Author: G3VRE Admin

This week we had a rally de-brief and came up with some good suggestions and lessons learned which we’ll look to take forward to future rallies.

We set up two antennas on the field, a Buddipole for 40m and a Double Bazooka for 10m. Conditions were quite lively and many stations were worked.

Jacek M0PLS and John G0JYL installing the Buddipole.

The GB7WW repeater continues to work well and Brian announced that we will be starting a weekly net on the repeater on TG9 Slot 1; this is using GB7WW as a standalone box and locals are encouraged to join in. The net or activity period kicks off between 7.30pm and 8pm every Friday – all licensed amateurs welcome to call in. Brian Chamberlin kindly donated a further DMR handheld, a Retevis RT3S as well as the TYT MD760, for members to try out DMR and practice radio operating in a friendly environment – thanks so much Brian.

Jacek M0PLS tested the Club’s new reel of Messi and Paoloni coaxial cable and performance seemed to be excellent by the number of contacts made on 40m.

Really nice coax the Messi and Paoloni

Not too much else to report this week except to say have a great week and thanks for checking in. 73 till next time from the Chippenham Club Website Team.

The Rally is over and as we now enter another month Club meetings continue apace. With Brian resting and Jacek on holiday, Jon and Alan opened the club on a reasonably dry and warm evening.

This evening we welcomed Kevin DG4SKN from Dilligen-Saar in Germany who was visiting the area. Some of you may know Kevin as he used to live in Neston near Corsham and holds the UK Callsign G4SKN. Seems like the German OFCOM equivalent did him proud on the Deutsche Callsign !

Kevin seen here operating the Icom IC-7300 and catching up with old friends who remembered him from the Club back in the 1980s.

Kevin DG4SKN/G4SKN visiting the Club whilst on holiday from Germany.

Meanwhile over in the shack we saw Jenni M0HZT, Andy 2E1GQX and Kevin G6ZRL busy working the 144mhz 2m UKAC . The 2m contest takes place on the first Tuesday of every month and is very popular.

Jenni maintained the log and 10 contacts were made this time. The best DX with our 5 element indoor yagi was F5RZC in Coulomby near Boulougne in Northern France, Locator JO10AR. Andy 2E1GQX conducted a Facebook Live event allowing his captive audience a real treat and an insight to VHF Contesting – well done Andy !

Andy 2E1GQX working alongside Jenni M0HZT – GX3VRE

Jacek M0PLS couldn’t be with us this evening but he kindly set up a station near Brixham Devon and we managed to work him on 40m (7mhz). Jon G0IUE had left the 40m Double Bazooka behind at home and we had to set up an impromptu end fed long wire system with a feed point hear the hall roof. Needless to say we got quite a bit of noise on 40m (up to S7-8) but as Jacek and others were sometimes 5-9+ we managed several contacts there before moving to 80m where there was significantly less noise.

The impromptu 40m End Fed supported by a 12m (not fully extended) Spiderbeam Mast.

Well that’s about it for this week. Stay tuned for more updates from Chippenham & District ARC. Best 73 from the Website Team.

We really enjoyed running the Rally and we were so lucky with the weather. Fortunately the rain held off till around 1pm and all our traders and visitors had a mostly dry event for a change.

I’m writing this after a long long day and so please find below a selection of photographs from the Rally and not much more from me.

A big thank you to everyone who attended, supported and helped out at today’s event, we couldn’t have done it without you !!

Yes that is the sun shining !!

Chairman Brian G6HUI on a short lived break

Regular visitor Tom from Corsham topping up his collection !

Traders on the field

Car Park nearing capacity

Signs courtesy of Luke Kelly

Steve M1ACB – General Manager of the RSGB popped in and was greeted by Brian G6HUI and Jon G0IUE

The Main Hall

More from the main hall. Apologies I didn’t have any images from Hall 2 but in our 2nd Hall were additional traders including our friends from Trowbridge and District ARC.

We asked Karen M3KIR what she thought of it so far and she did this 🙂

Big thanks to Alan G6YCG, Paul 2E0IZB, Jacek M0PLS, Kevin G6ZRL, Ron G1OKD, John 2E0GTQ and Chris G4HCW for all their help out on the field today. Big Shout Out to Jenni M0HZT, Merfyn M0HWA, Vicki M3HUI, Andy 2E1GQX and Karen M3KIR for all their help this weekend.

Meet and greet with Paul 2E0IZB

We hope to see you all again soon at our November event. Remember the Date SATURDAY – Yes SATURDAY the 25th November 2023, same place and opening times. Primarily an indoor Winter event but the possibility of trading on the hard standing if the weather allows.