The next RSGB club championship is the DATA leg on Wednesday 14th Feb. It runs on 80m from 8pm to 9:30pm local time. You can find details at http://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2018/r80mcc.shtml. All valid QSOs count towards RADARC’s club score. The leading contributor wins the club ladder with a trophy presented at the AGM.
Best regards,
David M0DHO
I found the following presentation on the FT8 data mode that might be of interest to members:
http://blog.radarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SEMDXA-FT8-Presentation-2017-11-09noVideos.pptx
On Thursday 8th February, we welcome back “Professional radio amateur” Noel Matthews G8GTZ to tell us all about the Portsdown Digital Amateur Television project. You may recall his last talk on cubesats where they used magnets to orient the craft in orbit…we all liked that.
Venue: Woodford Park Leisure Centre, Haddon Drive, Woodley, RG5 4LY
Time: 8pm
So…continuing the theme of elegant engineering:
“The Portsdown DATV project provides an easy way to “get on air” with Digital ATV at relatively low cost. The Portsdown system enables amateur radio operators with little or no knowledge of Digital ATV to construct the hardware elements, load and configure the software and use the system to send live Digital ATV signals across town on their existing aerials. It includes the new Reduced Bandwidth modes and the ability to transmit to local repeaters using the more traditional 2 and 4 Msymbol DATV modes. Frequency coverage of 71 MHz, 146 MHz, 437 MHz and 23cms bands.”
Our very own Simon M0ZSU is also involved with the project and is
building one himself.
Noel and Brian Coleman G4NNS (who also gave us a talk on mapping
galaxies from your back garden using hydrogen line astronomy iirc!!) are now global super-stars after their appearance on Michael Portillo’s “Great British Railway Journeys” BBC programme using the Goonhilly 32m GHY6 dish for 3.4GHz and 5.6GHz EME operation.
Now RADARC members aren’t backward in coming forward so perhaps we can extract some stories about that too. There must be some.
If we ask nicely, Noel might also tell us about his web sdr which I find
very useful for monitoring:
http://farnham-sdr.com/
Tea/coffee/biscuits (many thereof) as usual.
73
John
G4RDC
We just wanted to share this picture of the wonderful memorial to Graham G3XZJ made by his family (thanks Wally for the picture). It shows that radio was just one of his many and varied interests (and it sounds like he was expert in them all!). We shall all miss you Graham.
I found this great presentation about data modes from W6AER.
http://w6aer.com/downloads/Digital_Modes_W6AER_NCDXC.pdf
Folks,
Our very own Rael Paster M0RTP will be with us next Thursday 25th January telling us all about the amazing things he’s done making and
using Magnetic Loop Antennas.
Venue: Woodford Park Sports Centre, Woodley, RG5 4LY
Time: 8pm
“Mag Loops” are physically small compared to a typical wire HF antenna. They can be of the order of a metre or so in diameter. If you’re stuck for space for antennas, this talk is for you. Fabrication materials include 28mm copper pipe so you’ll gain plumbing skills by having a go at building one.
For transmission, even with relatively low powers the currents and voltages circulating in the loop can become substantial so interesting
devices such as vacuum variable capacitors are useful for tuning.
The talk will include a description of the “mag loop
controller” (typically a small computing device or microcontroller such as an ‘arduino’ board) as this integral to ease of use as the loops need precise tuning.
Rael has used WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter) to great effect to map where he’s managed to radiate RF to – you’ll learn all about the possibilities there. (https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wspr.html)
All powered by tea and biscuits. Look forward to seeing you there.
73
John
G4RDC
In memory of Graham Maynard G3XZJ an inspirational and accomplished trainer, an active and respected club member who will be sorely missed.
Folks,
Happy New RADARC year!
John Turner (ex-BG Group) joins us once again with an insight into the oil and gas industry to give us a view of the key process at the heart of most modern refineries: “Fluidised Bed Catalytic Cracking”. About 30% of the world’s petrol comes from this process. The talk will give an insight into the various parts of the process by someone who spent many years designing, upgrading, operating and optimising this strategically important plant. You can guess who that is.
If you’ve not seen John before, he’s an entertaining speaker. Given the technical challenges faced keeping such volatile substances safe, there should be some good stories. Not something you’d want to get wrong.
So…if you want to hear about excellence in engineering here’s where to be:
Venue: Woodford Park Sports Centre, Haddon Dr, Woodley, Reading RG5 4LY
Time: Thursday 11th Jan 8:00pm
Refreshments to be served as usual but with safety precautions probably not at a level acceptable to BG group. I’m sure John will tell you all about that. Won’t be quite as good as the nosh we had at the AGM (Min G0JMS/James 2E0JPM truly excelled themselves there) but hopefully the biscuits will be acceptable.
73
John
G4RDC
A new FM repeater AMSAT satellite AO-91 has just been opened up for general use. Other than it being very popular and thus very busy in the early days, it sounds like it will be particularly easy to work, including from a handheld with a whip.
Downlink: 145.960
Uplink: 435.250 +/- Doppler
Tone: 67.0 Hz
John KG4AKV has put a great post up here with all the info.
Programming chart courtesy AMSAT UK:
Memory 1 (AOS) – Transmit 435.240 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), Receive 145.960 MHz
Memory 2 (Approaching) – Transmit 435.245 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), Receive 145.960 MHz
Memory 3 (TCA) – Transmit 435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), Receive 145.960 MHz
Memory 4 (Departing) – Transmit 435.255 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), Receive 145.960 MHz
Memory 5 (LOS) – Transmit 435.260 MHz (67.0 Hz Tone), Receive 145.960 MHz
The great construction contest is on again. It doesn’t matter that you haven’t painted it yet, or haven’t powered up the PA, or that you made it years ago and never entered it. It can still win if the members think it’s the best entry.
Big software projects using commercial rigs and USB gadgets are popular, pure metalwork and craftsmanship projects and ambitious or novel hardware ideas have all won in recent years and the selection depends on the judgement of ALL the members with the voting system designed to support the idea behind every entry.
A really good entry might get 4 points from loads of people, but your subtly cleverer idea may well get many more 3s and you’d win. Loads of people have only entered after persuasion and then won.
In any case, it’s great to show off what you do and to show the whole membership that we are a great club with loads of dynamic people ready to show our expertise.
Robin G4IWS
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