About our club

Background

The Society was originally based in Ashford, Middlesex, UK (IO91SK) and was formed in 1964. We used the olde English name 'Echelford' rather than 'Ashford', to avoid confusion with other Ashfords in Kent, Derbyshire and Eire. We moved to the current meeting place at Walton-on-Thames in 2012.
Membership is open to anyone with an interest in Amateur Radio. Currently the annual Membership fee is £10. To apply for Membership, please contact the Membership Secretary or the Treasurer.
The Society holds two amateur radio callsigns - G3UES for HF and G7EAR for VHF.
On-air nets are held three times a week - all suitably licensed amateurs are welcome to join in.
The Society thrives on the active efforts of its members, who come from as far afield as Slough in the west to Hounslow in the east and Uxbridge in the north to Woking in the south. There are also a number of country members who now live out of the area, but who still like to keep in touch with the Society.
The Society aims to further knowledge of, and promote interest in, all aspects of amateur radio communications and to provide a means of social contact, acting always in the spirit of amateur radio.
Meetings are held twice a month, on the second and fourth Thursdays, with doors opening at 7.00pm for an 8pm start. Non-members are always welcome to our meetings - there is no 'admission' charge. Regular visitors are, of course, requested to become members, so as to help the Society to remain one of the best in the area. We currently have around 50 members, so this is one of the larger societies in Greater London and the Home Counties.
Our meetings include talks, presentations and demonstrations by visiting speakers as well as by our own members. The subjects are tremendously diverse, but almost invariably have a radio telecommunications theme. We have Natter Nites, where 'bring-and-buy' sales are encouraged - many bargains are to be had.
We hold an annual Construction Contest where home-constructed equipment is judged and awards made. Our meeting in December takes the form of a Christmas party where there is always plenty to eat and drink - and a raffle is held (there is only one meeting in December, as the second would fall in the Christmas break).
The Society enters a number of contests - notably HF NFD amd SSB Field Day, where a station is established under canvas and operated continuously for 24 hours. This requires much participation by members - both in setting up the tents, antennas, generator, barbecue etc. and in operating around the clock.
We have a number of keen DF'ers who enter and administer qualifying events for the national championships.
Our Members have given talks to local schools and we have operated demonstration stations at Scout and Guide events.
We have a monthly newsletter, which has interesting articles and keeps us up-to-date with What's On and other Society matters.
We run a Yahoo! Groups discussion forum - "G3UES". It is a closed group that only approved Members have access to, and it is the repository for the most up-to-date published version of the Membership List.
Although we do not have a permanently established station, we do set up the club equipment on Natter Nites, which are usually held once a month.

Meeting times

Meetings are held twice a month, on the second and fourth Thursdays, with doors opening at 7.00pm for an 8pm start. Non-members are always welcome to attend our meetings.

Contact details

Stuart Roy, MØSAR
(M) 07859 785757
(E) [email protected]

Address

We meet at the Weybridge Vandals RFC club-house on Desborough Island, which is situated in the Thames at Walton-on-Thames.

The official address is:
Brownacres
The Towing Path
Walton-on-Thames
Surrey KT12 1QP

NGR: TQ 084 667
Maidenhead Locator: IO91sj

Getting onto site
Walton Bridge is the first landmark. It's on the A244. The new Walton Crossing has been constructed. If approaching from the north (Sunbury), cross the bridge and immediately turn right. If approaching from Walton town centre, turn left immediately before crossing the bridge. This area is known as Cowey Sale and is popular with visitors.
After about 0.4 mile (620 metres) through the 20 m.p.h. zone, turn right onto a one-way bridge over the Thames. The road turns left after crossing the bridge, but you want to pass under the height barrier (sometimes left open) that is straight ahead of you at the bend.
Continue carefully along the track, past a barrier, until the road turns left past a cottage. Pass another barrier and into the large car park, which is where you will park if attending a club meeting, held in the club-house.