Volume 2, Issue 8 M i d S u s s e x M a t t e r s December 2014 Editors Chit Chat Inside this issue: R.S.G.B. Annual 2 Construction / Competition 4 From the President’s Corner 5 From the Chair December 2014 Diary Dates Fish and Chip Supper Photos 6 6 7 Well Done Alex! Please read all about it inside. Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year Please take note:From January 1st 2015 [email protected] will no longer be a valid email address for you to send copy to. The email that copy can be sent to is [email protected] which is running in tandem with the Gmail at the moment. Best Wishes Stella, Editor of MSM and Publicity Officer 1 R.S.G.B. Annual Construction Competition ‘Designer’ Category: Remotely Operated Antenna Switch (Prototype) Function This design allows a wireless operator to change antennas using radio data link modules, thus reducing the number of antenna cables feeding the transceiver/A.T.U.. Switching is virtually instantaneous. Method of operation The Antenna Switch is in two parts: the coder and transmitter, and decoder, power relays, control board and receiver. Coder and decoder are 8 bit address-8 bit data handling I.Cs. Both radios are wide-band F.M. . Coder ABS Box 2 Remotely Operated Antenna Switch (Prototype) Continued An antenna is selected by using a rotary switch fixed to the coder box. This action sends a signal via a data input and the transmitter to the receiver and the decoder data output, i.e. the wireless link (For information on coder, decoder and radios, see appendix). A high output on the data output (V.T. = Verified Transmission) will ‘switch-on’ the associated F.E.T., that in turn latches the appropriate relay; the relay stays latched until the rotary switch on the coder box is moved to another position. Antenna Switch Cabinet Top End View 3 Remotely Operated Antenna Switch (Prototype) Continued Antenna Switch Cabinet Protection The braid of each antenna and its associated relay pin are connected to a common ground which is the underside of the P.C.B., which in turn is connected to an external earth. This precaution is necessary in the event that all antenna inputs are in place but not the cable to the radio. For more information please contact me on [email protected] Alex. Henderson m0tot 4 From the President’s Corner Winter is here with rain and cold but Christmas is also coming up fast so get ready to enjoy yourselves! DX conditions continue to amaze me with lots of worldwide rare ones out there even on 10m. Those of us who chase these are still doing well despite the fact that we should by now be down the slope of the present cycle which is still showing little sign of declining. Gavin, G4LYX is back aboard his yacht for the winter and is now calling into the 15m net using the call V26GW/MM so listen for him telling us about blue skies and warm seas as we watch the rain come down here. At present he’s still near Antigua but has plans for setting sail soon. I am delighted to report that Bob, N4XAT is back on the air after unexpected surgery and hope that he is soon back to full health. All in all MSARS have had a good year with several excellent lectures, successful outside events and, as usual one or two Junk / surplus equipment sales, and an amazing on line Newsletter which just gets better and better. All this has been achieved by your hard working committee to whom we all owe a debt of thanks. Stella and I wish all of you a Happy and Peaceful Christmas and a Healthy (there’s no chance of it being prosperous) New Year and I’ll try to keep the 15m and 80m nets going in 2015. Remember though, the nets need your support, where were you all last Sunday morning I wonder? Take care, 73, Ken G3WYN. Mid Sussex ARS Net Times—all times local Sunday 0800 3.740MHz+/-QRM Sunday 1100 145.350MHz Weekdays 1330 21.330MHz+/-QRM Tuesday 2030 3.725MHz+/-QRM (SCARF) Wednesday 2000 145.350MHz GB3HY is currently switched off due to aerial, receiver and site issues, this will continue for the foreseeable future. 5 From the Chair December 2014 This is the last MSM for 2014 so let me congratulate all those involved in making 2014 another good year for MSARS. November saw our Grand Autumn Surplus Equipment Sale and a great selection of used equipment filling the tables round the room. Unfortunately Martin G1DVU, our guest auctioneer, was not well so we had to ask for volunteers to do this for us: luckily Chris G0GMC and Chris G3YTU stepped in and managed to shift most of the equipment that was for sale. At the end of the evening the Society had made a profit. Thanks to all those that helped out. Our Annual Fish and Chip Supper was enjoyed by twenty guests. All enjoyed the ‘pass the parcel’, again with a difference, it looked and felt like a giant turkey when the game started but contained a variety of gifts, down to the last one being a box of mint chocs. Thanks to Sue G6YPY, also to all that helped decorate the room and with all the other jobs we had to do at the end of the evening. Finally, Val and I send all the members and their families all the very best wishes for Christmas and the New Year. Until next year Russell Nelson G7TMR Hon Chairman MSARS 2 Jan Radio Night 9 Jan Meet the Committee 16 Jan Radio Night 23 Jan Radio Night & Table Top Sale 30 Jan DC to Light 2 ‘Bend It & Stretch It’ 6 Feb Radio Night 6 Oooh those chips do look good, where’s mine? Let’s have a sip, that wine looks lovely! 7 www.msars.org.uk Mid Sussex Amateur Radio Society 2014— 2015 Our normal "QTH" is Cyprus Hall President Ken Gibson G3WYN 01444 412420 Vice President Mike Pollock G8KMP 01444 244953 Chairman Russell Nelson G7TMR 01444 236795 Secretary Kim Newland G7AIE 07787 770059 Treasurer Sue Allen M6EUS 01798 815286 Programme Secretary Sue Davis G6YPY 01273 845103 Vice Chairman Derek Pirrie 2E0KDL 07968 253580 Shack Managers Kim Newland Adrian Allen G7AIE 2E0SDN 07787 770059 01798 815286 Publicity Officer Stella Rogers SWL 01273 844511 Course Administrator Adrian Allen 2E0SDN 01798 815286 Committee Member Gavin Wylie G4LYX 01273 845388 Lead Instructor Chris Saunders G4ZCS QSL Manager VACANT Burgess Hill Sat Nav RH15 8DX We meet most Fridays in the Millfield Suite 7.30pm till 10pm Postal Address is: MSARS Mrs S Davis 30 Bonny Wood Road Hassocks West Sussex BN6 8HR Email (call sign)@msars.org.uk (This will only work from a members email address registered with the society) Newsletter—Editor Stella Rogers SWL All articles and photographs are the copyright of the authors. Contributions are invited from Society members and should be sent to [email protected] Otherwise you can use Snail mail to my address at: 28 Damian Way, Keymer, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8BJ. If you have some great old pics that need to be aired I can share them with the rest of the club. Best Wishes Stella 8