Archived News and Events
Ramps and Disabled Access
Thanks to the National Lottery the club is now
in a position to fit ramps and move a support
pillar which causes an obstruction if a
wheelchair user needs to turn in the clubroom.
It is expected that this work will be completed
by the end of the year.
Mast replacement at the club
Work on mast repair and resiting is progressing well
with several recent work sessions. Bill, G0PZP, aided
by Paul, G7ODJ, and George, M0MSF, spent the
best part of a morning up ladders and on the roof rawl
bolting the bracket which supports the lower section of the
mast.
Meanwhile the ground party was led by George, G3OGQ,
who was assisted by the rest of the working party in
assembling the sections of the mast with the pulleys and cable
in place, also the fitting of the top section.
The mast was finally raised into a vertical position and it is
hoped that the antennas will be fitted to the mast when another
work session is convened in the next few weeks.
Scouts Passage of Time 100th Anniversary: May 2007
Over the bank Holiday weekend of 25-28th May Scout groups
throughout the UK celebrated with Centenary Camps. WARC
was one of three local radio clubs in the Greater
Manchester region running a Special Event station on the
weekend to commemorate 100 years of Scouting using the
call GB5COS.
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| View of Both Stations in the Tent |
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| Jim, G3NFB, Operating the 2m Station |
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| Cliff, M0CNP, Operating the HF Station |
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Photos by Ian, M0BXR.
Disaster Strikes When the Antenna is Upgraded
The new 40 metre section for the SteppIR arrived recently
and it was hoped that this could be upgraded easily by a
members' working party. The mast was lowered with a
substantial steel cable supported by a pulley, although
the cable was good enough to take the weight fracture of
the pulley's casing had not ben anticipated and the mast
tumbled down damaging both the antenna and the top section
of the mast.
Thanks to Mike G4VSS and Paul G1DVA this has not left the
club without an antenna as they have fitted two trap dpoles
which cover the 5 HF bands to 3.5 7 14 21 and 28 Megs. The
same antenna setup was also used at the recent special
event station for 100 years of scouting.
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| Damage to the Mast |
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| Temporary Trapped Dipole |
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Photos by Ian, M0BXR.
Our New Clubroom makes Good Progress: February 2007
Owing to good work by the membership, the new clubroom has
progessed well. A suspended ceiling and downlighting has
now been installed. The overhead projector has now been
properly installed along with other wiring thanks to Mike
G4VSS. Many members have been involved in cleaning and
painting and the sink, workbench, and operating bench are
now in position, with plumbing being done in house thanks
to our chairman Cliff, M0MRC and Paul, G1DVA.
There is more work to be done such as the removal of the
supporting wall which will be replaced by an RSG but we
are already enjoying the benefits of the new room. Our new
suite has a separate room at the rear which for the
operatiing shack also with an area for construction.
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| The Old Room |
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| The New Meeting Room (view from back) |
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| The New Meeting Room (view from front) |
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| The Operating Desk Installed in the New Shack |
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| The New Shack |
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Photos by Ian, M0BXR.
Grappenhall Fun Day: August 2006
The club played a major roll in the Fun Day this year with a
demonstration of satellite communications thanks to G4VSS and
other members who opened the clubroom so that visitors could
view our equipment and be shown around.
This year will probably be the last fun day in our old clubroom
as arrangements are being made to hold the club in one of the
ground floor meeting rooms.
As well as opening the club shack the Radio Club provided a BBQ
for visitors which was manned by our chairman Cliff M0MRC,
John G0RPG and Ian M0BXR.
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| Mike, G4VSS, Installing the Satellite Antennas |
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| Cliff, M0MRC, manning the Barbeque |
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Photos by Ian, M0BXR
Club Calls Contest: 2006
Once again in 2006 we entered the Club Calls contest and
Albert, G3ZHE, offered the use of his shack. He has
a good antenna with the end pointing back down towards ground
which gives a higher radiation angle for UK working. 22
club stations and 22 member stations were worked giving
a total of 792 points.
The operators were Paul G1DVA, Keith G8MKO,
Dave G0RVW, Albert G3ZHE and Ian M0BXR.
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| The Club Calls Contest Station |
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| Operating the Club Calls Contest Station |
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Photos of the previous year's contest (2005) by Ian, M0BXR
