Practical Wireless October 2023

Not a lot of radio for me in the past month, as we were away for a break and in any case the bands seem to have been relatively quiet. But in early September I notch up 55 years licensed, which got me thinking. Amateur radio has played a big part in my life throughout that time. It got me started in a career in telecoms, and kept me in touch with matters technical when I, as is typical, moved more from the engineering side to, in my case, marketing and strategy. Domestically, I would say the hobby has kept me sane as an antidote to the inevitable pressures of life, both from work and from the ups and downs of family life. And the nice thing about amateur radio,…

New from Icom Icom UK are pleased to announce that their latest amateur radio hand portable. The ID-50E is now available for sale from authorised Icom amateur radio dealers with a suggested retail price of £449.99 inc.VAT. As well as operating as a normal FM radio the ID-50E is designed to work on the D-STAR (Digital Smart Technology for Amateur Radio) network. With D-STAR compatibility users gain access to an extensive network of repeaters, reflectors and linking capabilities greatly expanding communication possibilities. The D-STAR DV mode can send not only voice but also image data. Photos from a smart device can be imported into the ID-50E using the ST-ID50A/W picture utility software to exchange photos and QSL cards. The ID-50E Band Scope and Waterfall displays can visually show active channels…

On 28 July the RNARS celebrated the 30th anniversary of the move of their HQ Shack from HMS Mercury to HMS Collingwood. The HQ Shack in HMS Collingwood was formally opened by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Ashmore GCB DSC, Patron of the RNARS on 30 July 1993. Commodore Paul Sutermeister was the last Commanding Officer of HMS Mercury before it was closed in 1993 and the Signal School was moved to HMS Collingwood. The celebration was attended by the Society’s Patron, Admiral Sir Philip Jones, GCB DL former 1st Sea Lord, by the Society’s President Commodore Paul Sutermeister DL RN, by Captain Tim Davey RN Commanding Officer of HMS Collingwood, by WO Mark Gower, Base Warrant Officer HMS Collingwood, by representatives of the Radio Society of Great Britain,…

Having established a core membership of 20 the group held the first AGM and activity day in June 2023. The activities involved a 2m foxhunt to test out the ‘tape measure’ DF antennas made at the May 2023 meeting. The foxhunt held on the downs in the Guildford area had a competitive element and was won by Jon M0TWM. The AGM followed the foxhunt and was attended by RSGB RR10 Keith G4JED who addressed the group and presented the foxhunt prize to Jon and the RSGB Affiliation Certificate, which was received by Eric M0REQ the club’s co-founder. The club was due to return to evening activities in September with planned evenings on a VLF RX project, Shack Automation with Microcontrollers and Home Assistant Devices and a from scratch KiCad project.…

All information published here reflects the situation up to and including 24th August 2023. Readers are advised to always check with the organisers of any rally or event before setting out for a visit. The Radio Enthusiast website www.radioenthusiast.co.uk has the latest updates, please check it regularly. To get your event on this list, e-mail the full details, as early as possible, to: practicalwireless@warnersgroup.co.uk 24 September (change of date from 8 October) HACK GREEN MILITARY SURPLUS & MILITARY RADIO HANGAR SALE: Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 8AL. Sale of electronic equipment, amateur gear, components, military radio items, and vehicle spares. coldwar@hackgreen.co.uk www.hackgreen.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/HGsecretbunker/ 24 September BURY ST EDMUNDS RADIO RALLY: The Rougham Tower Museum IP32 7QB. Opens 9.30am (Traders 8am). Trade stands, Table top sales, bring and…

NEW PACT EXPANDS AMATEUR RADIO USE DURING EMERGENCIES: A new agreement between the African Telecommunication Union and the International Amateur Radio Union is being hailed as a landmark agreement on the African continent. Praising amateur radio for its responsiveness in a crisis, the secretary-general of the African Telecommunications Union signed an agreement with the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) advocating for expanded use of amateur radio during emergencies in African nations. The agreement places a special emphasis on amateur radio’s role in the 51 African countries that belong to the ATU. Both organisations pledged to cooperate when preparing for and responding to crises. A large part of the pact involves coordinating workshops and training programs and stepping up promotion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education in Africa through the…