Dragon Amateur Radio Club
		Clwb Radio Amatur y Ddraig

(Affiliated to the - Radio Society of Great Britain.)

GW4TTA / GC4TTA

Updated 28.4.08

Program of Club meetings & Special Events.

Llandudno Radio Rally is on 1&2 November 2008

If members have any suggestions for Talks, or wish to give a Talk themselves, please contact the Sec. – Martin ‘prl.

2008

Mon 5^th May Junk Sale

May 17/18^th Steam Rally

Mon 19^th May ‘Wylfa Power Stn. Past, Present & Future.’ A Talk by a member of the staff.

Mon 2^nd June

Sat/Sun 7/8^th June NFD

Mon 16^th June

Mon 7^th July

Mon 21^st July

Mon 4^th Aug ‘The Control of Model Aeroplanes’ A Talk by Mr John Charles. (sounds absolutely fascinating)

Sat/Sun 16/17^th Aug. International Lightships & Lighthouses Weekend

Mon 18^th Aug

Mon 1^st Sept.

Sat/Sun 6/7^th Sept. SSB Field Day

Mon 15^th Sept.

Mon 22^nd Sept. GB2VK Anniversary of first Telegraph to VK

Sat/Sun 1^st/2^nd November Landudno Rally opens 10:00 until 17:00 (ish) entrance £3:00

………………………………………..

For Sale

45ft telescopic Tower, 2 section Heavy Duty, including Ground Post.

Emoto Rotator – Heavy Duty.

Boom & spiders for Quad.

Buyer to remove.

£500 or best offer.

Contact - Chris Brigstocke – 01248 852 420

For Sale

Gents cycle – Dawes Galaxy, hand built, 21 gears, 26” wheels, as new.

Best offer for quick sale.

Martin, 01248 430 848.

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Past meetings.

Sat 26^th April International Marconi Day. GB4HMD at Holyhead + GB4MD at Waunfawr.

Mon 21^st April Discussion Night (IMD & Steam Rally special events)

Mon 7^th April The Air Ambulance. A Talk about the work of the Air Ambulance service.

Mrs. Anne Cumberton of the Air Ambulance Service gave the members a very interesting talk

on the work of the service, demonstrating just how important it is to get medical assistance to

the ‘casualty’ within the first hour, and then transport them to hospital directly. This essential emergency service needs every support with funding and it is hoped the Dragon ARC will

organise an event for this in the near future.

 
Mon 17th  March  Prof. David Last, GW3MZY, "Where in the world is Llanfairpwll?" Talk on GPS.

The talk on GPS was most enlightening and entertaining, giving an insight as to

the degree of reliance modern society puts on the American GPS system.

Sun 16^th March Norbreck Rally, Blackpool.

Mon 3^rd March Brian Clark, GW3HGL. Talk on remote ATU with servo control.

Homebrew at its best, with masses of ex-surplus gear modified to give purpose built ATUs.

Unfortunately Brian’s PSU developed Terminal Fuse some-what limiting an otherwise

very interesting talk on remote control.

Mon 18^th Feb Stewart Rolfe, GWØETF. Talk on "Introduction to the Elecraft K3"

Stewart has a concise, accurate delivery when giving talks, and this was to be no exception.

He told members how he had come to the decision to purchase this particular combination

of K3 subassemblies to suit his particular interest in CW contesting, and in the light of his

previous experience with an earlier K2. Running through the specifications and making

informed appraisals and comparisons for the benefit of members. The talk was very well

illustrated with a PowerPoint presentation and ended with a downloaded video made by a

fellow K3 constructor, who was equally satisfied with his purchase, and its performance.

The members, all of whom had listened quietly, showed their appreciation with warmth.

Thurs 7^th Feb Committee Meeting at QTH GW3VVC.

Mon 4^th Feb Tony Wilkinson, GW4PVU

( This talk did not take place.) A useful discussion filled the evening.

Mon 21^st Jan Paul Kennedy GW4DVQ – "Communications Training (mid 1960's) in the Royal Navy"

( Thanks for an interesting and very entertaining talk Paul. )

Sat 19^th Jan AFS – SSB (4 in Team) 14:00 to 18:00utc DARC work 3700 to 3720kHz.

Sat 13^th Jan AFS – CW (4 in Team) 14:00 to 18:00utc

Sat 12^th Jan Diana Day Event GB4MUU 12:00 to 22:00utc.

Mon 7^th Jan 2008 Planning Special Events for 2008.

Mon 17^th Dec 2007 Christmas Party

Mon 3^rd Dec. Steve GWØGEI – Talk on Contesting - plus video

Mon 19^th Nov Discussion night.

Mon 5^th Nov AGM. “ A successful year”…..Chairman.

All Officers and Committee voted back en-block - no changes.

Club Subscriptions now £10.00 per annum.

During the past 12 months the Dragon ARC has participated in 5 contests, as club events.

Steve GWØGEI made successful entries to several contests at his QTH, as did Stewart GWØETF.

Club members operated 7 Special Event Stations: -

Project Diana, GB2MUU

IMD, GB4MD & GB4HMD

The Steam Rally GW4TTA

Thomas Telford GB250TT

Lightships & Lighthouses GB2TD

First Telegram to VK GB2VK

Mon 15^th Oct Surplus Sale.

Mon 1^st Oct DXpedition Videos.

Sat 22^nd Sep. Anniversary of first telegram to Australia on 22^nd Sept 1918. GB2VK.

Mon 17^th Sept. ‘Air your Views’ members’ opportunity to have their say …………

Mon 3^rd Sept. Tony Wilkinson – Secret Radios – GCHQ – (CANCELLED)

Sat/Sun

1^st & 2^nd Sept. SSB Field Day 2007 (qth Brynsiencyn)

Mon 20^th Aug Discussion on SSB FD

Sat/Sun

18^th & 19^th Aug Lighthouse and Lightships weekend. GB2TD from Trywyn Du, Penmon. SM. John, GW3GUX.

Thurs 9^th Aug. Special Event station GB250TT celebrating the 250^th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Telford, Engineer.

Operating GB250TT from the club caravan alongside the ‘bridge masters house’ on the mainland side.

Operation was from 16:00 on the afternoon of Wednesday 8.8.07 to midnight on Thursday 9.8.07.

Successful Amateur TV operation.

The Menai Suspension Bridge was opened on January 30^th 1834 and has a span of 580 feet, which was the longest span in the world at that time. It provided a much needed road route to Holyhead, the port which provides a link across the Irish Sea to Ireland.

The Special Event Station GB 250 TT was set up in a caravan at the southern end of the bridge by GW3PRL and members of the Dragon Amateur Radio Club (Fig.2). The station operated on the HF bands over a 32 hour period on Wednesday 8^th & Thursday August 9^th 2007, 250 years to-the-day of Telford’s birth. 175 contacts were made, 60% on SSB, the remainder on CW

In addition, Members of the GB3TM ATV repeater group were invited to take part in the event. On the Thursday morning, an ATV station on 23cms using the GB 250 TT call sign was established nearby by GW3JGA (in his car boot) (Figs.3 & 4.) and a mobile ATV station, operated by GW4KAZ and GW8FEY, with two Alford Slots on 23cms, took up position on the opposite side of the Straits (Fig.5.). Almost immediately, two-way ATV operation was established. The received signal from GB 250 TT is shown in Fig.6.

The mobile station GW4KAZ then travelled along the main A5 road, through Menai Bridge town eventually crossing the bridge itself, transmitting holiday-style pictures of the boats in the Straits below and the massive structure of the bridge supporting towers above.

A walkabout then took place by GW4KAZ carrying a low-power ATV TX in a rucksack with GW8FEY as cameraman. Several Vintage Cars crossing the bridge to a local car rally provided interesting subjects. A ‘post mortem’ on the ATV part of the event was held over lunch at the nearby Four Crosses Hotel, including a toast to Thomas Telford.

Kit. GW3JGA GW4KAZ

TX Worthing Worthing

TX Ant Sevenside Yagi Alford Slot

RX Maspro Sat Rx with pre-amp Maspro Sat Rx

RX Ant Alford Slot Alford Slot

Fig.1. Menai Bridge, Sketch by GW3JGA.

Fig.2. HF stn GB250TT ops GW3GUX & GW3PRL

Fig 3. ATV Rx stn of GW3JGA operating GB250TT/atv

Fig 4. ATV Rx stn of GW3JGA at GB250TT/atv - The equipment.

Fig 5. ATV Tx stn of GW4KAZ operating GB250TT/atv

Fig 6. Received ATV picture Photos courtesy of GW3JGA

Thanks go to the Dragon ARC for providing facilities and assistance during the event.

Due to the screened location it was not possible to relay pictures through GB3TM.

de GW3JGA.

GB250TT SM Martin, gw3prl.

Mon 6^th Aug Talk on Lighthouse DX Expeditions by Ian Wright GW0VML.

Ian gave an interesting talk, which was well received by quiet polite members.

Mon 16^th July ‘Myths of the speed cameras’ a talk by Trefel GW0RQQ.

Terfel gave an excellent presentation, giving us a lot of facts about road safety and the reduction of accidents, his talk was very interesting and raised quite a lot of feeling amongst the members. .

Unfortunately a few members showed their bad manners and chatted rudely at times, during the talk.

Mon 2^nd July Discussing the forthcoming Thomas Telford event. (also the practical side of eventing by Martin GW3PRL)

Mon.18^th June ‘A lifetime of Home Construction’ by John Lawrence, GW3JGA.

John gave the members a very interesting talk on all the Home Brew equipment he has built during his time in amateur radio. This ranged from an early crystal set, test equipment, a top-band Tx and some of his latest ATV gear.

This talk should give everyone something to think about!

Mon. 4^th June Chairmans videos.

Sat/Sun

2^nd & 3^rd June. National Field Day – GW4TTA/P (qth Brynsiencyn) Starts 16:00BST Saturday ends 16:00BST Sunday

Mon. 21^st May “Learning about Linears”. a talk on Linear Amps by Les GW0SEC.

Sat/Sun Anglesey Vintage Society, Steam Rally – GW4TTA/P

19&20^th May

Mon. 7^th May Junk Sale. Lots of stuff shifted, in an entertaining auction, conducted by John GW3VVC.

Sat. 28^th Apr. 20^th International Marconi Day: -

GB4MD from Waunfawr. One station in the building for CW, and a second station in the caravan for fone & VHF

GB4HMD from Holyhead. Station in the Old Coast Wireless Station, Holyhead.

Mon. 16^th Apr. “How the other half lives”. A Talk by Stewart GWØETF on his visit to New Zealand.

Mon. 2^nd Apr. Meeting changed to Discussion Night (from Chairman’s Videos)

Mon 19^th Mar. Talk by Pat GW3WJK: Samuel Morse – The man.

The club received a very interesting talk, given by Pat, GW3WJK, on the life of Samuel Morse his family, colleagues, and achievements. It seems that old Sam was more of an entrepreneur and artist, than inventor or electromechanical genius. Pat’s talk was followed by him showing members his extensive collection of Morse keys, straight keys, ex service keys, mechanical keys, single and iambic paddles, some even had their documentation intact.

A vote of thanks was proposed by Stewart ‘ETF, followed by members showing their appreciation.

Sun. 18^th Mar. Coach taking members to The Norbreck Rally at Blackpool.

Mon. 5^th Mar. Software Defined Radio. A joint presentation, by members with experience

of this revolutionary new mode of reception.

An interesting talk by members on the subject of Software Defined Radio was introduced by Martin, ‘PRL. Stewart, ‘ETF went on to give an excellent description of SRD with copious equipment and demonstrations, giving members a thorough introduction to the subject. This was followed by Geoff, ‘DRR demonstrating assembly of the Softrock kit with SM technology, closely followed with a talk on fault-finding the SDR kits given by John, ‘GUX.

Members were very quiet during all these contributions, appearing to be engrossed throughout.

The Chairman closed a long and interesting meeting at approx. 22:04hrs. Tea and biscuits, were provided by Catering Officer, Tony, ‘LIS.