Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society
G0MWT, GX0MWT, GB5HF, GB100MWT & GB100MZX

CARS Meetings: Jan - March 2024


January Meeting
9-Jan-2024, 7.30-9pm
Danbury Village Hall		 "CW & Social"
David De la Haye M0MDB

CARS held a CW evening for its January 2024 club night at Danbury Village Hall. It was very well attended and everyone was welcome including a new member ex Royal Signals and will be on our Fastrack (revision and exam prep) Foundation course in March 2024.

There was a large exhibition of Morse keys on display - straight keys, twin paddles, bugs etc from John O’Connell M0JOC our Exam Secretary and Training Coordinator which included a Marconi 365A straight key Serial Number 8999 used on a British Merchant Navy ship from 1939. There was also be an extremely rare "Rugby" key (only 80 were made) from Portishead Radio GKA manufactured by the Post Office Central Workshops at Rugby in 1983. This key was bought by Tony Gilbey G4YTG (the former CARS President who stepped down in 2023) when equipment was auctioned off from GKA in the mid 1990’s as the telegraphy service was reduced in size.

There was a Racal 1217 rack mount receiver, also used at GKA from the early 70's until 1983 and covers 980 kHz - 30 MHz with AM, USB/LSB and CW modes. It was Racal's first transistor receiver and they are also now very rare. It weighs 13.6kg! John gave a presentation on the 365A and Rugby key and their history.

On display was a large collection of keys from Colin Page G0TRM including a set from a founding member of CARS - Louis Varney G5RV. Colin donated the G5RV keys to CARS for posterity and future use by its members.

There was a live HF operating station using the club call sign GX0MWT (Marconi Wireless Telegraph) open to all to "have a go" which proved very popular and as usual, we had the famous raffle - with tea/coffee, biscuits and a warm welcome for the New Year !

Marconi 365A Key - and a rare Rugby Key

Racal 1217 Receiver

Paul G4PVM on HF – and the Rugby Morse key

Louis Varney G5RV Morse Key collection – assembled by Colin G0TRM

February Meeting
Tue 6-Feb-2024, 7.30-9:30pm
Danbury Village Hall		 "VHF Hands-on & Ofcom Update"
By CARS Members

The February provided a great opportunity to get hands on using the new club VHF Antenna at Danbury which happens to be one of the highest points in Essex. This let folk get experience on the air as well as a great opportunity to socialise, or catch up after the recent Canvey Rally a few days before.

It was also a unique opportunity to hear a live update on the imminent new Ofcom licence and what it may mean for Operating, Bandplan and Training changes.

CARS is pleased to have amongst its members, Murray G6JYB, who as RSGB Spectrum Chair has been close to the action on the Ofcom changes. The Ofcom consultation ran from June to September last year and received nearly 1400 responses.

Following Ofcom’s statement in December which basically set the policy direction and draft of the new conditions, a further notice period ran until 22nd January which saw ~90 further individual ‘representations’. The changes come in three phases with the new conditions being part of the first phase, whilst various changes to Callsigns and Special Events come later in the year – and eventually a new online IT system

The 2024 RSGB Bandplans have several changes in VHF/UHF in particular to support the licence changes – and remember to revalidate your online details and to re-assess your EMF if using the new power limits

Note: Ofcom’s finalised conditions and new guidance were announced on Wed 21st February 2024

RSGB Useful Links:

March Meeting
5-Mar-2024, 7.30-9:30pm
Danbury Village Hall		 "Lightship Talk"
By Sarah Case, FACT

For March we had a great overview and presentation of FACT, the ‘Fellowship Afloat Charitable Trust’, by Sarah Case who is their funding officer.

Better known by the abbreviation FACT, their website is - www.fact.org.uk and are best known for them being the trustees for the Tollesbury Light Vessel. However they have a wide range of other activities; and history dating back to the latter half of the 1960s and earlier vessels.

Sarah started with some background on the work of the trust, its volunteers and earlier vessels, the Sail Lofts where they are based and how Trinity was acquired

The trust is very much aimed at youth development and activities. It also has a company that owns the local berths and boatyard, fees from which provide support for the charitable ventures. Visitors will know it’s a major saltmarsh area with the high tide able to catch you out !

Nowadays it also has a bursary fund for those youngsters may not be able to afford the course / accommodation fees.

The vessel itself was the site that CARS have operated from a few times for ILLW - International Lighthouse & Lightship Weekend - most recently as Special Event Station GB5TLV in August 2023 – on a great salty groundplane which really helped!

Thanks Sarah for a really informative evening!

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