Ben arrived with a selection of ‘suitcase’ sets and other radios from wartime clandestine use.  On display were the B2, a Wadden MK7 Paraset, a Type A Marconi MK3, a German S90/E90 along with it’s almost perfect copy, the Italian 1943 set of German design. Also shown was the OSS SSTR1 1942 American made set similar in appearance to the B2.

Ben showed no lack of enthusiasm in describing how each was designed and operated along with some stories of their use during wartime.

The equipment was only a very small part of his collection of nearly 850 sets from around the world now on show at the Military Wireless Museum in Kidderminster. (http://www.qsl.net/g4bxd/introduction.htm)

Fortunately, we had a very fine evening for the DF hunt. The Fox for this hunt was Martin Pope, M6SCI and Ian Taylor, G3ORG. Rather than trying to paraphrase the report from Ian, I can only best present it as received!

Last night three of the six hounds successfully found the fox in just over an hour of hunting.  The other three successfully found the Cock rendezvous pub close by!!

The first to arrive was Paul with a journey mileage of 10.1 miles*

The second a few minutes after was David with a mileage of 16.1 miles

Finally Bryan and Brian arrived with a mileage of 17.0 miles

*At the event Paul and I convinced ourselves that he had travelled 20.1 miles.  When I got home and redid the numbers (and remembered Paul had stayed put for two transmissions and also included a discussion with a local farmer!) it was clear our mental arithmetic left something to be desired.  A phone call this morning and another mileage reading at Pauls’ home has increased his mileage to 12.9 miles.  So Paul won even taking into account his journey home!

Please accept my sincere apologies for my mental aberration and in particular to David who was nominated the winner at the event.  David, I will recompense you on any celebratory Champagne you may have purchased as a result.

Ian,  Part time Fox

As a result, David responded:

Hi Ian,

Sorry but Jackie and I drank the Dom Perignon White Gold when I got home.

 David

 What a show of Sportsmanship! My thanks to Ian and Martin for being foxes and thanks to those who took part. Afterwards we all met up at the above mentioned watering hole for a chat and a good laugh!

The VHF NFD planning scheduled for this week had to be moved a week earlier to accommodate member’s holiday plans. This week Bryan provided a VHF NFD follow-up and sent round the roster for more names.  Richard, G3Nii requested members planning to build the data interface to supply either their rig ID or the pin out for connections to the auxiliary port.  Some discussion followed about possible problems in setting up and software that could be used, although a thorough run down of software will follow later when the interface is nearing completion.

The speaker for the evening was unable to attend, so we used the time to encompass two items needing discussion.

The first was a look back at our results in past VHF/UHF NFD. Don, G4LOO showed our standing throughout the past ten years or so and then went on to detail our proposed entry for this year’s event. A roster was started and passed around so members could let Don know if and when they would be available.

The second part of the evening was taken by Richard, G3Nii who detailed the next Club Project. Considering the popularity of PSK and other data modes, it was surprising that some members had not ventured into those modes. To that end, Richard described a simple interface which he will kit out and supply to members for a fraction of the cost of a commercial unit.