Our VARC April meeting on Tuesday will have a short session on the 2019-20 Club Committee plus a talk/discussion/brainstorm on ‘Operating Away from Home’.

Peter Baker (G4HSO) says ‘I have tried and failed at operating locations worldwide (including /mm from the mid Atlantic), spent hours preparing but little success, however the occasional MAGIC success keeps me keen to try again, to learn from others and share ideas’

Here is what Peter plans to cover:

Getting outdoors, QRM club theme and QRM from various sources.

Gear and organisation, rigs.

Locations and cost of ‘exotic locations’, getting local contacts / local information.

Licensing issues.

Solar cycle radio conditions, TOD, Latitude contests, WhatsApp propagation.

Operating /MM    /M    /P   /A.

Modes – JTn, WSPR, CW, Others…

Antennas for portable operation.

Antenna options; antenna supports, (kite, portable poles, gambling) end fed, trap dipole, linked dipole, doublet, magnetic loop, tapped, miracle whip, …..

Criteria – low visual impact, light weight, coax fed, backpack /pm?,  Share tricks and tricks.

Propagation and testing propagation while running light.

Flying with batteries, gellcell, lithium, BA letter,…. carry on or checked?

Club resources, generators, antennas, sites….

SOTA, RAYNET.

Satellite operation.

DXpeditions.

CDXC.

As always visitors and prospective members are always VERY welcome, please pass this to anyone you feel may be interested.