CLUB NEWSLETTER - MARCH 2009

A NEWSLETTER TO KEEP MEMBERS IN TOUCH AND UP TO DATE

06 Apr 2009

H.A.R.S. News
[Hambleton Amateur Radio Society]
Club Call : G0JQA / GX0JQA
Club Net : Every Tuesday 19.30 clock time on 145.625 [HG Repeater]

Club Websites:
www.radioclubs.net/hambletonars
www.communigate.co.uk/ne/hars

March 2009 edition
The inaugural meeting of HARS was on May 21st 1984, so this is our 25th anniversary year. It would be nice to celebrate it in style so have you any good ideas or wishes ?
Now that the lighter nights are coming, we are stepping up the number of meetings per month so hopefully you will see more activity at the Club.

HARS Calendar

4th Mar Club Meeting – Club Project discussion – 25 yrs H.A.R.S.
18th Mar Club Meeting – HF Operating night
1st Apr Club Meeting – Magazine Night
15th Apr Club Meeting – Club Project discussion – 25 yrs H.A.R.S. progress + HF operating
18th Apr World Amateur Radio Day
6th May Club Meeting – VHF Operating night
20th May Club Meeting – HF Operating night – GX0JQA ‘open doors’
4/5th Jun VHF Natl. Field Day
10th Jun Club Meeting – HF + VHF Operating night – GX0JQA ‘open doors’
all Club night activities start at 8.15pm – doors open at 7.30 pm.

N.B. we are looking for suitable club night topics - if any Club member wishes a topic to be covered in a Club Talk or suggestion for an activity, please discuss with one of the committee members and we will see if we can arrange it.

Club News
Our first event station of the year was the 2009 Thinking Day on the Air which we ran for Vale of Mowbray Guides and Brownies from Sowerby near Thirsk. It followed the format of our previous station there, and despite there being less takers on the youngsters front, the station ran well and some good contacts were made. 4 members + 1 helper were available both days to put up, operate and close the station which was a good number and it was well appreciated by the Guides. Frank G0LEL, Tony G8FLV, Ian M3XNM and myself, Tim G0TYM were helped both days by Tony’s daughter, Lucy. Members worked on air were Bill, M5VIM, Brian as G7PLR and Brian G3KJX as a mobile, while Tony G3MAE assisted in operations throughout Sunday.
Best DX was found by Ian M3XNM using GB3IR, working with the youngsters ZL1NEL in New Zealand at around 13.00UT [1am in the morning in NZ!]. A number of stateside stations also came up on VHF and were worked. On HF, best DX was also USA and Canada on 17m and 20m. 11 other Guide stations were worked including good exchanges with GB2EDG in Easingwold.

Club 2m Net (s)
During this year, and for our anniversary, we will identify some net nights where we shall endeavour to get every club member who has a rig, [if you don’t we may be able to lend you one] to call in. If you want to practice, the club net operates each Tuesday at 7.30pm clock time with call-in on GB3HG [145.625 FM].
There are still members keen to try some 2m SSB, any takers ?

Club Meeting News
Since the AGM and last newsletter, we have only had one meeting which was scheduled as an HF operating night. As the meeting coincided with some winter weather [for a change], the rig was put into receive mode rather than sending – maybe this will be rectified on March 18th.
1st April we will have a magazine night at the club. Here’s the opportunity to clean out that stack in the corner of the shack. Bring them all in to the club – sell them at a modest fee [say £1 per bundle] and donate 25% to club funds – everybody’s happy, especially the XYL. It is not restricted to radio magazines.

Other Local Event News
Since our announcement in the latest newsletter, the ‘Northern Mobile Rally has moved from April and will now be in October. It will still be at Richmond School, and for up to date information try website : www.rsars.co.nr

Club 25th Anniversary
The 4th March Club meeting will be an open discussion for members to air their views about celebrating our 25th anniversary. A number of suggestions have already been mooted and talked about including operating nights, summer field days, contest stations, special QSL, white horse award and an Anniversary dinner. I am sure we will come up with more, but whatever we wish to do, someone will need to organise it and to be a success people will need to support it. Consequently, the meeting will get together a list of possible activities, see how much support it is likely to have, assign owners to progress the organization of it and set some timetables. This will be followed up a month later [18th April] with reports and hopefully some ‘hardened’ plans of action.
By the way, if you can’t get to the meeting but feel you may have some good ideas, drop the secretary a line or an email and it will be brought up.

Finale

1st amateur: "My neighbors are terrible, they were screaming and yelling at three o’clock this morning!"
2nd amateur: "Did they disturb you?"
1st amateur: "Nah....I just turned my radio up some more!"