G0MWT, GX0MWT, GB5HF, GB5SM, GB2TAM, M2T, GB100MWT, G100RSGB & GB5RVA
CARS Meetings April - June 2017 |
©Copyright CARS 2017
8th May 2017
May Coax talk photos
April Meeting
Tue 4-Apr-2017, 7.30-10pm
Oaklands Museum, Moulsham Street"RSGB President"
Nick Henwood G3RWFFor April we were privileged to host Nick Henwood G3RWF who is the current RSGB President.
Nick was licensed while at school and has been an RSGB member ever since. He is also Chair of the RSGB Legacy Sub-Committee which advises the Board on applications for Legacy funding. Currently he is overseeing a Contesting Review and also gathering information about clubs which do things successfully!
Getting started included the M1FDE Construction shield presentation to Alan M0IWZ
Nick's main amateur interest is HF and in the past 12 years he has travelled over 20 times to Africa and put on a solo station. He is probably best known as 5X1NH where he was on the air while working as a volunteer at a community university in Western Uganda. In 2012 he scored a new world record for 15m low power in the CQWWDX CW contest and won the same category again from Rwanda in 2015. He uses all modes but prefers CW.
Early kit and some feeder improvisation
Africa - Local challenges and transport
Large antennas help!
A well attended evening - photo by Colin G0TRMNeedless to say Nick also had some interesting experiences getting local ham licenses, and also made a few points that - he wasnt a millionaire, it was a hobby and that simple is fun!
African amateur licensesWhilst most of the talk was about his operating experiences we also had a slide on what the Society was currently working on - updating its strategy (first time since the Interim Board).
Recent and current RSGB topicsBreak time had nice cakes from Ann Salmon below, followed by the famous CARS Raffle
Tea and cakes were popularFollowing the break there were questions from the audience and a presentation of a £100 cheque by the club in support of YOTA-2017
...and finally - our speaker get his CARS Mug !
President to President - for YOTA-2017
Receiving his speakers mug - photo by Colin G0TRMOur thanks to Nick for travelling and for giving an entertaining insight on operating and amateur radio
May Meeting
Tue 2-May-2017, 7.30-10pm
Oaklands Museum, Moulsham Street"Coax - A Flexible RF Component"
by John Regnault G4SWX
John Regnault G4SWX, who has previously given CARS talks on remote control stations and Moon Bounce (EME), returned to give a talk on on what 'Tricks with Coax' you can achieve. The proceedings started with a presentation by CARS President Tony Gilbey and thansk to to Steve G4GHO, CARS Editor, who is moving to Norfolk
Presentation and IntroductionIn his talk John explained how coaxial cable can be used not only for connecting-up RF equipment and antennas but as a transmssion line and 'component'. Quarterwaves, studbs etc can be used for many impedance transformation and tuned circuit applications.
Some Coax cables - inc low loss HeliaxMost will have read about transmission-line stubs in the various handbooks and manuals and a few might have even tried a few applications. In his presentation, John described how to use coaxial stubs for antenna traps, very high performance transmitter harmonic filters, low-loss receiver ‘notch’ filters. And beyond that - look at how you can even assemble diplexers, not only at VHF, but also for the HF bands.
Coax Stub FiltersThe talk included many practical examples which can be made by amateurs with simple equipment and will hopefully appeal to most radio amateurs.
Following the break the raffle prizes included a nice signal generator kit kindly donated by David Barber, won by Car G3PEM; and the traditional speakers mug presentation (by John G8DET to John G4SWX - both ex BT employees)
SigGen Raffle Prize - and John gets his CARS Mug from JohnOur thanks to John G4SWX for traveling from Suffolk (and to Colin G0TRM, Oliver M0WAG and John G8DET for the photos) - remember that the next meeting is the Table Top sale!
June Meeting
Tue 6-Jun-2017, 7.30-10pm
Oaklands Museum, Moulsham Street"Table Top Sale"
By CARS MembersIn order to assist with construction and recycling, the June meeting was the CARS Radio and Electronics Tabletop Sale, coordinated by Secretary Colin G0TRM. Items for sale can be from the whole range of radio, electronics, visual and audio, mechanical interest and more. On teh night we had everything from SK and house clearance items to new Goodies. Some tables were taken by local clubs - ERG and LEFARS, whilst we were also pleased to have former CARS President Dick G3WHR attend.
Chris G0IPU selling items (inc on behalf of Martyn G1EFL)
Visitors: LEFARS club and former CARS President Dick Brocks G3WHR
All sorts for sale
News Items as well as old - Ham Goodies were presentAll through the very enjoyable evening refreshments were on offer, including some very nice home made cakes. The evening also had the CARS raffle - including Kristian M0SSK winning a Pocahontas pen set...
Some nice refreshments - and Kristian M0SSK with his raffle prize
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