Random Ramblings

Had a slightly more productive weekend this week. Thanks to a friendly Radio Amateur I now have a hole in my wall, allowing me to have the antenna permanently connected without having to run the coax through the cat flap in the kitchen door. This is much more convenient and, as usual, I never cease to be amazed by just how helpful folk in the radio community are. In order to access the wall I had to remove a kitchen unit and in doing so I found a double power socket on the wall behind it, which is now in gainful employment powering the PSU.

This being Sunday I switched on to hear the RSGB news bulletin, which is usually transmitted on Sundays at 10:30 on the Lincoln VHF repeater GB3LM. Sadly no newsreader was to be heard. I do hope that the GB2RS bulletins don't disappear completely.

Our radio club (South Kesteven A.R.S.) will be holding some interesting evenings where we will discuss the use of different types of test and analytical equipment. It is hoped that we will cover one specific piece of kit at a time in order to get the hang of using items in our shacks that many of us either don't use or are not aware of their function. All welcome at our meetings - search for the club online and come and join us.

As for any other radio news, well, there isn't much to report from me - except to say a word or two about repeaters and their abuse.

I monitor VHF and UHF repeaters and I'm mightily disappointed with the behaviour of some people who insist on constantly opening the repeater without a) declaring their call sign or b) declaring what they're doing. If they're checking their settings why not say so? Or if they're checking access,  again, why not say so? One repeater keeper always makes comment (sometimes in a condescending manner) but it makes no difference - in fact it makes them do it all the more. The best way to do away with these clowns is to ignore them, they become bored and go away to bug someone else. The same repeater keeper does, however reply to most calls made on the facility, and is a very knowledgeable fellow.

That's it for now, brunch beckons.....

73 to all