May is Morse Code appreciation month at Wythall Radio Club.

Everyone knows some Morse Code:  ‘ …  – – –  … ‘ is SOS!  And at Wythall Radio Club during May we celebrate the skill of communicating by Morse Code in honour of Lew Williams, who was an expert at Morse and former Club President.

So Club members will be having fun by making contacts with other amateur radio operators using their Morse keys.  And our regular class to learn Morse Code runs most Tuesday evenings, led by David G0HVN

May at the Club is a busy time for other reasons.  On 14th, we have the award presentations for the Club’s Easter Contest.  And on 21st we hold our open committee meeting, that any member can attend.

On May 28th there will be a briefing for the Club’s participation in the Cricket World Cup radio Marathon!  In honour of the UK hosting this year’s Cricket World Cup, Wythall Radio Club will be hosting several special stations using Cricket World Cup call signs during June and July.

We will also be updating the winch on the tower that supports our beam antennas and preparing for an event we will be running for a local scout group.

There’s always lots on at Wythall Radio Club!

Wythall Radio Club members will be participating in many and varied activities this month.

Our Club DX Table competition continues as members try to contact other radio amateurs in as many different countries as possible.  Two members have already contacted over 100 countries so far this year!  A great achievement – will it be 200 by the summer??

Over Easter weekend, Club members will be taking part in our Easter Contest – where we try to contact as many other members and compete for trophies and Easter eggs!

Before that, on Tuesday April 16th, David Bowman G0MRF will be talking about and demonstrating how contacts can be made by sending signals through the new geo-stationary satellite QO100.  You can find out more – and listen in on-line – here.

And on Tuesday 30th April, three Club members will be giving short 15 minute talks in our regular ‘3-15’ session.

Besides these activities, David G0HVN will be running his regular Tuesday evening Morse class.

And we will be welcoming as members some of the new Foundation licence holders who passed the Club’s on-line course a few weeks ago.

Wythall Radio Club trainees achieved 100% success in their Foundation Amateur Radio licence assessments last month.

Ten budding radio amateurs – including 13 year old Adrian – studied Wythall Club’s online Foundation course.  The students then took a practical assessment. 

This is to show they have the basic competence to operate a low power amateur radio station and know how to make contacts with other amateurs ‘on air’. 

Our trainees can now apply for their brand new amateur radio licences – so congratulations to (plus new callsigns): Adrian , Robert, Ian (M7ENH), Bob (M7TBC), Tony (M7MAX), Tainia (M7TOC), Greg (M7GWM), Andy, Garry (M7VEN) and Allen (M7ALN). 

The photos below show, left to right, Robert, Adrian, and Ian, and Bob and Tony, all concentrating hard during their assessment.

Foundation licence holders can operate on most amateur radio bands using low power.  The next steps are to Intermediate licence and then the Full licence, which gives a wider range of privileges.

The Wythall Radio Club team who guided the students to success is: Chris G0EYO, Peter G4LWF, John G4OJL and Roger M0GWM. 

More information on our training programme here.

West Africa is the destination for Wythall Radio Club member Jamie M0SDV.  He joins a radio DXpedition to Lomé, Togo from 14th March – 25th March – the only UK member of the international team of amateur radio operators.  

Although one of the Club’s youngest members, Jamie has an international reputation as an excellent amateur radio operator.  Last year he operated from Bonaire and Curacao, small islands in the Caribbean.  It’s this reputation that led to his invitation to travel to Togo.

There is very little amateur radio operation from Togo, and Jamie reports big ‘pile-ups’ – large numbers of amateur radio operators all calling him to secure a contact.

Several Wythall radio club members have been lucky enough to get through the cacophony of sound and make contact with Jamie and the team – who are using the callsign 5V7EI.

Thank you to the over 400 visitors to Wythall Radio Club’s 34th Hamfest 2019…..

….. And to the 39 traders large and small who filled the 4 halls and over 100 tables with a huge assortment of new and used items!

Visitors arrived from as far away as Devon and Southampton – even though we had hail, rain and sleet between the sunny intervals!

Thanks to Wythall House for letting us use their facilities, Burger Bob for his tasty refreshments – and our Club helpers, especially Warwick G4WMH for his skill in winching several cars off of the soggy grass!

Access to the Hamfest in Silver Street from Alcester Road is closed due to urgent water pipe repairs.

All vehicles must use Middle Lane entrance to Silver Street.  

NOTE:  Do not rely on Google maps or SatNav info on road closure – Silver Street is open from Middle Lane as far as the Hamfest (we have been there today!!).

TALK-IN:  Call on 145.550 or GB3WL if you require assistance. Note: there is no ‘bleep’ on GB3WL repeater – just talk normally and it will function.

Approaching from South

Leave at M42 junction 3, then take the A435 towards Birmingham.
At the first roundabout (Beckett’s Farm Complex and Sima Warehouse) take the 1st exit along Middle Lane, straight over the roundabout, and then turn right into Silver Street at the crossroads (opposite the horse outside Rose Bank Stores).  

Approaching from Birmingham or North

Take the A435 out of Birmingham towards Redditch. At the Maypole (Sainsbury’s) Island take the 3rd exit (A435 dual carriageway).  At the first roundabout (Beckett’s Farm Complex and Sima Warehouse) take the 4th exit along Middle Lane, straight over the roundabout, and then turn right into Silver Street at the crossroads (opposite the horse outside Rose Bank Stores).  

TALK-IN:  Call on 145.550 or GB3WL if you require assistance. Note: there is no ‘bleep’ on GB3WL repeater – just talk normally and it will function.

View Larger Map

Save time on the day! 

Download and print your PROGRAMME and SITE MAP. 

All roads lead to Wythall Hamfest on Sunday 17th March.  

Make sure the items you want are available by ordering in advance.

SOTABEAMS tell us:

‘We only take a small selection of our products to rallies. If you wish to collect something specific from the Wythall Hamfest we recommend buying it in advance online from our web site here.  Use the “Collect from factory” shipping option and including a note with the order to the effect that you want to collect it at Wythall Hamfest on 17^th March. We will then bring your order along for you.

Please order well in advance as for some rallies we set off a couple of days before the rally date. If you have any questions, call us on 01625-501643.”

You can also order in advance from RADIOWORLD.

Check the RADIOWORLD homepage here – and then telephone Sam on 01922 414796  to ensure the product you want to order will be available at the Wythall Hamfest.

Also DMRExpert Ltd – All you need to know in Digital Two-Way Radio

dmrexpert.com

Visit Noel for a chat and all things DMR in the Archers Range

Wythall Hamfest on Sunday 15th March is well and truly FULL!

You will find 4 halls with over 100 tables and lots of traders – including Radioworld – plus the usual refreshments and bar facilities.

Click here for Hamfest 2020 Programme  (pdf file – download Free Adobe Acrobat if file won’t open)

Awards for Wythall Radio Club contests attracted a big turn-out of members this week.

There was keen competition between members over the festive period in the Club’s annual Christmas Contest. 

Only 30 points separated the winner of the 2meter/70cm (VHF/UHF) section, with Kevin 2E0NCO (photo below) repeating last year’s success ahead of Jim 2E0BLP.  Stu M0NYP came third, a great result as he was less active during the contest than many other entrants. 

One point was awarded for contacting another Club members on each day of the contest, and a multiplier for the first contact with each member.  Operating mobile or portable gained bonus points.

Entrants in the ‘all bands/modes’ section were not restricted to operating on VHF and UHF.  They could also gain bonus points by using the many short-wave bands available for amateur radio and by using different modes such as voice, Morse code or digital. 

The top places were separated by only a few points, with Chris G3YHF (photo below) wining the G7OJO Trophy for the first time, and Don G0NES and Ian M0LQY in second and third place.  

There were several special awards.  Tim M6OTN received a certificate for making the most contacts using digital voice (D-Star/DMR) modes.  He also won the ‘Out of Town’ award for operating in the contest while on holiday in Somerset! 

Awards were given for the leading Foundation licencees  – Maz M6NKO in the 2m/70cm section, and Miles M7ACN (photo below) in the all modes section.  Miles had an impressive entry – he received his licence 2 months ago and made all his contacts using a hand-held radio and antenna! 

Some members used Zello – a mobile network-linked radio mode – and Mark M0LXQ received a certificate for making the most contacts.   John M6KET and Chris G3YHF were equal first in making contacts using Morse code.  

Photos of all award winners are in the gallery below.