Our Monday Night Net launched back in 2011 and is still going strong. Everyone’s welcome to join, especially those who’ve recently got their licence and are looking for help with getting started in the hobby.
If you’re new to our Monday Night Net, you can find more information here: Monday Night Net
The Essex Ham Monday Night Net for the 28th of August 2017 started at 8pm local time on GB3DA, the 2m repeater located at Danbury, near Chelmsford. Here’s a quick summary of who joined this week’s net, and what was discussed…
| Live Chat: During the Net, we run an Internet chatroom. Go to www.essexham.co.uk/chat to get chatting during our nets – You need to create a free Essex Ham account to access our chatroom. |
| Internet Feed: Not in range of the GB3DA? Several Internet feeds are available, including: Essex Ham’s Audio Feed , Essex Ham on TuneIn or the Monday Night Net uStream (Thanks to Nick M0NFE). |
Net Attendees
Here’s the attendance list for this week’s net:
- Pete M0PSX, Southend-on-Sea (in the chair)
- Kevin G0PEK, Kent
- Rachel G6AMY, Grays
- Gordon M0WJL, Grays
- Dorothy M0LMR, Basildon (Only 99% perfect, as she doesn’t like Jelly Babies…)
- Brian 2E0WHB, Chelmsford
- Keith M0KNG, Billericay
- William G8CYK, Baddow
- David M1ECC, Basildon
- John G3ZJZ, Hockley
- James M6VYL, Kent
- Chris G7DSU/P, Sittingbourne (from the MARTS field event)
- Nick M0NFE, Southend-on-Sea (Happy Birthday, OM)
- Richard G7OED, Basildon
- Gordon 2E0IRX, Witham
- Steve G8UDD, Chelmsford
Topics for the evening, as follows:
In tonight’s net, here’s what was discussed:
- Tributes to David G3SVI, who sadly passed away last week. Many will have met David at CARS or SEARS over the years, where he was an active helper on training, CW, promoting the hobby and making the teas, together with Myra M0MYR.
- Should clubs that run social meetings, switch from museums and village halls, to pubs? Cheaper to hire, more social and allows for better networking
- Just how to we help newcomers who’ve joined the hobby and need help. Some good ideas kicked around – including better cooperation, more get-togethers, and asking M6s what help they need
- Are clubs doing enough to help newcomers
- What does today’s amateur need from a club? More on-air activity, demonstrations, talks, or just a venue to chat?
- Should clubs that only meet once a month, meet a tad more frequently
- Howe about using the radio on the way to and from a club meeting?
- Should be slacken off on the rigidity of scripted QSOs at Foundation
- Antenna tuning – SWR. Is this well enough explained at Foundation?
- There is life on 70cms
- Discussion of the previous week’s TAARC field event at Mucking
- Fridges -how come there’s never enough room
- Radio Caroline – When will it start transmitting on AM
- How to “beat the pileup”
- Cats will collars on
- Getting a Full licence today – seems to be a lot harder than back in the RAE days
A busy net (for a Bank Holiday Monday) – we wrapped up at 11:01pm.
Got a comment about this week’s Monday Night Net? Please add it below.
Thanks & Disclaimer
Essex Ham would like to thank the Essex Repeater Group for allowing us to use the GB3DA for our weekly net. This repeater, together with GB3ER, GB3DB and GB7ZP are managed by volunteers. ERG would appreciate your support which can be by membership or donation, online at www.essexrepeatergroup.org.uk.
Please note that the Monday Night Net is recorded for the protection of our participants. Audio from repeaters around the UK, including GB3DA, may be streamed online and via web SDRs.
The views and opinions expressed by participants of the Monday Night Net do not necessarily reflect the views of Essex Ham.
Monday Night Net – Related links
#SBBT
A good net as usual.
Jelly babies are just weird sort of dry on the outside and quishy inside and BABIES
Jelly Beans are hard on the outside and squishy inside too – and they’re not beans!
Yeah …But I eat BEANS …not BABIES lol, great net as always , Thankyou for running it . Lots to talk about and very interesting . You put a lot of hard work into this , and streaming the net too , well done xx
I am going to throw a few comments on bits said as it would of been a net that i could of really added to for once. Please note i am in the London side of Essex so my views are based on different clubs.
Should clubs that run social meetings, switch from museums and village halls, to pubs? Cheaper to hire, more social and allows for better networking
** If i am honest i think pubs can be a bit noisy if its anything like a few my locals. I think they do need to move out of village halls now and then to help attract different people who may not be the sit around in a circle or line type. Reminds me as such of being at school or in work. G6UT was in a barn and that felt very homely and more like a lot of shacks. It had space for people to socialistic but still use radio. The two lived together very well. I think the hobby sometimes loses the social aspect that it’s not all about radio. I miss G6UT at times as it felt like home but it was not all about radio nor just about a bunch of people sitting around.
Just how to we help newcomers who’ve joined the hobby and need help. Some good ideas kicked around – including better cooperation, more get-togethers, and asking M6s what help they need
Are clubs doing enough to help newcomers
** When i was licenced as a M6 i asked a few for help and got the view you hold your licence off you go. There was no support afterwards. It was very much different. At the time Essex Ham was there but did not have the range of things it offers now. Sometimes i think amateurs need to offer that building up some mic time a bit more. A chance to have QSO with others who can help guide them if they a bit unsure. Often members when i been at clubs just sit there chatting away on the radio but do not tend to say to a M6 you have your licence lets get you on the air. i think some clubs should also now and then follow up with their M6 students to see if they getting on ok, do they need some help, have they managed to get on the air. Maybe even maybe offer to reshow them something to help them.
What does today’s amateur need from a club? More on-air activity, demonstrations, talks, or just a venue to chat?
** I feel we need more support and on air activity. Some of the talks are just powerpoints and very dry. If you do not understand it sometimes its best not to attend that night. Some clubs feel this is to important to them to not have talks. I think this is a balance game. Items such as Skills night i think help as its more a chance of come and look at what i built. Sometimes i think the talks focus more on RF than maybe other side links. 3D printing i seen some cool models radio related. Raspberry Pi’s link with radios to create low powered control devices.
Should clubs that only meet once a month, meet a tad more frequently
** I think some clubs need to link together better so if they every two weeks maybe try and not be on the same week as a another club. Once a month is fine but i think socially clubs need to a bit more. Maybe a week in the pub / social venue then a week in a hall. More help get the social aspect of the hobby.
Howe about using the radio on the way to and from a club meeting?
** If i am honest most clubs use a 2M freq for talk in. In some sense maybe 70cm’s as people on the way to the club who are new would stand a better chance of getting help if they lost. I learnt that if you got someone in the middle of a rag chew on 2m then it would not work.
Should be slacken off on the rigidity of scripted QSOs at Foundation
** I think less scripted as it makes a QSO sound like Call sign, name, location, 59, done thank you moving on. After most have called CQ for a few times they start to find there own methods. Few people i can listen to the QSO without call sign and know who it is as its very them.