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Peter Connor G8XTE (Hon.Treasurer) being presented with the Constructors Cup at the Sherry and Mince Pie evening. Peter was awarded the cup after much deliberation by the judges and in spite of unprecedented competition!
EDITORS BIT
QUA Articles:
Because I haven’t had any articles passed to me for publishing in QUA the magazine may be a bit thin for material this month. I have been digging about and have a couple of small items which may interest some of you. Not necessarily of direct radio interest but will perhaps fill a page!
Thanks to Club Members
Those of you who were at the January Club meeting will know that Sheila M3YSH has volunteered to take on the task of publicity. Well done Sheila and thank you. I have heard from Sheila since that she has roped Chris M5CJW into helping her, he had previously said that he would take it on, so now have a “P.R.O Team”. Look out for all the news about Plymouth Radio Club in the local press as well as nationally.
Now I have to rectify and omission from the last magazine. Sheila had asked me to publicly thank Muriel for her efforts on the Mince Pie and Sherry Evening in December and also for collecting the £ entrance money on club nights and organising the raffles and prizes.
So, on behalf of the club “Thank You, Muriel, for your efforts.”
RSGB MEMBERSHIP AND RadCom MAGAZINE
At last months meeting it was decided that the Secretary should have RSGB Membership paid for out of Club funds. This is because RSGB no longer provide RadCom magazine as part of Club Memberships.
Frank (Junior) G7LUL has told me that he is now the Club representative RSGB Member and will be receiving the RadCom every month from now. No doubt he will make arrangements for it to be distributed among club members.
EVENTS CALENDAR 2007
To help fill up a bit of space I have used the “centre fold” (last page of website copy) of this months QUA to publish the Forward Planner for the remainder of 2007. Things may change or be amended during the year of course. But do make a note of the important club events during the year, I have highlighted them in red for you.
P.R.C. QUIZ NIGHT.
In spite of the fact that there were fewer members than usual at the January Club meeting and there weren't any “visitors” from other clubs the evening was a great success and good fun was had by all.
Many thanks to Frank for preparing the questions and to Laurie for “organising” two teams. As we divided into two teams - PRC and Visitors - the visitors let PRC win so that they didn’t sulk!! Wasn’t that nice of us.
ANNUAL CLUB DINNER
For the last few years we have had a dinner. For the last two years Muriel and I have arranged it at the Westward Inn at Lee Mill. We are planning to do the same again this year for anyone who is interested. I know that even if there are only half a dozen of us it will be a good evening. The date hasn’t been decided yet but we will sort it out before the next meeting. The arrangement is that I will produce copies of the menu so that those who want to go can pre-order their meals. This helps the staff at the inn to give us good service. I also take a “deposit” of £5.00 per person (to show good intent) which I hand back on the evening of the dinner. The people at the Inn then bill us individually and we pay at the bar. This system has worked extremely well on the last two years.
I will pass around a list for you to indicate whether you are interested, without commitment in the first instance, so that I have an idea of numbers and can arrange the menu copies.
I will be announcing this at the club meetings. I have t start early because February is AGM so that just leaves two evenings, March and April to sort everything out.
This originated as the Rooster Dinner and at one time was held twice a year. We ran into difficulties in organising the evening mainly because one venue insisted on presenting a single bill for the party. Sorting out the amount to collect from each person was a major task. But the Westward Inn bills us individually which makes organising very easy. I shall be announcing this in Rooster Newsletters as well.
So come along and enjoy a good evening with fellow club members and Radio Roosters
EMC and TVI
The EMC page in the February issue of RadCom is quite interesting concerning television interference. It says that if a TV set generates a significant amount of interference this can be radiated by the braid of the co-ax down lead from the antenna. If, for example, the braid is 10 metres long then this is a quarter wavelength on 7Mhz and three quarters on 21Mhz so would radiate very effectively on these bands. It goes on to say that with the antenna and its mast acting as top load then quarter wave on 7Mhz would be less than 10 metres.
Even where the co-ax is not a resonant length, the fact that it is a more or less straight length vertically to the roof can make it radiate RFI more effectively than mains cable. But the high pass filter and braid breaker devices (obtainable from RSGB) designed to protect TV sets from interference are also effective at reducing emissions from a TV set.
So theres a tip if you are getting interference on your amateur radio from a TV then try fitting a filter, even a simple ferrite ring filter may help. At least it would be a good starting place.
This open letter from GB3WE Repeater Keeper., Andy Coombs G4SZM, was passed to the editor. Hello all
It is nice to see that others are thinking about our nightmare on Backwell Hill!
We have some big problems up there. The great news is that the usual team spent all day on site until it was too dark making the damaged tower safe.
This involved working in the high winds and rain, with both Graham G1VSX and Geoff M3YGP having to climb to the top of a 40 foot fir tree and working up there for over an hour just to undo our antennas which were stuck up there. No ladders were tall enough.
Don't ask what happened to Geoff's crutch!
Then Graham had to climb the damaged tower with an angle grinder and cut the top half of our tower off while 30 feet off the ground.
Every one worked really hard to get this real mess made safe.
Thanks to Del M0DWC, Geoff M3YGP, James M5AFH, Graham G1VSX, Dave G1DCG, Bryan 2E0GWF, John G6GVH, Viv G1IXE and Ivor G1IXF. Basically the usual few that do everything!
Now they are REAL HARDCORE!!
Thanks so much guys.
It looks like every one of our antennas are damaged, but the verticals may just need to have new radials made, which will be good as they cost £130 each!
We have a new tower organised, but not fitted yet, as the original tower was put up and then the repeater shack built in front of it, as this was the only available space at the time, now the shack has to be moved!
This is a very daunting task as all the repeater equipment has to be removed before the shack can be moved, don't even think about how much work that will be.
The good news is that we have permission to remove an old caravan which is stored next to our tower which will give us the opportunity to put our shack next to our new tower instead of in front of it.
This will let us tilt the new tower very easily anytime we need to make antenna changes and adjustments in the future.
Now if we are going to go to the trouble of moving the original shack then we must take this opportunity to consider putting a larger shack on site, as we have been really struggling for space for some time.
We have permission from the site owners to upgrade to a bigger building.
In a perfect world we could do with an old lorry container if anyone has any contacts or suggestions on how to get hold of one. Failing that we need any suggestions for a large, garage size building which can be installed on site.
I know it might seem like too much work to take on in one go, but basically the original shack has to be emptied and moved anyway to get the new tower installed.
We will need to make some new guy rope anchor points and clear some space up there, so if anyone has any access to a mini digger and the skill required, then WE NEED YOU!
To get every thing up and running again is going to use up a lot of our time, which can be sorted, without any doubt. The bigger problem is going to be what the repeater group funds will stretch to.
I think we are going to have to come up with some very cunning ideas to raise some cash or get some donations for the groups WIND APPEAL!
I could be sponsored to take out various women connected to the group for evenings of entertainment and drinks (they must supply the drinks of course)
All ideas welcome.
Thanks very much for the offer of the 8 stack UHF antenna from Plymouth. Have we got anyone that could pick that up for us? It is heavy but would fit on a roof rack.
Thanks for your help.
Andy.
See pictures on back page (Ed)
Sheila M3YSH is organising a collecting box to help them to fund the restoration of their repeater. Please help if you can.
Membership subscriptions for 2007 are due before the AGM in February. These are the names that Peter has given me so far.
PRC List of Members 2007
M3TBQ Ivor Hill
SWL Molly Hill
G7NHB Bob Griffiths
SWL Muriel Griffiths
M0RSM Roy Mahon
M3OJD Kevin Hawke.
M3KYD Pam Hummerstone
M0VRT Laurie Hummerstone
M3CJQ Phyllis Russell
2E0AZD Frank Russell (Snr)
WEB SITES
Rob 2E0RZD has now set up the club website at:
http://www.radioclubs.net/g3prc
(a.k.a. - www.parc.org.uk )
Other sites are:
www.radioland.piczo.com
www.2e0ono.co.uk
Do you know someone who is able to give a demonstration or talk (30-40 mins) on any interesting topic for the members of the club ???
Contact Bob or Frank.
Fox hunt / Treasure hunt.
What do you want, who is offering to organize it
What ideas do you have for Club Evenings or Events?
Tuesday 10th
P.R.C. Club Meeting
Prep VHF, QRP Field Day
MAY
Saturday 5th
Rooster Breakfast
Tuesday 10th
P.R.C. Club Meeting
VHF/QRP Field Day prep.
JUNE
Saturday 2nd
Rooster Breakfast
Saturday 9th, Sunday 10th
VHF/QRP Field Day
Tuesday 12th
P.R.C. Club Meeting
Fox Hunt preparation
Sunday 24th
FOX HUNT
JULY
Saturday 7th
Rooster Breakfast
Tuesday 12th
P.R.C. Club Meeting
Prep Fox Hunt
AUGUST
Saturday 4th
Rooster Breakfast
Tuesday 14th
P.R.C. Club Meeting
Lighthouse preparation
Weekend 17th - 19th
Lighthouses on the Air
SEPTEMBER
Saturday 6th
Rooster Breakfast
Tuesday 11th
P.R.C. Club Meeting
RALLY preparation
Sunday 23rd
P.R.C RALLY
OCTOBER
Saturday 6th
Rooster Breakfast
Tuesday 11th
P.R.C. Club Meeting
NOVEMBER
Saturday 3rd
Rooster Breakfast
Tuesday 13th
P.R.C. Club Meeting
CONSTRUCTORS CUP
DECEMBER
Saturday 6th
Rooster Breakfast
Tuesday 9th
P.R.C. Club Meeting
SHERRY & MINCE PIES
Thursday 27th
NO Chris’s Technical Evening
The nine successful candidates from the November RCE
Foundation Examination. Well done chaps! But try to look happy!
Editors bit for December.
Once again the Constructors Cup evening wasn’t very well supported. I suppose that with today’s technology construction isn’t as easy or popular as it was once. Also, of course, the need to construct equipment is not so necessary with the availability of commercially produced radios and ancillaries
Perhaps the influx of new licensees will see some who are keen to construct.
Congratulations to the nine new M3 licensees this month. The next course will be an Intermediate course for 2E0 licences planned to start in February. There seems to still be demand for training courses which means that the popularity of Amateur Radio continues - in this part of the country at least.
Just three large articles this month but I hope that you find them interesting.
Merry Christmas and Happy new year. See you in January, G7NHB.
(This article is quite long so will be serialised over a number of QUA’s. Ed.)
How to Use Amateur Radio Repeaters- Part One (Simple enough for even me to understand! )
This article contains a basic description of a amateur radio repeater, how to use it properly and is written with the NEW Radio Amateur in mind for the most popular amateur 2 metre band.
What is a Repeater and Why is it Needed, and How Does It Work?
What: It's a two-way radio system that receives on one frequency, then re-transmits what it hears on another frequency; at exactly the same time. It's nothing more than a "dumb machine" with some smart people behind it.
Why it's needed: Your mobile or handheld transceiver, has a limited range due to it's antenna height with respect to the radio horizon and r.f attenuating surroundings. Repeater systems are used to "transfer" your transmitted and received signals to much higher elevations electronically using large, very efficient antennas, low loss feedlines and a transmitter and receiver that is rated for heavy or continuous duty. A repeater "gets out" your signal and receives the station you are talking to with a far greater range and coverage area! You take advantage of the repeater's higher elevation to increase your effective transmitting and receiving coverage versus your mobile or hand held transceiver!
The Basic Repeater Components:
Antenna
Most repeaters use only one antenna. The antenna is used on transmit and receive signals that are going into and out of the repeater. It usually is a high performance, heavy duty, and very efficient antenna located as high on a tower or structure as we can get it above the surrounding terrain. Lots of repeater system antennas are located on a high hill or mountain. Antenna systems for repeater use are usually very costly and have high gain.
Feed line
The feed line used on a repeater needs to be good quality, low loss type not just standard coax cable. The signal loss is much lower than in standard coax, so more power gets to the antenna and weaker signals can be received.
Cavity filters
This device serves a major role in a repeater. The cavity filter separates and isolates the incoming signal from the outgoing and vice versa. It prevents the receiver and transmitter from “hearing” one another by the isolation it provides. A cavity filter is in the shape of tall cans and is designed to pass a very narrow range of frequencies and to reject others. It helps to reject very strong nearby frequencies from other radio transmitters getting into the repeater system.
Receiver
Receives the incoming signal. This receiver is generally a very sensitive and selective one which helps weaker stations to be heard better by the repeater. It is set to receive the input frequency. It's also where CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) decoding takes place.
Transmitter
Most repeaters have a transmitter composed of a modulator and a power amplifier. The transmit frequency is modulated by the received audio, and the power amplifier simply boosts its level so the signal will travel further.
Controller
This is the brain of the repeater. It handles repeater station identity signal using either CW or voice, activates the transmitter at the appropriate times, and sometimes performs many other functions depending on the sophistication of the repeater. The controller is a small computer that's programmed to control a repeater. The identity signal contains the station call sign, CTCSS code and location data.
What is Offset?
In order to listen and transmit at the same time, repeaters use two different frequencies. On the 2 metre amateur band these frequencies are 600 kc's (or 600 kilohertz) apart. On other bands, the offsets are different. As a general rule, if the output frequency (transmit) of the repeater is at VHF (2mtrs), then the input frequency (listening) is 600 kilohertz lower. This is referred to as a negative offset. If the output is UHF (70cm) or above, then the input is 600 kilohertz above. This is referred to as a positive offset.
Virtually all amateur radios sold today set the offset once you have chosen the operating frequency automatically. Example: If the repeater output is 145.700 Mhz. The input, or the frequency it listens on is 145.100 Mhz ( 600 kilohertz below).
If you have your radio tuned to 145.700Mhz,(the repeater's output frequency), when you push the mic button, your radio automatically transmits on 145.100Mhz, 600kc's down from 145.700. When you release the mic button to listen, your radio switches back to 145.700 Mhz to listen on the repeater's output frequency. (Note: There are exceptions to the rule so check local repeater listings.) More next month
RUGBY RADIO, Part two.
World War 2
At the onset of war, in 1939, Telephony services were rapidly converted to WT and transmitters put at the disposal of the armed forces, with GBR in particular becoming of vital importance to the Royal Navy and the Maritime Services.
During the war, the station suffered two setbacks, the first in January 1940, when during severe weather the aerial became so overloaded with ice that it collapsed. It was impossible to ease the strain with the masthead automatic release gear as this had frozen solid too!
The damage was so great, that a complete rebuild was needed, which was speedily carried out in very difficult circumstances.
The second disaster occurred in March 1943, when suddenly the woodwork on the roof of the building housing the VLF transmitters ignited due to RF radiation from GBR. The building was almost gutted.
For sometime there had been considerable unease about the vulnerability of the station to enemy action, and to counter such an eventuality, a sister station was nearing completion at Criggion in North Wales. Some salvaged equipment from Rugby was rushed to Criggion and VLF transmissions started within a few days of the fire.
However, results from Criggion were far below those of GBR and the Navy expressed great dissatisfaction. Top priority was given to rebuilding GBR, but it was six months before the famous callsign was to be heard round the world once again.
During the Cold War the station was deemed a Category `A’ target since nuclear submarines were controlled through it.
In view of the great importance to the Navy of it’s VLF transmissions, the station was fitted with updated equipment in1967, including a 24hr teleprinter service
Perhaps mention should be made at this point, of the famous MSF 24hr time signal service radiated on 60kHz. Meanwhile, GBR radiates four 5 minute time signals on 16kHz with the frequency accurate to 2 parts in 100,000,000,000,000 based on a Caesium standard.
The twelve tall masts at Rugby dominated the local landscape for so long, (with the stays only needing replacement once), that they were surely engineering marvels of their age.
However, Satellite and other modern communication techniques, eventually sealed their fate and by 2003 the sole task was the control of our Radio clocks via MSF. GBR shut down on April 1st 2003, and 10 of the masts came down by June 2004, leaving 2 for the time signal.
It is proposed to transfer MSF to Anthorn in Cumbria by the end of 2007.
Thus ends a remarkable chapter in Wireless History.
So were old Bill`s tales fantasy? It would appear that there is a good deal of evidence to support at least some of them, but there must be some ex- Service members who have personal knowledge, or stories of GBR. Why not write to Ed. and share them with us?
In conclusion, I should like to acknowledge reference to “The Official History of Rugby Radio” by Malcolm Hancock. Laurie M0VRT
How A Valve was Born.
In the late 19th Century many scientists were experimenting with the conduction of electricity through gases. It was known that electricity could cross a gap in a conductor if the voltage was high enough – a spark.
Sir William Crookes experimented further by sealing two conductors into a glass tube in which he could lower the air pressure by means of a vacuum pump. The current flowed more easily in this device and the crackling of the spark was reduced and became a stream of light. This light surrounded one of the wires (the cathode in fact) with a violet glow. This is the effect that is used in modern discharge lighting.
As more air was evacuated from the tube a dark space appeared near the cathode which eventually filled the whole tube. At this point the current stopped and a glow appeared at the opposite end of the tube. It was as if a “ray” was leaving the cathode and causing luminescence at the far end of the tube.
Crookes continued with more experiments first placing a metal plate in the tube which projected a shadow of the plate on the luminescent area. He then prepared a small paddle wheel on rails along the length of the tube. When the cathode ray struck the paddle wheel the wheel turned and moved along the rails. This showed that the ray consisted of some physical particles which were striking the paddle. These particles were later known as electrons.
Previously, in 1891, Dr Johnstone Storey had predicted that these particles and he suggested the name “electron”.
These experiments by Crookes and by people such as Thompson, Rutherford and others led to the development of the thermionic valve.
As early as 1883 Thomas Edison was experimenting with incandescent lamps. But the insides of the bulbs were being blackened by the carbon filaments he was using. Edison experimented by fitting a metal plate inside the bulb with a connecting wire through a seal in the glass. He applied potential to this plate and discovered that when the plate was positive with respect to the filament (i.e. more positive than the filament) a current would flow. But if the plate was negative compared to the filament then no current would flow. This was later known as the “Edison effect”. He had, in fact, produced a simple diode. He demonstrated this effect to others but didn’t follow it up.
Ambrose Fleming, a Britain who had studied at the Cavendish Laboratories in Cambridge under James Clerk Maxwell and had worked with Marconi on the trans-Atlantic experiments, realised that the Edison effect could be used to detect R.F. currents in a wireless aerial. So he connected a modified Edison type lamp to a galvanometer – a sensitive current meter – through the secondary winding of a transformer, the primary of which was connected to a spark receiver. When he switched on the spark transmitter the needle of the meter kicked with each spark. This confirmed what he thought. Each pulse of energy from the spark transmitter was being received and then rectified by the basic diode valve and producing the deflection on the ammeter.
Fleming took out a patent on what he called his “oscillation valve”, not because it generated oscillations but because it detected them. He called it a valve because of its “one way” property of conducting current flow.
Fleming’s modified Edison lamp used a metal filament heated by a battery until it was white hot, just as a modern electric light bulb today. Heating the filament in this way caused electrons in the filament to be released from the material of the filament. This effect is known as thermionic emission. Because the electrons are negative and the filament positive the electrons were immediately attracted back to the filament in a continuous process. The emitted electrons forming a “cloud” around the filament, known as the space charge – diagram 1.
If Edison’s metal plate inside the bulb was now positively charged – that is more positive than the filament – then the electrons were drawn to the plate. The filament being the cathode and the metal plate the anode. Connecting a battery between this anode and the filament creating a path for current to flow, the electrons emitted by the cathode were replaced from the negative terminal of the battery. This is shown as the anode current in diagram 2.
Reversing the battery meant that the anode now becomes negative with regards to the cathode.
The negatively charged anode will now repel the negative electrons and no current will flow. This was Flemings diode valve. To use this principle to detect a radio frequency signal the alternating r.f. signal was applied to the anode so that the anode is alternately positive and negative on each half cycle of the r.f. Because the anode current only flows on the positive half cycles the r.f current has been rectified to d.c. with the amplitude following the signal, strong signals producing large anode current and weak signals small current. This of course is the process of “detection” still used in modern receivers.
The next stage in the development of the valve was by Dr. Lee de Forest, an American. He called his valve an “audion” valve. This had and extra electrode known as the grid placed between the cathode and the anode, see diagram 3.
This grid is an open metal mesh so that with no potential applied to it electrons pass freely through the grid from the filament to the anode. However, with negative potential applied to the grid some of the electrons are repelled back to the filament. The more negative the grid is made the more electrons are repelled until the flow of electrons to the anode are cut off completely. So the flow of anode current can be controlled either by varying the positive anode voltage or the negative grid voltage. The advantage of the grid is that, being closer to the cathode, it has a much greater effect on the anode current.
With a small input voltage on the grid the audion valve can produce a much larger voltage at the anode. More correctly variations of the small voltage produce variations on the larger voltage. So the audion could amplify as well as rectifying a.c. to d.c. Because this valve has three elements it is known as a “triode” compared to the two element “diode”.
At the time that Fleming and de Forest were experimenting with valves there was difficulty in evacuating glass tubes or bulbs to the high degree of vacuum that was required. The 1914 war however produced the incentive to produce the technology and equipment to do this.
Problems associated with the triode valve led to later developments to improve the valve. Because the grid and the anode are both conductors and the space between them is and insulating medium they become a capacitor. This grid/anode capacitance creates difficulties at r.f. frequencies
In order to de-couple this “control” grid to anode capacitance a second grid was placed between the control grid and the anode. This new “screen” grid has a positive potential so as not to affect the flow of electrons to the anode. The screen grid is then by passed to earth through a capacitor so de-coupling the capacitance. With four elements the valve now becomes a “tetrode”
This is where “Murphy” comes into the story – wouldn’t you just know it!
At times the anode voltage can be lower than that of the screen grid and electrons hitting the anode can disturb a few “secondary” electrons on the anode and instead of these being attracted back to the anode they head off to the more positive screen grid, woops. This can set up oscillations in the valve.
So now a “suppressor” grid was grid was introduced to stop this.
The suppressor grid is connected back to the cathode so that it is definitely more negative than either the anode or the screen grid so that it drives any secondary electrons back to the anode where they belong. Now there are five elements and the valve becomes a “pentode”
PRC List of Members 2006
G7PHH Jess Alderman
SWL Mary Alderman
SWL Kevin Boulton
SWL Adam Butcher
M3NGG Neil Clare
G3JFS Peter Cole
SWL Sheila Cole
G8XTE Peter Connor
2E0OPS Dale Crozier
M1AGY Jules Cuddy
M0AKR Ken Daniels
G3SPI Ian Dawe
SWL Chris Gaulton
G7NHB Bob Griffiths
SWL Muriel Griffiths
M3SHH Shane Hart
SWL Sheila Hart
SWL Clive Jago
SWL Nick Kendall
M3OJD Kevin Hawke
2E0ELC Pat Hawkins
M0VRT Laurie Hummerstone
M3KYD Pam Hummerstone
M0BLO Peter Jackson
2E0SIG Gerry Lane
Gary Law
M0LCB Ian le C.Bisson
2E0RZD Rob Luscombe
M0RSM Roy Mahon
SWL Derrick Morgan
G0MQK Vic Murton
G4SCH Ken O'Connor
SWL Chris Parker
M3OJQ Bob Parrott
SWL Kevin Peel
2E0PSV John Phillips
SWL Jane Rocky
M0ZOL Zol Ritter
G7LUL Frank Russell Jnr
M3BHK Shirley Prinnett
2E0AZD Frank Russell Snr
M3CJQ Phyll Russell
Ron Rowe
M3HWB Debz Sheikh
M3BHN Lauren Sheikh
2E0TVP Ken Smith
M3OMJ Pat Smith
2E0IOS Roger Smith
2E0JFT Mark Train
G3HEL Jack Traynor
G8AHU Brian Vallance
M3LVW Lee Walklin
SWL Matthew Williams
M5CJW Chris Wingate
SWL Richard Wolsey
Future Breakfasts
December 2nd Morrisons, Tavistock
(2007!)
January 6th Sainsburys, Marsh Mills
February 3rd WindyRidge
March 4th Morrisons, Plymstock
(Subject to change)
WEB SITES
Rob 2E0RZD has now set up the club website at:
http://www.radioclubs.net/g3prc
(a.k.a. - www.parc.org.uk )
Other sites are:
www.radioland.piczo.com
www.2e0ono.co.uk
QUA is edited and produced by G7NHB
November 2006
Peter “MOBLO” with the Morse assessment session of the latest RCE Foundation Course
Editors bit for November.
OK! I’ve told you enough times now that all the committee posts will be up for grabs at the next AGM in February. But I also understand that many of you just aren’t able to take on these posts because of family, health or job commitments. That’s fine, although sometimes I feel that the “reasons” are often just excuses because you just don’t want to be on the committee. Again that’s fine. We all have the freedom to do or not do as we please, and I respect this.
Now here comes the big “but”. There is absolutely no excuse to complain either about committee make up or committee actions unless you are prepared to act in a constructive way. Let the committee know what you want. How do you see the way that you want to run the club. You can do this through QUA. I’ve invited you many times to write to me. So there’s your opportunity to make it clear to the committee what you like and don’t like.
All sensible and serious suggestions and comments will be dealt with in a serious manner. Any time wasters or frivolous ones will be “edited out” (by me!). If you wish me to keep your identity anonymous then I ask you to trust my integrity to do just that. I will do all that I can to represent your views as well as I can, even though I may not personally agree with them.
So come on club members let’s make this a true “members club” run by the members for the members with the committee as the management committee looking after the clubs resources and employing them in the best way possible.
Having said all that I believe that there must be some club members who do have the time and ability to take on the posts. It’s up to you. So don’t let me hear any rumblings about “who” runs the club or how it is run. Remember you are the majority. Don’t be re-active and just not take part because you don’t agree with something. Be pro-active and do something.
QUA.
Now I have to take my own advice and try to be proactive. I’ve been asking for articles and items to publish in the magazine without giving you any ideas. Well, for a start how about the other interests that you have? Other than amateur radio, that is. Gardening perhaps, motoring, sport, reading, television - - - there must be something that you know a fair bit about, and that you can tell other people why it interests you and what you enjoy about it. Even a humorous article about being a couch potato enjoying your lager and pot noodles would liven up the magazine. Go on you must have some great ideas. Let you mind run wild.
RUGBY RADIO
When I was a keen S.W.L. (about 60 Earth orbits ago!) a club elder in the South Bristol A.R.C. recounted unbelievable tales of a giant Radio Station in the Midlands. He had been an engineer there sometime during WW2, and Bill would say with great disdain “ QRO? The aerial current at GBR is so enormous that the wooden window frame round the feeder is charred black”
“Loose rusty nails in galvanised roofs will emit Morse code, and many a local runs their domestic lighting by R.F. which sadly then fluctuates with the keying of the transmitter!”
I felt that these yarns were surely pure fantasy, but they did arouse my curiosity and so years later I decided to check the facts.
The first thing I discovered was that over its 77 year life there were quite a number of services operating at Rugby, including several HF (SSB as early as 1937) but old Bill was specifically referring to the colossus which transmitted on 16 kHz. callsign, GBR.
This was confirmed by another of his assertions that contacts could be made with submarines as far away as the Indian Ocean!
History
The story of GBR begins in the first quarter of the 20th Century, when Wireless was rapidly developing as the method of communication. Successive governments recognised the potential for establishing a chain of stations linking the Empire, but political wrangling ensued over private or public control. Initially, the Marconi Company built two stations, (one in England and one in Egypt) but in 1923, a level site was chosen at Hillmorton, and the Post Office embarked upon building a Government station, to be known as Rugby Radio, equal in power to any in the world.
It was an impressive undertaking, with 12 masts each 820 ft high, spaced at quarter mile intervals, supporting a two section cage aerial system 12ft. in diameter, one being 2 miles long and the other 1.5 miles. Twenty seven miles of copper wire were used in the aerials. The two sections could be connected together if required, by an arrangement in the buildings. The masts, complete with stays, each weighed 200 tons and were supported on an inverted insulated triangular base. They were designed to allow 10ft. of sway at the top, had electric winches for lowering the aerials, and internal lifts for three brave men.
The normal working voltage of the aerial was 165,000 volts r.m.s. with a current of 750 amps!
The earth system comprised an open network of 120 miles of copper wire, 1600ft. wide, buried a few inches underground.(Those putting a single earth spike in the garden take note Hi!)
The aerial system remained unmodified over 30 years, and the stays lasted until 1956-a striking testimony to the designers and engineers.
The transmitter operated at 16 kHz. with a typical output of 500kW. and went on air on January 1st. 1926 under the callsign GBR achieving worldwide coverage. Such power required many water cooled valves, some demountable, so two reservoirs were built, each with a capacity of a quarter million gallons, feeding a heat exchange system. The transmitter was 72% efficient.
Originally, frequency control was generated by tuning fork, but later on a temperature stabilised crystal oscillator took over.
Laurie M0VRT
To be continued
So that you are all aware of the progress of the “Licence for Life” and for the benefit of non-RSGB members the following item is reproduced in its entirety from the November 2006 issue of RadCom:
The RSGB has received a number of enquiries since last month's issue regarding the introduction of the new lifetime licence and it is apparent that there is some confusion. UK radio amateurs are reminded that the introduction of this licence has now been delayed until December 2006. Although a final decision has still not been made, it is anticipated that all UK amateur licences will be varied from this date to allow the new Terms and Conditions to be brought into effect.
Readers are also advised that the sample Terms and Conditions document published on the Ofcom website on 4 July should not be considered the final version as a number of significant changes have been made since. Ofcom has now agreed to remove this document from the web. Ofcom originally planned to allow Foundation licensees access to the 1Om band and the Amateur Satellite Service from 1 October. But the date for th is has now been put back to 1 December to coincide with the introduction of the Lifetime Licence.
There has also been clarification on the use of converted Private Mobile Radio (PMR) equipment by Foundation Licensees. Providing the equipment has been modified and certified by a recognised PMR dealer as complying with IR2O28, then the equipment can be used by a Foundation Licence holder. As we went to press, Ofcom posted an updated sample lifetime licence on its website -www.ofcom.org.uk.
Operating in the USA
(Written during a visit to the USA - 1)
I'm now operating on HF. As I found in Australia, hams everywhere are incredibly generous! Jesse, W8MCP, lent me his spare rig, a SWAN 100MXA, circa 1978, together with matching power supply and transmatch. I have a very small backyard filled with large trees, the airspace crisscrossed with power, phone, cable TV wires. A proper antenna system or beam is out of the question, so I've just run an end-fed random wire out of the upper storey bedroom window.
This gets me all over the USA on 40 and 80 metres CW. But the SWAN is really designed for SSB, and has no CW filter. With the level of CW activity common in the USA, that means that it's unusual to find only one signal in the passband, and often there are 4 or more! I've been thinking about lashing up a passive audio filter, but haven't got around to it.
For any lover of CW, operating 40 metres in the USA is pure delight! It's 2145 local time, and I'm writing this column on the MITAC notebook computer alongside the SWAN, listening with one ear. I've just tuned over the 40 metre band, and in the bottom 25 kHz there are 15 CW conversations going on, at speeds ranging from 6 to 45 wpm. There is no commercial interference, and no QRN! This is armchair operating. If I just sit on one frequency, sooner or later a nice CQ comes along which I can answer. Everybody wants to come back to a callsign like ZL1AN/W8, although sometimes it takes a couple of tries to get it correctly. Working "local DX" is a novelty!
LETTER BOX
The Editor
QUA Magazine
Dear Sir
Re: Forthcoming Annual General Meeting – 2007
As I have previously indicated and as I am sure the majority of the members will now be aware I am proposing to stand down from my post as chairman of the Plymouth Radio Club at the next AGM. My reasons for this are that my level of personal and professional commitments make it difficult to be able to devote my time to the role as I would have hoped though I will of course remain at the clubs disposal in whatever capacity I can.
This leaves me with a concern; that we find a suitable individual to take on the role of chairman and, for that matter any other committee posts as in accordance with the club constitution ALL committee posts are available for re-election.
Please can the members of the PRC bear this in mind, we have a healthy and growing club of which we can be justly proud but it can only continue to grow and flourish with the support and input of the members. Personally I feel that change, even a little revolution now and then is a good thing so via the pages of QUA, please consider taking an active roll in the club and not just leave it to others to ‘do it to you’!!
Yours sincerely
Rob Luscombe 2E0RZD
I love HF!
A recent conversation with a (very) learned amateur chum indicated that there seems to be a need for a basic and straightforward guide to the HF bands, not on the frequencies, we have the band plans for that but rather to give some sort of guidance as to the nature of the bands. This is a subject which has been written about extensively over many years and this is at best a brief introduction so is intended as nothing more. Deliberate omission is 136kHz which can be classified as an LF band.
‘Top band’ – 160 metres (1.81-2.00MHz)
· just above the medium wave broadcast band
· in daylight hours best suited to local communications
· after dark range achievable increases significantly and potentially intercontinental contacts are possible particularly in the winter
· high levels of atmospheric noise especially during summertime
· popular at the sunspot minimum with long ranges possible
80 metres (3.50-3.80MHz)
· in daylight hours relatively easy communications up to 300km, very popular band for such local contacts
· after dark range achievable increases greatly
· round the world contacts possible at dusk and dawn, especially during the winter
60 metres (5.2585, 5.2785, 5288.5, 5.3985 & 5.4035MHz USB – channelised)
· only available for full licensees who have applied for and hold an NOV to be able to use this temporary and experimental allocation
· channelised as noted as only specific frequencies are available for use
· interesting DX possible with the long distance qualities of 40 metres but without the shortwave broadcast QRM
40 metres (7.00-7.20MHz)
· small band but good for DX (long distance) contacts
· long distance contacts possible during the day but increases significantly after dark and during the winter
· particularly popular around the sunspot minimum as long range contacts are still possible
· dusk and dawn long distance (greyline propagation) stations can be heard
· 7.1 to 7.2MHz is a relatively recent addition to the band in the UK but on a secondary basis. This means the band is shared with other users, foreign broadcast stations who have precedence so DON’T INTERFERE!
30 metres (10.10-10.15MHz)
· Narrow band modes such as CW (morse code) and digimodes only other than for emergency use
· Again radio amateurs are secondary users of this band
20 metres (14.00-14.35MHz)
· this is the main long distance band but is affected by the time of day, season and the sunspot cycle, the band can close late at night
· dusk and dawn long distance stations can be heard
· during the sunspot maximum the band can remain open during the night
· there are few times when some form of DX stations are not contactable even using relatively low power and basic antennas
17 metres (18.068-18.168MHz)
· relatively narrow band but capable of giving good results
· quieter than 20metres as there is no contest activity
· propagation conditions are similar to 20metres but being higher in frequency generally works better during the day and closes earlier at night as well as being more affected by the sunspot cycle
15 metres (21.00-21.45MHz)
· very popular band though more affected by the state of the sun
· during sunspot minimum no stations may be heard and will often close at night
· signal strengths can be higher than on 20metres and at sunspot maximum the band will remain open well into the night
· broadcast band immediately above this band can give a good indication as to whether the band is open
12 metres (24.89-24.99MHz)
· narrow band (similar to 17metres) but similar in propagation to 10 metres a little higher in frequency
· relatively high frequency means band is greatly affected by the sunspot cycle but when it is open the band can give good results
· after dark signals fall away and in the morning it takes a time for long distance stations to emerge
10 metres (28.00-29.70MHz)
· highest of the true short wave or HF bands and becomes available for foundation license holders from 1st December 2006
· a very good band when open but very dependant on the sunspot cycle
· like 12metres mainly a daytime band but at sunspot maximum can stay open into the night and when open very long distance stations can be contacted
· at sunspot minimum sporadic E can give rise to some long distance contacts
· at the high end of the band FM operation takes place (FM calling frequency 29.600MHz) and there is even some repeater activity. There is currently only one FM repeater in the UK at Northampton (output 29.640MHz, input 29.540MHz) but various European and even American repeaters can be heard with the right conditions
Above this level we get into the VHF bands (50MHz, 70MHz and 144MHz) and the UHF bands (430MHz and above) which work completely differently and are perhaps a subject for another day!
I don’t profess to be an expert, no-one can and we never stop learning. I hope this is helpful to one and all but I’m sure you’ll forgive any omissions or errors (and I’m sure someone will point them out to me!!)
73 de Rob 2E0RZD
I was always taught to listen!
(Names changed to protect the ‘less than’ innocent)
“Golf three x-ray yankee zulu this is two echo zero romeo zulu delta please advise your location…,… golf three x-ray yankee zulu go ahead please…,… hello?...? Am I getting out???” This was the way an admittedly rather one sided conversation went very recently. The station in question ultimately turned out to be within 100 yards of me but was concealed by a copse of trees and I’d been looking for him for 10 minutes or so and had called him several times, so despite the fact I new he was on frequency G3 wasn’t listening was he?!
As if that was not enough I was holding an enjoyable conversation with a new acquaintance on a local repeater just the other night. Admittedly we had almost finished but I was rather dismayed when an experienced amateur cut in calling another, equally experienced individual who answered him and proceeded to block the repeater by continuing to transmit whilst looking up some information for the caller. The calling station was admittedly mortified apologising profusely stating he had not realised his volume control was set low when I (politely) called in and dare I say admonished him for cutting in. But the question that formed itself in my mind is they couldn’t both have had their volume down or the second station would not have heard the first calling through…, now would he?!? Right, rant over!
As I got out of the car one night after a repeater conversation a car pulled up and the driver asked ‘are you Rob?’ Yeeees!? He had just bought a scanner and had been listening in on 2 metres, was intrigued by the new world he had discovered and was keen to know some more. Lets hope we see him at the club soon. He has got off to a good start after all, as the training team always tell us, ‘listen listen listen’!
73 de Rob 2E0RZD
Future Breakfasts
December 2nd Morrisons, Tavistock
(2007!)
January 6th Sainsburys, Marsh Mills
February 3rd WindyRidge
March 4th Morrisons, Plymstock
(Subject to change)
WEB SITES
Rob 2E0RZD has now set up the club website at:
http://www.radioclubs.net/g3prc/
Other sites are:
www.radioland.piczo.com
www.parc.org.uk
www.g3prc.org.uk
www.2e0ono.co.uk
PRC List of Members 2006
G7PHH Jess Alderman
SWL Mary Alderman
SWL Kevin Boulton
SWL Adam Butcher
M3NGG Neil Clare
G3JFS Peter Cole
SWL Sheila Cole
G8XTE Peter Connor
2E0OPS Dale Crozier
M1AGY Jules Cuddy
M0AKR Ken Daniels
G3SPI Ian Dawe
SWL Chris Gaulton
G7NHB Bob Griffiths
SWL Muriel Griffiths
M3SHH Shane Hart
SWL Claire Leaman
SWL Sheila Hart
SWL Clive Jago
SWL Nick Kendall
M3OJD Kevin Hawke
2E0ELC Pat Hawkins
M0VRT Laurie Hummerstone
M3KYD Pam Hummerstone
M0BLO Peter Jackson
2E0SIG Gerry Lane
Gary Law
M0LCB Ian le C.Bisson
2E0RZD Rob Luscombe
M0RSM Roy Mahon
SWL Derrick Morgan
G0MQK Vic Murton
G4SCH Ken O'Connor
SWL Chris Parker
M3OJQ Bob Parrott
SWL Kevin Peel
2E0PSV John Phillips
SWL Jane Rocky
M0ZOL Zol Ritter
G7LUL Frank Russell Jnr
M3BHK Shirley Prinnett
2E0AZD Frank Russell Snr
M3CJQ Phyll Russell
Ron Rowe
M3HWB Debz Sheikh
M3BHN Lauren Sheikh
2E0TVP Ken Smith
M3OMJ Pat Smith
2E0IOS Roger Smith
2E0JFT Mark Train
G3HEL Jack Traynor
G8AHU Brian Vallance
M3LVW Lee Walklin
SWL Matthew Williams
M5CJW Chris Wingate
SWL Richard Wolsey
October 2006
Peter, Roy, Peter and Jack
The Bring & Buy Team
Rally 2006
Customers Counting the Loot!
Colour photographs by Patrick Hawkins 2E0ELC. Thank you Patrick
EDITORS BIT!
The September Club meeting seemed to go off pretty well, although we started 15 minutes late. As long as we stick to the points on the agenda and don’t get carried away into long discussions then things will go quickly and the leave more time for chatting and supping. Although we don’t want to go through the detail of the Forward Planner for the whole of the next twelve months it will sometimes be necessary to look two or three months or more in advance in order to prepare for events, such as the rally. I’m sure that the committee, and anyone organising events, appreciate that people are not always able to commit themselves to dates which are far ahead but, in the early stages of planning, an indication of willingness to assist if you are available will at least help to get things going. If, at the last minute, you need to cry off then that bridge will be crossed as we come to it.
Frank also said at the meeting that we would be needing a Quartermaster. I think that possibly you haven’t considered what this will entail. I don’t see this as a particularly difficult or time consuming task. What is needed is someone to hold the key to the storage of large equipment (when the storage has been arranged). To pass the key to anyone who has permission to use it and to get it back again afterwards. Also to keep a record of the location of pieces of equipment that are in the care of various club members, arranging for such equipment to be loaned out, and returned, as appropriate. There must be several club members who are quite capable of doing this, spending a little time occasionally as required. What we need is someone willing to take on the task. So how about it? Are you that someone?
I said in last months QUA that I would be reminding you of the forthcoming AGM and the need to consider nominations for committee positions. If it is possible for the Secretary to have these before the AGM it will help things to go more smoothly on the night. If you have any proposals you wish to have considered at the AGM then these must be added to the “Any other business” part of the agenda, if appropriate. All such proposals must be submitted in writing at least eight weeks prior to the date of the AGM as laid down in article 8(c) (ix) of the constitution. That means by the December club meeting.
So bear this in mind if you wish to raise anything which can’t be dealt with at a normal club meeting. Apart from changes to the constitution there is very little that will come into this category.
A further thing for you to think about is the task of contacting and liaising with Plymouth City Council when we are arranging events at Staddiscombe and next years Lighthouses On The Air. This entails obtaining permission to use Smeaton Tower, filling up a few forms, advising them of our insurance arrangements and obtaining the key to the tower as require. Frank will tell you exactly what is needed but again this doesn’t seem to be to difficult a task. Please consider whether you could take on the job, it’s only a few times a year.
As with all these tasks for the club it doesn’t have to be one person, two or more people could agree to share the job. Then if one person isn’t available another will be able to deal with things.
Bob G7NHB
Update on “Free” Licensing – Licenses for Life.
Ofcom has announced that the new licence conditions will not now become effective until 1st December 2006 instead of 1st October. But licences due after 1st October will be sent out free of charge with BR68. I don’t know if this will be a “new” BR68 or not but the changes will be:
o Log book doesn’t have to be kept unless instructed by Ofcom
o Any UK radio amateur licensee can pass exercise or emergency traffic messages on behalf of User Services during disaster or emergency conditions.
o /M, /P and /MM have been dropped.
o Alternative address /A has been brought back.
o Operation of equipment by remote control is permitted for personal use but with restrictions on power for Foundation and Intermediate. Full licensees may operate remote by any means of linking. Measures must be taken to ensure this is for licensees use only. Repeaters, internet gateways and mailboxes (for use by other licensees) still require NOV.
o Club prefix X originally used for greetings messages may now be used for general purposes.
o Foundation can now use 10m band and have an allocation at 10GHz microwave.
o Foundation may also use amateur satellite service.
o Questions to Colin Thomas e-mail to spectrum.chairman@rsgb.org.uk
Most of this has been published already but this will keep you up-to-date.
(Details from October Rad-Com.)
In another magazine I read that Ofcom have announced the first step in the de-regulation of Citizens Band. Is our “free licence” the thin end of the wedge I wonder?
Ofcom proposes to de-regulate CB allowing people to use short range transmissions, for hobby and leisure, without a licence. Power will be maintained at the current level of 4.0 watts. (My italics).
PRC Rally 2006
The rally went very well and a quick summing up of figures tells me that we have made a bit of money. No doubt Peter Connor, the treasurer, will give us the full detail at the October club meeting.
A number of club members turned out to help with setting out the tables and after a a bit of a hiccup at the start when we were directed to the wrong room everything went extremely well and the layout was completed in a good time of a little over an hour.
As this was our first rally at this venue we had no experience of where things were or how to go about getting tables and chairs. But the pre-prepared plan of where each of the vendors should go worked perfectly. But, of course, the best laid plans do go astray and a couple of quick changes were needed on Sunday morning to ensure that everyone was happy.
As I said, a number of people turned out to help and they all need thanking for their willing help and hard work.
I’m sure that these will all be named again at the club but perhaps a list here will be appropriate, so in no particular order:
Table layout:
Mark Train 2E0JFT
Roy Mahon M0RSM
Chris Wingate M5CJW
Kevin Hawke M3OJD
Peter Connor G8XTE
Frank Russell G7LUL.
On the door
Frank Russell Snr 2E0AZD
Laurie Hummerstone M0VRT
Pam Hummerstone M3KYD
Bring and Buy
Roy Mahon M0RSM
Peter Connor G8XTE
Peter Jackson M0BLO
The Tea Ladies
Shirley Prinnett M3 BHK
Muriel Griffiths
Incidentally, the “Free” tea, coffee and biscuits is a special service laid on for vendors only and is not available for general sales. As the outside caterers pay for their pitch we cannot act in competition with them. Please bear this in mind at future rallies and don’t embarrass the ladies when they won’t serve you.
Sign posting
Iain le Couteur Bisson M0LCB
Assisted by his daughter
Talk in Station
(unseen and almost unheard in the hall)
John Phillips 2E0PSV and
Jane Rocky.
Thanks everyone. I bet I’ve missed somebody, if so I apologise for that.
Summing up, most people seemed to have enjoyed their visit to our rally and I heard several comments about the generous availability of space and how easy it was to move around. The sitting facilities were also well received.
So let’s give ourselves a pat on the back and resolve to do even better next year. Especially with advertising the event beforehand to attract more customers .
Here’s one for all you budding Morse operators.
Another Learning Method
What if you don't have a computer or tape recorder? Wayne Green, Editor of '73', a while back, gave his method of learning Morse, which, somewhat simplified, goes like this. Listen to Morse, any Morse, at any speed, on any Ham band. Choose any character, and get the sound of it, as a WHOLE, fixed in your mind.
Each time you hear this character, write it down. Pretty soon, you'll pick it out every time it's sent. Then add another character. Write them BOTH down whenever you hear them. Continue until you can pick them both out. Keep adding characters. After a while you'll know Morse.
Well, that makes sense to me, although you have to have a receiver, and you'd have to wait for a long time to hear some of the less common characters. But many old-time telegraphers (like Ted McElroy) learnt just like this in days past. Any comments?
Taking Down Code
Don, ZL2ASK writes 'I would like to warn others of a trap I fell into. By profession I am a draughtsman, and so tend to write in block capitals as I would on a drawing. This gives clear lettering which is easy to read. Naturally, when learning Morse I also copied in this way and after a year managed to pass 12 wpm. From there the sky should have been the limit. But I did not seem able to increase my copying speed, until I realised what the problem was. The fastest I could copy in block capitals was 13 wpm. Since most people seem to send at 15 to 18 wpm - at least the ones I listen to, there was no way I could copy at that speed. I am now
learning to scribble Morse copy in normal writing.
Please warn your readers of this problem! Up to 13 wpm block capitals are OK, but I recommend always copying in normal handwriting, right from the start.
Don's point is an interesting one. I taught myself to take down code using only upper-case letters, forming them with the 'approved military' strokes given in the old ARRL booklet 'Learning the Radio-telegraph Code' and can still make hard copy that way up to about 18 wpm.
Service operators were trained this way to ensure uniformity of letter formation, and aid deciphering longhand - but I had to learn that afterwards, and it was surprisingly difficult to make the transition. Because I've never practised the skill, I can only hard-copy reliably up to about 25 wpm, though I can read and comprehend, without writing, much faster than this. But experienced old-timers like Bruce, ZL1ADF, and Bill, ZL2BO, have copied me verbatim at 35 - 40 wpm in longhand, although they say that the pencil nearly catches fire.
However, an equally important skill is to learn to read 'in the head', without writing everything down. Most experienced CW operators only note details for the log, and points they wish to remember or comment on later. Again, this ability has to be acquired.
Our test requires hard copy, and we get used to automatically making it, without bothering too much about the sense of what we have written. For head copy, we have to simultaneously read and comprehend, and many of us have forgotten how hard this initially seemed. What have other learners found?
(Extracted and adapted for MM from Gary Bold's 'The Morseman' column in 'Break-In', journal of NZART - various issues, 1988-1995)
GOTCHA!
Seems that this guy was caught on camera – stealing the camera!!
Does the face look familiar?
Submitted by an anonymous member!
(The REAL culprit was caught and dealt with.)
A.G.M.
Don’t forget. Submissions for items to be included in AOB and proposals to amend constitution must be submitted in writing at least eight weeks prior to date of AGM.
Have you decided on nominations for Committee positions yet? You will need the nominees acceptance, preferably in writing, for the nomination to be seconded and put to vote.
ALL Committee positions are eligible for nominations.
(No apologies for repeating myself)
Morse Therapy
Many times, over the years, I've finished writing a lecture late at night. The house is asleep, but my mind is wide awake. I know that if I go to bed now, I'll just lie awake and the ideas I have to propound in the morning will rush madly about, echoing and muttering in my brain. My solution has always been to fire up the TS-520, limber up the Brown Brothers paddle, put on the cans and exchange CW for a while with someone on 20 metres. After a while the Morse begins to decode itself automatically, and little ASCII strings march quietly and effortlessly through my head.
My pulse-rate slows, and the network theorems and Fourier transforms of my professional life go away. I have almost become one with the radio, a bionic post-processor tacked on the end of the audio chain. CW is the purest form of communication I know, a 'mind-to-mind' linkage. The words appear right inside my head, words that were never spoken; uncorrupted by accents, verbal peculiarities, oddities of vocal intonation.
They leave no room for other thoughts. Almost like a form of meditation. Very therapeutic. After thirty minutes of that, my metabolism has been slowed right down and I'm relaxed. I can go to bed and sleep comes.
All of us who have been hams for a long time go through phases. That's one of the nice things about our hobby, there are so many outlets for our nuttiness. I've been an antenna nut, a Dx hunter, a transmatch experimenter, a keyer builder, a phasing SSB enthusiast, a CW keyboard freak.
All these phases have passed, but my first love is still CW. Its the mode I go back to whenever I need to wind down and recharge the batteries. There's something about the essential simplicity and purity of Morse that, for me, all the other modes lack.
Another one from Morse Magnificat submitted by Peter M0BLO. Thanks Pete.
THIS SPACE IS BLANK BECAUSE I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR OR ARTICLES FOR PUBLICATION IN QUA.
NEXT MONTH IT COULD BE SEVERAL PAGES INSTEAD OF HALF A PAGE.
DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE END OF QUA?
THE ANSWER IS IN YOUR HANDS!
EDITOR
TRAINING.
The training team started a new Foundation Course on the 2nd of this month with eight new trainees. This will be our 9th Foundation Course.
The final examination takes place on Monday November 13th.
Good luck to all the candidates who we are sure will do well.
We are planning to hold the “on air” assessment sessions on Monday 16th October. If you are available on that evening and can stand a listening watch between say 7 and 9 pm please have a word with Chris.
After this we will have a rest until Christmas and new year are past and then plan to start an Intermediate Course early in the year.
This course there is a fairly full waiting list for this. But if you are keen to do the 2E0 course then let us know as soon as possible.
On Saturday October 28th Chris M5CJW and John 2E0PSV are organising a “field” event for M3 operators to gain experience using radios from a high point on Dartmoor near Sheepstor. See either Chris or John for full details.
SNIPPETS
1. Send Morse To Your Dog
A Northland farmer and engineer, Darcy Gilberd, who travelled away a lot and had other people moving his stock solved the problem of multiple dog control by training his dogs to obey Morse code signals blown on a referee's whistle.
'T' was to call attention, 'I' to bark or 'speak up', 'K' for 'steady', or when repeated, to sit. 'M' meant 'go away', and 'N' 'come in behind'.
(From New Zealand National Geographic, October-December 1991).
2. Send Your Call!
(From Morsum Magnificat)
The other night I came across a nice juicy CQ on 20m and sat back waiting for the callsign. But 'CQ CQ CQ' went on and on, and after 15 seconds I lost patience and went away.
Its surprising how many stations do this. A venerable sage, years ago, counselled me: 'Always send a 3 by 3 CQ. The other guy KNOWS you're calling CQ - it's YOUR CALL he wants to hear'. Does anyone else get exasperated by this?
Plymouth Radio Club
List of Members 2006
Plymouth Radio Club
List of Members 2006
1 G7PHH Jess Alderman
2 SWL Mary Alderman
3 SWL Kevin Boulton
4 SWL Adam Butcher
5 M3NGG Neill Clare
6 G3JFS Peter Cole
7 SWL Sheila Cole
8 G8XTE Peter Connor
9 2E0OPS Dale Crozier
10 M1AGY Jules Cuddy
11 M0AKR Ken Daniels
12 G3SPI Ian Dawe
13 SWL Chris Gaulton
14 G7NHB Bob Griffiths
15 SWL Muriel Griffiths
16 M3SHH Shane Hart
17 SWL Claire Leaman
18 SWL Sheila Hart
19 SWL Clive Jago
20 SWL Nick Kendall
21 M3OJD Kevin Hawke
22 2E0ELC Pat Hawkins
23 M0VRT Laurie Hummerstone
24 M3KYD Pam Hummerstone
25 M0BLO Peter Jackson
26 2E0SIG Gerry Lane
27 Gary Law
28 M0LCB Ian le C.Bisson
29 2E0RZD Rob Luscombe
30 M0RSM Roy Mahon
31 SWL Derrick Morgan
32 G4SCH Ken O'Connor
33 SWL Chris Parker
34 M3OJQ Bob Parrott
35 SWL Kevin Peel
36 2E0PSV John Phillips
37 SWL Jane Rocky
38 M0ZOL Zol Ritter
39 G7LUL Frank Russell Jnr
40 M3BHK Shirley Prinnett
41 2E0AZD Frank Russell Snr
42 M3CJQ Phyll Russell
43 Ron Rowe
44 M3HWB Debz Sheikh
45 M3BHN Lauren Sheikh
46 2E0TVP Ken Smith
47 SWL Pat Smith
48 2E0IOS Roger Smith
49 2E0JFT Mark Train
50 G3HEL Jack Traynor
51 G8AHU Brian Vallance
52 M3LVW Lee Walklin
53 SWL Matthew Williams
54 M5CJW Chris Wingate
55 SWL Richard Wolsey
List of Members
I believe that there are now only a couple of people who regularly attend club meetings who have not paid a subscription for this year. If it’s you please see Peter who will tell you what the “pro-rata” payment is for the remainder of the year.
Don’t forget that subs for 2007 at £10.00 per person will be due from January 1st and must be paid before the A.G.M. in February to qualify for voting rights at the A.G.M.
Guests are welcomed at three meetings per year but will then be invited to become club members. Hopefully there will be no embarrassment if you have to be reminded of this.
Future Breakfasts
November 4th Tesco, Roborough
December 2nd Morrisons Tavistock
January 6th (2007!) Sainsbury’s, Marsh Mills
February 3rd Windy Ridge
March 4th Morrisons, Plymstock.
SUNDAY OCTOBER 29TH
British Summertime ends.
Put your clocks back 1 hour.
Please note that John 2E0PSV is now keeping www.radioland.piczo.com up to date with information about Plymouth Radio Club. You will find a copy of this magazine on the site. The “official” PRC web site is www.parc.org.uk
Try these other web sites as well:-
www.g3prc.org.uk
www.2e0ono.co.uk
September2006
G3XPRC/L.
International Lighthouses on the Air 2006
EDITORS BIT!
As editor of QUA I am aware that it may be thought that I am in a position where I can take advantage of the fact that I have complete freedom to present my own points of view.
This is, of course, quite true. But as anyone who reads the whole of QUA every month will know, the readers have every opportunity, not only to challenge my views and ideas, but also to promote their own.
Anyone may submit an article for publication on any subject they please with the proviso that it is not inflammatory, derogatory or offensive.
I have on several occasions invited readers to write “Letters to the Editor” for inclusion in QUA. So through either of these methods you all have to opportunity to dispute (or perhaps even agree with!) anything that is printed in the magazine.
QUA is NOT Bob’s magazine, it IS the club’s magazine, it is YOUR magazine. You may not always be able to present your ideas or points of view at club meetings but QUA is “open” to you. I will present your point of view as fairly as I can (even if I may not agree with it myself).
That is a promise I make to each and every one of you.
Even if you feel that you may not be able to present what you want to say I am willing to assist you to put your thoughts into words.
In this way QUA will become a lively representation of Plymouth Radio Club and all it’s members.
This will make the club better and stronger and ensure its future.
A.G.M 2007.
Tuesday 13th February is the PRC Club evening, it is also the date of the 2007 A.G.M.
OK, that seems a long way off but I believe that now is not too early to begin thinking about what will happen then.
I have already been speaking to Rob M0RZD, our present chairman, an I know that he will not be standing for re-election for 2007.
This means that the club will need nominations at least for the post of chairman. Without a chairman there can be no committee, without a committee there can be no club!
Will you be happy to see the end of PRC?
As I see it there are only two alternatives;
1. Form a proper committee and ensure the future of the club.
or
2. Wind up PRC!
What actually happens will depend on YOU, the club members.
So get your heads together, start discussing it amongst yourselves, but most of all be ready with nominations for committee members. Have these ready, proposed and seconded, preferably in writing by the January club meeting at the latest.
Yes, I know, that’s three months away, but I feel that it is essential that these things are addressed well in advance so that so that there is ample opportunity for discussion amongst club members.
Remember that all the committee posts are open for election at the AGM.
If you would like to know more about what each position requires then talk to me and I will give you my thoughts on the matter.
I will remind you of this in a future QUA but please keep it uppermost in your minds.
Harrowbeer Aerodrome
The patch of land bounded by the Yelverton roundabout and the A386 Plymouth to Tavistock road six miles from Plymouth known as Leg ’o’ Mutton corner was, I am sure a good many of you will know, a second world war airfield known as Harrowbeer Aerodrome. Little evidence of the airfields previous use remains it having reverted to nature and is now mainly scrub and heathland grazed by sheep but is also enjoyed by families as a large flat area ideal for playing games, flying kites and dog exercising.
Some 65 years ago the situation was a lot different. Great Britain was at war with Germany, the Battle of Britain had been won but the end of the war was still some way off and as far as anyone in the UK was concerned the end was nowhere in sight. The likelihood of invasion was ever present as well as the risk of attack from the air. Plymouth and most particularly Devonport was a key target being an important naval base and to provide defence to this and other strategic south west targets the RAF built aerodromes at Harrowbeer and Roborough (now the site of Plymouth airport) specifically to defend the city. Harrowbeer was built not only for this purpose but to act as a satellite airfield for Exeter aerodrome (now Exeter airport) and to cater for aerial patrols extending along the south coast of England and down to the coast of France.
Satellite airfields were intended to provide backup landing fields as main stations were coming under continual heavy attacks from the Luftwaffe. Most satellite fields were simply grass landing strips with a minimum of facilities however Harrowbeer would be different. The hard winter of 1939/1940 demonstrated to the RAF the need for hard surfaced runways to ensure flying operations were not restricted by bad weather and as a result a significant quantity of construction work was undertaken at Harrowbeer. This included the construction of three asphalt or tarmac runways, ten hangers and a number of blast pens or shelters which became familiar landmarks on fighter airfields and are one of the few wartime features to survive to this day. The original Tavistock road was also diverted (to make way for the main runway) with the construction of the roundabout which still exists today
The airfield was brought into use in August 1941 although construction was still taking place and the control tower was not completed until the following April, such was necessity!! The first aircraft stationed at Harrowbeer were Bristol Blenheim’s (a light bomber) followed soon after by a squadron of probably the most famous fighter aeroplane of the war, the Spitfire. Other renowned aeroplanes of the era visiting and occasionally based at Harrowbeer during the war included the Hawker Hurricane, the Typhoon, Whirlwinds, P-51 Mustangs and even Swordfish biplanes. In the run up to D-day up to fifty aircraft were stationed at the airfield in preparation for the allied invasion of Normandy and in support of the countless naval vessels and landing craft mustering along the south coast of Britain.
As the land battle moved east and inland within ‘Fortress Europe’ Harrowbeer became more and more isolated from the action and ultimately was placed on a care and maintenance basis with only limited flying mainly of US Navy communications aircraft taking place. On the 28th August 1944 there was a degree of excitement at Harrowbeer when Major Glenn Miller of the American Band of the Allied Expeditionary Force arrived to play three concerts in Plymouth at the US Navy field hospital at Manadon, the Odeon cinema and HMS Drake. The band was due to leave the next day but was delayed by a day by fog. On the 15th December Major Glenn Miller would fly from Twinwood Farm bound for Paris but disappeared over the English Channel.
The airfield was used to temporarily station aircraft from Exeter and Bolt Head in South Devon in the last months of the war and up until May 1946. Subsequently the Ministry of Civil Aviation took possession and for a time there was a proposal to use the airfield in preference to the smaller field at Roborough for the new Plymouth airport but due to strong local opposition this did not progress and Harrowbeer finally closed in August 1948. A memorial to the aircrew of various nations who served and died at Harrowbeer stands at Leg ‘o’ Mutton corner being unveiled in 1981.
A little piece of trivia…, the row of single storey shops which face Yelverton roundabout had upper floors until the development of the airfield but the upper floors and roofs were removed to allow adequate clearance for low flying aircraft landing and taking off from the main runway just across the road. More information (a lot!) can be found at www.rafharrowbeer.co.uk.
73 de Rob 2E0RZD
Lead Free Solders
The current issue of RadCom contains an article on lead free solders. It points out that the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive came into force on 1st July 2006. In the main this means that any equipment put on the market after that date should, in general, use lead free solders.
Mixing of different types of solder can lead to long term problems and should be avoided. So any equipment repairs should be carried out using the same type of solder used in the making of that equipment.
Leaded solder can be used to repair older equipment made using that type of solder, that is equipment put on the market before July 1st.
It would seem that home brewed equipment for one’s own use doesn’t come within the directive as is has not been “put on the market”. What happens if you sell that equipment later is uncertain. Any second hand gear will already have been covered dependant on when it was marketed.
There you are then, Radio Amateurs aren’t being forced to use lead free solder. If you do use lead free then your present soldering gear may be quite adequate and it is suggested that with a temperature controlled iron a change of tip may be all that is required. The main point is not to mix the different types.
Most connecting wires on components are made ready using coatings based on pure tin and should not present any difficulty with either type of solder.
There have been various articles in the magazines about lead free solders. The February 2006 issue of RadCom has an in depth article on the subject. It points out that there are a number of different lead free alloys on the market with various ratios of mix of tin/copper or silver/tin/copper with melting points around 217°C for the copper and 227°C for silver. These compare with around 190°- 195°C for leaded solder.
If you can get hold of the February RadCom the article is very goof with many photographs of solder joints with different solders.
I hope that this helps all you home brewers to sort it out. If you have a supply of leaded solder then hang on to it, you may not be able to get any more!
Bob G7NHB
Telegraphy in Action
By James S. Farrior, W4FOK
(From Morsum Magnificat Nr.54, October 1997)
For a number of years I took a small amateur radio rig with me into the jungles of Central America, where I participated in archaeological digs. My amateur radio call, W4FOK, was issued in 1938, and I operated as W4FOK/TG in Guatemala, and as W4FOK/V3 in Belize.
My little rig, a Ten-Tec Century 22, has an output of only 20 watts, and no voice capability. The transceiver, a.c. power supply, antenna tuner, a 20/40/80 meter antenna system, tools, manuals, and spare parts, all fit in a small case which is carried aboard the aircraft. In each year of jungle operation, approximately 100 messages were handled by radio amateur volunteers in various parts of the country. Notably among those who nearly always met the regular evening schedule were W4EQE, NS5H, WD8PNL, N8GDO, and W9CN. Often there were others.
Most of the messages handled were personal messages for the staff, but a number dealt with emergencies, mostly medical. All were handled promptly and accurately, and this could not have been done using voice due to the low power, the primitive antenna, and the congested state of the amateur radio bands.
Listening for RAEM
By Ray Hunting G3OC
(From Morsum Magnificat Nr.8, Summer 1988)
Fifty years ago, in 1936, I saw an appeal from Moscow, published in an American magazine. The following year there would be an Arctic expedition led by Papanin, with the scientists Fedorov, Shirov, and Krenkel. The four men were to spend the winter on an ice-floe drifting south from the North Pole, and Krenkel would send daily reports to a Soviet base, using a 10 watt transmitter, powered by a hand-operated generator.
The call-sign was to be UPOL, and all transmissions would be on the 20m CW band. Moscow wanted full copies of all transmissions, and the best complete entry would be awarded "The Russian Grand Prize" for this useful contribution to science. The purpose of course was to have a radio back-up in the event of losing contact with Krenkel, or news about the party if the ice-floe disintegrated.
Fifty years ago my sole ambition in life was to get that Grand Prize! I picked up Krenkel on his first transmission and copied him day after day during the weeks that followed.
When the time came to send the material, I recognised two evident drawbacks. First, radio communication from the ice-floe had been uninterrupted, so there was no need for foreign reports of the text. Secondly, all entries had to be posted to a most sinister address, "The Kommissar for Chemical and Air Defence, Moscow". My large envelope, with its sheaf of coded messages, together with reports of radio and weather conditions, virtually screamed for investigation by the authorities before it was permitted to leave this country.
Months later, Moscow replied with a UPOL QSL card, a map of the Arctic and photographs of the heroic ice-floe team. There was no mention of the Grand Prize or its recipient. These unusual items from the Soviet Union roused much local interest and I was invited to display them at the Manchester Radio Exhibition in 1938.
I mounted them with newspaper cuttings in a large picture frame, and it went on show. To my bitter disappointment, my precious exhibit was stolen, probably for the picture frame. If you happen to see a Russian pre-war map of the Arctic with a UPOL QSL card attached, they belong to me. By the way, the organisers of the Exhibition came to see me in 1939 to inquire if I had any other interesting Ham Radio items to display. Among the various expressions and phrases in my reply was the word "NO"...
5MHz allocation for amateur use.
Mike G3HOL has asked me to publicise the fact that the %MHz allocation has been extended until 2010. An N.O.V. is required to operate on the frequency and is available to Full Licensees only. Application forms can be downloaded from the Ofcom website. A copy of your validation document needs to go with the application form. The N.O.V. is free of charge.
Mike says that operation is on 7 spot frequencies from 5.2 to 5.4 MHz and that propagation is good pretty well all day without the “continental” QRM of 3.5 and 7.0MHz bands. Power limit is 200W at present.
The list below shows the names that Peter (Treasurer) has given me of people who have paid membership subs during 2006. This doesn’t mean that these are the only people who are members or that if a name is not on the list then subscriptions have not been paid. If you know of any errors or omissions to this list then please let me know so that the list can be corrected and we have a true reflection of the number of paid-up members in the club.
Resolution 4)(b) of the Club Constitution states:
All subscriptions shall be due and payable by the date of the AGM. Members in arrears have no voting rights.
Plymouth Radio Club. List of Members (August 2006)
2005
Roy Mahon M0RSM
Lee Walker M3LVW
Gary Law 2E0GGL
Ron Rowe
Ken O'Connor G4SCH
Patrick Hawkins 2E0ELC
January 2006
Zol Ritter M0ZOL
Ken Smith M3TVP
Chris Wingate M5CJW
Mark Train 2E0JFT
Frank Russell G7LUL
Shirley Prinnett M3BHK
Peter Jackson M0BLO
Rob Luscombe M3RZD
Bob Griffiths G7NHB
Muriel Griffiths XYL
February 2006
Laurie Hummerstone M0VRT
Pam Hummerstone M3KYD
Peter Connor G8XTE
Roger Smith 2E0IOS
Shane Hart M3SHH
Robert Parrot M3OJQ
Jules Cuddy M1AGY
Jess Alderman G7PHH
March 2006
IaIn Le Couteur
Bisson M0LCB
Peter Cole G3JFS
Dale Lapham
Crozier 2E0OPS
Frank Russell
(Snr) 2E0AZD
Phyllis Russell M3CJQ
May 2006
Christine Perkins M3FAC
July 2006
John Phillips 2E0PSV
Jane Rockley
August 2006
Sheila Hart SWL
Kevin Hawke M3OJD
Jack Traynor G3HEL
Deborah Sheikh M3HWB
(+2007)
No doubt Peter will be looking for subscriptions for 2007 in the new year as the AGM is fixed for the February meeting of the club every year.
Please also note that “guests” are welcomed at three meetings per year but will then be invited to become club members. Hopefully there will be no embarrassment if you have to be reminded of this.
09 Jan 2007
NEW CLUB PUBLICITY OFFICER
Co-opted on to the committee on the 9th January was Sheila Hart (M3YSH) as publicity officer.
As she builds up a list of contacts she will become the person that makes contact with the likes of the RSGB, all local newspapers, all local radio and television stations, the local authority for venues etc.
She will also become the point of contact for queries from club members, prospective members and other interested parties about the club and its' operation, projects and aims.
Her email address is sheo@fsmail.net
BACK TO NEWS
QUA
Issue number 14
January 2007
Ivor Hill M3TBQ receiving the PRC Training Trophy for 2006from Bob G7NHB,
with his “Personal Trainer” Molly (his wife) and “Barley” (his eyes).
Editors Bit!
Happy New Year Everybody!
As Plymouth Radio Club Members you are the club. So the success of the club during 2007 is up to you. If you do nothing then the club is nothing!
First of all renew your membership NOW. This will show your commitment to the future of the club. Next decide what you can do to make the club interesting for other members. And don’t just say that “Somebody” should organise something. Decide that you will be “Somebody” and get organising, there are other members and the committee who will help. If you have a good idea but really aren’t able to follow it up the let the committee know of the idea and we will do our best to get it off the ground.
When events are organised then show that you care by taking part. Make the organisers feel that they have not wasted their time.
There we are then, that's my sermon this month. Bob G7NHB
Forward Planner.
The Forward Planner is included on the back page of QUA this month. This is to fill up space as there aren’t many articles to publish .
So put your thinking caps on, read your magazines, find something of interest to club members and let me have some articles for the mag.
GB3WD
The new equipment for WD was plugged in” and tested but unfortunately there was a problem with what appeared to be RF feedback. Jules is attending to this and is in the process of ensuring that everything possible is isolated from everything else. When I spoke to him at Christmas he was waiting fo delivery of some thin screened cable to help with this task. So, be patient, I’m sure that Jules will get over these problems and the “new” WD will soon be up and running and giving us very good service. Thanks Jules for your hard work and dedication.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS.
Next month, Tuesday 13th February Club Night is the occasion for the AGM’s of PRC and WD. Be sure to be there to help plan the next year of PRC. It’s not Valentines Night this year so you won’t be distracted by that.
Remember that all the committee posts are up for re-election, do you have nominations ready? And don’t forget that membership subs are due for 2007 and only paid up members are entitled to vote at the AGM.
It’s no good complaining about committee or the running of the club if you are not part of it. (Aren’t I an old grouch! But you know it’s true)
See you at the AGM.
How to use Amateur Radio Repeaters. Part Two
Why do Repeaters use an Offset?
Without having an offset between the transmit signal and the receive signal frequency, the repeater would simply hear itself when it was transmitting on the same frequency it was listening on! Therefore, to use a repeater a user must use a different transmit frequency than receive frequency. Your actual transmit frequency is the exact same one that the repeater receiver is listening on. This is a form of duplex, or two frequency operation. It is known as half-duplex as you do not receive and transmit at the same time but normally use the push-to-talk button on your microphone to switch between the two. Cell phones use “full” duplex so each party can hear the other while the other is talking. Even with the offset, the two frequencies are close enough that some isolation is required. Again, this isolation is done by the cavities. So you can see why some repeater components interact with each other and without the basic system components....nothing would work.
What are all those “tones” about?
What is a CTCSS Tone?
Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System, or CTCSS is used to prevent a repeater from responding to unwanted signals or interference. Tone Squelch is an electronic means of allowing a repeater to respond only to stations that encode or send the proper tone. In other words, if a repeater is set up to operate only when the correct CTCSS is heard by it's receiver, then it will allow the transmitting station access. If your station, (your mobile, base or handheld) does not transmit the tone when you key up, then the receiver of the repeater “does not hear” you and will not be usable by your station until you set the tone in your radio. Any station may be set up to transmit this unique low frequency tone that allows the repeater to operate Some repeaters may be “opened” by using a 1750Hz “tone burst” and/or CTCSS and will operate without continuous CTCSS once the repeater is opened as long as it receives an audio signal.
UK CTCSS TONES (in hz)
And their ident letters:
A B C D E F G H J
67.0 71.9 77.0 82.5 88.5 94.8 103.5 110.9 118.8
What Happens When You Key Your mic?
Let's "key up" a repeater and see what sequence of events are created within the repeater equipment when someone makes a transmission:
You set your transceiver controls for the 147.000 repeater, for instance GB3WD at Plymouth, and listen to see if it is in use...nothing heard.
You key your mic and throw out your callsign...."This is M3ABC listening ". Then you release the mic button.
Assuming your station is within range of the repeater....The repeater antenna picked up your signal with it's antenna on 145.100 (your transmit frequency set to the standard offset and the repeater's receive frequency) and sent it down the feedline to the cavity filter
rom there it was sent to the repeater receiver and converted to an audio signal (just like the sounds coming from your speaker)....sent to the controller (the brains of the repeater), then sent to the repeater transmitter and turned back into a much greater amplified radio signal on 145.700mhz (the output of the repeater)....sent to the cavities....then through the feedline to the antenna and out over the air.
A mobile or base station that happened to be within range and monitoring the GB3WD repeater heard your transmission on 145.700MHz (the repeater output frequency).
Since radio waves travel at about the speed of light....at the split second that you first keyed your mic, the above events took place and the repeater was receiving your signal on one frequency and re-transmitting your signal on a different frequency at the same time!
The mobile station that was listening on the output frequency of the repeater heard your callsign....keyed his mic and came back to you starting the process all over again!
A simple way of demonstrating what is going on with a repeater is to set a scanner or a second receiver tuned to the input frequency of a LOCAL active repeater...in the case above...145.100mhz and you can monitor it's input (and the stations using it if they are local). Then with your transceiver, monitor the output on 145.700MHz! You should be able to hear both the input signals and the output of the repeater as all this takes place on the air.
How do you make a call on an Amateur Repeater?
First, LISTEN AND LISTEN SOME MORE...... to make sure that the repeater is not already in use. When you are satisfied that the repeater is not in use, set your transmitter power to the minimum and increase only as needed to make contact with the repeater, begin with the callsign of the station you are trying to contact followed by your callsign. e.g. " M0XYZ this is M3ABC” (The M3ABC is your callsign). If you don't establish contact with the station you are looking for, wait a minute or two and repeat your call. If you are just announcing your presence on the repeater it is helpful to others that may be listening if you identify the repeater you are using AND your callsign. e.g. " This is M3ABC listening on the WD repeater”. This allows people that are listening on radios that scan several repeaters to identify which repeater you are using. If the repeater you are using is a busy repeater you may consider moving to a simplex frequency (transmit and receive on the same frequency..... see more below), once you have made contact with the station you were calling. Repeaters are designed to enhance communications between stations that normally wouldn't be able to communicate because of terrain or power limitations. If you can maintain your conversation without using the repeater, going "simplex" (both stations on same frequency in a different part of the band) will leave the repeater free for other stations to use!
Repeater Etiquette
The first and most important rule before using a repeater is to LISTEN FIRST. Nothing is more annoying than someone that "keys up" or DOUBLES in the middle of another conversation without first checking to make sure the repeater is free. If the repeater is in use, wait for a pause in the conversation and simply announce your callsign and wait for one of the other stations to acknowledge your call. This is not CB, Don't use CB lingo such as 10-4,.....don't just say BREAKER, it’s OK to say “Break, M3ABC”, that way the stations using the repeater will know who you are and that you want to join them or use the repeater. If you are mobile, that is “M3ABC mobile” then one of the stations using the repeater will usually let you use the repeater immediately. This is in case you go out of range of the repeater or into a dip in the road which masks the repeater from you.
Use plain language on a repeater. If you want to know someone's location, say "Where are you? or what's your location?" If you want to know whether someone you're talking with is using a mobile rig or a hand-held radio, just ask: "What kind of radio are you using?" You get the idea. (You will hear Q codes used, OK as long as everyone understands)
Don't call CQ to initiate a conversation on a repeater. Just simply listen to make certain the repeater is not in use and then key your mic and say “M3ABC accessing GB3WD (or which ever repeater) and listening”. If someone happens to be listening and they want to talk to you they will respond.
When you are using the repeater leave a couple of seconds between exchanges to allow other stations to join in or make a quick call. Most repeaters have a "Courtesy Tone" (a short...beep or series of beeps) that will help in determining how long to pause. The courtesy tone serves two purposes. Repeaters have a time out function that will shut down the transmitter if the repeater is held on for a preset length of time (normally three or four minutes). This ensures that if someone's transmitter is stuck on for any reason, it won't hold the repeater's transmitter on indefinitely. (Don't laugh, many microphones get lodged in the fold of car seats and keep a repeater busy until it times out. Of course if it is not noticed soon by the mobile operator.....the repeater keeper may have to shut down the repeater until the problem is corrected.)
When a radio amateur is talking and releases the push-to-talk (PTT) switch on their radio, the controller in the repeater detects the loss of carrier and resets the time-out timer. When the timer is reset, the repeater sends out the courtesy tone. If you wait until you hear this beep (normally a couple of seconds), before you respond, you can be sure that you are pausing a suitable length of time. After you hear the beep, the repeater's transmitter will stay on for a few more seconds before turning off. Make sure that you hear the courtesy tone before going ahead, but don’t wait too long after the tone or the repeater will shut down. Note: If you don't wait for the beep, the time-out timer may not reset. If you time-out the repeater, YOUR conversation AFTER the time-out will not be heard. The repeater time-out function does not care if you are still talking or not; it will shut down, and the station on the other end may rib you about hogging the machine and you will have wasted all those words!
What is Doubling?
When two stations try to talk at the same time on the same repeater, the signals mix in the repeater's receiver and results in a buzzing sound, squeal, distorted sound or severely jumbled and broken words. When you are involved in a roundtable discussion with several other stations it is always best to pass off the repeater to a specific person (station) rather than leave it up it the air. e.g.
"M0XYZ to take it, this is M3ABC” then de key; or.......
"Do you have any comments Fred?, this is M3ABC”, de key.
You could also say "OK...that's all I have.....back to you Fred"... (de key)....
Failing to use this or other techniques is an invitation to total confusion.
As a point of interest, a repeater will usually lock into the strongest of two FM signals.
Eddystone Reef Lighthouses.
The Eddystone Reef lies about 14 miles to the south of Plymouth Hoe. The rocks stand about 1 metre above the water at high tide making it almost impossible to see them, especially in rough weather. Many ships foundered there being on top of the reef before being able to avoid them.
But this story starts in 1664 when Trinity House decided that it would be impossible to build an offshore lighthouse in such an hazardous location. However, some twenty six years later in 1690 Henry Winstanley, a citizen of Plymouth, was given permission to erect a light there. Winstanley was quite an eccentric person and the design of his lighthouse reflects this with elaborate and decorative embellishments to the structure. Although he had no building or engineering qualifications he did have an interest as one of the ships he owned had been wrecked on the reef.
The lighthouse that he build was a fairly flimsy affair of wood, iron and brick. It had an elaborate cupola style roof above the light chamber and an open balcony below this with a very ornate wrought iron weathervane on top of the roof.
Wiunstanly was convinced that his lighthouse would last forever. The lantern was finally lit in 1698 but in 1703 when Winstanley was in the lighthouse a great storm destroyed it drowning him and everyone who was there.
John Rudyerd was the next one to build there. His lighthouse was a less elaborate affair built of timber and stone. But this one was destroyed by a fire in the lantern room though not until it had been in use for nearly fifty years.
Next came John Smeaton, reckoned to be the founder of the civil engineering profession in Great Britain. He had a more scientific approach and had experience of building canals and had conducted a scientific study of windmill sails. He realised that nature designed even the largest of trees with a very broad and strong base with the body of the tree tapering upwards. He used this in his lighthouse design. The lower part of the structure, which still stands on the reef today, was made up of discs of stone dovetailed together and joined to the next course with oak pins set into holes drilled through the discs. The stones were held together by “hydraulic” cement, a mortar composed of quicklime, clay, sand, and crushed-iron slag, which was considered best for underwater use. On to this solid foundation he then built a hollow, tapered tower containing the working and living quarters approached by ladder from the rocks below. The lantern room on top was surrounded by a balcony and contained twent four candles as its only source of light. It was completed in 1759 and stood there for over a century. Even then it was not the tower that failed but the rocks upon which the structure rested began to crumble owing to the force of the sea during the 19th century, and in 1877, the construction of the fourth lighthouse, named the J. N. Douglass Tower, after its designer, was begun. It employed bronze bolts to reinforce the interlocking stone, a technique that was later used in the construction of many other lighthouses, and was completed in 1882.
Smeatons Tower was dismantled stone by stone, brought back to Plymouth and re-erected on Plymouth Hoe as a memorial to John Smeaton and his engineering skills.
Smeatons was the first lighthouse made of interlocking masonry blocks. Interlocking masonry blocks remained the principal material of lighthouse construction until they were replaced by concrete and steel in the 20th century. Modern construction methods have facilitated the building of offshore lighthouses.
Until the introduction of automation, lighthouses were operated by lighthouse keepers who lived with their families in or near the lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper's duties included lighting the wick, polishing the reflecting mirrors, cleaning soot off the tower windows, replacing the oil consumed by the light, rescuing shipwrecked sailors, and sometimes firing a warning cannon during periods of fog.
In 1822, Augustin Fresnel, a French physicist, invented the Fresnel lens which made it possible to substantially increase the light's intensity. Initially, the Fresnel lens revolved around the lamp by means of a clocklike mechanism. But today, electric motors provide the power to revolve the lens and light the lamp. The most common illuminant today is the electric-filament lamp. Radio and satellite-based navigation systems have greatly reduced the need for large lighthouses in sighting land.
Female and Logical?
A Spanish teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine. For example, "House" is feminine" La Casa", whereas "Pencil" is masculine "El Lapiz".
A student asked "Which gender is a Computer"? Instead of answering, the teacher split the Class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide giving their reasons.
The Men's group announced that "Computer" must feminine “La Comptadora" because:
1 .No one but their creator understands their internal logic;
2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to anyone else;
3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in their long term memory for later retrieval; and 4. As soon as you commit to one, you spend half your income on accessories.
The Ladies group, however, concluded that "Computer" must be masculine "El Comptador"
because:
1. In order to do any thing with them you first have to turn them on;
2. They have lots of data but still canl think for themselves;
3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; 4. As soon as you commit to one, you realise that if you had waited a little longer, you could have had a better model.
THE LADIES WON!
Laurie MOVRT
(With acknowledgement to the "Pensioner")
FORWARD PLANNER 2007
Proposed events
Fox hunt / Treasure hunt.
What do you want, who is offering to organize it
CLUB NIGHTS
Second Tuesday every month.
Tue Feb 13
P.R.C. Annual General Meeting
W.D. Annual General Meeting
Tue Mar 13
PRC members darts contest
301 flying start.
Men’s, ladies, singles and doubles
Tue Apr 10 T.B.A.
Tue May 8 T.B.A.
Tue Jun 12 T.B.A
Tue Jul 10 T.B.A.
Tue Aug 14 Lighthouse preparation
EVENTS
Sat / Sun Jun 9-10
V.H.F. Q.R.P. field day
Weekend Aug 17-18-19
International lighthouse
Sun Sept 23
PLYMOUTH RADIO RALLY
WEB SITES
Rob 2E0RZD has now set up the club website at:
http://www.radioclubs.net/g3prc
(a.k.a. - www.parc.org.uk )
Other sites are:
www.radioland.piczo.com
www.2e0ono.co.uk
TECHNICAL NIGHTS
Fourth Thursday Every month.
Hosted by Chris, M5CJW
Thur Jan 26 Thur Jun 22
Thur Feb 23 Thur Jul 26
Thur Mar 23 Thur Aug 23
Thur May 2 Thur Sept 28
Rooster Breakfasts
Sat Feb 3
WindyRidge
Sat Mar 3
Morrisons, Plymstock (Subject to change)
Do you know someone who is able to give a demonstration or talk (30-40 mins) on any interesting topic for the members of the club ???
Contact Bob or Frank.
Membership subscriptions for 2007 are due before the AGM in February. These are the names that Peter has given me so far.
PRC List of Members 2007
M3TBQ Ivor Hill
SWL Molly Hill
G7NHB Bob Griffiths
SWL Muriel Griffiths
What ideas do you have for Club Evenings or Events?
