The West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society — WELCOME
Live, off-air, three-hour recording of the special annual Gruss an Bord broadcast from German broadcaster NDR, Norddeutscher Rundfunk, on 24 December 2022 beginning at just after 18:00 UTC. The broadcast features music and greetings to and from mariners around the world. The Christmas greetings were recorded at two events on the third Advent Sunday (11 December) in Leer and on the fourth Advent Sunday (18 December) in Hamburg.
Relatives and friends had the opportunity to wish their loved ones at sea a happy holiday and a happy new year. The Leer event featured the Bingumer Shanty Choir and Anne-Fleur Schoch and her band while the Hamburg event featured Beatles experts Stefanie Hempel and The Silver Spoons. The broadcast was primarily in German with some greetings in English, Filipino, and Portuguese as well as German. A number of songs in English, too. A news bulletin (in progress when recording began) precedes the program for a few minutes.
In addition to being carried on the NDR Info and NDR Info Spezial networks, the broadcast was transmitted around the world on shortwave using transmitters in Nauen (NAU), Germany; Issoudun (ISS), France; Tashkent (TAC), Uzbekistan; and Okeechobee, Florida (RMI), U.S.A.; and was organized by Media Broadcast.
The schedule was:
1800-2100 on 6030 ISS 250 kW / 251 deg to North/East Atlantic
1800-2100 on 6080 TAC 100 kW / 301 deg to West/Central Europe
1800-2100 on 9740 NAU 250 kW / 130 deg to Indian Ocean - West
1800-2100 on 11650 ISS 250 kW / 148 deg to Indian Ocean - SoAf
1800-2100 on 13725 NAU 250 kW / 205 deg to Southern Atlantic
1800-2100 on 15770 RMI 100 kW / 044 deg to North/West Atlantic
RMI, Radio Miami International, experienced a power outage and was off the air for about the first two hours of the broadcast.
The recording is primarily of the transmission on the frequency of 11650 kHz for about the first two hours and 6030 kHz for the third hour as the signal degraded on 11650 kHz.
The program was received outdoors on a Tecsun PL-880 receiver with a Tecsun AN-03L 7-metre wire antenna in Hanwell (just outside Fredericton), New Brunswick, Canada, in AM mode with 2.3 kHz filtering. Reception was good for the most part on both recorded frequencies although, as previously mentioned, signal quality on 11650 kHz degraded during the second hour of the broadcast necessitating the switch to 6030 kHz. There was some adjacent channel interference on 11650 kHz at times. Also, there was about a one-minute dropout of the 11650 kHz frequency around the start of the second hour of the broadcast. The last minute or so of the broadcast on 6030 kHz was interfered with by a co-channel digital transmission from Radio Romania International.
Many thanks to SRAA contributor, Russ Edmunds, who has kindly shared another collection of mediumwave airchecks (click here to check out all of his contributions).
Russ notes that the reception location was Blue Bell, PA using a Hammarlund modified HQ-150 and a 4' air core amplified loop.
Russ also shares details about each recording in the following table. All recordings have been embedded below:
NEWS FOR SCOTLAND & CLUB NEWS (GB2RS) Extracts inc Additions
NO GB2RS NEWS ON 1ST JANUARY (2023)
MM1BXF (SK)
GB2RS Extract – with a little bit of additional information and editing to ‘flow’ better.
“……..We start the news for Scotland on a note of deep sadness with the passing of Gavin Nesbitt, MM1BXF on Monday the 19th of December. Gavin was known to many in the RSGB and was one of the West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society’s young and enthusiastic members and a committee member for GMDX. He was a keen electronics enthusiast designing and building his own equipment and was renowned for his in-depth knowledge of all things radio.
Gavin was first licensed in 1997 as MM1BXF, operating from his parent’s QTH in Helensburgh.
Following his career in the Cellular phone industry, he moved to the Czech Republic in 2003, but eventually returning to Cambridge, UK in 2005, still involved in the electronics industry.
Gavin always had a desire to return to Scotland eventually setting up a new QTH in 2020, just outside Lenzie, about 10km from Glasgow. Gavin was QRV from there and could also be heard on the air from many European locations participating in contests and events.
In recent months Gavin was spending time in and out of hospital receiving treatment and gallantly participated in meetings from his hospital bed. He will be greatly missed my many and we send our condolences and thoughts to his wife Bex, and to all his family at this very sad time …………..”
FIRST MEETING IN 2023
WoSARS had it’s last Club Meeting of 2022 on Friday 16th. Club meetings will resume on Friday 6th January. Checkout wosars.club/calendar for further information and the Solder Group.
OTHER CLUB NETS AND MEETINGS
Details of club activities can usually be found on the individual club’s website. A summary of activities, Nets, Contacts and Links in Scotland can also be found at wosars.club/radio-nets (during the Festive Period check that a Club Meeting/Net is indeed taking place)
To have your net listed on the WoSARS website or to report any changes, contact Tony, MM0TMZ by email to rr1@rsgb.org.uk. Please also keep GB2RS updated via email to radcom@rsgb.org.uk
SUNDAY
Dundee Amateur Radio Club will be holding open nets on Sundays and Wednesdays from 7.30pm on GB3AG throughout the festive period. Club meetings will resume in the New Year. Martin, 2M0KAU, 07763 708 933
Kilmarnock and Loudoun Amateur Radio Club holds a net on Sundays from 2pm around 3.720MHz using SSB, later moving to around 3.540MHz at 2.30pm for a CW net. Also on Sunday, the club will have a quiz night on 145.475MHz. Check-in for the quiz is from 7.45pm for an 8pm start. On Monday there will be a question-and-answer night on Zoom at 7.30pm. The next club meeting will be held on Tuesday the 27th of December. Alternate Tuesdays see a natter night on Zoom at 7.30pm. klarcinfo@gmail.com
Kingdom Amateur Radio Society has nets on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from 7pm on 144.750MHz. Steve, MM0SKX, 0771 105 9343
The Lomond Sunday Night net takes place today. Early check-in is from 7.45pm. All the usual ways to join in are available, via Echolink MB7IBH-L and on 145.3375MHz locally across the Clyde Coast. Paul MM3DDQ mm3ddq@gmail.com
Stirling Amateur Radio Society meets at the Club House, Throsk, FK7 7XY, and is open for projects and operating on Sundays. They also meet at 7.30pm on Thursdays. secretary@gm6nx.com
The Viking Amateur Radio Net runs on Sundays from 6pm on 3.660 or 3.639MHz. Details are on their Facebook page.
MONDAY
Edinburgh and District Amateur Radio Society has a net on Monday at 8pm on 433.525MHz. Norman, GM1CNH, 0774 094 6192
DV Scotland has a multi-mode net on Monday from 8pm to 9.30pm using GM5DVS. This is via all DV Scotland Repeaters on Talk Group 23556. Time Slot 2. In addition, via Allstar HUB 53937 and Echolink MM1CXE. Details of how to connect are at dvscotland.net
Ham Radio Network has a talk on the theme of An Evening with ???? … on Monday. See hrn.world
Paisley Amateur Radio Club holds a net on Mondays from 8pm on 144.550MHz and on Zello. Tuesday sees a DMR net in room 4415 from 8pm. On Thursday, there is an FM net on 144.550MHz and on Zello from 7.30pm. Stuart, MM0PAZ, 0742 665 0757.
TUESDAY
Glenrothes and District Radio Club has Morse tuition on 145.425MHz FM from 7.30pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Check-in is from 7.15pm. There will be a break in the sessions over the festive period after the 13th of December. They will resume on the 24th of January 2023. Eric, GM4FQE, 01 333 450 753
Largs & District Amateur Radio Club meets on the Third Tuesday of every month in The Largs Museum, 2 Manse Court, Largs. All are welcome. James, GM0GMN james@bertram.scot
Livingston & District Amateur Radio Society has a club night at Crofthead on Tuesday from 7.30pm. On Thursday there is a net on 145.575MHz at 7.30pm. Cathie, 2M0DIB, 01506 433 846.
Moray Firth Amateur Radio Society meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 7.15pm at the Elgin Reserve Centre. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday the 3rd of January 2023. www.mfars.club
WEDNESDAY
Caithness Amateur Radio Society has club nets at 2pm on Wednesday and Saturday on 3.740MHz. Club meetings happen in Skirza, near John O’Groats. Nigel, MM7BWT, Mansfield.n27@gmail.com
Galashiels and District Amateur Radio Society meets in the Focus Centre, Livingstone Place, Galashiels at 8pm on Wednesday. Jim Keddie, mail@gm7lun.co.uk
Inverness and District Amateur Radio Society has a net on Wednesdays on GB7BI or BI Chat 475 if Highlands and Islands is busy. Invernessradiosociety@gmail.com
Lothians Radio Society has its viral net on 144.350MHz USB from 8pm. Andy Sinclair, MM0FMF, secretary@lothiansradiosociety.com
Mid Lanarkshire Amateur Radio Society has a ragchew on talk group 23550 from 8pm to 10pm on Wednesday. On Thursday there is a net on 70.425MHz from 8pm. Friday sees the club meeting at Newarthill Community Education Centre, Newarthill, ML1 5JU from 7pm with its last meeting before Christmas. Meetings will resume on the 6th of January 2023 Simon, 2M0LSG, Secretary@mlars.co.uk.
THURSDAY
The Online Radio Club has a virtual radio club night at 7.30pm every Thursday via Zoom. It is suitable for all radio enthusiasts regardless of individual skill level. Go to the website for the meeting link. onlineradioclub.org.
Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society regrets that it has had to cancel its Christmas Party. It will now hopefully take place on Thursday the 12th of January 2023 at 7pm. Visitors are welcome at the 25th Scout Group, Oakhill Crescent, Aberdeen. Fred, GM3ALZ, 01975 651 36
Lomond Radio Club has a break in meetings over the festive season. Following the break, meetings will resume on Thursday evenings in the club rooms at the John Connolly Centre in Renton at 7.30pm in the New Year . Simon, MM0XME, mm0xme@outlook.com
FRIDAY
Ayr Amateur Radio Group meets on alternate Fridays at Prestwick Community Centre from 7.30pm. The next meeting is expected to be held on Friday the 30th of December. On alternate Fridays there is a Zoom natter. Derek, MM0OVD, 0742 899 4614
Cockenzie and Port Seton Amateur Radio Club usually meets on the first Friday of the month for a club night in the lounge bar of the Thorntree Inn. The next club night will be held on the 6th of January 2023. This will be followed by an Activity Week. Bob, GM4UYZ, 01875 811723, www.cpsarc.com
Mid Lanarkshire Amateur Radio Society. Meetings will resume on the 6th of January 2023. Simon, 2M0LSG, Secretary@mlars.co.uk
Strathclyde Park Amateur Radio Club has a net from 7.30pm on 145.400MHz, and in addition on the BATC channel from 8pm. Bill, MM0SFB, gm0syv@btinternet.com
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