wythall radio club

Thanks to the internet, it’s possible to listen on amateur radio frequencies without a special short wave receiver.

There are many WebSDR (Software-Defined Radio) receivers connected to the internet, allowing multiple users to listen simultaneously.  

A list of WebSDR receivers and links to them is at  http://www.websdr.org/   

To use WebSDR…

1. Navigate to a receiver like Hack Green, Cheshire (one of the closest WebSDRs to Birmingham) or KFS WebSDR in California (where you can listen in to the US amateurs).
2. Once on a WebSDR site, enable ‘allow keyboard’, which permits you to tune the receiver using mouse wheel or keyboard arrows.
3. You may have to enable audio settings on your browser – see the advice on each webSDR site; eg for listening to Hack Green using Chrome: Click the Lock in the address bar of your Chrome browser. Click Site Settings. Under Sound, select Allow.
4. Select the band you want to listen on – you will find most stations on 80, 40 and 20 meters, in the frequency ranges in the table below.
5. When listening on 80 and 40 meters, select LSB (lower side band); when listening on 20 meters, select USB (upper side band).
6. Once you hear a station, it may sound like ‘Donald Duck’ – tune slowly and the voices will become clear
7. Once you become proficient at tuning in stations, try some of the other receiver functions – e.g. narrow IF bandwidth and IF passband can be used to reduce interference.

Over the next few months, you can expect the following radio conditions:

CALL SIGNS

You can identify the countries from which stations are operating by comparing their call sign prefix (the first one or two letters/numbers) with those on the list of international call sign prefixes e.g. the Wythall Radio Club call sign is G4WAC – G means the station is in England. 

Q CODES AND OTHER SHORTHAND YOU MAY HEAR

You may hear the following…

CQ, CQ – I am calling for a contact; please reply to me

DX – long distance (normally, outside the operator’s continent)

QRZ? – is anyone there?

QTH – location of the station

QRM – interference on the signal

QSB – fading on the signal

QSL – confirmation of the contact or information passed

73s – best wishes and goodbye

GAINING AN AMATEUR RADIO LICENCE

The ‘Foundation licence’ is not difficult to obtain.  There is some simple electronics and radio operating to study.  You can find details of the licence levels and courses on the Wythall Radio Club web site and there is more information at the RSGB.

Visitors welcome at Wythall Radio Club’s famous ‘Plug and Play’ event on Saturday 9th Sept. between 10 and 3.

We’ll once again be operating various radios from Wythall Park, using a variety of antennas – and hopefully we’ll have some contacts via a satellite!

You can find us on the far side of Wythall Park, furthest from the car park.  Follow the tarmac footpath on the right hand side of the small playground, and keep going bearing right at any junction!

You’ll see vehicles, antenna masts and flags – that’s where we are. 

Here’s a report on a recent ‘Plug and Play’.

We are also holding an open evening for anyone interested in becoming a member of our Club, or in obtaining an amateur radio licence so you can transmit and make new friends locally and around the world.

The open evening is on Tuesday 5th Sept. from 8-9pm in the Darts Room, on the ground floor of Wythall House.  Follow the signs.

We’ll have some radios operating making contacts outside the UK, as well as members who can chat with you.

If you can’t make these dates, there are members at the Club most Tuesday evenings – email us to fix a date to visit at:  wythallradio@gmail.com

Was the break for sustenance (a sausage roll?) the crucial lost few minutes  the moment that Lee (G0MTN) just lost out to M0RYB/P  (Loxlot Club) in the QRP Unassisted Portable Station Section in the recent National Field Day Contest??

Lee endured extremes of heat and cold in his one man 24 hour operation

Lee writes:

“NFD results are out and  G4WAC/P *almost* won the QRP shield… I came second. I had more QSOs than the second placed entrant (and previous winner) but couldn’t find / work enough multipliers.  All the Russians that called are worth zero points too currently. Have a look at the attached chart to show how close the race was. It does show there’s no time for sleeping!  

I submitted the log to the German DARC society for their (and the IARU) Field Day – let’s see if it’s the same result there.

https://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/hfresults.pl?Contest=NFD&year=2023

A magnificent performance  and please see the previous report on Lee’s extraordinary marathon

Feeling on top of the world is Clive (formerly known as M7OCB) who recently passed his intermediate examination and has now become 2E0IKN

Inspired by his success Clive, a keen SOTA operator , will now go on to study for the full licence in the Autumn. Delighted to have passed Clive paid  tribute to the excellent on- line tuition of  Wythall’s very own G0EYO who has introduced so many  into the hobby; he is crossing his fingers that G0EYO may again be one of his on-line tutors for the full licence course.

The good weather has encouraged many operators to venture out and to prepare for future outings.

Down on the South Coast Kev has received the SOTA pole ordered and is actively experimenting with different antenna options, in particular getting down to the sea front (Torquay) to take the salt water advantage.

Kev writes “I’ve got three portable antennas I can use , a shortish 7m ish random wire, a 20m length long wire as well as the dipole: plan to test one antenna per evening and see which one works best”

He has also been out and about on the Moors (See picture right) operating mobile for the car.

Lee G0MTN meanwhile is planning a National Field Day   CW QRP entry from his garden but has warmed up nicely on Minehead Sea front making 32 CW contacts over the recent contest weekend (WW WPX CW) using only 2.5 watts and a FT817 to the much discussed Miracle whip.

To avoid unwanted attention whilst operating Lee can set up in minutes, croc clip a random wire to the back of the 817 and sit innocently on a sea front bench working the USA and Canada and many  European stations, all on his miracle whip.

In preparation for the NFD weekend on June 3rd and 4th Lee writes:

“I’ve built a linked doublet (see picture). It’s a commonly used idea in NFD- to have a longer antenna overnight for the low bands  and shorten it to make the antenna more efficient during the day on the higher bands. For QRP work my junk box phono connectors will hopefully suffice” 

And finally Chris G3YHF in Manjana is feeling the heat and  has taken the sensible option and retreating  for a cold beer planning to erect a 10m dipole in the near future!! (See picture below left)

All this recent activity has generated some very informed and lively discussion within Wythall Radio Club on  SOTA and portable operating; we are indeed lucky to have such expertise available in the Club

Watch this space as we prepare for the GB0BUS  operation at The Wythall Transport Museum on Saturday  17th June. We would be delighted to see interested parties so do come along , see our operating stations and enjoy a friendly chat and ask questions about the amazing Wythall Radio Club

More information on all our  events to follow

GB0BUS will be on the air this Saturday, 17th June, celebrating International Museums on the Air day.

Wythall Radio Club is almost ready  for its special event station at the Transport MuseumWythall.  A team of operators will be on air throughout the day from 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m as the Club showcases Amateur radio in its many forms: operation will take the form of VHF.. HF (CW/SSB and Digital)- and members will be on hand to give out promotional material for the Club and hobby and answer any questions from the Public

Our ‘BUS’ call-sign suffix celebrates the Museum’s collection of vintage buses, and also the visit of Routemaster Association’s London bus collection on the same weekend.  

There is even more for vehicle fans, as that weekend is the 75th anniversary of Morris J-Type vans and many will be on display.

There will be nothing vintage abut the operating team though as they demonstrate the mental agility  and stamina required for this type of operation.

But before that on Friday our members will be erecting antennas for multi-band and multi-mode operation.  We will also be testing our rigs and associated gear.

We would be delighted to see any member able to come along and say hello and really welcome the opportunity to demonstrate our wonderful Hobby to visitors on the day.

We look forward  to seeing you there!!

Wythall Radio Club Easter Contest 2023: Tears and Fond Memories

The Award ceremony was held recently for the 2023 Easter contest .

This annual  competition , held to simply stimulate Club activity on the bands , ran from Maundy Thursday to Easter Monday and is always fiercely contested!

There were a few tears and some lovely memories  shared as Lee G0MTN  presented the results  and , to no one’s surprise,  Jim 2E0BLP,  comfortably won the G6ZDQ Shield for the 2m/70cm  Contest 

 In a moving tribute Kevin 2E0NCO,  revealed  that despite Jim’s failing health,  how determined  his dad had been to take part and succeed in this Easter competition.

Maz , M6NKO, had been on hand to help Jim record his many contacts (see photo left) but sadly this was to be Jim’s final  competition for he died a few days later.

Jim’s record over the years in the Christmas and Easter competitions is simply astonishing with 12 wins: he can truly be hailed as Wythall Radio Club’s ‘Greatest of All Time’ 

Les  2E0LRV was second with 130 points and third place was held by Ian M0IDR with 80 points.

In the HF All Bands section  for The G0ICJ trophy,  Chris G0EYO  (pictured below) was a comfortable winner  followed by Chairman Chris G3YHF and Ian M0LQY.

Although numbers participating were smaller this year many other members submitted check logs  and there was certainly a flurry of activity over the Easter weekend

Our many thanks go to Lee G0MTN for yet again organising the Competition.

Future events won’t seem  quite the same without the much loved Voice of the Midlands.

Jim Tonge 2E0BLP SK 1934-2023 

It is with great sadness that we learnt of the death of much loved and respected member Jim Tonge 2E0BLP, better known to all as the Voice of the Midlands at the age of 88 (he would have been 89 in May). Jim had been ill for some time and had been in and out of hospital since October 2022 before being released home this February to be with his family in his final days. But our Jim, he was a tough cookie and although seriously ill, he fought back and survived a couple more months just so he could participate in the club’s Easter contest, and although the results are yet to be officially published, Lee G0MTN our Contest organiser said “I’m sad we didn’t get to award him a trophy one more time, but I’m sure he realised he was at the top of the table once again as winner of the 2m & 70cm section”.  Sadly he took a turn for the worst immediately after the contest finished.

Jim was a very active member of the club for since joining in 1992 and particularly enjoyed the Christmas and Easter Club contests, of which he was often the leading station in both Easter and Christmas events. Out of 37 Christmas contests the club held, Jim won 5 times and for the 25 Easter contests he was top scorer 7 times. He had no equal. There was often strong competition between Jim and his son Kevin 2E0NCO for these top spots.

He helped out at all of the club ham rallies and was often to be found providing sustenance at club portable events such as field days, plug and play, special event stations and the summer BBQs. The club was able to show Jim how much we appreciated his enthusiasm for club events by naming a trophy after him last year. He was also very supportive through some difficult times at the club.  Jim’s involvement with radio started in the CB days of the 1980’s and Jim always had the odd CB radio around although I don’t believe he used it very often.

Jim was very much a family man and will be sorely missed by his daughters Susan, Diane and sons Kevin 2E0NCO and Jimmy, plus the 18 grandchildren. Jim’s wife Barbara sadly predeceased him in 2012. He always asked how you and your family where when you spoke to him: he genuinely cared about others. Jim was also a very keen angler, something he shared with the family. When his health permitted he would be off every Thursday to pit his wits against the piscatorial adversaries that swam in the local ponds and streams. They didn’t stand a chance. He also loved his garden and until his health started to decline, we could all look forward to the offer of plums and tomato plants that he grew every year.

As all that knew him would agree, he was a kind and gentle man, much loved by friends and family alike and someone who will be missed very much. RIP dear Jim. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that call again from up above  “Bravo Lima Papa Call”

                  Chris G0EYO with contributions from club members

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.

                                                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!