Also in GB2RS this week…

The resolutions to be considered at this year’s RSGB AGM have now been published in RadCom and on the RSGB website and voting is open. The ballot is being conducted by the Electoral Reform Society and all RSGB Members are encouraged to participate by casting their vote before 10 April. For those not attending the AGM, electronic voting is the preferred method and Members should go to www.votebyinternet.com/RSGB14 to cast their vote. Details on how to vote are available on the RSGB website and have been published in the April 2014 edition of RadCom.

A four metre port has been added to the 70cm repeater EI7MLR. The repeater, which is on RU76, 430.950MHz +7.6MHz, is licensed to the South Eastern Amateur Radio Group and located at Mount Leinster, County Carlow. This port allows access to the repeater from the 4m band, on 70.400 MHz and a tone of 67Hz is required to access it. The output power is 10 watts into a folded dipole antenna. Reports, by e-mail, to sirnrepeaters@gmail.com.

The vanishing of the Malaysian Airline jetliner with 239 passengers on board is a mystery that nine nations are trying to solve. When flight MH370 disappeared from the air traffic control radar, the Malaysian Amateur Radio Transmitters’ Society was asked to provide a communications link between the airport and the hotel where relatives were staying. MARTS provided a cross-band VHF/UHF link to avoid any unnecessary interference from the public services. An HF link was later added. During the call-out there were 11 volunteers at the Emergency Management Centre at Kuala Lumpur airport and 23 volunteers at the hotel, on a shift roster for the link.

The RSGB was saddened to hear of the death of the politician Tony Benn on Friday, 14 March 2014. In March 1965, Tony Benn was the Postmaster General when George Wallace MP asked a parliamentary question on reciprocal licensing for radio amateurs. In his reply, Tony Benn said, “Subject to certain conditions being met, I shall in future grant licences to engage in amateur transmissions in this country to licensed radio amateurs who are nationals of countries which are prepared to grant reciprocal facilities to UK licensed radio amateurs.” Initially permission was granted to visiting US amateurs, but this was the start of the arrangement to allow UK amateurs to operate their station during visits to other countries. Our thoughts are with Tony Benn’s family and friends at this time.

The data mode ROS weekend takes place on the HF bands from 0001UTC on 22 March until 2359 on 23 March and an award certificate is available. The call is CQ, CQ, ROS WEEKEND. The award requires 30 contacts logged or heard with only one QSO per band per day being allowed. You can download the latest version of the ROS data mode software from http://rosmodem.wordpress.com as well as view the full rules for the ROS weekend and award.

Category: GB2RS Headlines