A quick reminder that this coming Monday, the 18th of January, is the first Essex Skills Night of 2016. The event is hosted by the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society Training Team.
The Skills Nights continue to be one of the most popular gatherings of radio enthusiasts in the area. It’s free to all, and everyone’s welcome – no need to be a member of any club to attend. Skills Nights are informal get-togethers where you can discover something new, mingle, share ideas and talk about the hobby.
Here’s what’s in store for the January 2016 Skills Night:
- Construction: Members of the CARS Training Team will be on hand to help with patch leads, antenna or project. If you need some advice on construction or soldering, or you need access to tools, go and see the Construction team.
- Digital Voice: Interested in getting started with DMR or D-Star? We’re hoping to be joined by Paul G7BHE, who’ll be demonstrating these two popular digital voice modes. Find out if DV could be the future.
- Radio Programming: Charlie M0PZT will available to set up your handheld. Baofengs, Yaesus and other Chinese handies a speciality, plus rigs such as the FT-817, FT-857 and FT-897. Please bring along the radio’s power cable. Also, check out programming cables and ham essentials such as coax adapters, RTL dongles and other handy items as seen on Ham Goodies
- DMR CodePlugs: With the new Regional TalkGroup changes to the DMR network, there’ll be the opportunity to have your TYT MD-380 checked and updated.
- Antennas and Antenna Modelling: Andy G7TKK returns with modelling software, and ideas.
- Datamodes/Logging advice: Interested in logging or getting started with data – Laptops loaded with Ham Radio Deluxe, JT65, WSPR and other software will be available for demo.
- Morse and More: Meet the team from the Essex CW Club, and learn more about their mode of choice. The team aims to be running a live HF CW station
- Essex Ham: Getting Started advice and leaflets, the new Raspberry Pi Zero in action, our 2015 catch-up video, and some show-and-tell. We’re also providing the event’s wi-fi
- Chelmsford ARS: Ray M6GVE will be on the CARS table where you can join the society, find out about upcoming training and events, or pick up some CARS merchandise and leaflets
- Quiz: Chris G0IPU challenges you to answer some ham radio questions, just for fun
As usual, representatives from Essex Ham, CARS, the Essex Repeater Group, the Essex CW Club and Essex RAYNET will be on hand to help with questions you may have.
The above list is subject to last-minute change.
If you’ve been along to a Skills Night before, you’ll know what to expect – the usual mix of demonstrations, show-and-tell, construction, plus the chance to chat, ask questions and swap ideas. If you’ve not visited a Skills Night before… why not? Come along! It’s a friendly event with free tea and coffee where you can come along and learn more about the hobby. All are welcome, there’s no charge, and you don’t need to be a member of any club to come along.
| Where: | Danbury Village Hall, 2 Main Road, Danbury, Chelmsford Essex CM3 4NQ See: Danbury Village Hall Map & Directions |
| When: | Monday 18th January 2016 – 7pm to 9pm |
The Essex Skills Night is hosted by the CARS Training Team, and is supported by Essex Ham. The Skills Nights are free to attend, with refreshments provided. The event is open to all regardless of licence level and club affiliation – If you know someone interested in coming along – please let them know and bring them along.
Skills Night Links:
- Chelmsford ARS Skill Night page
- Essex Ham’s Skills Night Page – Videos, photos and interactive map
- Amateur Radio at Danbury Village Hall
- Essex Ham’s Summary of previous Skills Nights
Hi to all i think that your group are doing a good thing for amateur radio like i am trying to do with the communication unit up here in sheffield, but i only wish i had helpers like you have in your group, i will be out and about his year again please listen out on the bands for us, keep up the good work it looks like fun as i know
Wonderful, wife is staying at my daughter’s as my new granddaughter was born today and the grand kids need taking to and from school. I just got a phone call from my son saying he’ll be an hour late. I’m now stuck at home OAP sitting until 7-ish.
I wanted to be on the bus by now (18:00) but family comes first !
Really needed to get a haircut as I can’t have the granddaughter thinking I’m a hippy :-)
Hope you all have a really good skills, catch you at the next !
Bri
Bri (2E0WHB)
Glad to see from the write-up it was a good skills night, I had a few people I needed to see but James, (2E1GUA) was kind enough to say he’d pass on the messages.
On the plus sides, I’ve met and welcomed my new granddaughter into the world and she’s a fine, fine healthy little girl. The other good news is I finally got my hair cut, good razor cut over the ears. Those Turkish razor boys are pretty good I must say.
Laters