Activities in 1999           1998  2000

 

On this page you will find illustrated reports of some of our activities during 1999.  These are mainly in addition to our main meetings and shack nights.  The most recent activities are at the top of the page.

Auction 1999

 

On the evening of December 10th 1999 in addition to the traditional 'get-together', that is the norm for the last official meeting of the year, Graham G7TCS organised an additional 'treat' for us all - an auction.  At the auction there were bargains to be had by all - bargains for everyone and every pocket.  Sitting in the meeting room on top of a heap of interesting and some unusual bits and pieces, Graham and Colin('MXL) started 'teasing' money out of pockets.

 

Graham had stated publicly that no one would 'get away without something or other', as his threat to 'donate' items to those too poor to bid worked wonderfully well.  Even those known to have deep pockets and short arms put in successful bids.  As in previous years, it was open house to all that attended.  We were glad to see visitors from Weymouth, inspite of the 'inclement weather.

 

The auction, run by Colin and Graham was very successful - to the point that we didn't begin attacking the food laden table until quite late in the evening.

70cm Low Power Contest

As a change from the usual Practical Wireless 2m QRP contest we decided this year to try the RSGB 70cm band low power contest in the field for a change. 

 

On Sunday 18th July 1999 we went up to Povington Hill in the Purbecks and operated for a few hours, taking advantage of the glorious summer weather. 

 

Equipment used was an FT736 running 25 Watts (the maximum permitted by the contest rules) into a 19-element beam a few metres above the ground.  The rig was powered by gel-cell batteries, which have become a firm favourite with club member for low-power operation in the field. 

 

The picture shows Graham G7TCS on the microphone.  

 

We made 31 contacts during our time on-air.  The best DX was GD0EMG on the Isle of Man at 424km (265 miles).

Barbeque

The weather during the week leading up to Friday July 16th 1999 was so variable  that we wondered if we would get through the barbeque without umbrellas. 

 

But Friday evening saw many club members, their guests and companions gathering outside the club's shack to be greeted with the sight of a table groaning under the many dishes of salads and other 'bits' and spices of an organised 'Boy Scout Campfire'.

 

Two groups of guests were expected and indeed both groups did turn up.  A few weeks ago several members of G4PRS attended a 'Radio Workshop' held at Neville's 'shack' in Weymouth, where we were royally fed and entertained.  Now it was time to return the favour!

 

The weather was kind, rather cool but dry and a good time was had by all guests and members of the club.  The large gas-fired barbeque worked extremely well, allowing the 28-30 attendees to be catered for very easily.

 

Thanks to Graham G7TCS for all his hard work in arranging the G4PRS annual barbeque for 1999.

 

 

 

 

 

Novice Contest 1999

For several years the club ran a National Novice contest.  In the early years it was run on just the 6m and 70cm bands, the only two VHF/UHF bands available for the then Novice licence.  Support was limited, but with the addition of the 2m band to the novice allocation in 1999 we had hoped for a substantial increase in entries.  Alas it was not to be, and this was the final year that we ran the contest.

 

 

 

Entries were down again this year with just 3 stations submitting logs. Several entrants from previous years have now passed their RAE and have let their Novice Callsigns lapse. Activity this year was mainly on 2m, with some reasonable distances being worked.

 

Logging accuracy was very high, with no discrepancies in the reports logged noted during the cross checking.  Again the level of support from other stations this year was again very noticeable, with many going out portable or operating from their shacks to give points away.  Thank you!

On the 2m band Kevin Allen, 2E1HGH/M shares the top spot with Bill Harrison 2E0ARB Tamsin Stevens 2E1GQN came third on the 2m band.  On 6m and 70cm bands only Bill Harrison submitted an entry.  Cups go to band winners Kevin Allen 2E1HGH and Bill Harrison 2E0ARB, whose entries on 6m and 70cm gave him the overall winner position. Certificates go to all entrants who enclosed a stamped addressed envelope

Congratulations to this year’s winners, all participants past and present, those who have sent in check logs and everyone who has helped with the National Novice Contest in any way over the last 5 years.

 

The Normandy Veterans Association

On Friday the 11 of June the Poole Radio Society (PRS) had a very moving talk from Derek, Brian and Ted of the Normandy Veterans Association, who so willingly came along and gave a very enlightening talk about the few days after the Normandy landings.

Although many members of PRS were in the forces at the time of the Normandy landings, many were completely captivated to hear of the escapades of members of the Combat Engineers Squadron who were among the first ashore onto 'Sword' beach early that morning in June 1944.

 

Their job was to secure the beachhead and drive a pathway through the many devices designed to make an invasion difficult for the landing forces. They told of great feats of courage during those first few hours. They told of members of the squadron who cannot tell their own stories, who paid with their lives or, whose lives were shortened due to terrible injuries.  In spite of the timbre of the stories being told to the enthralled audience, there were also tales that evoked laughter, such as descriptions of opposing forces sharing opposite sides of a hedge at the side of a field. Both sides content to wait until the morning as 'it was damn dark.... and we were all tired'.

 

The incident described ended happily for both sides as the 'defenders' decided to slip away before first light, leaving bottles of 'Schnapps' that were confiscated - later to be again 'taken into protective custody' by the squadron cooks who singularly failed to do anything other than to pass-out - being unused to what was in effect almost neat alcohol.

 

To round off the evening the speakers and members of PRS did what all 'old-soldiers' do, and that is to gather round mugs of hot tea and swap stories.

Сar Boot Sale

'Why don't we advertise ourselves at car boot sales then?" was a question asked by by Graham G7TCS at one committee meeting. The rest of the committee were unable to answer his question as, in all honesty, we had never considered it before.

 

Occasionally, such as in the case of the lady visiter, some used our board to take a welcome rest from the hassle of walking around all the time.  We take along our Logo board so that we may be easily identifiable and each time we try to take a small item of home constructed radio kit to show and illustrate that radio isn't that difficult.

 

Graham set up the first visit to Poole Stadium car-boot sale in early May (when the weather is better - so we were told!), and since then we have attended every other week (except when the weather is wet before setting off.  Many people have stopped to talk over their memories of radio and it's been very pleasant talking to these people. But the serious task is to make money to help offset the cost of refurbishing the club's antenna system.  To that end we have been quite successful, I can recommend it as a method of both making some extra income for the club, but more importantly - it is an excellent way of bringing the hobby of Amateur Radio out into view by members of the general public.

Annual Dinner

The Annual Dinner was held on Friday 15^th January at the Grasshopper Pub.

Newsletter

The Newsletter at this time was known as the ‘Ohm’ Newsletter.

 

1998     2000