Saturday the 18th of April 2015 was World Amateur Radio Day, and a group of Essex Hams were supporting this annual event at Galleywood Common.
The gathering was another in the informal series of radio / chat / antenna testing events which are organised on an ad-hoc basis when the weather’s good enough, and enough people fancy going out to play radio.
Some of those in attendance today included: Charlie M0PZT, James 2E1GUA, John G4ZTR, Nick 2E0DVX and Maj SWL, Paul G4IJE, Pete M0PSX, Peter G0DZB, Steve M0SHQ, Tony G4YTG and Vic M0VLL.
Activities included several tests of antenna configuration using 10 meter poles, Peter G0DZB working CW using an Inverted Delta Loop, Steve M0SHQ calling via the SO-50 amateur satellite, a 2 metre station using a home-made Slim Jim, another quadcopter flight, and a lot of HF radio. Today also saw a lot of interest from passers-by and some radio leaflets given out to the curious – although we were unable to convince any of them to try a guest message.
We also had a chance encounter with Andrew Wheen, author of Dot-Dash to Dot.Com: How Modern Telecommunications Evolved from the Telegraph to the Internet
As well as testing antennas, many of the team took advantage of the good radio conditions, and contacts were made with stations around the UK & Europe, plus the US, Oman, Israel, Canada and Bear Island.
Thanks to everyone who came along to support World Amateur Radio Day at Galleywood Common. Keep an eye on our Twitter & Facebook feeds for details of more events.
