The West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society — WELCOME
CONTENTS:
Beatriz Maria Scaramelli Rosa Pata, PU2PRM
EI5LA Megan Lorenz – Irish Magic on Air
WOMEN ON THE RADIO AWARD 2022
Paty XE1SPM on Shark Island, Mexico
On-Air from Russia via a Remote Station in Canada
“Weekend of the South American Lighthouses” 2023
SYLRA 20th anniversary Denmark in 2023
Ja-Well-No-Fine (Editorial)
Echolink
Silent Keys
OK1KI Milada Sebestova / K4TKS Barbara Jean (McCormick) Clark / KA8WMZ Barbara Jean Mitchell,
Contacts & Calendar
NEWS FOR SCOTLAND & CLUB NEWS (GB2RS ) Extracts inc Additions
With Scottish Clubs returning to normal meeting 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 be found at wosars.club/radio-nets.
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
GM4DMA
The biographical film, being shown at selected cinemas in the UK, about Sir Ran Fiennes’ life, Explorer, has a fair number of clips of HF radio operations. Included within the clips are Laurence KL7L (GM4DMA when he and his late wife (also licenced – callsign?) were based in Aberdeenshire). Indeed WoSARS was fortunate to have a talk by Laurence in the early 80’s as to the equipment used for HF communications; the mainstay of many of their expeditions from the early 70s to the 2000s. The trailer for the film has a short CW message to be decoded.
AILSA CRAIG
GM4BML/P will be operting ‘SOTA’ stile GM/SS-246 this coming Saturday 30th July – 60, 40, 20M SSB & 2M FM. Checkout Alerts & Spots using the above link.
MINI DXPEDITIONS FOR EVERYONE
On Thursday, Stirling Amateur Radio Society is having a talk by Billy McFarland, GM6DX on his recently released RSGB book Mini DXpeditions for Everyone. The talk is titled The reason, the writing, the detail. The meeting is at the Club House, 68 Bandeath Industrial Estate, Throsk FK7 7XY at 7.30pm.
IOTA
Next weekend, the 30th and 31st, Cockenzie & Port Seton Amateur Radio Club is taking part in the RSGB IOTA Contest. Bob, GM4UYZ, 01875 811 723.
NETS & MEETINGS
Ham Radio Network has An Evening with… online on Monday. Go to the website for the link. www.hrn.world.
The Viking Amateur Radio Net runs on Sundays from 6pm on 3.660 or 3.639MHz. Details are on their Facebook page.
Kilmarnock & Loudoun Amateur Radio Club holds a net on Sundays from 2pm around 3.720MHz SSB, later moving to around 3.540MHz at 2.30pm for a CW Net. There is a Q & A night via Zoom at 7.30pm on Monday. On Tuesday, there is a natter night on Zoom at 7.30pm. klarcinfo@gmail.com
Dundee Amateur Radio Club holds nets on Sundays and Wednesdays from 7.30pm on GB3AG and GB3DD. Martin, 2M0KAU, 0776 370 8933.
Kingdom Amateur Radio Society has nets on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 7pm on 144.750MHz. Steve, MM0SKX, 0771 105 9343.
Wigtownshire Amateur Radio Club and D&G RAYNET run an open net on GB3DG every day at from noon. All are welcome. On Thursday the net is on GB3DG from 7.30pm, then on Zoom from 8pm for a general evening. Oli, MM0YOS, info@gm4riv.org.
Edinburgh & District Amateur Radio Club has a net at 8.15pm on Monday on 433.525MHz. There is a club meeting and social evening on Saturday. Norman, GM1CNH, 0774 094 6192.
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.
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. And also via Allstar HUB 53937 and Echolink MM1CXE. Details of how to connect are at dvscotland.net.
The Tuesday evening Morse practice session with Glenrothes & District Radio Club has ceased for the Summer break. It will resume at 7.15pm on the 23rd of August on 145.425MHz FM. On Thursday there is a Ragchew and Morse practice from 7.15pm. The club runs Monday to Saturday nets at 10am on 3.790MHz. Eric, GM4FQE, 01333 450 753.
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.
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
Inverness & District Amateur Radio Society is meeting on air on Wednesday with the theme Meteor Scatter and Aircraft Scatter. Adrian, MM0DHY, Invernessradiosociety@gmail.com.
On Wednesday, Mid Lanarkshire Amateur Radio Society has a ragchew on talk group 23550 from 8pm to 10pm. On Thursday there’s a net on 70.425MHz from 8pm. On Friday the club meets at Newarthill Community Education Centre, Newarthill ML1 5JU from 7pm. Simon, 2M0LSG, Secretary@mlars.co.uk.
On Wednesday, West of Scotland ARS will have their usual Solder Group meeting from 6.30pm onwards at the Sauchiehall Street premises. The club will be meeting at 8pm on Friday at their Rose Street Club Rooms. Jack, GM4COX, wosars.club
The Scottish Borders Repeater Group are hosting the weekly SBRG net on GB3BT at 7pm every Wednesday. All are welcome to join. George, MM0JNL dr16@rsgb.org.uk
Lomond Radio Club meets each Thursday in the club rooms at the John Connolly centre in Renton at 7.30pm.
Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society has an Equipment Surgery & Operating Workshop on Thursday evening. Fred, GM3ALZ, 01975 651 365.
On Friday, Ayr Amateur Radio Group Club has an in-person meeting and Zoom. Agendas and Zoom link will be posted on the club’s web page. Derek, MM0OVD, 0742 899 4614.
CONTENTS:
South African Yls Anniversary month of June
S African YL’s Brief History
Recall & Remember – Ruth Boatwright ZS2QK (ex ZS5QK)
ZS Autumn SOTA Day 2 May 2022
SOTA DXpedition 2022 on Svalbard (JW)
K4SAF Carol Fraley Laferty 5 Band DXCC Award
LU1NSL Sofia Women’s Day 2022 & Radioclub Santiago del Estero, Argentina
Seychelles Dxpedition
DANUBE DAY, HG7DANUBE
Silent Keys
Contact & Calendar
The news headlines:
GB2RS Script – HERE .
SCOTTISH & CLUB NEWS
As we heard in the main news Moray Firth Amateur Radio Society will be operating as GB0CSL from the Covesea Skerries Lighthouse, Lossiemouth, with the kind permission of the lighthouse trustees. Activity will be on HF and VHF, with details listed at www.mfars.club and on QRZ.com under GB0CSL.
Kevin, G0PEK and Lauren, 2E0HLR will be taking part in the Megacycle DXpedition as they cycle from Lands End to John O’Groats. They started off on the the 1 st of August, and they hope to be home by the 28 th . They will be carrying radio equipment on the bikes and operating VHF bicycle mobile and APRS along much of the route.. You can follow their progress on the Megacycle DXpedition Facebook page. They will be operating from Cape Wrath for Lighthouses on the air.
CLUB NETS – HERE .
TAGS: (Within GB2RS Script)
have made a video about Morse Texting; QSO Today online conference; Morse Competency Scheme; G4NZQ; G-QRP Club has released the agenda for its Online Convention 2021; sub-manager for the G4T-Z group has retired; Dudley and District club; RSGB held its 2021 AGM online in April and members were invited to send in questions; The Dartmoor Radio Rally takes place today; the British Amateur Television Club Convention, CAT 21, will commence on the 21st of August; FO/F1SMB; AM1CCB; HI9/HB9TUZ; 6E0D; R20RTA, R20RTM, R20RTP, R20RTRN and R20RTT; Next weekend is International Lightships and Lightship weekend; GB0ELH; GB0AVL; GB2RL for Roker Light, Sunderland; GB5HCL, Hurst Castle Lighthouse; GB0TLH, Teignmouth Lighthouse and GB0ALK for the Association of Lighthouse Keepers; GB0BRO; We had another week of minimal sunspot numbers; a low solar flux; there were no coronal holes on the Sun’s equator so we may expect the good conditions to continue over this weekend; reasonable Tropo conditions over southern areas extending south into the near continent and down across Biscay to Spain; week’s Perseids meteor shower has probably added some useful new long-lived metallic ionisation into the mix as fuel for Sporadic-E;
The news headlines:
GB2RS Script – HERE .
CLUB NEWS & NETS
The GB3FE repeater serving the Stirling area is still out of service and this will affect the Stirling and Falkirk nets.
Cockenzie & Port Seton Amateur Radio is participating in VHF Field Day today. Bob, GM4UYZ, 01875 811 723.
Edinburgh & District Amateur Radio Club will be operating portable for VHF NFD portable operations today Its regular FM net on Monday takes place at 8pm on 433.525MHz.. Norman, GM1CNH, 0774 094 6192.
The West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society is working on the new shack today and may operate for VHF Field Day It has a regular Sunday net from 11am on 145.425MHz. Wednesday sees a net from 8pm on 433.425MHz and on Friday there is an open net on 145.425MHz from 8pm. www.wosars.club.
Dundee Amateur Radio Club is taking part In VHF NFD today as well as the Backpackers contest. The Club holds nets on Sundays and Wednesdays from 7.30pm on GB3AG and GB3DD. The. Martin, 2M0KAU, 0776 370 8933.
TAGS: (Within GB2RS Script)
Tonight @ 8 webinar; National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park will be closed; International Police Association has appointed Jim, GM0GMN; update from Ofcom to their guidance What you need to know as an Amateur Radio user; RSGB awards are open to everyone; The GB2RS service is seeking a newsreader to cover the Western Isles of Scotland; Churches and Chapels on the Air; Finningley ARS Car Boot bring & buy is scheduled to go ahead on Sunday the 25th of July; Wiltshire Radio Rally, Electronics Fair & Car Boot Sale is planned to go ahead on Sunday the 1st of August; ES2TT/0 from Saaremaa Island; VP2V/K3TRM from Tortola; ZD7GB; Coventry being the UK City of Culture GB1COC & GB8CCC; IARU HF Championship; the SFI ended up way higher than this, peaking at 94 on Thursday; Sporadic-E has started to tail off a little as we enter July; solar flux index will decline from around 92 to perhaps 85 next week; We had a super North-South duct up the East Coast on Wednesday evening allowing a close-to 700km 10GHz Tropo QSO;
A team of operators from the (KL7RA) will activate W1AW/KL7 from Alaska between July 9-13th.
Wigi, KL0R, Station Manager of the North Pole Contest Group, reports that are currently planning to have four station locations in Alaska, including KL7RA in Kenai, KL2R in Fairbanks/Two Rivers, KL7AA in Anchorage, and one more station, most likely in Homer.
Activity will be on various HF bands (as many bands and modes as possible, plus EME), including activity in
the IARU HF Championship (July 10-11th) as HQ Station.
QSL via W1AW, LoTW or ClubLog
The news headlines:
Remote Invigilation helps hundreds
Check RSGB news online
Could you write for children?
GB2RS Script – HERE .
CLUB NEWS
During the COVID crisis a list of known club nets, and activities, is now being published on the West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society (WoSARS) web site. They have a table listing times and frequencies and this can be found at
https://wosars.club/radio-nets/
With the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions, we are now including meeting details where advised. However, this information should be regarded as optimistic, it is strongly advised that you to check with organisers well before travelling. Above all, please observe any national or local restrictions, including social distancing.
Stirling Club has resumed normal Club meetings on Thursdays and Sundays, and is running an ARDF day on 16th August. (On WoSARS Calendar)
Also a new AR Net from Shetland & South Uist
And, as noted in last Sunday’s GB2RS the following:
CANCELLATION – the Cockenzie and Port Seaton Mini Rally/Junk Night on Friday 14th August has been cancelled.
CANCELLATION – GMDX Conventition – Bannockburn – 17th October.
CANCELLATION – Galashiels Rally – 25th October.
And New This Sunday:
CANCELLATION – GMRT – Scotland’s Microwave Round Table & Dinner – 7th November. (On CALENDAR )
By Hugh Cummings GM0HSC (WoSARS Past Member)
Dragging up some old memories:
Along with a number of the other younger amateurs around Glasgow, we set up a group specifically aimed at younger folks, and people new to the hobby, called YAGIS – the Young Amateurs Group In Scotland. One area of interest saw us partake in conversion of assorted PMR sets, to get cheap access to the bands, where commercial kit wasn’t available, including a batch of Pye Cambridges on 4m AM, then converting them (badly) to FM. We ended with D3E – pretty much!
A lesson was learned about shorting out valve grids with a screwdriver I remember, and simultaneously, that electric current flows from a person to another touching person – ouch!
I used to use aircraft scatter to make a 4m qso between David – then GM7BPA (who was a runner up in the young amateur of the year contest I think?) in Croftamie and myself in Mansewood Glasgow. 2m was fine but 4m needed an aircraft approaching the airport over Duntocher for the path to work 🙂
We also ran fox hunts, and many hill-top operations, with all sorts or mobile trips up hills in Ayrshire and the southern Highlands. I also remember a VHF field day above East Kilbride and special event station GB0BUS using a double decker bus I had at the time.
I went on to become the senior novice licence instructor for Strathclyde and along with Tommy GM3VBT and Susan GM4SGB, we trained somewhere in the region of 30 mainly young people at novice level, with many going on to get Class B and Class A licences – including young folk from the High School of Glasgow and St Aloysius’ College – one of whom went on to be the lead guitarist in Indy band MOGWAI (Almost a callsign – COX).
Another memorable adventure was a mini dxpedition to ACHILL ISLAND in Co Mayo in Ireland IO43………..
…………..where we got special permission from the Ministry to operate as EJ4VNX on 50MHz as well as on 70MHz, and the other bands. We picked a great week for it (as we had researched the likelihood) and from day 2, had almost constant day time E openings to mainland Europe.
Great times.
Best regards to all at WoSARS for your forthcoming 50th Celebrations.
Shug GM0HSC – a Old Young Yin!
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