Tag: operating

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SOTA Fun On Microwave

During ‘On-Air’ chats, members of WoSARS often hear me describe some of the fun that can be had on microwave frequencies; especially for myself 13cms (2.3/2.4GHz) whilst out Activating a SOTA summit.

These escapades evolved from the creation of the GM13 GROUP of likeminded amateurs in 2017.

CLICK – For Further Information

Following the successful launch and operation of OSCAR 100 in 2018/19; this has opened up the opportunity to predictably work distant stations around Europe, Asia, Africa and even South America. Using the Satellite’s 13cms UP and 3cms (10GHz)  DOWN translator; some of our hardy band of SOTA-microeers have put together kit to access this facility.

GM/SS-037 Hart Fell – G(M)4VFL- Microwave Kit (19/05/21) [PIC – G4VFL]

Andrew’s GM/SS-037 – LOG

Andrew G4VFL was an early adopter of this challenge (see WoSARS Web March 2020 Article – HERE ) along with his ‘partner-in-crime’ Nick G0HIK; they have been progressively ‘knockin’ off summits in LD (Lake  District) and SS (Southern Scotland).

G/LD-024 Pike O Blisco – Nick G0HIK Operating (19/05/21) [PIC – G0HIK]
Now not having quite the enthusiasm of the ‘twosomes’ as to lugging dishes up summits, I do however benefit from potential Summit-to-Summit’s S2S’s, utilising my 8 ele Bow-Tie and SG transverter (2W out) and the gain of the dishes at the other end.

GM/SS-142 Scawld Law – GM4COX’s 8 El Bow-Tie (19/05/21) [PIC – GM4COX]
Popping down to just below the 2.4GHz UP Oscar frequency (2399.950MHz), it is possible to work Point-to-Point (S2S) utilising the high gain of the dishes – with the majority of the contacts being made on FM (of course falling back on SSB/CW on marginal paths).

GM/SS-100 Croft Head – GM4COX Bow-Tie on Walking Pole (19/05/21) – see end of this Post for design information [PIC – GM4COX]
And Wednesday 19th (May) this week, saw us all heading out on a predetermined series of Activations; an LD for Nick (and Chris M0KPW), and SS’s for Andrew and myself.

Predicted Path Profile – G/LD-024 to GM/SS-037 [PIC – G4VFL – CLICK to View]
Path Routes – G/LD-024 to GM/SS-037,100, 142 [PIC – GM4COX – CLICK to View]
So why not join us. Just bring along your kitchen microwave to a suitable top – you never know who you’ll work. 🙂

And I’ll leave the last word to Nick:

“……… Hi Guys,

Thanks for the contacts today, it was staggering how strong you both were. I think GM/SS-037 was 110km and GM/SS-142 was 99km. Sorry we could not stay around for your 2nd one Jack …………..”
73
Jack(;>J
EDIT: 10/06/21 – The design for the 8el Bow-Tie has been added to the GM13 Site. If you would like a copy please email gm4cox@gmail.com (file size 4MB)
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FINAL DECISION ON VARIATION OF LICENCE(S) – CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Dear Licence Holder,

We are writing to you again as we became aware that two of the hyperlinks in our previous email did not work. The links to the Final Decision and EMF compliance flowchart have now been corrected. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.

As stated in our previous correspondence, we are writing to make you aware of some important changes to your radiocommunications licence(s) issued by Ofcom. The changes mean you may now need to take action to make sure your radio equipment complies with a new licence condition to protect the general public from exposure to Electromagnetic fields (EMF).

We wrote to you in March this year to let you know we were proposing these changes. They apply to virtually all licence holders. We gave licensees until 18 April to submit any representations they wanted to make about the changes. We have listened to licensees’ concerns and made some changes to the new licence condition and guidance document as a result.

Full details of our Final Decision are published on our website. The Decision means your licence has now been changed to include a requirement to comply with internationally recognised limits on EMF exposure.

Alongside the Final Decision we have published Guidance on what you should do to ensure compliance. We have also produced a simple EMF compliance flowchart which tells you whether or not you need to take action and, if you do, what action is needed.

To help further, we will also shortly publish an updated version of our on-line calculator which you can use to work out an appropriate compliance distance for your equipment.  We are also preparing a new simplified version of the full Guidance, plus specific advice for holders of amateur, ship radio and aeronautical licences. We expect to publish these documents on our website by 8 June.

All documents – plus other relevant information – can be found on a dedicated EMF webpage.

Licensees will have the following time periods to make sure they have up-to-date records in place:

a) Until 18 November 2021 for any equipment which operates on frequencies at or above 110 MHz.
b) Until 18 May 2022 for any equipment which operates on frequencies above 10 MHz but below 110 MHz.
c) Until 18 November 2022 for any equipment which operates on frequencies at or below 10 MHz.

To view and download your new terms, conditions and limitations please click the appropriate link below:

Amateur Radio Licence Terms, Conditions and Limitations

Ship Radio and Ship Portable Radio Licence Terms, Conditions and Limitations

Please note: if we make any further changes to licences in future, we may not contact licensees individually. For that reason we urge all licensees to subscribe to email spectrum updates by going to this page on our website.

If you have any questions about this change and what it means for you, further information can be found on the dedicated EMF webpage using the address provided above.

Yours faithfully,

Ofcom

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Snips – News For Scotland – 16th May

The news headlines:

  • Add your voice to the amateur radio survey
  • New YOTA contest begins next weekend
  • RadCom news

GB2RS Script – HERE .

CLUB NEWS & NETS

Mid Lanarkshire Amateur Radio Society now sees the Zello chat take place from 7pm on Friday, which then moves at 9.30pm to a Net on GB3KV at 9.30pm. The DMR Scotland net on TG23550 from 8pm on Wednesdays continues to operate along with the Thursday net from 8pm on 70.425MHz. Further details can be found at www.mlars.co.uk.

A listing of all known nets in Scotland, collated by RSGB Regional Rep Tony, MM0TMZ in association with Jack, GM4COX and the West of Scotland ARS and published at www.wosars.club/radio-nets.

TAGS: (Within GB2RS Script)

survey about amateur radio; new YOTA Contest; RadCom Plus; Sporadic-E; Friendship on the Air Award; Bletchley Park plans to re-open; VE2CSI/B beacon; Amateur Radio Direction Finding;  5MHZ New Zealand; SV9/DD1GG; TY5AB; GB0AEL first woman flying solo across the Atlantic; GB1SCW SOS radio week; 144MHz May Contest; 144MHz Backpackers; UK Microwave Group Millimetre Wave Contest.

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A Ham For 63 Years

A Ham for 63 years – by Carol Fraley Laferty – K4SAF

My ham shack has been upgraded to my dream She-Shack, and I am having more fun in ham radio than I have had since a teenager.  I have been operating the digital modes for two years almost, and during the Corona Virus Pandemic I set some amateur radio goals.  I have accomplished more during this time than I ever dreamed possible.  I have finished DXCC, and received Worked All States on 160, 80, 40, 30, 20, 17, and 15, Mixed, Digital and CW.  I need only AK and WY on 10 meters. Thanks to all in the ham community all around the world for helping me achieve this.  I was never interested in completing these awards until now.

The hardest award for me to get has been the YLRL WAS YL (Worked All States).  I need only MT and RI now to complete it.  Many more of the licensed YLs need to get on the air more often.

I was 15 when I got my license in 1957 and will be celebrating my 64th year as a ham on 9/28/2021.  My brother, Fred Fraley, W4CHK > AA4FF > W4DF, who is now a Silent Key, was instrumental in getting me on the air. He taught me the code and shared his shack willingly with his younger sister.  I have kept the same call all my years on the air. My late father also got his license at the same time I did and was K4SAB.

I met my husband Don Laferty, K4GFY via radio in 1957. He is also now a Silent Key.  We talked for three years on cw and phone before we actually met in person.  We had been married for 53 years when he passed in 2015. Our son Don Laferty, Jr., who lives in Wisconsin, now has his Dad’s call, K4GFY.

I am a retired high school Business and Computer teacher. I also taught part-time in the CIS Dept at Morehead State University.  I am active in the Young Ladies Radio League (YLRL) and was the   U.S./Canada Receiving Treasurer for 11 years.  I enjoy seeing my YLRL and ham friends at Dayton Hamvention and at our national YLRL convention, which is held every 3 years.

I am also a member of QCWA, SKCC, and FISTS, and our local radio club, Morehead Amateur Radio Society, in Morehead, KY.  I received my Extra class in 2000, just before the 20 wpm code requirement was dropped. Hope to see you on the bands or possibly on Facebook.

QCWA  Quarter Century Wireless Association
SKCC Straight Key Century Club
FISTS  The International Morse Preservation Society

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Cooperative Effort to Resolve Potential 70-Centimetre Interference Issue (US)

The FCC, and the US Department of Defense are cooperating in an effort to eliminate the possibility of amateur radio interference on 70 centimetres to critical systems at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. The Defense Department’s Regional Spectrum Coordinator contacted the FCC in March, seeking information on whom to contact regarding detected amateur transmissions it believed could pose a threat to a critical WSMR system operating on 70 centimetres. The FCC, in turn, asked ARRL to be involved in the discussion and any necessary remedial efforts. It is to be noted that the Amateur Radio Service is a secondary service on the band…………READ MORE  .

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RSGB Contest Committee Agree to Accept Portable Entries

“……………..As usual when we approach a significant change in the COVID restrictions in England, we’ve started to receive some queries around how this will impact portable contesting. We are continuing to apply the principle of simply requiring stations to strictly follow their local COVID restrictions and advisories. Therefore, from 29th March, as the ‘Stay at Home’ restriction is removed in England, we will once again accept portable entries from stations in England. Portable multi-operator entries must normally be from the same household/bubble as typical portable locations, camper vans, cars and tents are considered indoors and indoor mixing of households is still not allowed……………More – HERE .

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Snips – News For Scotland – 14th March

The news headlines:

  • New Ofcom EMF guidance
  • Direct to Full – respond NOW
  • Blue Ham Event next weekend

GB2RS Script – HERE .

NEWS

“…………CQ magazine has introduced a contest category to enable a multi-operator team entry during the Covid-19 pandemic. This new category will be permanent, not just for the duration of the pandemic. Basically, the Multi-Distributed category allows up to six single operators, each in a different location within the same country, to form a team. Each station uses the same callsign but must operate on different bands. Scores are added together. Ofcom have confirmed that operating a club station in different locations using the same callsign simultaneously by club members is permissible. Only club members who hold a Full Licence in their own right may operate the club stations. Please read the rules at CQWPX.com. The next such contest is the CQ World Wide SSB contest on the 27th and 28th of March……………” 

Good news for Clubs and Contest Groups.

CLUB NEWS & NETS

The listing of all known nets in Scotland is collated by RSGB Regional Rep Tony Miles, MM0TMZ in association with Jack Hood, GM4COX and the West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society. These are then published at wosars.club/radio-nets.

New this week:-

We start with details of a new net on 4m being operated by the Mid-Lanarkshire Amateur Radio Society every Thursday from 8 to 9pm using 70.425MHz.

Site/Pic_Diary
Mid Lanark ARS – 4 Metre Net

For this week only Edinburgh & District Amateur Radio Club’s  Monday net on 15 March will be on 144.350 MHz USB from 8 pm This is a change to the normal 433.525MHz. Contact Norman, GM1CNH, on 07-740-946-192 for further information.

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German Radio Hams Tackling RF Noise Pollution

DARC reports 35 Electrical Noise Area Monitoring Systems (ENAMS) have been delivered and another 20 locations are sought as part of the effort to monitor the interference from human-made noise on the HF bands

ENAMS is based on nationwide installed measuring stations that work as a network. With their help, the DARC can make scientifically reliable statements about interference levels on the frequencies. As is well known, the interference has increased in recent years, as various consumer devices drive up the noise level.

The ENAMS project was funded by the DARC Membership Pro in 2018.

ENAMS – https://www.darc.de/der-club/referate/emv/enams/

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