wythall radio club

Another newcomer to the Amateur Radio hobby has been born thanks to the team of instructors at Wythall Radio Club.

Proud Paul with pass certificate

Lead trainers Roger M0GWM and Chris G0EYO  are celebrating following the success of wheelchair-bound on-line student Paul Lunn.

Paul is no stranger to education – he is a senior lecturer in Digital Music Technology at a local University. He took the on-line course we held in the summer but was on holiday when his colleagues sat their exam – last weekend was the first day we could find a mutually agreeable date to take it.

We send our warmest congratulations to Paul, who we hear passed with a VERY high mark, and our best wishes for the Intermediate and Advanced exams which he will be doubtless studying for soon.

Jamie 2E0SDV on the mic with Lee G0MTN logging at this year’s SSB Field Day

Great news today for the members of Wythall Radio Club.

We have just heard that we have finished in a “podium” spot in a European-wide contest.

Back in early September, a team of Wythallians took part in two concurrent events, the RSGB’s SSB Field Day Contest and the IARU Region 1 SSB Field Day Event.

The results of the EU contest have been released and our club station G4WAC/P finished in 3rd place out of the 15 entrants.

A very well done to all members involved, including team organiser Callum M0MCX and his “little helpers”, Lee G0MTN and Jamie 2E0SDV and everyone else who took part and supported our team.

A great result – and who knows? Maybe an even better result in 2016?

Lee in “contest” mode!

Well, kind of… To be more precise, one of the lectures from the 2015 RSGB Convention is coming to Wythall Radio Club this evening.

Lee G0MTN, who is a regular speaker at the RSGB event, is also a long-time member at Wythall Radio Club and is also one of the world’s top contesters.

Mind you, with a young daughter in tow, he hasn’t been able to be quite as active as in recent years (but that’s a different story!)

Tonight in the club shack, Lee will be giving the talk he gave in Milton Keynes last month entitled “HF Contest Station Design Tips”.

A talk from Lee is always eagerly anticipated at the club and tonight is no exception.

It’s a great evening to come along as a first-timer too so feel free to join us at Wythall House in Silver Street, Wythall B47 6LZ anytime from 2000 – the talk begins at 2030.

It’s Fireworks time at Wythall Radio Club – not that any of our equipment is going up in smoke, you understand…

Every year, the Wythall Community Association, where we hold our meetings (and indeed our annual Hamfest) puts on a Bonfire and Fireworks display. This brings in much-needed funds for the Association.  And each year, members of the constituent associations are asked to provide volunteers for the event.

While members of Wythall Radio Club have done this faithfully for many years, this year we are going to be using more of our radio skills.

Club liaison Dave 2E0HPD is arranging our shifts so that we can use our radios a little more as we did in the Wythall Fun Run in the summer. And so a bumper load of members is now getting ready to help with comms at the event in a way we have not done in previous years – it should be fun!

If you are thinking of coming along, you should know that the gates are open at 6:00pm with the Bonfire lit 30 minutes later: the two firework displays are at 7.30 and 8.30 – tickets are £7 on the gate but under 11’s get in free! And if you see people with walkie-talkies and wearing a reflective vest, why not tell them you heard about them from this website?

Click the picture once, then click again for more information on Jamie’s scores

Yet more good news for 15-year-old Wythall Radio Club member, Jamie 2E0SDV.  We have just heard that young Jamie has performed very well in the recent CQ Worldwide Radio Contest.

Jamie recently spent the majority of a 24 hour period on the radio, trying to get as many contacts as possible (without falling asleep for too long!) And it looks like he succeeded. Recent raw scores show him in 16th place in the world for his section, 40 metres low power.

Jamie’s licence restricts him to just 50 watts output power, but he certainly uses it to good effect. Using a SOTAbeams dipole, his raw score of 26,325 points also places him 11th in Europe, but a rather magnificent 1st in the UK.

Adjudicated scores are yet to be finalised, but we would bet Jamie will still be there or thereabouts.

Certificate on the way? We hope so!

The latest edition of the Wythall Radio Club Newsletter has been published today. 

Editor Chris G0EYO has been burning the midnight oil just to get the latest fun-filled edition to you!

Highlights this month include not one but two visits to Ian M0IDR’s workshop, reports on SSB Field Day and our club visit to the RSGB Convention; Roger M0GWM provides a training update and we look forward to Youth on the Air in December.

There’s even some news on a new US callsign in the club – what’s that all about?

To find out, click the photo or grab your WRC Newsletter fix here!

The members of Wythall Radio Club are feeling pleased today with the release of the results of a recent National contest.

Jamie 2E0SDV on the mic, aided and abetted by Lee G0MTN

HF SSB Field Day is a shortwave radio event we enjoy at the beginning of September each year and this year was no exception.

Our small operating team of Lee G0MTN, Jamie 2E0SDV and “Captain” Callum M0MCX worked tirelessly over the 24 hours to make contacts on all allowable bands from 80 metres to 10 metres.

Aided and abetted by other club members supplying support, both emotional and physical, throughout the weekend, we now have the results and it’s a great success for our small band of operators. Wythall finished 6th out of 28 UK Clubs taking part in the “Restricted” section.

Our heartiest congratulations go to Callum, Jamie and Lee and all those who supported them. Perhaps a top 3 podium finish is within our grasp for next year?

(More photos can be viewed by clicking below…)

One of Wythall’s youngest members is celebrating today – that’s because he’s a bit of a video star! Jamie 2E0SDV makes quite a few appearances in the Radio Society of Great Britain’s (RSGB) latest promotional video.

Jamie will be well known to readers of this website – he is a very keen 15-year-old Radio Amateur who just can’t seem to keep away from his transmitting station! He was worked nearly 100 countries on Shortwave this summer alone and has also been elected to the RSGB’s Youth Committee, as well as taking part in a Youth DXpedition to the Brecon Beacons. 

He also won the G5RP Trophy at the recent RSGB Convention in Milton Keynes.

No surprise then that Jamie appears in the new video, entitled “Amateur Radio – a 21st Century Hobby” which is aimed at enthusing young people to try out Amateur Radio as a pastime. Click the image on the right to watch it.

Who knows? Perhaps we will see Jamie on the X-Factor next!

Wythall Radio Club is very fortunate to own a mobile Versatower radio mast – today we are pleased to announce that it has a brand new home.

This wonderful piece of engineering extends to 100 feet tall and comes in very useful for outdoor events where good signals are required.

For many years it has been stored at Wythall Park, but for various reasons, we decided to move it to a new safer home in King’s Norton.

This year has seen the mast cleaned and renewed – it is in much better shape now than it has been for many years.

We look forward to using it more in the future, who knows, maybe in the Club Calls Contest which is coming up soon?

Which one splashed the cash at ML&S???

Wythall Radio Club members have been out in force again this weekend – this time at the Radio Society of Great Britain’s Annual Convention.

No less than 9 members spent all or part of the weekend in Milton Keynes attending (and in one case giving) lectures, making and renewing friendships, picking up awards and, you guessed it, eating and drinking just a little.

Lee G0MTN was on the Convention lecturing team – he was joined by Jamie 2E0SDV who picked up the G5RP trophy, Mack M0CUS, Tim M0URX, Dave G3YXM, Roger M0GWM, Mike G4VPD, Mark M0LXQ & Chris G7DDN.

Needless to say, the Martin Lynch & Sons stand was a big draw and it is rumoured that one member spent a four figure sum(!) at the stall.

Our lips are sealed though!