The SDARC AGM for 2013 will be held on May 23rd 2013.

We had a number of projects entered into the competition across a variety of categories. We had two judges who discussed the entries with each constructor to determine as much background and technical information as they could to help during the judging process. Thanks to G4LDL, Tony and G3YBY, Ian, who agreed to take the role as judges this time around.

The entries

The Winners

Sunday 10th February 2013
HARWELL AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY are holding a Radio and Electronics Rally at Didcot Leisure Centre, Mereland Road, Didcot, Oxon OX11 8AY from 10.30am-3.30pm.

There will be radio and electronics stalls, second-hand stalls, Special Interest Groups displays, RSGB Bookstall, Information on Courses for new Radio Amateurs and a Demonstration Station.

Refreshments will be available all day. Entry £2.50 (children under 12 free).

Details from Ann on 01235 816379 or from www.g3pia.org.uk

Dear Club Member,

This is a reminder that the SDARC annual construction contest will be held on the 28th February 2013. So, you have ten weeks left to build that kit or to finish off that unfinished project. The rules of the competition are the same as last year, with a total of nine prizes.
A copy of the rules is attached.

73

Deryck G3YKC

It’s been usual for people who wish to become active on the microwave bands to build their own equipment from scratch or from a kit, to modify commercial equipment, or if they have deep enough pockets, to buy completed equipment from the handful of specialist manufacturers who produce equipment for the amateur microwave bands.

Most modern components are only available in SMD packages. For most people, building equipment using modern surface-mount components isn’t easy, and hand-soldering doesn’t lead to great reliability, but boards built using automated assembly techniques are extremely reliable. It’s for that reason that a range of equipment will only be available as assembled and tested units via GW4DGU.

Chris Bartram, GW4DGU, will be remembered by many as the founder of muTek limited and the designer of much of the still highly-regarded range of VHF/UHF equipment manufactured by the Company.

Modules for 10GHz are available from Chris via his website http://www.chris-bartram.co.uk/products.html

Just came accross this site (via RadCom) and thought I would share it with you all. They have an amazing number of antenna related hardware which is ideal for mounting and building antennas. They even sell aluminium in enough sizes to slide inside each other. Each length is 6′ and they also have a kit of 11 (inc clamps) to build a 60′ vertical.

They have a good collection vertical antennas you can buy, even a mono band 80m!

It is worth a look.

http://www.antennaengineering.co.uk/

If you have received your new call book (or CD for the ‘modern’ men!) you may find an interesting oddity in it. Club callsigns are shown with the secondary identifier, so OUR call is shown as GE8SRC.

This was brought about as the extract of the content from the Ofcom database that is passed to RSGB for callbook / yearbook use was sent with the secondary identifier included for clubs.

It appears that though ‘spotted’ by RSGB, they are not permitted to change the data to extract the “E” for Data Protection reasons. Since the data isn’t “wrong” (just excessive to the norm) Ofcom are satisfied with their data.

This anomaly shouldn’t cause too many problems… we can ignore the “E” on the air and on QSL cards (or use it for extra ‘interest value’ when chasing DX !!).

Looking up a club call in the book will show the call in the normal sequence, but looking it up on the CD ( ..and maybe later but not yet on QRZ.com) will require a search for GE8SRC or it won’t find the entry.

QRZ have provided a statement…

For now, QRZ will list the call signs as we have been and will thus, not be affected by the E extension.

Thanks to Den, M0ACM for the researching this news.

Here”s a pic from the other night. Jonathan 2E0CTW and Phil M0PBZ on the balcony area working 20m and 40m stations SSB, and listening to Bob VP8LP on 10m and trying, in vain to muscle in on the pile up.