February 2010

Editor: Malcolm Andrew G8NRP

COMMENT

It is very pleasing to see that members of our club are once again actively helping newcomers into our hobby.  However, we must remember that our help and education must continue now that they have passed their first exam in order that they can enjoy and understand all the different facets of our hobby.  Your committee decided that all those who take the Foundation Course will be invited to enjoy a year's free membership of HARS.  Please make them feel very welcome.

If you know of anyone who would like to take the Foundation Course then please ask them to send an email to info@g3pia.org.uk or write to the Examinations Secretary, c/o 67 New Road, East Hagbourne, OX11 9JX.

Malcolm, G8NRP

ANOTHER OVER FROM THE CHAIRMAN

For the first time for a long time (if ever) we cancelled the January club meeting due to the snowy conditions.  We had also cancelled the committee meeting the week before.  Hopefully that sort of extreme weather, (extreme for southern UK anyway) won’t be repeated for some time - certainly not for the rally, we had that last year! 

Luckily, the cancelled meeting did not involve a visiting speaker, but was to be the annual Rally Prep followed by one of John’s, G6LNU quizzes.  This year the Rally is not until after the February meeting so we can combine the Construction contest with the Rally prep.  Be prepared to take on some Rally jobs!

The committee have now held the first meeting of 2010 where our new Treasurer, Angus, G0UGO decided that he couldn’t do justice to the contest manager’s post as well as being Treasurer.  Dave, M0NUT has ‘volunteered’ to take on the rôle of contest manager, so please support him and watch out for his emails!

Our other new committee member, Mike, G0MJW has already made his mark with some suggestions about the RAL shack, aerials etc.  Although the shack is really RAL’s, we as HARS are very keen to help to provide good facilities for us all.  We will have an aerial working party sometime soon when the weather conditions improve.

Although I mentioned the New Year DF Hunt in last month’s QAV, I forgot to mention all the teams who braved the cold on 2 January and who found us by radio methods.
1.    M0NUT assisted by M3ULF (and M0NUT’s daughters!) 
2.    G0MJW
3.    G0ADH
3.    G0LJX
4.    G3RTM
5.    G0BNC
6.    G0UGO
If I have forgotten anyone, I apologise and put it down to old age and the cold weather!

In January we held the annual club dinner, again at the Sudbury House Hotel in Faringdon.  Over 30 members (and their partners!) attended and by all accounts had a very good evening.  Thanks go to Colin, G3NNG and especially Valerie for organising the event for the second year running.

Many of you know that we have been holding our first RCE FoundationCourse over the last two weekends (30-31 January and 6 February).  The exam was held just this afternoon (6 February) and I am pleased to say that 7 out of 10 candidates were successful.  Of course it would have been nice for all 10 to pass, but it was the younger ones who were not successful this time so it is up to us to improve our teaching and notes.  All three of the unsuccessful candidates are keen to take part in our next course, hopefully sometime in March.

Congratulations of course to the seven who did pass!  We all look forward to hearing some new M6 calls very soon.

Since last month all of the 2009 UKAC contests results have been released.  In addition to the 1st on 6m and 3rd on 2m, HARS achieved a 2nd on 4m and 4th on 23cm.  This is a good showing especially when it is borne in mind that we only entered the last part of the year on 23cm.  If January’s result is anything to go by, we should do much better on 23cm this year.  A few more club stations on 4m would also help to pull our score up.  The contest committee have also published the overall club rankings on all 5 VHF/UHF bands.  We managed 4th by the smallest of margins by being only four points behind the 3rd place club - and that was in a total of over 2500 points!  Even more to aim for this year.

We are also doing well on the 80m contests so far this year.  These continue right into the summer so please do take part - and send your log in!  It is not difficult and no matter how many or few contacts you make, it does make a difference.  The leading clubs do not always have ‘the big hitters’.  Very often they do well because they have a lot of members all working a few contacts.  If you are unsure on how to submit your log, talk to Dave, M0NUT our new contest manager or any of the other contest devotees.  This is also true for the VHF/UHF events.

Again, I wish to congratulate the successful Foundation Course Candidates.  It is by getting more people like them into the hobby that HARS and Amateur Radio as a whole has a brighter future, or even a future.  Good DX to you all.  I look forward to hearing you on the air including in contests - and don’t forget to send your logs in!

73, Mike, G8CUL

CONTEST NEWS

January brought us confirmation of our status as one of the major players in the VHF Club Championships as we came 4th overall across all the CC events.  We possibly (probably) would have done better if were in a position to enter the 70cm events but our club night stymies that!  We made a good start to the year with 4th place in the 2m CC, a resounding 1st in the 23cm and 2nd in 6m.  In 6m it looks like Bolton are not going to take our win lying down and managed to get 15 stations to our 9 and beat us by over 3000 points.  In the world of HF we are 18th in the 80m CC.

There are a number of 24 hour events that the club intends to enter as they have a 6 hour section starting with the 144/432MHz contest on Saturday 6 March.  Also in March there is the CQWW WPX SSB event on the 27/28th.  This is a chance to take part in one of the major HF contests although there will not be the same challenge as last year as John G3VPW will not be in the Falklands.  As last year we will probably operate for 12 hours on the Saturday.  If you wish to take part in either of these events please let David, M0NUT know.

For the last three years I have fulfilled the role of Contest Manager within the Club.  I have thoroughly enjoyed doing the role and it has been heartening to see the profile of contesting within the club increasing especially through the RSGB Club Championship events.  Much of this, I must say, is down to Bob, G0ADH demystifying the workings of contest logging programs.  When I started this we were in the top five in the 2m and comfortably midfield in the 80m which were the only CCs at the time.  Since then and especially last year we have, in the VHF and up events, now that they are all CCs, become a club to be reckoned with.  OK we may never beat Cray Valley on 2m but we won the 6m (but see above) and this year we have stormed 23cm.

The RSGB Contest Committees have also been enlightened enough to recognise that not everyone can or wants to operate for 24 hours over a weekend so introduced a 6 hour section to a number of 24 hour events.  This has made it possible to encourage club members to get involved at the shack and make use of the available facilities.  Only three to four years ago it was a struggle to get enough interest for just one of these events but we are now doing three to four a year.  Last year we even dabbled in a major HF contest for the first in many years.  Now with the possibility of some new blood, through our offering of the Foundation Licence Course, hopefully more people will be encouraged to take part.  It has been a talked about intention to take part in a full 24 hour event (VHF FD?) and this may in the future be feasible.

So what you may be saying, well as I was elected treasurer at the AGM I feel the time has come to pass the role of Contest Manager on to someone else and I advised the committee at the last committee meeting of my decision.  David, M0NUT has agreed to take over and will be running the show from now on.  The contest manager e-mail address will continue as control of it has been handed over to David.  I wish him well and he has some ideas for taking us to greater contesting heights.

Many thanks for your support and I hope I have provided you all with the service you expected.

73 and happy contesting.

Angus, G0UGO
Contest Manager (Retired)Angus, G0UGO

RALLY UPDATE

We look forward to seeing you at the Rally on Sunday 14th.  Please watch the reflector for rota details and last minute information.

PLEASE bring some radio junk for the HARS Junk Stall.  ‘One man’s junk is another man’s treasure’ as the saying goes and this seems to be true for amateur radio so please bring a box of goodies to put on the stall.

Could I also encourage you to support our refreshment ladies by buying your sandwiches, soup, drinks and homemade cakes from them.  I am sure you will not be disappointed!

Ann, G8NVI

THINKING DAY ON THE AIR
Following on the success of JOTA last October, now it is the turn of the Guides.  This year they celebrate their centenary and Guide special event stations throughout the year can use the prefix GG100.  Local Guides are running a double event at RecSoc and at a Guider's home in East Challow. 
Guides and Scouts are welcome to both events and help from club members will be most appreciated.  Put the dates in your diary now, 20 and 21 February 2010.

Liz, G0RJX and Richard, G0REL

Catastrophic Signal Loss!

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For the reason, click on the image!

Richard, G0REL

DX ON 2m
It cannot have escaped your notice that we at ‘CUL towers enjoy contesting!  We particularly enjoy working continental stations during VHF/UHF contests as it is often the only time one can hear them.

As we enjoy hearing continentals on, I presumed that continental stations might appreciate US going on when THEIR contests are on.  My Flemmish and German are non-existent so I started hunting for some details of French VHF/UHF Contests.  After quite a bit of searching I came across some listings on a website called www.radioamateur.org.  Concours seems to be the word for contest (or Sport Radio as we are supposed to call it in these enlightened times).  Anyway, I managed to find some VHF/UHF Contest listings.

Now the French, being a very family-orientated nation, don’t like to let radio get in the way of important events like eating.  Their monthly contests are on Sunday mornings running from 5am to 11am (thus leaving time to get home for Sunday Lunch!).  Presumably they pick up any DX that is around at daybreak too.  The 5am start would allow them get fresh croissants from the local boulangerie before putting out the first CQ.

As there are no boulangeries within miles of Hagbourne that would open that early on a Sunday morning, I decided to make a leisurely start on the 17 January and see what I could work.  I listened for the last hour.

The results were enjoyable and encouraging.  There were a few G stations on but there was no QRM to speak of.  I worked 6 stations each in a different square, IN97, IN99, JN18, JN19, JN27 and JN29.  Conditions were average.  They were all very friendly and pleased to get the points and work IO91.  It was good fun and I shall do it again when I have time.

The French Sunday morning contests are on the following dates:
14 February - 2m
21 March - 2m
18 April - 2m (CW only)
16 May - 70cm, 23cm, 13cm
20 June - 70cm, 23cm, 13cm
17 October - 70cm, 23cm, 13cm
21 November - 2m
5 December - 2m
19 December - 2m (CW only)
See what you can work

!Ann, G8NVI

PS - What have YOU worked in the last month?  How about letting QAV know?  Email the editor of QAV - editor@g3pia.org.uk and let the rest of us know what we have missed!

VIRTUAL HAM RADIO
I came across ‘CQ100 VIRTUAL HAM RADIO’ on the RAFARS website under QRV items.  It is still there for all to see.  More information on cq100 can be found at www.qsonet.com.  At that site it is possible to download the programme and run it for a three month trial period, before making up your mind whether it is for you or not.  If you wish to continue to use it then the cost is 32$US annually.
I am still undecided and have about another month of trial period to go.  I can see the arguments for and against the system, so far it seems to me to be 'horses for courses'.  If it is not possible to site antennae or install equipment, then running this on a laptop might well be the only choice and even I have to admit that to work JA's/HL's/VK's and ZL's on 'virtual' 80m with 599 CW and 59 voice signals and no other noise or fading does have its merits.  But of course it is still NOT ham radio as we know it!
The main sticking point with me is the 32$US annual cost plus I am still unsure what else the system offers once the payment is made.  'qsotv' is another platform, but my guess is that that is probably not much different to Skype, though I may be wrong.
I have just looked at the membership list and the last person to join was number 28,332 a KA7, who joined yesterday so it seems to appeal to quite a fair proportion of the ham community, of that number there over 1600 G+ stations.
So have a look and see what you all think, if nothing else its got to be worth a try.

Brian, G4IYC

THE G3LQC EXPERIMENTAL WIRE LOG-PERIODIC

During the summer of 1964 members of the Royal Signals Radio Club G3LPC built a Log-periodic antenna designed by G3LQC.  Results using this antenna were extremely encouraging and were published in Mercury and the Short Wave Magazine.  Since that time we have the advantage of calculators and computers which enable design for any frequency to be rapid and accurate.

Briefly, it may be defined as an antenna comprising a number of dipoles arranged in such a way that all characteristics, that is, spacing between dipoles, their length etc, are related to each other in a logarithmic progression.  The accompanying diagrams and details show that transverse wires and their relative position from the feed point form a geometric sequence.  This is referred to as the DESIGN FACTOR, and occurs when a number of dipoles are arranged so that the impedance and resonance are repeated at a logarithmic period.  This factor can vary from 0.8 to 0.6 in practical terms giving an impedance from 75 to 300 ohms.  The accompanying Microsoft Excel spread sheet (see www.g3pia.org.uk at the bottom of the QAV directory for a copy) will provide the dimensions needed.  Or a few minutes with a calculator and pencil and paper, will produce the same results.  The physical dimensions are governed entirely by the lowest and highest frequencies you wish to cover.

The antenna described here was designed for use from 14 to 60MHz.  It had a gain over a dipole of 10db with a back to front ratio of 12db.  Its impedance across the entire spectrum was near constant at 75 ohms and this was checked on a commercial antenna analyser.

So these figures are genuine.  While this model is large and needs a couple of extra hands to erect I can see no reason why the design rules should not hold for say 144 MHz through 450 MHz.  Such a structure could probably be self supporting.

Ray, G3LQC

Click here for a link to the spread sheet and more information

NEW MEMBER G7IVF
I got my ‘Class B’ license many years ago when I lived on the Isle of Wight but did little with it until more recently when I had a chance to take a turn at operating with the Oxford club during one of the annual HF SSB field day events.  It was my first time contesting and it was some of the most exciting (and VERY challenging!  Eek!)  amateur radio I have encountered.
Since then the bulk of my radio activities have been /P (or at home using the equipment in a /P fashion) where I have encountered storms, squalls, sunburn, and snow.  I've been interrupted by slobbery dogs, had a logbook eaten by a hungry slug and been chased off a hill by a herd of cows but still I keep coming back for more!

The surprise for me in all this has been that despite the change in the license allowing me on to the HF bands I still get the greatest fun from VHF operating where as well as contesting I am hoping to make my first SOTA activation later this year on my next jolly to the Isle of Wight . . . if the cows let me!

Chris Flux, G7IVF

NEW MEMBER G7DOE
I first got interested in radio and electronics while at school, about 45 years ago.  Whitechapel in Liverpool was easily accessible and cheap war-surplus parts were plentiful.  A good job, really, as I never had much money to throw at the hobby.  Looking back, I see I built lots of things - receivers, amplifiers, audio modulators - but few of them worked as planned.  Today I would say that this was because I lacked suitable measurement facilities.  I might also suggest that fewer magazine article designs worked back then than do today.  I was attracted to UHF by an acorn valve design in the back of a valve reference manual (which I still have!), but such high tech was beyond my dreams.
I still have the RSGB Call Book from 1968.  No G4+3s,no G1s, no G7s, nothing beyond G8A, but still at least 4 club members can be found in it (all the G3s), and an affiliated society called the Atomic Energy Research Establishment Amateur Radio Club (G3PIA).
Electronics stayed with me over the next few decades.  The eras of Sinclair kits, Linsley Hood class A audio PAs, TTL microcomputers and their single chip successors all came and went with me following in close pursuit, subject to the pressures of study and work.  Periodically, I would pick up my interest in radio, but never so successfully as to do much about it.
Towards the end of 1990, I seriously considered emigrating to Australia and at that point I thought an amateur licence could give me a useful skill in that big open country.  I didn't go to Oz, but I did tutor myself and my wife through a crash course for the old technical exam and out popped G7DOE (me) and G7DOF (Kate).  I bought first a couple of VHF transceivers (FT480, FT780) from a local amateur who ran a small sideline business in amateur radio kit, and then a communications receiver and miscellaneous other bits and bobs.  I was busy at work, so it was mainly contests that brought me on air but even my modest kit gave me contacts in France and Scotland so it all seemed worthwhile.  Alas, work pressure increased and the last entry in the radio log before the last couple of months is 1999!
From then on, I remained that 'theoretical' amateur who read Radcom each month, bought and read all the books but never went on air, at least until I retired just over a year ago.  Time to get on with the old hobby, I thought.  So I went to the 2009 Microwave Round Table at RAL,  HARS invited me to its Open Day and now I'm attending meetings, meeting new people and active in the 2m and 23cm UKAC contests.  This year, I hope to add 6m to my capabilities, following the lines of interest in the Club, and perhaps I can get the 10GHz bits and pieces working too.  Oh, lots to do and so little time!

Ron Mount, G7DOE

QRV ON 23cm
In part, when I joined HARS recently, I wanted to meet up with other more experienced UHF+ enthusiasts.  By happy chance, the best way to identify them came when, along with Robin, G3LBA, I volunteered to give a short talk at a meeting a few months back when the planned speaker was indisposed.  I spoke of the jumble of 23cm kit I had accumulated 10 years ago and of my new resolve to get it working before the year was out.  The missing piece of the puzzle was simply the control unit to switch the various elements on and off appropriately on transmit/receive changeover and to supply power to each block, and I had this well under way, based on a PIC microchip.

Astonishingly, I did get it all working, and just in time for the December UKAC contest.  Admittedly, the antenna is mounted on a temporary pole in the loft, rotatable from below by hand, and when I want to use it I open the loft hatch and run some LDF4-50 up to the antenna from the shack, so it's far from ideal.  I also started with only 2 watts, but that was enough to get most of the locals: Neil, G4BRK; Mike, G8CUL; Mike, G0MJW and Colin, G3NNG.  The encouraging thing is that even with just these locals, I am not (quite) bottom of the results table and by the complex counting rules my few points add even more to the club score!

Alas, in January, things took a bit of a turn downhill.  I had added to the set-up the 20 watt 'Motorola brick' amplifier I had also built 10 years ago.  Sadly, the resultant signal was none too good.  Even my original configuration seemed to have taken a step backwards.  Luckily, Neil, G4BRK, is a strong nearby station on 23cm and has been able to help out with reports and I am busy re-measuring power outputs more carefully and discovering I have been over-running both the 2W PA and the 20W PA.  I have a few more things to test but I am hopeful the whole lot will be working even better for the February contest and that before long I can get the antenna outside.  It's just that question of whether it should take the place of the 70cm beam on the rotator since club meetings keep us all out of the 70cm contests, but I do so like 70cm.

Ron, G7DOE

SOME HELPFUL TIPS ON USING THE HARS REFLECTOR

Do you subscribe to the HARS reflector?  If not why not join and get all the latest club news, views and gossip when it happens.  Simply visit www.g3pia.org.uk and select ‘email list’ from the main menu and complete the simple form.

The HARS reflector is available to anyone who wishes to subscribe to it.  In fact about half of the subscribers are not members of the club.  The HARS committee reserves the right to remove the subscription of anyone who abuses the reflector.  The reflector is moderated by a member of the club and by default the size of any posting including attachments such as photos is restricted.  It also has a very efficient spam filter and to date no spam has been sent via the reflector to subscribers.

Please remember when replying to a message sent by the reflector that you should only use the ‘reply’ function on your email system if it is important that all subscribers see your reply.  If you just wish to ‘send’ your reply to the author or a limited number of subscribers then just use the ‘forward’ function on your email system and enter individual email addresses.

Please remember that there are two types of subscription to the reflector.  You can either receive each message as they are sent or your can receive a daily digest that contains all messages sent.  You should bear in mind that not everyone will see your message or comments straight away.

Don’t use the ‘reply’ function to send a message that is a change of subject from the original message - send a new message.

If there is anything you need help with or clarification, please contact me direct at:
secretary@g3pia.org.uk.

REVISED CONSTITUTION

The HARS revised constitution is now available at www.g3pia.org.uk or request a copy from the Secretary.

HARS EMAIL ADDRESSES

We have recently introduced new email addresses for the Officers in HARS.
Please use them rather than the personal addresses. They are as follows:

In addition, if any member would like a new email address, (anything-decent@g3pia.org.uk) with excellent automatic spam rejection, please sendyour request to editor@g3pia.org.uk. There is no charge for this service, all you need is an Internet connection.

FOURTH TUESDAY

Some of you will remember that when we had our shack in the Portakabin on the north side of the site, we had an activity night on the fourth Tuesday of the month when members were invited to come and use our equipment and to air the clubs callsign.

The shack will be open to all members to come and operate our equipment and perhaps even work a few stations if the 6m CC contest happens to be on.  We may also be able to operate a rig clinic.

The shack will be open from 2000hrs clock time and access is via the back gate as per the club meeting nights. 

It is the place to be - and be seen!  See you there!

HARFORD NET

Did you know there is a regular net on 2m? It is called Harford as it is used by both HARS and Oxford members. Please come and join in. 145.325MHz FM every Sunday and Wednesday 20.00 - 21.00hrs.

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