his 23cms FM contact for those extra 50 bonus points!

Chris G3YHF and David G7IBO were second and third, separated by only 5 points!

The leading Foundation licencee in this category was Clive M7OCB, who came fifth – an excellent result with his 10 watts and limited antenna.

The Club’s DX members were also active during the contest.  Kev G4XLO in Torquay provided valuable points on 40m FT8.  Dave GM3YXM was worked on Top Band SSB by several members.

50% of the Club’s members made Contest QSOs – 2E0BLP 2E0EGP 2E0LRV 2E0NCO 2E0XET 2E0YZW G0EYO G0HVN G0MTN G0NES G3YHF G(M)3YXM G4TVR G4VPD G4XLO G7IBO G8VXX M0IDR M0IFT M0LQY M0PPX M3SSP M6OTN M7OCB

Click here for the full results.

“HF band conditions are improving!” show the results of Wythall Radio Club’s 2022 DX Challenge.

21 Club members participated, working over 240 DXCC entities (countries) during the year. 

Our top scorers in the full licence category reached 236 (Lee G0MTN) and 202 (Dave M0IFT) countries. 

Lee used a mix of CW (Morse code), voice (SSB) and data (FT8) to reach his total, but amazingly worked over 150 countries on each of these modes! 

Meanwhile, Dave was only 3 short of his total on FT8 alone, the balance being made up with SSB contacts.

SSB-only Tim M0URX achieved an impressive 142 countries.

The Foundation and Intermediate licence holders were not to be left out. 

In the former, Tim M6OTN made a magnificent 106 countries, 104 of these using data modes, while John M6KET was CW-only and had QSOs with 80 countries.

Jim 2E0BLP was top of the Intermediate table with 96 countries.

Almost all the stations used simple wire antennas or verticals.

Great work and congratulations to everyone.

The 2023 Challenge is already underway.

As the bands are now open more frequently to the US, we are also running a ‘Worked All States’ Challenge – let’s see if anyone can report a QSO with those difficult to reach states of Hawaii and Alaska!

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RESULTS

A cold misty mid-December afternoon.. an undisclosed destination on the fringes of South Birmingham (a safe house?).  Three mature males from Wythall Radio Club stagger their arrivals (to avoid suspicion?) and are ushered into a radio operating room the likes of which this scribe (John M6KET) has never experienced before. **

After the understated 40-watt light bulb atmosphere of last week’s QRP operation, here we are confronted with a console of modern DX and contesting equipment: Yaesu FTDX5000, keyboards, morse keys, headsets, linear amplifiers, Optibeam OB6-3M antenna rotator, computer screens showing automatic logging programmes, the global grey line and much else besides.

Yes, it was the second day of the ARRL 10m SSB/ CW contest and Lee G0MTN had kindly invited Chris G3YHF, Clive M7OCB and John M6KET into his beautifully designed ‘shack’ to operate the specially allocated call G5AT, celebrating the first European Amateur contact with the USA back in 1922.

No such challenge with contacts this afternoon as on a busy band QSO’s with our USA cousins flowed.  DX contacts included Chris making an effortless contact with Aruba and John had no trouble in reeling in Halesowen!

Clive was soon into the action with SSB and when both John and Clive faltered in the white hot heat of contest pressure Lee was on hand to keyboard us out of panic from a back seat!!

On one occasion scrambling for his usual pencil and paper on the desk in front of him, John was surprised and spooked to hear his contest CW QSO completed with his hands nowhere near the key- magic indeed.

Watching the skill with which Lee worked was an education in itself as he reeled off a string of points and contacts at astonishing speeds and I believe by the end of the afternoon some 150 contacts had been made.

The beam and power obviously helped but the legerdemain of the operator’s fingers on the keyboard is impressive (particularly if you are a one finger keyboard typist!).  One can only imagine the levels of concentration and endurance required when operating a full contest over 36/48 hours.

Our thanks to Lee and family for their hospitality, mince pies and coffee and this much appreciated opportunity to dip  into the contesting world on one of the major weekends of the season.

** Apologies this week to John le Carre

Two men approach Wythall House early on a cold misty late November evening.  About their persons they carry equipment that would fool the most vigilant security, reports John M6KET.

As they walk the deserted streets televisions screens flicker through half drawn curtains. 

But not even the England-Wales World Cup match can deflect these two dedicated operators from their goal: the operation centre of the Wythall Radio Club QRP HQ – the Dart’s Room in Wythall House. **

Yes, Tuesday night saw the Wythall Radio Club QRP night, an event that would bring to a close eight days of QRP operating to see: ‘How Low You Could Go’.

Once in the safety of the Darts Room at Wythall House a range of small, (mostly) portable radios was revealed to include (photo left) the tiny QCX+ mini 17m cw rig and the magnificent Discovery 500 radio, last seen operating from the summit of Bredon Hill. 

Also on show was the Elecraft KX3 and the older but very venerable K2 (photo right, with John M6KET operating).

The few QRP QSO’s made that night were really the climax of the 10 days that went before. 

Lee G0MTN, despite being fatigued, powered down to 5 watts and worked some 85 DXCC countries in two hours during the ARRL CQ WW contest at the weekend, including a memorable and recorded QSO with VK6T on 20m CW.

5 watts and 12000 miles .. as they say in the States “Do the Maths”.

Meanwhile, Chris G3YHF heroically rose from his bed at ungodly hours at the weekend, and using his doublet and 5 watts on 80m CW achieving 160 QSO’s with 39 DXCC countries in 8 different zones.

He worked, amongst others PJ4K Bonaire (1468km per watt!) (photo top of page), 10 Canadian and American stations and 3 African stations.

Columbia HK1MW was a close call but escaped and New Zealand was heard for around 20 minutes in the Winter Dawn Grey Zone (when dawn and dusk coincide across the world).

In sunny Torquay, Kevin G4XLO had fun with his 5 watts on FT8/FT4 working mainly European stations, Madeira Island and the USA.  His signal was also decoded in Brazil and Australia (photo right).

John, M6KET, spent the week using anything from 5 watts CW to half a watt, a K2 and the infamous 90’ dog-leg doublet. 

He was amazed how far 1 watt and then half-a-watt could reach with QSO’s with Switzerland, France, Andorra, Sweden and Hungary.

5 watts saw John make good QSO’s with the Bahamas, Belize, Central African Republic, Roderiguez Island and Antigua and Barbuda, all worked in the week leading up to the weekend contest.

There may well be others we have not heard from for QRP operators are notoriously modest and self effacing. 

But like the two agents mentioned above, they move under the radar with quiet efficiency, getting the most out of their simple but well designed equipment and having a lot of fun doing so.

Try it some time!!

(** With apologies to Ben Mcintyre)