Quote from: Tony on Jul 23, 2023, 11:04 AM

Quoteand the 1 year anniversary of Tony CT 4013 first call into the net.

Thanks for the mention Ray, it's a shame that I didn't make it into the list of callers.    

I've done it again, haven't I?

Admin please add CT 4013--Tony from Brighton to the list.

Tony must of been on for me to know about his 1 year anniversary with the net.

Edit: Your wish is my command Ray. - ADDED -Admin

Welcome welcome

Here is another episode of Ray reviews the South Coast PMR Net (AKA the Monday Night PMR Net) held on Monday 24-07-2023

or

"Is Ray coming back?"

The net can be found on channel 14 (446.16875 MHz) using NFM and not using any codes or tones.
The scheduled start time is 8 o'clock 🕗 in the evening, but sometimes you can find people on, having a pre-net chat.

My location was a busy Radio Corner in Ashdown Forest 🌳, East Sussex. Where the weather was overcast, cool, damp with rain or what we call a normal British summer!
My set up was the GPA antenna up on a pole and a CRT Space U, on loan from John CT 4515, all powered by a Halfords 12 volt car battery 🔋 long past it's 3 year guarantee.

Now we have when, where, weather and what time.

On with the John and Ray list of stations that called in.

TK 08--George--Tonbridge--Kent
CT 1033--Chris--Tonbridge--Kent
CM 01--Jason--Shooters Hill--Southeast London
CT 4515--John--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex--With his own pen and log book
GT 67--Danny--Crawley--West Sussex
CT 2146--Darren--Petersfield--Hampshire--Great contact, a distance of about 45 miles/72km 😀👍
C V M--Nigel--Bodiam--East Sussex
D 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
TC 156--Steve--Crawley--West Sussex--2nd location of the night
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex--What a contact with the handy from inside the house 👍
AL 01--Allan--Redhill--Surrey
AMC 1966--Boris--Bexhill--East Sussex
DK 26--Ricky on the Ridge--Hastings--East Sussex
KP 441--Steve--Ditchling Beacon
CAM 095--Colin--Maidstone--Kent
The  DTMF tone playing baby adult

The Radio Corner Rabble

CT 1829--Dean
CT 2207--Neil
TC 156--Steve--1st location of the night
Speed Bird--Russell
CT 940 & DS 01--Richard & Pru
And me CT 2290--Ray--Start of the nights net and then disappearing

Thank you all who called and thanks to all who took over when I had a chat with Richard and Pru.
If you spot a mistake or see I have left someone out. Let me know and I will correct it.

I don't know what was talked about over the evening, but I can give a short review on the CRT Space U.

The pluses➕ .
Tiny Radio, good audio from the speaker, has the CRT M7 style microphone, ideal for portable/hilltop radio, good reports about audio from receiving stations and comes ready prepared with a cigarette/power plug fitted.

The minuses ➖.
It gets hot, hardwired microphone, notched volume control and basic signal meter/lights.

Look out for more CRT Space U reviews next time.

TTFN & 73

Ray 2290

QuoteCT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex--What a contact with the handy from inside the house 👍

Yes Ray, my gob was smacked. This Monday I will go around the shack/house/garden to find the best spot for the £2:84p UV82.  

Quote from: Tony on Jul 29, 2023, 11:21 PM

QuoteCT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex--What a contact with the handy from inside the house 👍

Yes Ray, my gob was smacked. This Monday I will go around the shack/house/garden to find the best spot for the £2:84p UV82.  

We could play guess the location by the sound in the background

Shack=Other radio noise
Kitchen=Kettle whistling/bacon frying
Bathroom=A clinical echo/dripping tap
Garden=Bird sounds/wind
Out front=Vehicle noise
Living room=Eastenders/Coronation Street

Salutation radio users

Here is another Ray reviews the South Coast (Monday Night) PMR net, held on the last day of July (31-07-2023) and 1 evening before the first of 2 full moons 🌕 in August. Not that we could see much due to the clouds.

or

"Quiz question for 2 points and no checking the interweb.
Which country does not have international flights going across it?"

My location was a jam packed Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest 🌴 in the county of East Sussex. Maidenhead Locator JO-bb-01.

The set up was the 'on' load CRT Space U from John CT 4515, antenna, coax and pole from Dean CT 1829 and battery by me.

The weather was bright, windy and cloudy which come over later hiding the rising of the moon.

As to be expected with so many in Radio Corner, the pre-net chat was well under way when I arrived, which meant the net 'proper' start at 20:00 hrs or 8 o'clock.

Now on with the list of stations that called in and were heard and or worked by the net.

The Radio Corner Rabble

Neil--CT 2207
Dean--CT 1829
Radar Ray--CT 3466
Nigel--C V M
Russell--Speed Bird
Louis
and not forgetting me Ray--CT 2290 in the chair🪑

Now for the rest

George--TK 08--Tonbridge--Kent
Chris--CT 1033--Tonbridge--Kent
Chris--CT 4362--Reigate Town--Surrey
Steve--TC 156--Crawley--West Sussex
Adam--D 31--Hastings--East Sussex
Andy--TE 500--Whitstable--Kent
Graham--OM 001--Burgess Hill--West Sussex
Tony--Star Gazer--Crawley--West Sussex
Boris--AMC 1966--Bexhill--East Sussex
Dick aka The Hadlow Hustler--CT 4281--Hadlow--Kent--Nice to hear you back on air 👍🙂
Steve--KP 441--Mobile 🚙 A24--West Sussex
Steve Joker--CT 4627--Reigate Hill--Surrey
Chris--Ratty 248--Reigate Hill--Surrey
Tony--CT 4013--Brighton--East Sussex

That rounds up the list of call in's
Thank you to all the listening stations (you know who you are) and to all who joined the net.
Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard, please give it a go another night.

Here are some of the highlights of the night. Nigel's on going search for new ways to power his van, tonight it was steam power. The keyer making groaning noises, Deans pole snapping causing me to work horizontal for a while.

My on going review of the CRT Space U. It gets hot!!

That's it till next so TTFN and 73

Ray 2290 with the chisel and stone.

I'm sure I won't get 2 points but my guess is Yorkshire.

The reason the Space-U gets hot is so you keep warm in winter, and for warming up sausage rolls etc.

Quote from: M7DVQ on Aug 04, 2023, 11:13 PMI'm sure I won't get 2 points but my guess is Yorkshire.

The reason the Space-U gets hot is so you keep warm in winter, and for warming up sausage rolls etc.

Ee by gum 'Yorkshire' got me thinking 🤔, and I went back to the question. "Bugger I thought, I have missed a very important letter out" the question is which country not county.

But I will award you 1 point for spotting my spelling mistake.

I'm adding winter hand warm to the pluses of the Space U, along with heated coaster to keep the mug of warm chocolate hot.

Moderator Edit I have added the 'r' in your post.

You have to be an M7 to notice such things! Others could well read it as Country, who knows.

Trust you to think of alternative uses for the heat from the Space-U.

Ok, lets try North Korea for a country.

Quote from: M7DVQ on Aug 05, 2023, 06:48 PMYou have to be an M7 to notice such things! Others could well read it as Country, who knows.

Trust you to think of alternative uses for the heat from the Space-U.

Ok, lets try North Korea for a country.

North Korea is a good guess and worthy of half a point.

Hello & welcome

Here is another Ray reviews the South Coast PMR Net held on Monday 07-08-2023

or

"Did you know that on this date in 1955, Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering sold its first transistor radios in Japan"

My location was Radio Corner (JO-bb-01), Ashdown Forest 🌲 in the county of East Sussex where the weather at the start of the net, had blue skies with white fluffy clouds being blown across the sky by wind and at the end of the net a clear sky a large bright tango orange half moon 🌗 rising up from the horizon.

My set up for the night was the CRT Space U and the 1/4 wave GPA powered by a car battery.

The net is scheduled to start at 20:00 hrs or 8 o'clock 🕗 but if you have a listen before then, you could find people on air having a pre-net warm up chat.

At just before 8 o'clock, I called out and said "the gavel 🔨 has now come down and it's time to start the net".
Here is the list of stations that called in and heard and or worked by the net.

CT 3466--Radar Ray--Ashdown Forest 🌲--East Sussex 🥇--Sometimes on a handy
OM 001--Graham--Burgess Hill--West Sussex
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex--Test out the wideband function on his radio
CT 940--Richard--Reigate Hill--Surrey--Working a handy
TC 156--Steve--Crawley--West Sussex
CT 4515--John--Ashdown Forest 🌲--East Sussex--1st location of the night and visiting Radio Corner
CT 1033--Chris--Tonbridge--Kent
Star Gazer--Tony--Hever--Kent--Camping
RC 402--Tom--Shooters Hill--Southeast London--Standing on a park bench using a handy
CT 1829--Dean--Edenbridge--Kent--Working a handy
CT 4362--Chris--Reigate Town--Surrey
GE 12--Tim--Beachy Head--East Sussex
Delta 31--Adam--Beachy Head--East Sussex--Shotgun with Tim
C V M--Nigel--Crowborough--East Sussex
KP 441--Steve--On the South Downs--East Sussex--Mobile 🚙
CT 4515--John--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex--2nd location of the night
The listening stations 👂🎧🦻 (you know who you are)
and me CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest 🌲--East Sussex--In the chair 💺

Thank you all who called in and sorry if you tried and wasn't heard. Please try again another time.

Here is a bit more to my review of the CRT Space U.
Nothing to add to the pluses but something that is annoying is that you have to program 48 (3 blocks of 16) channels, so you can change from low, medium and high power.

An interesting train of conversation started with a Sparco car stereo with tape player, to tapes, Mini Discs, CD's, MP4 players, I pods, Nano players, Laser discs, DVD's and the up and coming Perseid Meteor shower.

That's it for this review, if you see any mistakes or see I've left something out, let me know and I will correct the mistake.

73 and TTFN

Ray 2290 with the pen  and notebook 📖 .

Hello all and welcome

Here is another episode of Ray reviews the Monday Night/South Coast PMR net held on the 14-08-2023

or

"Dang! I choose wrong tonight"

So on the night, I thought I would mix it up a bit and head to a different location in the heart of West Kent.
This turned out to be a BIG BIG Big mistake.
It reduced the amount of stations I could hear and who could hear me. So I had to rely on CT 3466 aka Radar Ray and CT 4515 aka John to pass people round and bring in the QSK/on the side/break break stations.

The weather in my rubbish location was blue sky with a hazy yellow sun set and a odd light shower.

The set up, in my less than ideal spot, was the CRT Space U and a 1/4 wave antenna up on a pole, all powered by a flat battery 🪫 that gave up on me about 60 minutes into the net. This left me sending a short key or 2 for yes and no.

This is my list of stations that called in and were heard and or worked by the net.

CT 1033--Chris--Tonbridge--Kent 🥇
CT 3466--Radar Ray--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex
CT 2072--Steve T & Harry--Wrotham Hill--Kent
D 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
OM 001--Graham--Burgess Hill--West Sussex
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
TC 156--Steve--Crawley--West Sussex
Speed Bird--Russell--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex
CT 940--Richard--Ashdown Forest  🌳--East Sussex
CT 4515--John--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex
KP 441--Steve--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex
Ricky on the Ridge--Hastings--East Sussex
Chris--Butts Brow--East Sussex
and me CT 2290--Ray--S##t 💩 location--Kent

Thank you all called in and a extra thank you to Radar Ray & John for running the net.
If you tried to call in and had no success, why not give it a go another time.

Just before I round up this episode of Ray reviews, here is the answer to the question posed a couple of episodes ago. The country is Tibet and it has nothing to do with China.

That's it till next time

73

Ray 2290 with pen and paper 📝

We all live and learn, although I think you just wanted a quiet evening away from what has been a busy 'Radio Corner' of late.

Who would want to fly over Tibet anyway. Lol

Dedicated to Martin P (HL 026) & Mike (E500). 2 original's now silent key.

Here is another episode of Ray reviews the South Coast/Monday Night PMR net, held on 21-08-2023

or

"Which is best antenna A or antenna B?"

My location for the night was Radio Corner (yes I'm back), Ashdown 🌴 Forest in the county of East Sussex (JO-bb-01) and the set up was he CRT space U with cooling from a computer fan and 2 antennas. 1 being the 1/4 wave GPA up in the air on a pole and the other was a dual bander on a mag mount, on load from Dean CT 1829.

The net is scheduled to start at 20:00 UK 🕗 time of 19:00 UTC and can be found on channel 14, no tone and NFM.

Here is my list of station that called in and were heard and or worked by the net. All stations are 26 division unless otherwise stated.

CT 1829--Dean--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex--🥇
CT 3466--Radar Ray--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex
CT 2072--Steve T--Wrotham Hill--Kent
D 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
CT 4362--Chris--Reigate Town--Surrey
FB 228--Martin H--Hellingly--East Sussex
Mick--Tower Bridge--London--👋 welcome to the net
CT 4627--Steve (Joker)--Reigate Hill--Surrey
CT 4515--John--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex
OM 001--Graham--Burgess Hill--West Sussex
CT 4185--Dan--Wrotham--Hill--Kent
KP 441--Steve--Alfriston--East Sussex
TK 08--George--Tonbridge--Kent
Speed Bird--Russell--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex
CT 1033--Chris--Tonbridge--Kent
19 WRC--Herric--Zeeland--Netherlands
AL 1--Allan--Redhill--Surrey--👍 using a handy in his garden
CT 9484--Mark--Haslemere--Surrey
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
GT 67--Dan--Crawley--West Sussex
TC 156--Steve--Crawley--West Sussex
Jake--North Chailey--East Sussex--👍 using a handy
GM 593--Graham--Rochester--Kent
14 FRS 119--Mr Jacky--Normandy--France
and me CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex--In the chair💺

Thank you all who called in, and the listeners 👂 too, on a busy night. Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard, please do try again another time.

Here are some of the topics of conversation on the night. DMR & Fusion radio's, the plane ✈️ bounce between George TK 08 and Chris CT 4362, my antenna experiments and the orange crescent 🌒 moon setting in the West.

The results of my antenna experiments did not have a clear winner, with both good in different circumstances. So there will be another week of tests. Watch this space for some very unscientific results.

73

Ray 2290 with the pen and pad 📝

PS cheers if you are checking my spelling, proof reading or making sure I list all the stations.

 

Welcome ladies and gentleman

Here is another episode of Ray reviews the South Coast/Monday Night PMR Net

or

"How many times have you been portable and you get asked "have you spoken to ET?"

The net was held on Bank holiday Monday the 28th of September 2023 and my location was Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest 🌲 in the county of East Sussex (JO-bb-01)

The weather in radio corner was still and warm and stayed at a pleasant temperature all night allowing us to see the sun ☀️ set and moon 🌔 rise.

My working conditions were the CRT Space U and antenna A & antenna B all powered by a couple of car batteries 🔋🪫

The net can be found on analogue channel 14 with the radio set on NFM, we don't use any CTCSS tones or DCS codes making it open to all (you don't have to have a YF, CT, DDB, FB, TC, AMC etc callsign or handle, just call in and say hello).

I arrived early with the intentions of doing some more antenna testing, but got interrupted by a couple of guys who's curiosity got the better of them and came over to ask what was going on.

Here is my list of stations that called in and were heard and or worked by the net.
All stations are 26 division unless otherwise stated.

CT 3466--Radar Ray--Ashdown Forest 🌲--East Sussex 🥇
CT 1033--Chris--Tonbridge--Kent
CT 1829--Dean--Edenbridge--Kent
CT 2072--Steve T--Wrotham Hill--Kent
Peter--Tonbridge--Kent
CT 2207--Neil--Crowborough--East Sussex
CT 4515--John--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex
TK 08--George--Tonbridge--Kent
TC 156--Steve--Crawley--West Sussex
D 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
CT 9484--Mark--Haslemere--Surrey
KP 441--Steve--Partridge Green--West Sussex--Working a handy
CT 4362--Chris--Reigate Town--Surrey
DDB 285--Steve aka Joker--Reigate Hill--Surrey
CT 4016--Andy aka Bartman--Reigate Hill--Surrey
AL 1--Allan--Redhill--Surrey--working a handy in his garden
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
FB 298--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
GE 12--Tim--Hastings--East Sussex
Jake--North Chailey--East Sussex
and me CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest🌲--East Sussex--in the chair 💺 with a pen and paper 📝

Thank you all who called in, a special mention to the listening stations, you know who you are and sorry if you tried to get in, please try again another time if you wasn't heard.

Here are a couple of topics of conversation on the night, seeing a Starlink train go across the sky and why do we still call it a 'Bank holiday' when most high street banks are now closed?

The results of my 'real world', 'in the field', 'non scientific' antenna test are in.
Antenna A was a Comet dual band antenna on a mag mount and antenna B was my 1/4 wave up on a pole.
The Comet out preformed the 1/4 wave over 90% of the time, with most stations say that the audio and signal strength was up.
So do I go out and buy a Comet antenna, upgrade my 1/4 wave to a 1/2 or even a 5/8 wave or do I convert a 7900D dual band antenna to a portable antenna that can go up on a pole with ground plans?

That rounds up this episode of Ray reviews the net.

73 & TTFN

Ray 2290 👋

Hello all

Welcome to the 8th anniversary of the South Coast/Monday Night PMR Net.🎁


Here is another episode of Ray reviews. . . .

or

🎈 "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US, 8 YEARS YOUNG" 🎈

The net was held on Monday 4th of September 2023 and my location was Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest 🌳 in the county of East Sussex or, as some know it, Winne Pooh land.

The net is scheduled to start at 8 o'clock 🕗 UK time, but it is worth calling out early as sometimes there is a pre-net chat

The net is on channel 14, is open to all, you don't have to have a callsign or handle and we don't use CTCSS or DCS codes.
🎂
The weather was like a proper British summer and I don't mean rain. We had blue skies, saw the sunset, the stars came out and we saw the moon rise. The temperature stayed mild all night until I pulled the plug early Tuesday morning.

My working conditions was the CRT Space U, powered by a couple of car batteries 🔋🔋, pushing about 10 watts or less up some Mini RG 8 coax to a unknown French PMR antenna

Here is the list of party goers on the night

CT 1829--Dean--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex
TM 231--Phil--Near Diss--Norfolk--Welcome to the Net 👍
OM 001--Graham--Burgess Hill--West Sussex
CT 3466--Radar Ray--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex
CT 4362--Chris--Reigate Hill--Surrey
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
C V M--Nigel--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex--1st location of the night
TK 8--George--Tonbridge--Kent
CT 2146--Darren--Winchester--Hampshire
CT 2207--Neil--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex
CT 4859--Richard--Amersham--Buckinghamshire
TC 156--Steve--Crawley--West Sussex
D 31--Adam--Firle Beacon--East Sussex
GE 12--Tim--Firle Beacon--East Sussex--Shotgun with Adam
Al 1--Allan--Redhill--Surrey--In his garden working a handy
CT 4515--John--Area 2--somewhere on the some downs and 1st location of the night
TG 25--Keith--Canvey Island--Essex
EM 182--Ed--Southampton--Hampshire--welcome to the net 👍
CT 700--Dave--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex--thank you for popping up and having a birthday eyeball
RB 456--Nick--East Grinstead--West Sussex
KP 441--Steve--mobile 🚙 on the A2037--West Sussex
CT 4515--John--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex
MD 26--Dave--Mobile 🚗 A22--East Sussex
Pete--Bexhill--East Sussex--working a handy
TE 032--Adam--Southend on Sea--Essex
Speed Bird--Russell--Reigate Hill--Surrey
Rick on the Ridge--Hastings--East Sussex
FI 420--Dick--Near Cambridge--Cambridgeshire--welcome to the net 👍
CT 508--Nick--Near Stamford--Lincolnshire--welcome to the net 👍
UK 175--Wayne--Wadhurst--East Sussex
Jake--North Chailey--East Sussex
C V M--Nigel--Crowborough--East Sussex--2nd location of the night
France heard in the background
Russell--Tonbridge--Kent--1 of the listening station 👍👂
and me CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex--in the chair 💺

Thank you all who called in, thank you to those who were patient while the DX stations were passed around (you never know how long UHF propagation will last), thank you to Darren CT 2146 who had a station call him from his area and QSYed to 16 to have a ragchew and a big special thank you to Mother Nature for the present of UHF propagation 💓
Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard, it was a busy night, so please try again another time.
🍨
Now for the roll call of contacts.

Ashdown Forest to Norfolk approx 100 miles/162 Km
Amersham to Norfolk approx 88 miles/142 Km
Winchester to Cambridge approx 109 miles/176 Km
Cambridge to Lincolnshire approx 35 miles/57 Km
Lincolnshire to Ditchling Beacon approx 122 miles/197 Km
Amersham to Ashdown Forest approx 51 miles/83 Km
Ditchling Beacon to Cambridgeshire approx 104 miles/167 Km

That about brings this episode to an end.

73 Cheers & Beers 🍻

Ray 2290 with the pen & paper 📝

PS if you spot a mistake, there is some left over cake 🍰