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Club News - Archive (2022)
Merry Christmas
24 Dec 2022
The Rhyl & District Amateur Radio Club would like to wish all members and Radio Amateurs a very Merry Christmas!
RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter (Jan 2023)
07 Dec 2022
The RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter for January has now been received by the Club. If you would like to read it, it is available for download here: RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter Jan 2023
GW3HGL Silent Key Sale
17 Nov 2022
Would anyone be interested in purchasing any of the items below?, which were owned by Brian GW3HGL, who passed away recently. The sale of the items is being arranged on behalf of Brian's daughter, by Alan G3WOX. He hasn't given any details of prices, and he says "all is believed to be in good working order. All look in excellent condition but have not been tested."
- BNOS 12/25A 12/25A psu
- BNOS 12/5E Stabilised 12V psu?
- Daiwa CN-520 Cross needle power meter
- Daiwa PS 304 Variable voltage 30A psu
- Davco DR30 Receiver 80 - 10m & 6m
- Kenwood AT130 ATU 80 - 10m
- Kenwood TS-590 HF & 6m transceiver
- Kenwood MC60 Desk microphone
- MFJ-401C Electronic keyer
- MFJ-259B Antenna analyser
- Mydel MP-304 Mk2 12V/25A psu
- Yaesu FC902 ATU 160 - 10m
- Yaesu MD1 Desk microphone
RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter (Dec 2022)
08 Nov 2022
The RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter for December has now been received by the Club.
If you would like to read it, it is available for download here:
RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter Dec 2022
A Message from the RSGB Region 6 Rep.
01 Nov 2022
We have received an autumn update from the RSGB Regional Representative for North Wales:-
"Autumn Catch Up
I must apologise for not being in touch for longer than I had planned but various family and personal problems have taken up a lot of time in
the last few months.
The sad news first, over the past months we have had a number of Club members who have gone Silent Key across the Region.
In alphabetical order: - Alex Sansome MW7CXI, Brian Clark GW3HGL, Denley Isaac MW0RMS, Glyn Rogers MW0BNB, Gordon Davies GW4KTQ,
Gwynfor Roscoe (Ross) MW0BYT, Ray Jones GW3MDK, Stewart Lyon GW3EIZ, Tony wright GW0LIS.
There may be others I haven't heard of and I'm sorry if I have missed anyone out.
I knew them all over the years and it is a great loss to the hobby.
Post Covid (or possibly not "post" according to the current rise in cases, myself included) there has been a mixed response
to Clubs getting back to face to face meetings. Some Clubs have had difficulties returning to their previous QTH for various reasons.
Some have had to move to new premises to accommodate "social distancing" when it was applicable, or larger numbers.
Some others, after so long of virtual meetings are finding some members are reluctant to come to face to face meetings.
Various, valid, reasons have been given but it does affect the dynamic of the Clubs.
Well, that's got the negative side over. In most cases it's been a busy year so far for a lot of Clubs and of course there has been GB70W,
the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee and the Commonwealth Games.
GB70W, the National Station for Wales was given to North Wales and the National Commonwealth Station went to South Wales.
Dragon ARC was chosen to host GB70W. It took place at Les Hayward MW0SEC's QTH on Ynys Mon for which we were very grateful.
Despite inclement WX over the actual weekend it was a great success. The Station ran from the 1st to the 5th of June.
There was a significant number of visitors, quite a number of long pile ups and a creditable number of stations worked on
HF/VHF/ATV and Digital modes using SSB & CW as appropriate.
See the excellent article in October RadCom by Danny GW7BZR (Chairman of DARC) and Brian GW4KAZ.
Many Clubs have got back to doing SES's and days of operating from various sites, albeit sometimes more socialising than operating,
which is acceptable as it is good to catch up with fellow Hams after the problems of the past two years.
SES's have included Lighthouses on the Air, Churches & Chapels on the Air and local activities with RAYNET such as Race the Train
and various Mountain activities. Plus construction contests junk sales and interesting talks.
Rhyl&DARC had offered to put on a JOTA station for a Scout Group in Abergele but, sadly, it was cancelled at the last minute
due to the ill health of the Scout Leader. So thanks to R&DARC for offering and, hopefully, it will happen in 2023.
Wrexham&DARS and MarchesARS have combined for the foreseeable future due to lack of members and loss of a QTH.
Halkyn Radio Group have built a new shack which looks very impressive so Good Luck to them and good DX.
North Wales Radio Society has now been wound up under questionable circumstances...watch this space??
For more information contact me on the numbers below.
North Wales Amateur Radio Group have been very busy and had an article in September* RadCom.
One last thing, the Regional Forum (Regional Reps from all 13 Regions) will soon be launching a RSGB Regional Facebook Page, where you can make comments or ask questions, in the near future. If you would like me and/or your deputy rep to visit your Club please get in touch.
Meanwhile I hope the autumn season doesn't bring any nasty surprises WX wise and that you all keep warm and safe despite these turbulent times.
Liz Cabban
GW0ETU
Regional Representative Gogledd Cymru 01690 710257 or 07760190355 rr6@rsgb.org.uk
"
* Correction - This should really read "October"
RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter (Nov 2022)
08 Oct 2022
The RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter for November has now been received by the Club.
If anyone would like to read it, it is available for download here:
RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter Nov 2022
JOTA station Abergele
07 Oct 2022
We’ve had a request via our RSGB representative, Liz Cabban GW0ETU,
asking if any of our members would be available to assist members of the Dragon Club with a scouts “Jamboree On The Air”
station in Abergele next weekend 14th-16th October.
Station location - 10 Market Street, Abergele, LL22 7AA
If you are able to assist with the station, or simply be available on-air to talk to some of the scouts,
please contact the organisers Mark (GW7AHR) or Ro (MW3WPC) Brett on 07903 370 036,
or contact Liz on 01690 710 257 / 07760 190 355
Edit added 11 Oct 2022:
We've just been informed by the organisers that this event has now been cancelled
RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter (Oct 2022)
15 Sep 2022
The RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter for October has now been received by the Club.
If anyone would like to read it, it is available for download here:
RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter Oct 2022
Special Regional Secondary Locator – Q
14 Sep 2022
In response to requests from radio amateurs and after contact from Ofcom, a special RSL “Q” will be available
from Wednesday 14 September until the end of official national mourning on Monday 19 September.
Any licensed radio amateur may choose to use this after their UK call sign prefix to
show their respect for the Queen if they wish to do so.
Radio amateurs will need to download the Notice of Variation (NoV) which is available from the
RSGB website.
RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter (Sept 2022)
13 Aug 2022
The RSGB has started sending monthly newsletters to all affiliated clubs.
Most of the information is likely to be included in the Radcom magazine, but if anyone would like to read it, it is available for download here:
RSGB Affiliated Clubs Newsletter Sept 2022
144MHz Low Power Contest
31 Jul 2022
It's the RSGB 144MHz Low Power Contest next Saturday, 6th Aug 2022.
Max power is 25W, so this is always a fun contest as people without big amplifiers are not disadvantaged.
Why not have a go...
For more information and the full rules, see "RSGB 144MHz Low Power Contest",
on the RSGB Contest Calendar website.
ISS transmitting SSTV again on 8-9th Jun 2022
06 Jun 2022
Another Slow Scan Television (SSTV) transmission event is planned from the International Space Station.
The Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) will be conducting an SSTV experiment on June 8 and 9 during ISS orbits over Moscow.
The scheduled times are listed below and the expected mode is the traditional PD120 using 145.800 MHz as the downlink frequency.
This will be the first time the experiment will use the recently installed D710GA in the Service Module.
Jun. 8 - Setup and activation between 09:45-10:15 UTC. Stop about 15:00 UTC.
Jun. 9 - Start about 08:35 UTC. Conclusion of experiment about 16:15 UTC.
GB70W Queen's Jubilee special event callsign
25 May 2022
The Queen's 70th Jubilee special event callsign for Wales is GB70W.
This callsign is scheduled to be used by the Dragon Amateur Radio Club from 1st to 5th of June.
(Any members of the other local clubs (including ours) are welcome to attend this event if you like.)
On other dates in June this special callsign may be used by any other club, or individual, in Wales.
To do so you have to register for a particular time-slot by contacting the co-ordinator for Wales, Stewart Rolfe GW0ETF, at GB70W@rsgbcc.org
The current schedule is listed on the "GB70W QRZ page",
so if you would like to use this callsign on one of the free dates, please contact Stewart directly.
A Message from the RSGB Region 6 Rep.
04 May 2022
We have received more correspondence from Liz, the RSGB regional representative for our area. It is published in full here.
Please note that these are Liz's words, and not necessarily the view of the Rhyl & District Amateur Radio Club.....
“Spring Update for Clubs in North Wales
Hi Everyone
This is rather later than I intended, so my apologies, as I've had some personal issues to deal with. However, at least it gives me the opportunity to update you on the upcoming plans to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee.
At our monthly meeting of deputy reps, we voted that Dragon ARC would be asked to host the RSGB event which they are happy to do.
We will set up on Wednesday 1st June and the station will be active on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th when it will close.
The special callsign will be GB70W.
Each of the UK nations will have their induvial suffixes. Eg. England E, Scotland S and so on.
From the 7th to 28th of June GB70W will be available to all RSGB members who book time slots with Stewart Rolfe GW0ETF who has offered to co-ordinate this.
Stewart has already contacted some clubs, but some emails have bounced, so I will forward his email at the end of my report.
Now to Clubs... It would seem that things are a bit mixed.
Some clubs are back to normal meetings, some are alternating face to face meetings with virtual ones, and some are really struggling with membership.
A brief roundup is as follows.
District 61:
Rhyl & DARC meet randomly and seem to be recovering their membership.
Wrexham ARS is not so fortunate with many erstwhile members not returning and, likewise, Marches ARS.
This has resulted in a proposition to amalgamate the two clubs. A meeting will be held on May 12th to vote on this.
District 62: Not good news at all.
NWRS is in the process of closing down. Certain members have forced it's demise despite ongoing efforts by a small group to save it.
Wireless in Wales have been unable to return to the Museum and have very few members.
NWARG do not communicate with me or any of the team but appear to be still meeting in Mochdre.
District 63:
Dragon ARC has a new meeting place in Gaerwen and is now meeting twice monthly with a good attendance.
Membership numbers are good and virtual meetings take place on the other Mondays.
PADARS are still in existence but have a problem with the Yacht Club where they have been meeting for years. So this is trying to be resolved.
Meirion ARS is still active with David Morgan standing in as Chairman for Mike Suddaby at the moment.
District 64:
Aberystwyth & DARS are back to meeting regularly and are very active.
Powys ARC are back to meeting in person and have changed their meeting place.
GWDX Group have not responded to recent emails but assume they are still active.
One final thing... We will shortly be updating details for the 2023 Yearbook so, please, please, will you contact me at rr6@rsgb.org.uk if your details have changed.
Regards & 73
Liz
GW0ETU
RR6
See Att below -
From Stewart Rolfe (gw0etf@btinternet.com) Fri, 29 Apr at 19:54
By now you will probably know about the RSGB Jubilee celebrations in June, details of which can be found by following the link below:-
https://rsgb.org/main/activity/hm-queen-elizabeth-platinum-jubilee/special-event-stations/
I am looking after the booking of slots on the GB70W qrz.com page.
Please read the above information carefully and if anyone in your club would like to operate any of the slots on the schedule
they can email me direct to reserve a slot.
73, Stew GW0ETF
Liz Cabban, GW0ETU Regional Representative for Region 6
Radio Society of Great Britain
01234 832 700"
Brian GW3HGL SK
22 Apr 2022
We have been informed today by his grandson, that Brian Clark, GW3HGL, sadly passed away on Easter Sunday, aged 90.
Although Brian was never a member of our club, he was a member of the neighbouring Conwy Valley Amateur Radio Club, with which we had very close ties.
He frequently visited our club, and even gave us a few talks on odd occasions, and will be very well-known to local Radio Amateurs of that era.
He was active on the radio until quite recently, mainly on the 2m band.
Brian was a very well-respected member of the local Amateur Radio community, and will of course be missed greatly by us all. R.I.P. GW3HGL SK...
New 70cms ISS SSTV experiment 20 Feb 2022
18 Feb 2022
The International Space Station will be conducting a new Slow Scan Television experiment on Sun 20 Feb 2022, between 05:12 UTC and 11:51 UTC,
for five passes over Europe
They will be using a new SSTV coding system, which will require the
"KG-STV" software.
They will be using the ISS crossband repeater, (uplink 145.800MHz, downlink 437.800MHz),
and all users are requested to keep the uplink frequency clear during these tests.
This first experiment in the series will utilize certain ARISS approved ground stations in Europe,
who will transmit these digital SSTV signals on the uplink frequency.
These should be able to be heard on the downlink frequency (437.800MHz) by everyone in the ISS footprint during each transmission.
The approx pass times for North Wales will be:
- 06:51 - 06:58 UTC
- 08:27 - 08:35 UTC
- 10:04 - 10:11 UTC
- 11:41 - 11:46 UTC
For more information see: https://www.amsat-on.be/ariss-sstv-experiments/
ISS transmitting SSTV again on 7-8th Feb 2022
06 Feb 2022
The Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) will be conducting more SSTV experiments during orbits that pass within range of Moscow
on February 7 and 8. They will be using PD180 SSTV mode on a downlink frequency of 145.800 MHz, using the Kenwood D710E
located in the Service Module. The images are sent with about 3 minute gaps between transmissions.
Feb. 7 - Approx. 08:35 to 15:05 UTC.
Feb. 8 - Approx. 10:40 to 14:30 UTC.
As they have said that their transmissions are mainly intended for the Moscow area, the best chance to listen is when the satellite footprint covers both Moscow and the UK.
(Note they will be using PD180 format not the usual PD120)
[Notes added 08 Feb 2022 - The images below were received by GW4HDR]
14:09 07 Feb 2022. I just got lucky with the timing of the first image, it was transmitted during the ideal distance & elevation for my vertical collinear,
resulting in a perfect image.
13:14 08 Feb 2022. The second image is the first one I received on the second day.
It started out a bit noisy, but improved as the ISS travelled nearer to me.
13:18 08 Feb 2022. The third image was pretty much the same,
a bit of phase distortion on the signal as the ISS was at too high an elevation angle for the simple vertical antenna
at the beginning of the transmission, but cleared up nicely after.
13:22 08 Feb 2022. The last one started great,
but with the long transmission times of the PD180 SSTV transmission, the ISS went out of range before I got the whole picture.
[Images added 08 Feb 2022. These images were received at GW4HDR (IO83gh) on 7th & 8th Feb,
using a simple "white stick" vertical collinear antenna on the chimney]
Club listing at RSGB corrected.
02 Feb 2022
There was a rather strange and unnecessarily restrictive RSGB rule,
which states that if a club does not currently hold *regular* meetings at a fixed location,
it cannot be listed as a Club in RSGB publications, or on the RSGB "Club-finder" part of their website
- it has to be listed as a Contest Group instead!
This is why our club did not feature in the clubs section of the 2022 RSGB yearbook, (it was hidden away in the Contest Group list instead)
After discussions with our RSGB Region Representative,
this restriction has now been removed and our club should be correctly listed as a club in future.
Informal meet-up & natter
30 Jan 2022
As the Covid restrictions in Wales have now been relaxed again, allowing more than six people to meet indoors,
we hope to arrange another informal Meet-up and Natter in the near future.
Our last one was held in the bar at the Rhyl Rugby Club Sports & Social Club in Tynewydd road.
Before we go ahead and arrange another meet, do you have any comments about the venue?
Should we meet there again, or have you any other suggestions?
Please let us have your comments/suggestions, either on our Facebook page, or contact us directly.
A Message from the RSGB Region 6 Rep.
02 Jan 2022
We have today received a message from the RSGB Regional Representative for North Wales.
(Sorry, we have omitted one paragraph from Liz's email as it contained comments
about the internal politics of another club in the area, and as such it would be inappropriate for us to publish it on our website) :-
"Christmas update
I meant to send this before Christmas but ran out of time.
If you wish to discuss any issues raised, please ring me on 01690 710257 or 07760 190355
Hello All
Sorry I haven't been in touch for a while although I've heard from various Clubs, sorted various issues and actually made a few visits to Clubs.
Halkyn Radio Group (formerly Mold & DARS) invited me and Mark Harper MW1MDH (Deputy RR D61 Ffint & Wrexham).
This was an outstanding visit from before Covid.
HRG have always been in District 62 (Conwy & Denbigh) as the original Club met in Mold.
Now they meet in Pentre Halkyn in Flintshire so they have moved into Mark's District.
It was really good to meet old faces, and new, after so long.
I also went to Dragon ARS's new QTH in Gaerwen and also to Meirion ARS although that was an "Unannounced Exam Inspection" I was asked to do.
All that was in late November and early December.
Then, of course, along came the Omicron Variant and it's further uncertainties.
It looks like there won't be any more Club visits for a while and possibly more restrictions in the next few weeks as well.
Who would have thought we would be facing another uncertain Christmas.
It looks like there won't be any more visits for a while but, hopefully, when things are more normal,
I'll be able to visit other Clubs especially the new ones and reformed ones.
Most Clubs seem to have survived Covid and many were beginning to emerge and go back to regular meetings although with some reluctance
to attend by older and more vulnerable members which is understandable.
I have followed your Facebook pages and websites (some could do with a bit of updating) and am glad to see that
many are keeping in touch with regular Nets and virtual meetings.
Some exam training has also taken place on Zoom and there have been good successes with virtual exams at all levels.
In the Summer and Autumn there were a number of SES's and other activities.
I managed to attend a very pleasant Saturday activity in the Summer with Dragon ARC on Parys Mountain on Ynys Mon,
The radio was a bit mixed but the social side was great and the WX also. The cakes were awesome too.
Sadly, Tony Chalk MW0BXJ went SK in the summer. Tony had suffered from ill health for many years but it was still a shock.
Pam donated his equipment to the Air Cadets.
... [ this paragraph omitted ] ...
What 2022 will bring is anyone's guess so we will have to wait and see.
Meanwhile, here's hoping we can have the best Christmas possible, despite Covid so take care and stay safe into 2022.
Nadolig Llawen a Blywyddyn Newydd Dda
Liz
GW0ETU
RR6 Gogledd Cymru"
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