Last website modifications: 31 January, 2010
This site is best viewed at 800 x 600 (or higher) resolution.
WebMaster: Stuart Roy, M0SAR/G1IDE - any comments/corrections/broken link reports etc., are welcomed.
Copyright:
The contents of this website are Copyright of the Echelford Amateur Radio Society. No part of this website may be reproduced without the express written permission of the Committee.
Disclaimer:
Neither the Echelford Amateur Radio Society as an entity, its Committee, or its Members as individuals accept any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage resulting from use made of any information obtained from this website or any site that is linked to.
2010
January
Thursday 14 - Post-Christmas CW Practice / Bring & Buy / Natter Night
Thursday 28 - Video evening - 'Origins of Solar Activity and its effects on the Near Earth Environment' by Len Culhane of the Mullard Space Science Laboratory & University College London.
February
Thursday 11 - CW Practice / Bring & Buy / Natter Night
Thursday 25 - Annual Construction Contest - what have you made in the last year?
March
Thursday 11 - Talk on D-Star by David Lake, G4ULF
Thursday 25 - Annual General Meeting
April
Thursday 8 - CW Practice / Bring & Buy / Natter Night
Thursday 22 - Annual General Meeting
The "CW Appreciation Society" is a long-standing tradition within the Echelford club. It meets at different venues, at 12:00 noon local time on each Wednesday. It is preceded by a net (see the 'Nets' link for details). The coordinator of the gathering is Tony, M5CBR. The venue will be confirmed on the CWAS net.
2010
January
6 - The Bells, Staines
13 - The Barley Mow, Shepperton
20 - The Conservative Club, Walton
27 - The Old Red Lion, Staines
February
3 - Hazelwood Golf Club, Sunbury
10 - The Bells, Staines
17 - The Barley Mow, Shepperton
24 - The Conservative Club, Walton
March
3 - The Old Red Lion, Staines
10 - (T.B.C.)Hazelwood Golf Club, Sunbury
17 - The Bells, Staines
24 - TBA
Maps of the venues can be seen by clicking on the venue name here: Conservative Club, Walton : District Arms, Ashford : Old Red Lion, Staines : The Bells, Staines : Barley Mow, Shepperton : Hazelwood Golf Club :
The Society is based in Ashford, Middlesex, UK (IO91SK) and was formed in 1964. It was named 'Echelford' rather than 'Ashford' to avoid confusion with other Ashfords in Kent, Derbyshire and Eire.
The Society hold three amateur radio callsigns - G3UES for HF, G7EAR for VHF and M5X for RSGB contests.
On-air nets are held three times a week - all suitably licensed amateurs are welcome to join in.
The Society thrives on the efforts of its members, who come from as far afield as Virginia Water in the west to Hounslow in the east and Uxbridge in the north to Addlestone in the south. There are a number of country members who now live out of the area, but who still like to keep in touch with the Society.
The Society aims to further knowledge of, and promote interest in, all aspects of amateur radio communications and to provide a means of social contact, acting always in the spirit of amateur radio.
Meetings are held twice a month, on the second and fourth Thursdays, commencing at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Non-members are always welcome to our meetings - there is no 'admission' charge. Regular visitors are, of course, requested to become members, so as to help the Society to remain one of the best in the area. We currently have over 80 members, so this is one of the larger societies in Greater London and the Home Counties. See the How_to_find_us link for details of where we meet.
Our meetings include talks, presentations and demonstrations by visiting speakers as well as by our own members. The subjects are tremendously diverse, but almost invariably have a radio telecommunications theme. We have equipment sales - both 'bring-and-buy' and by auction - where many bargains are to be had.
We hold an annual Construction Contest where home-constructed equipment is judged and awards made. Our meeting in December takes the form of a Christmas party where there is always plenty to eat and drink - and a raffle is held (there is only one meeting in December, as the second would fall in the Christmas break).
The Society enters a number of contests - notably HF NFD amd SSB Field Day, where a station is established under canvas and operated continuously for 24 hours. This requires much participation by members - both in setting up the tents, antennas, generator, barbecue etc. and in operating around the clock.
We have a number of keen DF'ers who enter and administer qualifying events for the national championships.
Our members have given talks to local schools and we have operated demonstration stations at Scout and Guide events.
We have a monthly news sheet, which keeps us up-to-date with What's On and other related Society matters.
Our meetings take place at:-
The Lounge
St. Martin's Court
Kingston Crescent
Ashford
Middlesex TW15 3NB
UK
From M25-J13
Take the A30 east-bound, sign-posted 'Staines'. After about 1.3 miles, take left-hand lane and CAREFULLY follow signs for A308 towards Sunbury. After about another 1.3 miles, approach the 'Fordbridge' roundabout (see below).
From M3-J1 (Sunbury Cross)
Take A308 west-bound towards Staines until the first roundabout (about 2.4 miles) - the 'Fordbridge' roundabout (see below).
From Ashford town centre
At the traffic lights by the War Memorial in the centre of the shops, head south(ish) along the B377 Fordbridge Road, over a mini-roundabout by the King's Fairway pub, to the 'Fordbridge' roundabout on the A308 (see below).
At the 'Fordbridge' roundabout
Either (a) from the M25 direction - turn right or (b) from the M3 direction - turn left or (c) from Ashford town centre - go straight over, heading south-east along the B377 for a few yards to a mini-roundabout.
Take the second exit, keeping the park railings on your right-hand side. After a couple of hundred yards, at the traffic lights, take the right-turn lane and turn right(!) into the southern end of Woodthorpe Road (see below).
Directions from Staines town centre
Follow signs for Kingston (A308). This will take you east-bound out of Staines, along the Kingston Road, past the new Police station (on right-hand side). Continue along the Kingston Road, over the railway bridge, over four mini-roundabouts, over another small bridge (with the Dog and Partridge pub on the right-hand side), to a set of traffic lights, where you turn left into the southern end of Woodthorpe Road (see below).
From Woodthorpe Road (southern end) - the final approach!
Proceed north for a few yards, then turn first left into Kingston Crescent. Weave your way carefully amongst the parked cars for about 300 yards - the road curves round to the right - and take the first turning on the left - St. Martin's Court (there's a shop on the far corner and a small post-box on the near one). The hall is straight ahead at the end of the road.
Parking is, at best, cramped unless you arrive early - you may need to go back out and park in Kingston Crescent.
Come inside, sign in and have a well-earned cup of tea or coffee!
See MAP (courtesy of Streetmap.co.uk)
The Society hold three amateur radio callsigns - G3UES for HF, G7EAR for VHF and M5X for contests.
On-air nets are held three times a week - all suitably licensed amateurs are welcome to join in:-
An HF (Top-Band) net is held on 1.979 MHz +/- QRM on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. local time. This is a predominantly AM net, but calls from SSB stations will be accepted after the AM stations have signed in. If possible, members of the HF net are requested to monitor 145.350 MHz (FM) so that members who cannot use HF can still join in. This net is very often preceded by some CW, usually courtesy of Don, G3EAO and Bob, G3WPK. Anyone who cares to join in will be made most welcome.
A VHF net is held on Sunday evenings at 9 p.m. local time, the controller calling 'CQ Echelford' on the VHF calling frequency V-40 (S-20 as we used to know it) on 145.500 MHz. The controller will then QSY to an announced frequency, chosen at the time according to band occupancy. Call-in will then be conducted on this frequency, not V-40.
A further net takes place on Wednesday mornings, as a pre-cursor to a social gathering of the CWAS - the CW Appreciation Society - at a local hostelry for a lunch-time noggin or two! The 'on-air' part of this arrangement starts at around 10:30 with some CW on 3.606 MHz +/- QRM then changes to SSB at 11:00. The 'in-pub' part starts at 12 noon at various venues - published in the Society's newsletter - and undoubtedly mentioned in the 'on-air' section.
President: Geoff Voller, G3JUL
The 2009-2010 Committee
Chairman: Peter Hale, G2HS
Secretary: Tony Collier, 2E1IDK
Treasurer: Stuart Roy, M0SAR
Membership Secretary: Peter Townshend, G6PMT
Social Secretary: John Osbourne, G4GSC
Newsletter Editor: The Revd John M Teed, G3WWT
Special Events: Nigel Newby, G0VDZ
We are indeed fortunate to have a monthly News & Events Sheet, which is kindly produced by The Revd John Teed, G3WWT. It gives vital up-to-date information about what the club has been up to, what it has planned for the future and where it's all taking place, together with some interesting articles submitted by Members.
As you know, the nature of the WWW is that sites move or are re-designed, leading sometimes to links not working. If you find any of those presented here do not work, please drop the Webmaster a line and he'll do his best to resolve the broken link.
If you have any suggestions for other worthy sites, please contact him also.
Thank you.
4 metres : Accessory Manufacturers : Antenna Manufacturers : Components : Contests : Dealers/Retailers (UK) : Kit Manufacturers : Masts : Microwaves : Miscellaneous : Organisations : Propagation : Reference Material : Retailers/Dealers (UK) : Rig Manufacturers : Rig-specific Sites : Satellites : Software : SSTV : Valves :
Spelthorne WebVillage - Local Community & Business Info.
ARRL - The American Radio Relay League
OFCOM (ex-Radiocommunications Agency)
Dynamically Updated Propagation Information - highly informative - up-to-the-minute info.
HF Propagation Predictions - Australian
G3SEK's Amateur Radio Technical Notebook
FT-847 Yahoo! Group - a reasonably active group
DH1NGP, Peter's SuperControl software site FAQ - a goldmine of information for owners of this rig
FT-847 - Colin Lowe (G1IVG) - useful info.
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ISS)
Free Radio Computer Programs by G4FGQ
The Mill, Jim Farrior, W4FOK, Morse code, American Morse code, telegraphy, amateur radio
Satellite 2-line elements - KEPS
Satellite Stuff - Dave Ransom Software Home Pages
Super WinLog Amateur Radio Logbook by G0CUZ
Yaesu FT-series control software - WU2M Ham Radio
CQ SSTV de KB4YZ - loads of links