South Coast PMR net report

Well hello there.

Welcome to another of "Ray Reviews" the Monday Night South Coast Channel 14 PMR net

or

"Blue Moon, you left standing alone"

My location was Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest in the county of East Sussex where the weather was grey, overcast, breezy with occasional rain, which stopped us seeing a blue moon raising. But we did get to see a bright white full moon when the clouds parted which cast moon shadows across the car park.

The net can be found on PMR analogue channel 14, using the NFM setting on the radio and not using any of the available CTCSS, DCS or privacy tones making it open to all, what ever level of radio knowledge.

If you have listened to the net and heard callsigns used and think "do I need one?" the answer is no, you can call in with your name and town like this "Dickie from Billericay"

My set up for the night was the CRT Space U powered by a car battery and  the 'Sputnik' 1/4 wave GPA mounted up on a pole.

Now the introductions are over, on with the list of check ins and who heard and worked who.

Dave the village idiot
CT 1033--Chris--Tonbridge--Kent
CT 1829--Dean--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
KP 441--Steve--Area 54--East Sussex--Working portable, antenna up in a tree and being watched by deer
with strange circular antlertenners. Could this be Ofcom in disguise monitoring the net?
Joker aka DDB 285--Reigate Hill North--Surrey
OM 001--Graham--Burgess Hill--West Sussex
CT 940--Richard--Reigate Hill North--Surrey
DS 01--Pru--Reigate Hill North--Surrey--Shotgun with Richard
CT 3687--Dave--Ashdown Forest scout camp--East Sussex
Delta 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
Speed Bird--Russell--Reigate Hill South--Surrey
CT 4515--John--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex
Matt--Stroud--Kent--Heard you checking in and we did answer back
CT 3466--'Radar Ray'--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
Bartman aka DDB 342--Andy--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--1st location of the night
TK 08--George--Tonbridge--Kent
AMC 1966--Boris--Bexhill--East Sussex
CT 4952--Julian--Brighton--East Sussex
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
CT 5140--Jack--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
CT 5147--Paul--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--On a handy and shotgun with Jack
T 187--Toby--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Joining in after a night on 15 & 40
Bartman aka DDB 342--Reigate Hill North--Surrey--2nd location of the night
and me
CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--In the chair

Thank you all who called in, special nod to the listening station who know who they are and to the hill toppers. If you tried to call in and wasn't, please try again another night, we would like to get you in the log.

That about brings this episode to an end, thank you for reading this far down and if you have spotted a mistake, let me know so it can be corrected.

All the best
--.. ..--
 
Ray 2290 with the pen and paper

PS On the date of this posting, it's 16 days and counting. . . .

PPS Just as I was packing down, channel 14 came to life with "someone" playing Convoy by C W McCall

Hello and welcome

Here is another fine episode of "Ray Reviews" the Bank Holiday Monday/Channel 14/South Coast PMR Net

or

"less than 10 days to go"

I set up in Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest (JO-BB-01 or the home of Winnie the Pooh) in the county of East Sussex where the weather was surprising mild, cloudy and a gentle breeze.

The net is scheduled to start at 20:00 Hrs or 8 o'clock in the evening UK time and goes on to 23:00 Hrs or beyond. If you can't make 8 o'clock it can worth listening or calling out as some do have a pre-net chat.

My working conditions were the 1/4 wave 'Sputnik' GPA up on a pole and the CRT Space U powered by a car battery .

The net of many names can be found on analogue channel 14 using the NFM setting on the radio and is free of any kind on CTCSS, DCS or privacy tones.

With when's, where's and what time out of the way.
On with the list of check ins, who called and worked who and who was heard.

CT 1033--Chris--Tonbridge--Kent
CT 3466--"Radar" Ray--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
CT 1829--Dean--Edenbridge--Kent
OM 001--Graham--Burgess Hill--West Sussex
CT 940--Richard--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--1st location of the night
DS 01--Pru--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Shotgun and keeping an eye on Richard
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
CT 5159--Neil--Harrietsham--Kent--Working handy & 10 element beam from an Apple orchard.
KP 441--Steve--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex
Matt--Strood--Kent
AMC 1966--Boris--Bexhill--East Sussex
CT 5140--Jack--Hartfield--East Sussex--Antenna on a pole poking out of the attic window
TK 08--George--Tonbridge--Kent
Dave the village idiot
CT 2072--Steve T--Tonbridge--Kent
Joker aka DDB 285--Steve--Horley--Surrey
CT 4515--John--Brighton--East Sussex
Delta 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
Tango 187--Toby--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Putting the RADIO in Radio Corner working 15, 20 & 40 metres I think
CT 940--Richard--Reigate Town--Surrey--2nd location of the night
and not forgetting me
CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--In the chair

Thank you all who came out on a Bank Holiday and joined the net, sorry if you tried and wasn't heard. The conditions were a bit strange with stations hearing each other that normally don't and the rollercoaster signals going up and down.

Here are some of the topics of conversation heard at the beginning and during the night.
The future of electric and Hydrogen cars, FT4 & FT8, Digital, Fusion, Hotspot and DMR, and lastly the testing of Neil's 10, yes 10, element beam and what it can do when you put 5, 2 and 1/2 a watt into it.
The result were impressive, even on 1/2 a watt a decent 2 way was had between Neil and me. Which was a distance of approximately 29 miles or 47 km.

So the time has come to bring this episode to an end, cheers for reading this far down, and if you have give us a like/thumbs up

Until next time, it's good bye him and good bye from me.

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the pen and paper

PS is anybody getting excited?

Hello Ray,

Another fantastic net and post.

Interesting to hear the results with the 10 element beam.

73s John.

John123 wrote:

Hello Ray,

Another fantastic net and post.

Interesting to hear the results with the 10 element beam.

73s John.

Hi John

I try and make the 446 net reports a bit more interesting than just the normal "here is the 'who called list', that I have been shown"

Here are the results from Neil's rough location to me in Radio Corner.



The distance covered was about 29 miles (46.7 Km) 

Neil at a full 5 watts was showing 3 out of 4 bars on the Space U with a strong clear audio.

At 2 watts, he was 2 bars on the Space U with a good audio, but there was a noticeable increase in hiss.

And at 1/2 a watt, there was no signal strength and the audio was mixed in with the noise but still workable.

A beam will increase both the RX and TX of any radio from a Baofeng to a Icom, and you will do well on top of any high spot from a hill to a multi-storey car park.

73

Ray

Hi Ray,

Thanks for the info.

It is interesting to hear the results. Using a beam on this band is definitely something I would like to try from the old 'Dx Perch.'

73s John.

John123 wrote:

Hi Ray,

Thanks for the info.

It is interesting to hear the results. Using a beam on this band is definitely something I would like to try from the old 'Dx Perch.'

73s John.

Hi john

You will be surprised how more you will hear, more children, more bike schools, more care homes, more warehouses and not forgetting the spotter for the high crane drivers.

In my "expert" (cough cough) opinion, a 5 to 8 element beam seems to be the thing, it has just the right gain, and isn't to big or cumbersome to have on a pole and twiddle by hand.

If you don't fancy a beam, watch this space as a 446 Moxon is on the horizon.

73

Ray

Hi Ray,

Lol. On all the commercial traffic. I hear some daft things when driving around in the car with the Space U on scan.

Thanks for the tip on the beam.

Cannot wait to see the moxon. It sounds interesting.

73s John.

Hello all and welcome

Here is another episode of "Ray Reviews" the Monday Night/South Coast/Channel 14 PMR net

or

"The shy beauty and the beast"

The net was held on Monday the 2nd of September which is the last net before the 9th anniversary net.
You are all invited to get your name in the birthday log.

For the new people to the net and the forum.
The net can be found on analogue channel 14, where no CTCSS, DCS or tones are used, this allows all kinds of radio's to be used and anybody can join in. You don't even have a callsign or handle, just QSK in and say your name & location and then let the chairman do the rest.

The net starts about 20:00 Hrs or 8 o'clock local UK time and finishes from 23:00 or 11 o'clock onwards.
If you are about before 8 o'clock you can have a listen and maybe join in with the pre-net chat. This could be about radio's, antenna's, car's, biscuits, holidays, well anything really, you get the idea?

My location for this net was the misty, damp, grey, miserable Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest in the county of East Sussex.
As I drove into Radio Corner, I was confronted by a BEAST that peered out of the mist, and like the graining bigfoot pictures of old, here are my attempts of capturing it.





My equipment for the night was the CRT SPACE U powered by a car battery , cooled by a a 120mm computer fan powered by 5 AA batteries rescued from the used battery box and the 'Sputnik' antenna up on a pole.

Now we have the where, when, what time and why.
On with the list of check in's, call in's heard and or worked.

CT 3466--'Radar' Ray--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex--1st location of the night
OM 001--Graham--Burgess Hill--West Sussex
DDB 50--Allan--Redhill--Surrey
Joker aka DDB 285--Steve--Reigate Hill North--Surrey
Pyro--Jay--Reigate Hill North--Surrey--Shotgun with Steve
Delta 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
CT 2207--Neil--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--1st location of the night
Dave the village
C V M--Nigel--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Part of the pre-net chat group and working a handy
London Calling--Mark--East London
Matt--Strood--Kent
Speed Bird--Russell--Brighton--East Sussex--A23 mobile and 1st location of the night
KP 441--Steve--Henfield--West Sussex--Working a handy
GE 2020--Matt--Hastings--East Sussex
CT 4515--John--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex--Working both PMR and some amateur bands
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
T 187--Toby--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Working a handy for PMR and a HF radio for the amateur bands
Ryan--Uckfield--East Sussex--Mobile and welcome to the net
Zack--Uckfield--East Sussex--Mobile and welcome to the net
CT 2207--Neil--Crowborough--East Sussex--2nd location of the night
CT 5159--Neil--Maidstone--Kent
Speed Bird--Reigate Hill South--Surrey--2nd location of the night
CT 3466--'Radar' Ray--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--2nd location of the night
Star Gazer--Crawley--West Sussex
TC 156--Steve--Gatwick--West Sussex
CT 5142--Jack--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Test a camera tripod, painters pole combination for the 'Sputnik' antenna set up
CT 5147--Paul--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Pedestrian mobile working a handy in the mist
and me
CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--In the chair

The condition of the band on the night was a bit weird. A majority of the stations reported the both the signal strength and audio was down on previous weeks, I suggested that it was the mist, cloud and fine rain attenuating the radio waves.

Thank you all who called in, special thank you to those who braved the mist & fog to fine a high spot and as always not forgetting the listing stations.

BUT WAIT, WHAT ABOUT THE SHY BEAUTY?

Radio corner had a special guess in the one and only C 187 who also goes under the name of Charlotte, and with her dads help, was working the amateur bands and also came over to the PMR net and received a warm welcome.

That about bring the net to an end, if you spot a mistake or I have left anything or worse somebody out, let me know and I will correct it.

Until next time best 73's

..-- --..

Ray with the pen and paper

Hello Ray,

A great net report and an enjoyable read!

Good luck with the Anniversary Net. I will be listening from my perch in the North Derbyshire hilla and praying for a lift.

Best 73s, John.

John123 wrote:

Hello Ray,

A great net report and an enjoyable read!

Good luck with the Anniversary Net. I will be listening from my perch in the North Derbyshire hilla and praying for a lift.

Best 73s, John.

Hi John

I have my fingers crossed it's a good one

73

Ray 2290

**  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE NET  **

Hello and welcome

Here is the anniversary episode of "Ray Reviews" the South Coast/Channel 14/Monday Night PMR net

or

"It only takes 1 to spoil things"

The 9th anniversary net was held on Monday 9th of September 2024 and my location was a happy Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest in the county of East Sussex.

The 9 year old net can be found on PMR analogue channel 14 and is scheduled to start at 8 o'clock local UK time and finishes from 11 o'clock onwards. No CTCSS, DCS or any other tones are used so anybody with a radio that can be tunes/programmed for PMR can be used.

My set up for the night was the CRT Space U powered by a car battery and a 1/4 wave GP antenna up on a pole.

The weather at the beginning of the birthday net was cool, still with some cloud in the air and later on it got chilly, with a slight breeze clearing the clouds so we could see the crescent moon .

So with a coffee and a block of chocolate cake the net started.



In no order, is the list of who checked in, was heard and worked by the group.

CT 1033--Chris--Tonbridge--Kent
CT 3466--'Radar' Ray--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
Delta 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
Camper Van Man--Nigel--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
OM 001--Graham--Burgess Hill--West Sussex
T 187--Toby--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Testing the Mk 1 v3 PMR Moxon
Star Gazer--Tony--Crawley--West Sussex--1st location of the night
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
Matt--Strood--Kent
CT 5159--Neil--Wrotham Hill--Kent--1st hill of the night
Zack--Somewhere on Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
Ryan--Somewhere on Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
CT 940--Richard--Reigate--Surrey
CT 4515--John--Firle Beacon--East Sussex
Star Gazer--Tony--Reigate Hill--Surrey--2nd location of the night
CT 5140--Jack--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
CT 5159--Neil--Bluebell Hill--Kent--2nd hill of the night
Speed Bird--Russell--Reigate Hill--Surrey
Dave the
London Calling--Mark--Leyton--East London
CT 5159--Neil--Detling Hill--Kent--3rd hill of the night
Ryan--Radio Corner--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Came up for an eyeball
Zack--Radio Corner--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--Came up for an eyeball
and me
CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex--In the chair

Not only was it the 9th anniversary of the net, not only did Neil CT 5159 complete a 3 hill challenge, not only was it Toby's birthday, but we also had a moaning Minnie who complained about being left out and that I'm not good a chairman, just before it was his turn to be passed around LOL

Thank you all who called in and wished the net a happy 9th birthday, sorry if you tried and wasn't heard.

Topics of conversation while the net was on, the Moxon antenna being used by Toby T 187, the 3 hill challenge being undertaken by Neil CT 5159, how within the space of a tennis court you can hear and lose a station by moving, Jack CT 5140 and his cake making skills


 
and is this the longest running PMR net in the country?

That bring this special birthday episode to an end, thank you for reading.

See you next time, best 73

Ray 2290 with the pen and paper .

PS Here is a 15 minute snippet video of the night

HA HA HA

Has anybody spotted my mistake? 

ADMIN If possible, please move this post over to the South Coast PMR thread.
If unable delate and I will repost in the correct place

Many thanks

Ray 2290

Done & dusted for you Ray.


Very well done with the Net and fantastic to be celebrating 9 years!   

I wish you and everyone involved many more years of happy radio contact to come.


All the very best,
Victor

Hello Ray,

Another great report and net!!!

I really enjoyed the YT video, too.

I listened out, but to no avail.

Hope to catch you on the radio soon.

73s John.