Monday Night Net — Summary (Mon 6 Oct 2025)

The following is an AI-generated report of tonight’s Monday Night Net. Why? Because we can.

Chair: Aubrey M7SDA
Repeater: GB3DA (Danbury)
Theme (emergent): Chestnuts, bikes, infotainment, and the usual radio mishaps

AI-generated Limeric Summary:

There once was a net on GB3DA,
Where Aubrey kept calling, “All OK?”
Pete checked in mid-dinner,
Dorothy’s flatbreads—winner—
As chestnuts were roasting away.

Check-ins

• M7SDA (Aubrey) — Chair. 12-mile walk, mic testing (Yaesu MD-100 on borrowed lead). Fox visitors story. Loves dark chocolate and chunky KitKats.

• M0PSX (Pete) — Dropped in while having dinner/overtime. Noted: his XYL Sarah is on the cover of the training manual and Dorothy appears inside/course. Flagged SEARS night likely Thu 19:30. Mentioned Lucy, now M1UCY.

• M0LMR (Dorothy) — Gardening still blooming; started (early!) Christmas hamper shopping. Chestnut cooking ideas (score, soak/steam, butter) and ISS SSTV attempts. Shared a brilliant flatbread recipe (see below). Chauffeur: Richard. CARS club night AGM at Danbury (tomorrow).

• M7TRU (Mick) — Petrol shelf-life worry for mowers (carbs); various simplex/memory-mode mishaps; foot-switch vs plunger PTT; dislikes candy floss/popcorn; conker carnage on the road; classic-car YouTube musings.

• M0NMT (Neil) — Pennine Way sections done (~50 miles); chestnut bounty year; motorbike training nearing full licence; winter bike fuel/battery tips; stop-start car battery still healthy.

• M1HPR (Ian, Buntingford, Herts) — New 2m antenna; strong into DA; will tidy shack and return to nets. Uses bike/walking more these days.

• M0NFJ (Rory) — Popped in mid-net; cycle-lane design rant; campfire marshmallow disaster (white spirit!); infotainment (Ford Sync) update success; then dashed to finish epoxy/fibreglass repair.

Notable topics & tips

• YL activity: Mentions of Lily, Dorothy, Lucy M1UCY, and a newly licensed Jenny (M7, in Kent) who used the online course; invited to future nets.

• Chestnuts (consensus yum):

  • Score the skin (scissors/knife), soak briefly, then roast; or steam in a lidded pan, finish in oven/frying pan; air-fryer works too. Easier to peel when pre-soaked.

• Common radio goofs: Wrong mic, mic lock left on, memory vs VFO on simplex, accidental long key-downs. (We’ve all done it!)

• Fuel & batteries:

  • Petrol shelf life ~6 months is the working rule of thumb; carburetted garden kit prefers fresh fuel.

  • Bike wintering: keep on a trickle charger, consider E5 over E10 (especially carbs); run it up periodically.

  • Car stop-start systems can be fussy about battery health; low voltage throws fault codes.

• Cars/infotainment: Ford Sync 3→4 updates, overlay behaviour quirks; love/hate of modern driver aids; classic cars praised (Jag XK150 jaw-dropping prices; Triumph Roadster “brutal” but charming).

• Wildlife: Urban fox chorus; coexistence with cats; watch for night-time screams (mating calls).

Announcements / dates

• CARS (Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society) AGM — Tomorrow night at Danbury.

• SEARS club night — Thursday ~19:30 (per Pete).

• Regulars on GB3DA: Elms Net (Wed) and Tea Party Net (Thu 16:00).

Dorothy’s 2-ingredient flatbread (keeper!)

Equal parts Greek yoghurt + plain flour, pinch of salt, splash of olive oil. Knead, rest 10–15 min, divide, roll thin, dry hot pan until puffed/spotty. Optional butter brush. (Perfect with leftover lamb, salad, etc.)

Topic Montage

 

Radio Equipment & Technical Notes

Transceivers and Mics

• Aubrey (M7SDA):

  • Used a Yaesu MD-100 microphone.

  • Connected via a Yaesu 857 lead due to missing OEM cable; Ethernet cable was previously tried unsuccessfully.

  • Reported excellent performance after cable change.

• Dorothy (M0LMR):

  • Used a different microphone (possibly a Y2MG100).

  • Requested audio reports and received positive feedback (“clear and fine”).

• General Issues Discussed:

  • Mic lock-ups, wrong microphone selection, and accidentally transmitting for long durations (e.g., key lock incidents and “desk locked on DA”).

  • Common simplex mishaps (memory mode vs VFO confusion).

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Signal Reports

• M1HPR (Ian) checked in from Buntingford, Hertfordshire — good signal both ways into GB3DA despite distance.

• M7SDA noted that even without an antenna connected, the repeater’s signal was S3–S4 at his QTH (Rayleigh).

Repeater Performance

• GB3DA described as strong and consistent across Essex and parts of Kent.

• Mention of mobile and portable QSOs with Kent stations (Jenny, M7, mobile/portable).

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