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It’s annual general meeting time again for the Ridgeway Repeater Group (http://www.rrg.org.uk). The group looks after the GB3WH and GB3TD as well MB7UR and GB3NW in the Swindon area.

If you are close by, do come along – it would be great to see you there.

The meeting will be held at 19:30 at Thring Townsend, 6 Drakes Meadow, Penny Lane, Swindon. SN3 3LL

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I was very pleased to receive the following news this morning, via Dave, WW2R from Brian, WA1ZMS. The callsign has changed this year – but with the same configuration this beacon was heard in Europe last summer – so it is well worth listening for!”As of 12:30z on 2 May, a 4-Meter Band Radio Science E-skip Trans-Atlantic (TA) propagation beacon is QRV from the East Coast of the US. QRG is 70.005 MHz, QTH is FM07fm, CW emissions.ERP is 3kW aimed at 60 degrees true towards Europe. This year’s parameters are identical to the previous 2010 operations but with a new call sign, WE9XUP, for 2011.The beacon is scheduled to run 24 hours a day until 1 Sept, 2011 but must QRT sooner if there are technical or *any* QRM issues. This is a Non-Amateur beacon (just like 2010 operations) and 2-way QSOs are not permitted. Any and all QSL/SWL reports are welcome via email to:WA1ZMS ( at ) ARRL ( dot ) NET.This beacon has been licensed solely with the gracious co-operation of theSociety of Broadcast Engineers (representing the TV industry, which holds the Primary 4-Meter Band spectrum allocation) here in the US — and the FCC’s Office of Engineering Technology.Although there is no possibility of an Amateur Allocation on the 4-Meter Band in the US in the foreseeable future (because the TV Broadcast Service is the sole allocated radio service), as the transmitter licensee I am ever grateful that this beacon could be QRV again in 2011 for propagation research — exploring Trans- Atlantic E-Skip propagation, with the dream of a TA QSO taking place someday on the 2-meter band!Here’s hoping for many more E-skip TA reports on the 4-Meter Band this year!73,-Brian, WA1ZMS”

I was very pleased to receive the following news this morning, via Dave, WW2R from Brian, WA1ZMS. The callsign has changed this year – but with the same configuration this beacon was heard in Europe last summer – so it is well worth listening for!”As of 12:30z on 2 May, a 4-Meter Band Radio Science E-skip Trans-Atlantic (TA) propagation beacon is QRV from the East Coast of the US. QRG is 70.005 MHz, QTH is FM07fm, CW emissions.ERP is 3kW aimed at 60 degrees true towards Europe. This year’s parameters are identical to the previous 2010 operations but with a new call sign, WE9XUP, for 2011.The beacon is scheduled to run 24 hours a day until 1 Sept, 2011 but must QRT sooner if there are technical or *any* QRM issues. This is a Non-Amateur beacon (just like 2010 operations) and 2-way QSOs are not permitted. Any and all QSL/SWL reports are welcome via email to:WA1ZMS ( at ) ARRL ( dot ) NET.This beacon has been licensed solely with the gracious co-operation of theSociety of Broadcast Engineers (representing the TV industry, which holds the Primary 4-Meter Band spectrum allocation) here in the US — and the FCC’s Office of Engineering Technology.Although there is no possibility of an Amateur Allocation on the 4-Meter Band in the US in the foreseeable future (because the TV Broadcast Service is the sole allocated radio service), as the transmitter licensee I am ever grateful that this beacon could be QRV again in 2011 for propagation research — exploring Trans- Atlantic E-Skip propagation, with the dream of a TA QSO taking place someday on the 2-meter band!Here’s hoping for many more E-skip TA reports on the 4-Meter Band this year!73,-Brian, WA1ZMS”

I think I mentioned a few weeks ago that OFCOM had offered us the chance to use a special prefix to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton (have you noticed how she’s become Catherine recently!). The special call can be used from the date of their wedding, 29th April for 11 days.On the day of the wedding my QSOs were all on 70MHz – but it was nice to catch up with some of the locals as I was using the special call. I was out and about a little from the mobile on both 144MHz and 433MHz too, so fun to use the call there too. Tried a few CQs on 29.600MHz FM, but no luck!Today, I caught a little sporadic E on 50MHz this morning, so worked I0JX and I0WTD from the Rome area. Once again, tried a CQ on 70.200MHz but no luck. Also had a really nice DSTAR QSO with Gordon, G8PNN from Northumberland who I’d not spoken to for years. It was really good to catch up and hear about some of the interesting QSOs that he’s been having recently – including optical ones!This afternoon, after some pleasant 70MHz FM QSOs, I biked over to Windmill Hill taking the FT817 and whip as well as the Icom IC-E92. 28MHz was quite interesting and I was pleased to hear some African DX coming through; ZS1AX, ZS1ACH and a 5R7 (I think) all on phone. Heard a I3 working into Brazil (PP5) on CW and A61Q on 24MHz CW before switching over to VHF/UHF.I called through GB3UK on Cleeve Hill and worked Mike, G4UXC a friend from a long way back. We were licenced around the same sort of time and it was good to work him with the special call. Last but not least, before pedalling back to Longworth was a QSO with John, G4SRE/M in Swindon. John’s a great 70MHz FM enthusiast so we swapped news about the band. John’s a native of South Wales and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to work him on 70MHz FM from a mountain top in Wales at some point! Ought to be able to do it from here…And this evening, I was pleased to work the Camb-Hams expedition to the Isle of Arran, GS3PYE/P on 7MHz – probably my first 7MHz SSB QSO in a couple of years!

I think I mentioned a few weeks ago that OFCOM had offered us the chance to use a special prefix to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton (have you noticed how she’s become Catherine recently!). The special call can be used from the date of their wedding, 29th April for 11 days.On the day of the wedding my QSOs were all on 70MHz – but it was nice to catch up with some of the locals as I was using the special call. I was out and about a little from the mobile on both 144MHz and 433MHz too, so fun to use the call there too. Tried a few CQs on 29.600MHz FM, but no luck!Today, I caught a little sporadic E on 50MHz this morning, so worked I0JX and I0WTD from the Rome area. Once again, tried a CQ on 70.200MHz but no luck. Also had a really nice DSTAR QSO with Gordon, G8PNN from Northumberland who I’d not spoken to for years. It was really good to catch up and hear about some of the interesting QSOs that he’s been having recently – including optical ones!This afternoon, after some pleasant 70MHz FM QSOs, I biked over to Windmill Hill taking the FT817 and whip as well as the Icom IC-E92. 28MHz was quite interesting and I was pleased to hear some African DX coming through; ZS1AX, ZS1ACH and a 5R7 (I think) all on phone. Heard a I3 working into Brazil (PP5) on CW and A61Q on 24MHz CW before switching over to VHF/UHF.I called through GB3UK on Cleeve Hill and worked Mike, G4UXC a friend from a long way back. We were licenced around the same sort of time and it was good to work him with the special call. Last but not least, before pedalling back to Longworth was a QSO with John, G4SRE/M in Swindon. John’s a great 70MHz FM enthusiast so we swapped news about the band. John’s a native of South Wales and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to work him on 70MHz FM from a mountain top in Wales at some point! Ought to be able to do it from here…And this evening, I was pleased to work the Camb-Hams expedition to the Isle of Arran, GS3PYE/P on 7MHz – probably my first 7MHz SSB QSO in a couple of years!

On Friday afternoon, I drove over to Broadway Tower Country Park to meet with Dave G4FRE (WW2R) who is in the country for a few days. It was great to see Dave and chat about all sorts of different radio from LF to Microwaves. Dave’s an inspiring guy and I always come away with some project in mind! Recently Dave’s been playing some QRSS using his N4FRE call which has proven quite interesting. Dave also has been trying out one of the Down East Microwave transverters for 70MHz which look interesting (as do the ones for the other bands) and he mentioned that he’d heard an ON station on 70MHz from his Malvern QTH. We talked about EME on bands from 144MHz to 2.3GHz. A very pleasant afternoon sitting in the sun on the hillside, eating ice-cream!It was interesting listening on the handheld and from the car from Broadway – it’s a good location and I heard lots of stations and repeaters I wouldn’t normally here from home. The new GB3GT 50MHz repeater on Clee Hill was S7 from the mobile and I listened to some interesting QSOs on the GB3TF 433MHz repeater.For my birthday, amongst other things, Julie gave me a handlebar bag for my bike. Conveniently, an FT817 and paddle fits in easy, as well as the trusty IC-E92D handheld. This morning I cycled up to Windmill Hill, a couple of miles from here which has an excellent take off in most directions although isn’t actually very much higher than home.Most of my listening was on 28MHz using the FT817 and ATX-Walkabout antennaThe band wasn’t wide open, but I heard XU7ACY from Cambodia, an Indian station as well as some Europeans on CW with 5B4AIX on SSB. Didn’t work anyone but it was most enjoyable. Before leaving the hill, I worked Rob, G4XUT on the GB3TD 433MHz repeater.This afternoon I was excited to work my first Sporadic E QSOs of the season on 50MHz, with QSOs with EA7HG and EA7/G1WUU both in IM87. Also tried some CQs on 70.200MHz, but no luck so far.

On Friday afternoon, I drove over to Broadway Tower Country Park to meet with Dave G4FRE (WW2R) who is in the country for a few days. It was great to see Dave and chat about all sorts of different radio from LF to Microwaves. Dave’s an inspiring guy and I always come away with some project in mind! Recently Dave’s been playing some QRSS using his N4FRE call which has proven quite interesting. Dave also has been trying out one of the Down East Microwave transverters for 70MHz which look interesting (as do the ones for the other bands) and he mentioned that he’d heard an ON station on 70MHz from his Malvern QTH. We talked about EME on bands from 144MHz to 2.3GHz. A very pleasant afternoon sitting in the sun on the hillside, eating ice-cream!It was interesting listening on the handheld and from the car from Broadway – it’s a good location and I heard lots of stations and repeaters I wouldn’t normally here from home. The new GB3GT 50MHz repeater on Clee Hill was S7 from the mobile and I listened to some interesting QSOs on the GB3TF 433MHz repeater.For my birthday, amongst other things, Julie gave me a handlebar bag for my bike. Conveniently, an FT817 and paddle fits in easy, as well as the trusty IC-E92D handheld. This morning I cycled up to Windmill Hill, a couple of miles from here which has an excellent take off in most directions although isn’t actually very much higher than home.Most of my listening was on 28MHz using the FT817 and ATX-Walkabout antennaThe band wasn’t wide open, but I heard XU7ACY from Cambodia, an Indian station as well as some Europeans on CW with 5B4AIX on SSB. Didn’t work anyone but it was most enjoyable. Before leaving the hill, I worked Rob, G4XUT on the GB3TD 433MHz repeater.This afternoon I was excited to work my first Sporadic E QSOs of the season on 50MHz, with QSOs with EA7HG and EA7/G1WUU both in IM87. Also tried some CQs on 70.200MHz, but no luck so far.