wythall radio club

Wythall Radio Club is proud to welcome yet another member into the ranks of the Advanced Class of license.

A very pleased Darren M0WYH

This time is the turn of Darren (formerly 2E0LPD) who heard earlier today that he has passed the Advanced Exam.

Darren is now the proud owner of the callsign M0WYH. All the members of Wythall Radio Club congratulate Darren on his fantastic achievement!

Remember to click on our Training Pages if you are interested in taking a Radio course with us at Wythall Radio Club. We run courses all year round and you could be our next “Darren”!

While all Wythall Radio Club members are eagerly looking forward to our own Radio Rally on Sunday 9th March, we also like to support and visit other clubs’ events too. Today was one such, the Harwell Radio Club Rally at Didcot Leisure Centre near Oxford.

Phil 2E0WTH, Jon M0JMM, Simon G4TVR, Chris G7DDN, Ian M0IDR & Dave G3YXM with Alton Antenna Arrays in the background

Six of us made the trip – three, Dave G3YXM, Phil 2E0WTH & Chris G7DDN travelled together in one car in convoy with Simon G4TVR in his BMW(!). John M0JMM & Ian M0IDR travelled separately as they live nearer the venue!

A great time was had by all, chatting with traders, meeting old friends, making new ones too like the folks at Alton Antenna Arrays and Sinfully Sweet.  Of course we just HAD  to spend a little hard-earned on some nice radio goodies! This was all topped off with a sit down and a chin-wag over a pint at lunchtime. A great way to spend a Sunday!

And of course an excellent taster of what is to come on March 9th, a date you will just NOT want to miss!

Now we are into February, the thoughts of Wythall Radio Club members start turning to our annual radio rally.

Henry Westlake did a good trade at last year’s rally!

A rally, or “hamfest” as our cousins in North America might call it, is a festival of all that is good in the hobby. Traders come along and turn a local venue (in our case, two halls of a local high school) into a marketplace of goodies for local amateurs to buy to enhance our fun in the hobby. In the West Midlands, Wythall Rally is one of only two left running and is the nearest to the UK’s second city, Birmingham.

Needless to say, putting on this event takes up a lot of our thoughts & efforts in the run up to the event, which this year is on Sunday March 9th.

So this Tuesday’s meeting at the Club Shack is an evening of planning and preparation (and handing out of jobs!) and although the Rally does constitute a lot of work for members, there is nothing quite like the feeling at the end of the day itself when the last trader has gone home and we all reflect on the satisfaction of a job well done (and a hot bath to ease sore muscles!)

Why not get your hands a little dirty this year and come and join the fun? This Tuesday at 2030 in the Club Shack, Wythall House, Silver Street, Wythall. B47 6LZ. You will be very welcome!

Stu M0NYP takes the top prize for 2013

Christmas Contest results night at Wythall Radio Club tonight was full of surprises as always! Participation in this event has gone through the roof again with over 50 members taking part and over 40 logs submitted, an all-time record.

The overall winner in the Open Section, and thus the winner of the Reg Brown G7OJO Trophy for 2014 is Stuart M0NYP. Chairman Mike G4VPD finished in second place and David G7IBO picked up the 3rd place certificate.

Jim 2E0BLP is presented with the 2m FM trophy by Lee G0MTN

In the 2 metre FM section, it was quite a family affair with the “Voice of the Midlands” Jim 2E0BLP coming out on top, just pipping his own son(!) Kevin M6NCO into second place. Third was a very creditable showing from club founder member, Colin G6ZDQ.

There were sterling efforts too from our lady members with Dawn M6UDY and Stacey M6STJ also winning certificates. Ian M0IDR completed the certificate winners with a special award for the highest score from a non-local member.

Our thanks go to Lee G0MTN for his untiring work on the organisation and software fronts – and for putting adjudicating our contest ahead of some little event he also helps adjudicate called “CQ Worldwide”!!!

Wythall Radio Club members are now looking forward to April and our Easter Contest where there is the little matter of chocolate eggs to be won!

Tuesday evening is a big night for Wythall Radio Club members – the results of the 2013-2014 Christmas Contest will be out.

Every year between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, Wythall Radio Club hosts this in-house Contest, designed to encourage activity between our many members. It has become a firm favourite with just about everyone – some people have been known to join the club just to take part in it!

It is designed as a relaxed fun “party” exchanging serial numbers and generally having fun on air in keeping with our club motto. It has to be said though, it does bring out the competitive side in more than a few folk! There are two trophies up for grabs too and this Tuesday at 2030, we have our presentation evening.

Adjudicator Lee G0MTN has been busy wading through over 40 entries and has come up with 2 winners. They will be presented with the G7OJO Trophy (for all modes/all bands) and the FM trophy (for 2m FM only entries) this week. 2nd & 3rd place certificates and other certificates of merit will be given out too.

This is one of the most anticipated evenings in the Wythall RC calendar so space is likely to be limited – an early arrival is advised! This Tuesday 28th January at 2030 in the Darts Room at Wythall House, Silver Street, B47 6LZ. Visitors, as always, are very welcome!

This Tuesday’s meeting at Wythall Radio Club is a very special one in our calendar for 2014 – pleasing then that it is coming so early in the year!

Richard G3CWI, owner and proprietor of Sotabeams is visiting the club to demonstrate to us how to go portable this coming Spring, Summer and Autumn, preferably with his superb products!

Not only is Richard the purveyor of truly excellent and innovative portable goodies, he is a also leading light in the UK “Adventure Radio” movement.  He was one of the Founding Fathers of the SOTA (Summits on the Air) movement. Richard will often be found hiking or biking his way to the top of mountains far and wide in search of Amateur contacts from 1.8MHz to 10GHz!

Many members have been eagerly awaiting Richard’s visit and laments were heard last year that his visit was not taking place just before Christmas, but there are bound to be some January sales on(!) and Wythallians will have a little bit of cash left over, we are sure!!

Why not come and meet Richard this Tuesday? 2030 in the Darts Room at Wythall House, Silver Street, Wythall. B47 6LZ. E-mail our President Chris Pettitt G0EYO at g0eyo@blueyonder.co.uk if you want any more details.

For many years, Wythall Radio Club has offered a full range of classroom based learning programmes for those wishing to gain their Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced Amateur Radio licences. Now we are pleased to announce that we have designed an on-line course for those seeking to gain their Foundation licence.

The programme is based around Virtual Learning Experience software and allows our tutors to connect with students at home via the internet. We think this might be ideal for those who cannot commit to several evenings of study over a period of weeks. This way, you can study in your own time with support via posts from our lead tutor. The only attendance required is a weekend at the end of the course so you can complete the practical assessments and actually sit the exam paper!

If you are interested in this programme then click here for more information. We aim to start our first Foundation License Course on 17^th Feb with the practical/exam weekend scheduled for 29/30^th March.

Richard Radford G1GRD of ML&S presents Callum M0MCX with his new MONSTER radio!

Wythall Radio Club member Callum M0MCX has been on a mission today – to Martin Lynch’s Store in Chertsey, Surrey to be exact!

There he became the second Wythall Radio Club member to join the ranks of proud owners of a brand new Kenwood TS-990S (plus accessories of course!).

He is now a member of the exclusive club started by our Chairman Mike G4VPD in becoming the second Wythallian to own this fantastic radio, courtesy of our friends at Martin Lynch & Sons.

It is serious money for a hobby radio, but the performance and feature set justifies the price, and what is more, the deal from Martin Lynch’s store was a very good one, as always with ML&S!

Who will be the next Wythall Club member rushing down the M40 for this wonderful piece of radio nirvana, we wonder? Perhaps we can persuade Callum to write a review and put it here on the website for you all to read!

Following on from the great coverage afforded to Wythall Radio Club by Practical Wireless Magazine last month, we note yet more club members making an appearance in this illustrious radio monthly!

This time it is the turn of Ian M0IDR, (wallet at the ready!) together with cameo appearances from Anita M6DUO, Dave G3YXM and Chris G7DDN on the recent club outing to the Martin Lynch & Sons open day.

Suffice it to say we were not expecting a photo of more Wythallians in the radio press so soon, but as they say, any publicity is good publicity!

…and it is well known that Ian M0IDR can never resist a good bargain!

Click on the images to see a larger version and remember to pick up a copy of Practical Wireless from your local newsagent!

Wythall Radio Club are proud to announce that we will be running a Foundation Course early in 2014 – this is a great opportunity to take your first steps in the hobby of Amateur Radio.

The course takes place on 6 Monday evenings starting on Monday 27^th January 2014 between 2000-2200. There is also one compulsory Saturday morning, 15^th February, when the practical assessments take place. The exam itself will be on Monday 3^rd March. The course will be held at our club shack in the basement of Wythall House, Silver St, Wythall B47 6LZ.

If you are interested in joining us, then please click here for more information or contact our Training Co-ordinator, Chris G0EYO at g0eyo@blueyonder.co.uk as soon as possible.

Please note that due to popularity, spaces will be limited.