Some of the antennas used over the field weekend.
Members of TSGARC came and experimented with various antennas and radio setups over the bank holiday weekend. Some stayed all weekend and others were only for a single visit. A worthwhile and productive time for all who attended.
Terry M0TJX has published the latest club news. Here is a link to the full document if you want to read it as originally published in the PDF format.
1.1 Ramblings
A very busy night last Wed (14th Aug 2024) at the Club during which John (M3EQQ) gave
us an overview of the forthcoming Field Weekend. The week also saw a Club
Committee meeting.
The Field Weekend is almost upon us and the physical preparations led by John
(M3EQQ our Chairman) are underway. As a reminder if any members are available on
the Fri and Mon to assist with the erection and dismantling of the Marquee etc. Work
will be starting from Fri 1100 onwards (please co-ord any help with John M3EQQ).
Field Weekend Location:
Hook Street,
The Field Behind Hook House
Berkley. GL13 9TH
51°41’44.0″N 2°28’16.7″W
What 3 Words: thuds.breathing.whistle
Field Weekend BBQ – Weather permitting the BBQ will be held on the Sat 1600
onwards, free to members + 1 partner. Additional guests will be £2-00 each covering the
cost of 2 rolls and contribution to cooking materials (fuel etc).
Chief Chef and in overall charge of cooking and all BBQ Operations is Paul (M0ZMB
Field Weekend ARDF – John (M0HFH) will leading on a “Direction Finding” activity if
there is sufficient interest which will be finalised during Wed Club evening (21st) (any
interested members who built ARDF kit please bring it along so we can discuss and
prepare).
1.2Gateways
Following a request from Owen, I have added two local Gateways managed by Club
Member Keepers which are normally connected to the AllStar Networked “UK HubNet”
Please feel free to make use of (you do not need HubNet ID’s to access via this
method).
I have covered at the Club in the past but will do again in the future. These are low
powered operations, Owen’s MB7ITH provides an excellent signal based at Toot Hill for
most of the Clubs area until you reach parts of Yate and Sodbury when MB7IYA will
help.
1.3 My Final
This is “My Final” Sunday Newsletter before the Clubs Field Weekend so just remains
for me to say I hope everyone who can attend enjoys the event. That said I will probably
light up our WhatsApp group with any additional information as the days countdown!
2.Radio Rallies
The following events are added for information, please check detail before travelling!. If
any member has a Radio related event that may be of interest, please advise for
inclusion.
Sat & Sun 24th & 25th Aug 2024
Thornbury & South Gloucestershire
Amateur Radio Club Field Weekend
Hook Street, GL13 9TH
The Field Behind Hook House
51°41’44.0″N 2°28’16.7″W
What 3 Words: thuds.breathing.whistle
Sun 22 Sep 2024
Weston Super Mare Radio Society
10am, The Campus Community Centre,
Worle, Weston super Mare,
BS24 7DX.
Fri – Sun 18th – 20th Oct 2024
JOTA
Detail TBA
Sun 01 Dec 2024 0900-1300
Wiltshire Winter Chippenham Rally
Kington Langley.
SN15 5NJ
3.Club’s Calendar and Nets
Wed 21 Aug
2024
Club
Operating & Social
Final Prep For Field Day
Members, please bring ARDF kit
Fri 23 Aug
2024
Berkley
Club Field Day Construction
Members help welcome, please co-ordinate with John (M3EQQ) if
you can assist.
Sat 24 Aug
2024
Berkley
Club Field Day
(Including BBQ 1600 Onwards)
Sun 25 Aug
2024
Berkley
Club Field Day
Mon 26 Aug
2024
Berkley
Club Field Day Dismantle & Clear
Members help welcome, please co-ordinate with John (M3EQQ) if
you can assist.
Club Net
Every Fri at 2000 Chaired By John (M3EQQ)
145.500 Then to 145.450 if avail
Club “Keep Well” Nets
Every Day at 1030 using ZB if free, if limited people or busy QSY to 145.450 or failing that
433.450
Repeater TX: 430.825
Repeater RX: 438.425
Tone: 77.0 Hz
Club Member Simplex Gateways
Normally AllStar HubNet Connected
MB7ITH Chepstow, Thornbury etc
TX & RX: 430.050
Tone: 77.0 Hz
MB7IYA North Yate, Sodbury etc
TX & RX: 430.075
Tone:94.8 Hz
The programme for month of August is taken up with preparation for the club field weekend in Berkeley.
The field event is a weekend for operating, experimenting and of course a chance to socialise.
A grand spot for a bit of operating at Rams Hill near Coalpit Heath.
The colliery was in use until around 1870.
There are currently evening roadworks around the Castle Street, The Plain, Quaker Lane and Rock Street area. This is at the bottom of the High Street around to where Aldi is.
The official diversion is around Midland Way, Morton Way, Gloucester Road, Park Road and into Castle Street where the Chantry will be on the left.
Thornbury Hill is open after 15:30 so should not be an issue.
Link to more info: https://beta.southglos.gov.uk/local-roadworks-south-gloucestershire/
Due to Terry (M0TJX) being ill the video on Starlink will have to be postponed. Get well soon Terry.
Instead John (M0HFH) will giving a short talk and video on a QRM eliminator also called an X phase mixer.
Also will be a short view and discussion on the new club antenna which is ready to be installed
Last week Paul M0ZNMB gave a talk on his drone flying journey.
Below is a link to a PDF of presentation:
http://www.tsgarc.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Drones-v3.pdf
The club is running a JOTA Special Event Station for 1st Sedbury And Tidenham Scouts with a callsign of GB2SAT.
The event is up and running with VHF, UHF and HF stations a long with a flight radar.
Garry G7NVZ the fox for the event was hidden and transmitting at19:30, hearing calls from
John M0HFH and Paul M0ZMB the hunt was on. We also had John G6RAZ call in and monitor progress.
Garry initially had some technical difficulties trying to get one of his radios on frequency for when the power was stepped down. The first radio used was a Leixen VV898 mobille followed by an AnyTone AT-D878UV handheld. The antennas used at different times were a mag-mounted 2m/70cm whip, the handheld rubber duck antenna and also a dummy load on the mag-mount.
Initially John M0HFH started well and got close before getting a bit further away, Paul M0ZMB did the reverse started getting further away before making a dramatic arrival on locating the fox. John G6RAZ, who was monitoring proceedings, made a guess of where he thought the fox was located and gave an area within a mile of where the fox was. Terry M0JTX who had a prior engagement that night and inadvertently was within 1/2 a mile of where the fox was located.
TSGARC Mobile Foxhunt 2023
The map shows approximate locations of the hounds and others after the fox was found.
The club will be holding the first of two Foxhunts, this is the mobile one, so ensure you operate you vehicle safely and legally.
Garry G7NVZ is the fox for the night and will be hidden somewhere in an area no further than 10 miles of Thornbury. Ordnance Survey Explorer 167 (1:25000) will cover the area completely. Due to the area covered by Ordnance Survey Landranger (1:50000) map sheets 162 & 172 as Thornbury is in the area covered by the overlap of the sheets. Sheet 162 will have the Northern part of the where the fox could be and sheet 172 will have Southern part.
The fox will be hidden and ready to transmit by 19:30. The first transmission will on 145.500 and move to a free frequency around 145.400-145.450. After the first transmission subsequent transmissions will take place on the quarter hour 3mins. Power will be reduced as the evening goes on.
Our normal meeting room at the Chantry will not be available for the evening …