YOTA 2018 RSGB team
YOTA 2018 took place in South Africa from 8-15 August in the central region of Gauteng, courtesy of the South African Radio League (SARL)
The RSGB sent four young members to represent the UK, assisted by a kind donation from CDXC, the UK DX Foundation.
UK Team Leader
Peter Barnes, M0SWN
I’m a 20-year-old Electronics student at Swansea University. I got into amateur radio through the Thornbury and South Gloucestershire ARC, where I quickly became fascinated with the many facets of the hobby, particularly construction, direction finding and software defined radio. I quickly progressed through the licences, passing my full licence exam last summer. I was fortunate to be selected for the UK’s YOTA 2017 team, thoroughly enjoying the event near London. Spurred on by the experience, I decided to start a club at my university, the Swansea Radio Society. Through this club I have had the privilege of bringing the hobby to students at the university and running my own licence courses and events. I was thrilled to find out that I will be the UK Team Leader for YOTA 2018 in South Africa and hope that the event will continue to inspire young people to get involved with amateur radio. I am most looking forward to meeting young amateurs from countries all over Region 1, as well as experiencing the culture of South Africa.
UK Team members
Ben Chalmers, M0NBA
This is MØNBA. Name here is Ben, Bravo Echo November, aged 19. My QTH is Ipswich. I am delighted to have been chosen to be a part of the 2018 YOTA expedition and am eager to meet our international community of young amateur radio enthusiasts. My favourite aspect of amateur radio is probably just how far I can establish communication with small DIY compromise antennas and low power radios; it never ceases to amaze me when my station is coherently heard by, and receives from, another station half-way across the world.
Mike Jones, 2E0MLJ
I first started amateur radio in 2012 in secondary school as part of Physics GCSE and, like most radio amateurs, that’s where I got hooked. I quickly moved on to the Intermediate licence and joined the RSGB. In 2014, I was appointed Chair of the Youth Committee and with a great team have been working to bring amateur radio forward for younger people. I look forward to attending YOTA this year and seeing how they do things in South Africa. After being part of the team organising YOTA 2017 it will be good to see some fresh ideas and what we could bring back to the UK.
Nathan Prentice, 2I0NTP
I am 18-years-old and live in Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. I am a member of Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club, currently studying for my Full exam and hope to get it before the start of YOTA. My main interests are digital modes and uses of Raspberry Pi in amateur radio. I am very excited at being given the opportunity to meet new people with similar interests at the event and making contacts using digital modes when in South Africa. I am also looking forward to visiting the country itself, taking in the scenery and, if possible, to see what good weather looks like—it’s very rare in NI. I would like to thank the RSGB for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
