On this page, you’ll find information about the Thames Amateur Radio Group (TARG), one of the amateur radio clubs in Essex.
The Thames Amateur Radio Group formed in September 2012 and their club venue is Jubilee Hall, behind the Waterside Sports Centre on Canvey Island.
They have two regular meetings a month:
- At 8pm on the 1st Friday of every month there is a guest speaker
- At 8pm on the 3rd Friday is “TARGet Nite” – a member’s-only night for hands-on radio, practical support and advice (£2.50 admittance fee applies)
On Fridays where there is no meeting, there are two nets: CW from 7.15pm (144.250) and voice from 8pm (on GB3DA)
TARG has a diverse membership, including youngsters and families – their youngest member passed their Foundation licence aged 9 years, in 2018.
TARG runs 5 field days a year to help generate interest from passing members of the public
Since 2012, TARG has trained over 100 candidates, and offers weekend Foundation and Intermediate courses, as well as Advanced exam sessions.
Thames ARG Information
| Launched: | September 2012 |
| Location: | Canvey Island |
| Meetings: | 1st Friday in the month (Club Night) 3rd Friday in the month (Members only, cost £2.50) |
| Club Net: | Every two weeks, Friday: CW (7:15pm 144.250) and Voice (8pm GB3DA) |
| Training: | Foundation & Intermediate courses, and Full exams. Weekends |
| AGM: | November |
| Membership Fee: | £20 per year |
| Website: | www.thamesarg.org.uk |
| Contact: | Email TARG |
Information last updated: October 2018 – Out of date? Let us know
| 2021 Update: We understand that Essex Ham has been the subject of gossip from within the TARG management team. We feel that local clubs should be co-operating, not deliberately attempting to undermine the activity of other groups. If anyone’s heard of any such attempts, we’d appreciate you contacting Essex Ham in confidence. Regardless, we still continue to promote and support Thames ARG. |
TARG Club Venue:
The group meets at Jubilee Hall, a two-storey building at the rear of Waterside Farm Sports and Leisure.
Address: Waterside Farm, Somnes Avenue, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 9RA
TARG Images:
A small selection of images from Thames Amateur Radio Group events, supplied by Nigel M0ICH:
TARG’s History:
Thames Amateur Radio Group launched in September 2012 at an event at community radio station Phoenix FM in Brentwood.
Since launch, TARG holds a monthly club night on the first Friday of the month. In early 2015, the group launched a second club night, called the TARGet Nite. This is a members-only meeting, focusing on mentoring and construction, and has a £2.50 entrance fee.
Foundation training was introduced in early 2013 and TARG was the first club in the UK to make use of Essex Ham’s Foundation training material. Following the first few successful Foundation training courses, the Thames Amateur Radio Group started to offer Intermediate training courses in 2014.
The club’s distinctive website was designed and developed by TARG’s original webmaster Pete M0PSX to stand out from the other clubs, and the group quickly adopted Facebook and Twitter as a way of communicating with its members.
Former Thames ARG activities include annual week-long camping/caravanning trips for its members at Crowsheath Fisheries near Billericay. TARG had a dedicated shack at its Waterside Farm base between 2012 and 2013.
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Anything on this page out-of-date, or need correcting? Please get in touch
Got a comment about TARG, the Thames Amateur Radio Group? Please add it below.
Is it true that TARG has changed it’s rules to stop people joining there club if they are a member of another club??
In a word “no”!
Well done to Thames Radio for supporting the Indie Rose Leukaemia Fund. Thanks so very much. The radio you do looks very interesting and lots of fun. I might even sign up :) :) Keep up the good work!
Yes, great to see local clubs raising money for very deserving causes in the county.
If you’re interested in getting involved with amateur radio, you’ll find lots of information on how to get started on this site – or why not go along to one of TARG’s monthly meetings – visitors are welcome to their club nights on the first Friday of the month.