BARSCOM. August No rain this year for the annual BBQ GX3XG BRAINTREE COLCHESTER G3XG G6BRH

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1 BARSCOM STEBBING GX3XG BRAINTREE RAYNE HALSTEAD COLCHESTER DUNMOW COGGESHALL G3XG G6BRH NOTLEY WITHAM Monthly Communication of the Braintree and District Amateur Radio Society No rain this year for the annual BBQ August

2 UPDATE! Chairman s Chat John, M5AJB The first meeting in Aug is the TX Factor 0. Following this on Aug 5 th is a talk by Mark Haynes, (the son of our RSGB regional manager). Mark will give us an introduction to Kenwood, of which he is a director. Then a talk about DXpeditions. This should be an interesting evening so please make a note of the date. In September we hope to hold a special event Railways on the air We have got the call sign GBØCVR again, dates for this event are Sept 23 rd -25 th. Again please make a note on your calendar s. More info to follow. We will now be starting to plan next years evening program. So if you have any thing you would like to see included in the program, or if you know of a local speaker on any subject, that would be of interest to the members, let us know. Are you happy with the things we put in the program? let us know. In short it s your club so have a say and help the committee to have an interesting program. August 206 Contents Chairman s Chat Meeting Reports Zepfest 6 Special Event Station.. 7 Club Meetings and Nets. 8 Rallies. 9 Contests.. 0 Committee Info Club Info Meeting Reports Geoff, GWRH June was a meeting of two halves. Neville and Dave set up set up two valve testers, one a Realistic borrowed by Neville from Sudbury Club (thanks to them for that), and the other, Jim s vintage AVO Model 3. The purpose of this was to continue the testing, repair and tuning of newly appointed RSGB Regional Manager Keith Haynes F R D X 400 which he had entrusted to us a few m o n t h s ago. 2

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4 August 206 As a reminder, BADARS took this on as a project so that members could further their knowledge (if any as in the author s case) of valve technology. So, as you should have been able to guess by now, this session was taken up with testing the valves. Neville, Dave and Jim using Jim s AVO found that the output from one of the valves was reading low, and a replacement is now being sought. At the next scheduled session the voltage levels will be checked. In advance of the meeting, Melvin had set up his Essex Windom basically a Carolina Windom, but tuned to the UK bands on the club s fibreglass mast. This together with the 20/70 c o l l i n e a r which he had r e c e n t l y renewed on the clubhouse enabled HF a n d V H F / U H F stations to be o p e r a t e d from the club transceivers. 4

5 August 206 HF conditions were not brilliant, but Brian in his cheeky inimitable style soon got the ball rolling by making a previously scheduled contact with an old pal. Brian also managed to make contact with GI36UD a special event station call sign hosted by Belfast Radio Amateur Society A very brief history - volunteers were trained by the British Army and became the 36 th Ulster Division hence the call sign GI36UD. This division suffered the most terrible losses in 96 and it is well worth looking up their history on QRZ.COM or any other source. Activity on 2m was slightly busier with a handful of stations around the Essex coast. Joe experienced a small pile up once people monitoring noticed that there was activity on frequency. Neither of these two activities would have been possible without the input of members, and of course the same applied to our July BBQ. Thirteen members took advantage of the brilliant weather and good company and we were joined throughout the evening by new Deputy Regional Manager Peter Onion GØDZB. In the first outing for his official RSGB issued shirt, Peter circulated and got to know members. This year Melvin s gazebo was needed as a sun shade rather than as protection against drizzle, and Edwin kindly brought along his new BBQ - See Front Cover Committee members cooked and brought along spare food and drink so that all appetites could be satisfied, and Dave assumed his usual role as onion fryer in chief. 5

6 August 206 The Hockey Club building had been host to a real ale festival on the previous weekend raising funds for improvements to the buildings. As users of the facilities we had been asked a number of weeks ago to sponsor a barrel and so we had made a donation commensurate with the modest size and funds of our club. We hardly expected this to be recognised other than by a receipt, but in the event it was reflected by our name being marked on a keg of a particular brew in amongst the rows of those sponsored by esteemed solicitors, surveyors and accountants, etc. of the district. Finally, just before locking up, Jenny found that we had had another guest for the evening. A striking and large moth had attached itself to the draining rack in the kitchen. It was duly released into the wild, and anyone who can identify the species can have a free biscuit next meeting. ZEPFEST September 24/5 Copt Hall, Little Wigborough, CO5 7RD. To Commemorate the 00th anniversary of the forced landing of Zeppelin L33 in Little Wigborough, Essex on 24th September, 96, Zepfest will be held in the fields around A programme of illustrated Talks with Zeppelin archive film and audio show, static displays about Zeppelins and the L33 with photographs, memorabilia, and documents, WW aircraft, vehicles and simulators and lots more including a Flypast of WW planes from Stow Maries (weather permitting) 6

7 August 206 Martello Tower Special Event Station GB5RC Martello Tower Group ARS Special Event Station GB5RC is to operate on Radio Caroline s home the MS Ross Revenge. The Point Clear Martello Tower was built in the early 800s as defence against the French. The French never came and now the tower contains a museum dedicated to the history of the area and now the Martello Tower Group ARS, GØPKT is located on the roof. While you are reading this, members of the group will be setting up a special event station on the stern deck of the MS Ross Revenge, home to Radio Caroline which is on fixed moorings in the River Blackwater. The group have installed quarter wave verticals for 40m, 20m, 5m and 0m and have prepared the way for dipoles for 80m and 40m. Operation of GB5RC will take place from Friday 5 th to Monday 8 th August, and special event QSL cards will be available. (see ) 7

8 August 206 Club Meetings and Nets Club Net pm local time 2 Meters (S5) ( MHz) Aug TX factor 0 8 Club 2m Net 5 Talk - Mark Haynes MØDXR, Kenwood & DXpeditions 22 Club 2m Net 29 Club 2m Net Sep 5 Railways on the Air planning, Natter night 2 Club 2m Net 9 Operating evening HF, 2m & 70cms 26 Club 2m Net Oct 3 JOTA Planning, DRM Radio check over Pt 3 0 Club 2m Net 7 TBA 24 Club 2m Net Nov 7 Surplus equipment sale. 4 Club 2m Net 2 TBA 28 Club 2m Net Dec 5 Christmas social. 2 Club 2m Net 9 Natter evening. 26 Club 2m Net New Ofcom Licensing Portal Ofcom have opened a new licensing portal as part of an ongoing system refresh programme to increase online functionality and improve customer experience and ensure they capture correct and complete information on applications. You can save your changes and return later to complete your application New and existing customers of the previous licensing system should follow the instructions for registering on the new system carefully and consult the online help and support for further information. 8

9 7 AUGUST 27th KING S LYNN ARC GREAT EASTERN RADIO RALLY Details from Ted, G4OZG on [ August 206 Rallies 28 AUGUST MILTON KEYNES ARS RALLY More details from Roy, G8RCK on [ 4 AUGUST FLIGHT REFUELLING ARS HAMFEST Wimborne, Dorset. More details from Tony Baker, G3PFM on or by to hamfest@frars.org.uk. [ 2 AUGUST RUGBY ATS ANNUAL RADIO RALLY Rugby. More details from Tony, GØOLS on [ 29 AUGUST HUNTINGDONSHIRE ARS ANNUAL RALLY Further info from rally organiser Malcolm Hirst on or by to henry_hirst@hotmail.com 4 SEPTEMBER TELFORD HAMFEST Information from Martyn, G3UKV on [ Editorial Vacancy The current editor is standing down, at the latest after the February edition of Barscom, when the current advertising contracts run out. Anyone with an interest in taking over should contact the committee as soon as possible. The new editor can take over immediately, or any time before the March edition s due compilation. Assistance will be given during the hand-over period but the current editor will not continue after this time. 9

10 HF August 206 Contests VHF Aug m Club Sprint CW m Club Sprint SSB Sept SSB Field Day m Club Sprint SSB International Autumn Sprint CW m Club Sprint CW Oct DX Contest HF Championship Aug MHz Low Power Contest VHF Championship th 44MHz Backpackers MHz Low Power Contest VHF Championship MHz Cumulatives #5 Sept MHz Trophy Contest VHF Championship th 44MHz Backpackers Second 70MHz Committee Chairman: John, M5AJB Ross Cottage, Southey Green Secretary/Membership Secretary: Edwin, GØLPO Panfield Lane, Braintree, Treasurer: Neville, G8CDG Ordinary Members: Geoff, GWRH Melvin, GØEMK 0. 2

11 August 206 Braintree and District Amateur Radio Society The club meets every st and 3 rd Monday of the month at Braintree Hockey Club, Church Street, Bocking. Doors open at 7.30 pm, meetings run from 8 pm to 0 pm. Membership is 6 annually; Senior members (State Retirement age) and Junior members, under 8, pay 0. A door fee of is also payable at each meeting by members and visitors. BARSCOM is sent to members by on the first of the month; paper copies are available at the first meeting of the month (plus postage if appropriate). Members may sell or exchange equipment etc. before the start of each meeting, during the tea/coffee break and may advertise in BARSCOM free of charge. Some members have had problems with UHF and BZ access, and as a result the Club Net will now operate on 2 metres only. This should make it easier for all members to remember the frequency, and for non-members to find the net. The net will use V30 (S5) MHz, starting hrs local time on the 2 nd, 4 th, and 5 th Mondays of each month. Please send articles for publication to i.wager@kaladel.net. The deadline for submissions for the next edition is 25 th of the month. Items will be published in the first available edition subject to space availability. For more information and pictures of events and projects see our Web Site at Please contact our Chairman for details about commercial adverts. BARSCOM Editor (Ian, G8MKN) BADARS E.& O.E... 3

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