Chairman's Message

A message from Alan Vaughan, WARC Chairman, January 2010

Alan, G8WQE, at the Club Entrance

Well it wasn't very long ago that I was just like any other Warrington club member, enjoying the weekly club talks, club nets, contest participation and a whole range of other activities. Now, as well as all that, I have the honour to take over the reigns as club chairman.

I know I am ably supported by a strong and experienced committee as well as all the other club members who offer great support and friendship to all and I believe make this club such a pleasure to be involved with.

What else can I say that will recommend Warrington Amateur Radio Club to you? Well there are the facilities. We offer our own club room for meetings and an adjoining radio room with modern rigs feeding probably one of the best and most versatile HF beams on the market. Before and after the 'organised' part of any club meet you will invariably find members, and any visitors who would like to join us, catching up over a relaxing drink in the bar of the Grappenhall Community Centre where we have been located since it was built many years ago.

I have always believed the position of Programme manager to be one of the most demanding and yet somehow every Tuesday there is an event in the meetings calendar which either educates or entertains, or frequently both, and I know this is largely down to our members, and sometimes a guest, agreeing to share their wealth of experience and knowledge both in amateur radio and a whole host of other interesting topics. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you that so freely contribute to a lively and interesting programme of events which I believe contributes so much to the strength of our club. If you are not a club member why not have a look at our Calendar of Events and come along and see for yourself? You would be very welcome!

Well what of the coming year? The future of our club, and of course amateur radio in general, lies with those joining the hobby and I am really pleased that with our recently earned status as a training and examination centre Warrington Amateur Radio Club will play its part in this. We are already training new members, and have examination successes, and I expect us to expand this role; perhaps by increasing the number of us able to instruct?

Over the last few years there has been a growing interest among members in 'sport radio', perhaps better known as contests. We have had some success, most notably a 3rd place in a RSGB hf club contest, and what was particularly pleasing is that this largely due to the efforts of an increasing number of club members whose individual scores added together produced such an excellent result. Could we do this again? Why not!

If all this sounds like the sort of amateur radio club activity you would like to be a part of, please contact me by email or visit us on a Tuesday evening at 20:00 in the clubroom, or from 19:30 in the Bellhouse Club bar. Alternatively why not join in one of our daily morning nets at 10:00 or the Thursday evening net at 20:00 both on 145.400 +/- QRM.

Alan, G8WQE.