June Meeting, Antenna Construction and Operating

In the true spirit of amateur radio, even on a record-breaking hot June day, our June meeting proceeded as planned. Our speaker of the evening had unfortunately needed to cancel due travel concerns in the heat.

As an alternative to our planned speaker, our committee and members quickly coordinated to offer a range of activities. Mick G0MGK set-up and operated an FT8 Station. Paul G4HLF and Gopan M0XUU set-up our trusty ICOM IC-7300 allowing members to operate both CW and SSB on the HF Bands using the club callsign GX4BRA.

Paul G4HLF also set-up a PC running Morse Runner to demonstrate the benefits of using a morse training too and allowing members to try it before installing the prohram themselves.

Brickworks Awards are quickly becoming a regular and popular way to start our meetings. This month our Brickworks Champion Daniel G4DGC presented a Bronze Award to Lee G0RSZ and a Silver and Gold Award to Callum M5TRA in recognition of their achievements.

Our monthly meeting this month was a double-header, with our construction club running a VHF Yagi Antenna build alongside the huge range of other activities. Roy M0WTP and Gareth M7GRB had prepared the build to minimise the cutting and preparation needed on the night. All the parts were provided, including the aluminium tubes and 3D-Printed mounts.

The initial tests show that the antennas were tuned toward the top-end of the band, so some adjustments will be necessary to tune the antennas more accurately with support from the Construction Club.

Cold soft drinks and bottles of water replaced our usual Teas and Coffees and were very welcome. Having access to the outdoor patio at the Priestwood Community Centre for our meetings on such occasions is a fantastic benefit.

Thanks to everyone that stepped-in to make our meetings such an enjoyable, social and interesting evening.