February 20, 2008

M0CBY/G6RUS Silent Key


It was with sadness that we learned that one of Sand's long standing members John, G6RUS/M0CBY, had gone Silent Key whilst on holiday in Malta on 14th February after suffering an electric shock in his hotel room. John has suffered with a dickie ticker for many years, undergone heart by-pass surgery and defied the odd’s even after being told there was nothing more they could do to repair his heart.

2007 has to have been one of his lowest points suffering with a bad case of Flu in early January and being hospitalised later in the year with serious heart related problems, but john being John bounced back and I quote this with the greatest respect, would often beat his chest lightly in jest with a clenched fist saying “Keep Going You Bugger!”.

At the end of 2007 John decided to take a trip to the warmer climate of Malta for a few weeks holiday, returning on the 5th of December to spend Christmas in the UK. He came to the Sands meetings and I have never seen him look better in many years. He had a tan and some new found energy and strength we had not seen for a long time. John attended the Sands meeting and told us that he was planning to go back to Malta for the winter because the climate suited him better with a view to returning in the Spring to get his boat ready for the summer season cruising the canal and meeting up with friends….. John was a great showman who was at his best in the company of his friends.

John will leave many local amateurs in the area with fond and personal memories of the time he has spent with them and there is no doubt that he enriched the hobby of Amateur Radio in this area and the lives of people he came into contact with both here and worldwide.

John will be missed but never forgotten and I am sure he will have many a glass raised in his memory as people recount their memories of the man who M0TNX fondly remembers as the man who even had style when giving his callsign " M Zero seeeeeeeebeeeeeeeeeewhhyyyyyyyy"

73 and God Bless John

From G0RDH

February 07, 2008

Fibreglass Mast Arrives

Our new fibreglass mast arrived today. This mast is again made by the people that make the "Spiderbeam" and is a total of 60' high when fully extended! Only weighing 15lb it folds down to just under 6' for transportation purposes. One person is able to walk the mast up to its full height and if needed Lightweight Kevlar guys can be used for added stability. Not a cheap item to buy but it is money will spent and will allow us to use it as an 80m vertical or a support for a 40m steerable array, other options are being looked at for topband. It will certainly be a welcome addition for the gear going to Jura in the autumn but, in the meantime, there are plenty of contests and other events planned when we can really put it to the test!

February 06, 2008

So Far This Week....

Monday saw the first SSB leg of the 80M Club championships. Conditions were abysmal and many stations struggled to make anywhere near a decent score, even the bigger contests stations were only heard to be notching scores up only in the thirties or forties! On a lighter note tuesday's evening meeting was a good one as Bob G1OCK came to visit us, its been awhile since he has had chance to see us all and it was good to have his company.