The Monday Night Net ran on the 2m repeater GB3DA (Danbury, Essex) on FM, using the standard output 145.725 MHz / input 145.125 MHz with 110.9 Hz CTCSS. The net was chaired by Aubrey M7SDA and was joined by Dorothy M0LMR, Neil M0NMT, Mick M7TRU, Graham M6GRH, John M7GMI and Rory M0NFJ, with assorted background comments from non-radio partners and pets adding to the usual Monday evening chaos.
Aubrey M7SDA chaired this week’s Monday Night Net on GB3DA, opening with Dorothy M0LMR as first (and for a while only) caller before others joined: Neil M0NMT, Mick M7TRU, Graham M6GRH, John M7GMI and Rory M0NFJ. The mood was friendly and relaxed, with pets, fireworks and modern cars dominating, plus the usual local club and breakfast chat.
Early on, Aubrey and Dorothy discussed plans for the regular Elms “Eggs Benedict Day” breakfast, joking it should really be called the “they haven’t got it today” breakfast given the venue’s frequent shortages. They also mentioned a busy week ahead with the SEARS AGM on Thursday, where survey results are expected, and Dorothy due to chair both Friday’s afternoon net and next Monday’s DA net while Aubrey is away.
A highlight was returning operator Graham M6GRH, back on VHF after 20 years and initially calling on the repeater output frequency by mistake. Aubrey talked him through the correct GB3DA input, CTCSS tone and location, promising to keep calling him back in once he’d reconfigured his radio. Mick added comments about Baofengs and other cheap handhelds, noting they perform surprisingly well compared with expensive rigs, and Aubrey recommended the RepeaterBook app for repeater data.
The main theme was pets and bereavement. Neil reported that his 94-year-old mum’s elderly dog had to be put to sleep and described how distressed she’d been. He then outlined the arrival of Amber, a nine-year-old miniature schnauzer on trial from a breeder friend, and how neighbours are already helping with walks and company. Others shared their own stories: Dorothy’s training of Xena from a pup, Aubrey’s grief after losing his 21-year-old cat Casper, and various past pets. This led into chat about vet bills, buying pet medicines online, dog coats, dog-walking and pet-sitting, fireworks frightening animals, and the cost of sedatives and boarding kennels.
There was a diversion into adverts and media – from McDonald’s “Big Mac on my mind all day” advert to differing views on the BBC and Donald Trump’s lawsuits – before Mick mentioned disturbing war footage on YouTube that he wished he hadn’t seen. Aubrey reflected on how violent images from the news can stick for decades.
Later rounds moved to cars and technology. Neil and Aubrey compared emergency-braking radar, speed-limit recognition and lane-keeping systems, with mixed feelings about how much control modern cars are taking away from drivers. John explained living with an EV and its regenerative braking, cheap home-charging and software updates, while Aubrey and Neil remained wary of EV battery fires and talk of future per-mile taxation. Budget speculation, UK tax levels and the rising cost of living led Rory to share worries about the country’s direction and his decision to secure an EU passport “escape route” for his daughter.
Aubrey closed by saying he tries not to dwell on what he can’t change, thanked the Essex Repeater Group for use of GB3DA, and wished everyone a good week – with the net finishing on humour, weather moans and hopes of seeing each other at breakfast or the AGM.
Report and image brought to you by AI!
