About our club

Background

The Loughton & District Radio Society was formed in 1962, with the inaugural meeting on 27th April, at 75 Roundmead Avenue; the QTH of the late, world renowned DX’er, John Kay ~ G3AAE. John gave a talk at this meeting entitled “Working Those Difficult Stations”, and according to a 1986 letter from him, others present at this first meeting were: Cliff Waterman ~ G3NKX, Bill Sheppard ~ G3JBS, Jack Atkinson ~ G3OPA, John Butcher ~ G3LAS, Wilf Dunnell ~ G3BYW and Bill Patten ~ G3PAT.

The second meeting took place on 20th July, with a talk given by Tom Withers ~ G3HGE, of T. Withers (Electronics), entitled “VHF Equipment”. Shortly after these first few meetings, a room was acquired at Loughton Hall, Rectory Lane, where regular Friday fortnight gatherings occurred until 1996, when the management of Loughton Hall was ceded from the Loughton Community Association back to Loughton College. At this point the Society was given notice that Loughton Hall would no longer be available as a meeting place for local groups, so a new venue had to be found. After a few meetings in a classroom at the College, a new venue, All Saints House was found and has been the home of the Society ever since.

It is not clear when, but at some point in the early years of the Society, the name was changed, adding the word “Amateur” to the title. Again, in 1999, the Society changed its name, now to the Loughton & Epping Forest Amateur Radio Society.

Today, the Loughton & Epping Forest Amateur Radio Society continues to meet fortnightly at All Saints House where we offer a comprehensive programme of activities and events. These include, lectures on a variety of amateur radio and associated subjects, as well as regular “on-air” operating sessions, and practical demonstrations.

We also stage, throughout the year, a series of amateur radio “Special Event Stations” from various public events, such as the Epping Forest Festival, as well as organizing regular field days for club members and guests.

And for those wishing to obtain a UK amateur radio licence, we provide tuition with weekend-long entry-level Foundation Licence courses at Epping, Essex.

We also offer licence upgrade facilities for existing Foundation Licence holders, with ad-hoc Intermediate Licence assessments, and as an accredited RSGB Examination Centre, offer exam facilities at all three licensing levels.

Meeting times

We meet every other Friday throughout the year between 7.45pm & 10.00pm

Contact details

Marc Litchman - G0TOC,
26 Oak Tree Close,
Loughton,
Essex,
IG10 2RE.

Telephone: 020-8502 1645
Mobile: 07743-456058

E-Mail: info@lefars.org.uk

Address

All Saints House,
Romford Road,
Chigwell Row,
Essex,
IG7 6JR.

Map Coordinates:
Lat. 051°37'N (51.62°N)
Lon. 000°07'E (0.11°E)

Maidenhead Locator:
JO01BO

National Grid Reference:
TQ465932