MONTHLY MEETINGS 1st and 3rd MONDAYS, 7.45 for 8 pm.

AT THE T.S. TERRA NOVA, 34 THE WALDRONS, S. CROYDON.

Dear Members,

The sun is shining today and at last we have been promised a few days of summer. I hope "they" are right and we must make the most of it, and fortunately it does come at the right time for the school holidays.

In the last newsletter there was a fairly long appreciation of G5BY. This meeting will be hosted by George Bennett G5BZ who was a personal friend of Hilton and apart from the four scrap books can give a lot of details of this quite remarkable man. I know that some of you have personal recollections that can be added to those of George. Typical of the equipment used before the war is the photograph below. This should be a very interesting evening.

We are indebted to Peter G3ZPB and Wendy for their hospitality in turning their house and garden over to the club for this meeting. Unfortunately the inclement weather kept some members away, nevertheless 14 attended, and some even chanced their arms at table tennis. Peter, with some help f rout your chairman Graham, was able to barbecue the food to a sufficiently crisp dark colour under his covered boat-yard, but we consumed our goodies in comfort indoors where we found all the necessary condiments etc. Later on we retired to the "television room" when we relived the visit some of us made to D'Eperlecques from the video that Peter took. This was followed by a video of a visit to the Bluebell Line but time caught up with us and we did not see the end of the line! It would have been nice if more people had turned up, but every cloud has a silver lining and the number was right for the facilities that evening. It was a very pleasant meeting and our many thanks to Peter and Wendy.

It is always pleasurable to receive letters and/or articles from members and many thanks to "young" Gav for the following:-

"After 30 years, during which my workshop cum shack had not been disturbed, my gardener friend (because it was raining) decided to tidy it up.

Behind the bench we found a lot of forgotten things, but in particular the enclosed letter from KDKA, dated Oct 4th 1923. KDKA was the pioneer broadcasting station in the world.

I had made a tuner with one R valve with reaction, and halved the turns on the coils to see what would happen. In the night I got a steady broadcast programme lasting 2 to 3 hours from KDKA in PITTSBURG. P.A. This consisted of the whole of "Macbeth" followed by a lecture on "diphtheria"

I wrote to KDKA, being then very keen since I had started transmitting as 20S in July 1922. At that time I was a member of the "Highgate Hill" radio Society and one of the chaps told the press, and I got mentioned in several newspapers. There were not many of us then, and the BBC started in October 1922.

I enclose 2 copies of the KDKA letter that may be worth mentioning in the newsletter. "

K D K A

" The Pioneer Radio Broadcasting Station of the World"

East Pittsburgh, PA.

October 4, 1923.

Dear Mr. Sowter,

Many thanks for your most interesting letter of September 23. We always receive with much pleasure letters from members of our radio audience, and when they come from such distance as yours did, they are double appreciated.

We have checked the features mentioned in your letter and find they were included in our program on the dates mentioned, so that there is no doubt by that you heard KDKA.

Regarding the question of wavelength, we have been testing on 100 meters, and sometimes broadcasted material on this wavelength. Our normal wavelength is 326 meters, 920 kilocycles.

Yours very truly,

M.W. Hancock,

Supervisor or Programs, Station KDKA.

Many thanks Gav for those very interesting letters.

I have just had the very sad news that Alan became a silent key on the evening of Wednesday the 5th August and the funeral, which was limited to close family members only, has already taken place. Although he had fared well after some major but routine surgery, complications had followed which led to his untimely death.

Many of us knew Alan personally, and met him at many of the events that he organised and it will be a great loss, especially to the Coulsdon Amateur Radio Society who will miss him for the tireless efforts he put in as secretary to maintain the smooth running of that club.

His wife has chosen the charity "Cancer Research" for those who could like to make a donation. The undertakers, Rowland Brothers, of 299-305 Whitehorse Road, West Croydon are collecting donations on her behalf.

I, and I am sure all the members of the Surrey Radio Contact Club, send our deepest condolences to his wife Freda and his daughter Alison.

Had a visit from Alan Scarisbrook G7ELG who sends his regards to members. He also gave me a packet of stamps, for which many thanks, and a Westminster, some of its parts will come in useful.

Had a 'fone call from Derek Sheen, G4CCW. He is now out of hospital and is convalescent at home. He hopes to get a receiver downstairs to listen to our nets etc. We all wish you the very best Derek.

Heard that Brian G60DE has had his gear struck by lightning (twice Let this be a lesson to us to disconnect feeders etc when thunder is about!

A reminder for those of you worried that you may not have renewed your subs, look on the envelope, the current date is shown there (with two months delay sometimes!)

A REMINDER that the October meeting will be our AUTUMN SALE so that you have plenty of time to sort out your sale items, and/or your loose change!

REFERENCE to Gav's letter it appears that the Highgate Hill Radio Society is no longer in existence. A pity otherwise I would have sent a copy on to them which I'm sure would have found to be of interest.

Maurice G4DDY and David GOPAR have fitted up a 2-meter beam at Terra Nova and is operational, so you may bring along your 2-meter rigs at the "B" meetings. Also they are interested in borrowing a 6-meter beam to try at the T/N to evaluate the possibilities of this site. Ring Maurice or me.

Tony, G3GHI suffers from interference on 2 meters SSB, but not on other bands, in the form of a ticking noise. He has traced this to a neighbour's burglar alarm and the theory is that it is due to the switch mode power supply. His neighbour has been very co-operative as far as he can, but for various reasons Tony cannot go further to cure it. It is a very interesting fault, but fortunately it is only a complete nuisance on a very weak signal, and then only when his beam is in one direction. Thanks for that Tony.

We have had a notice from this association bringing to our attention TRANSMISSION 98. This is a national annual Fundraising event involving Amateur Radio Clubs and enthusiasts across the UK, to help ease the loneliness and isolation of blindness by supplying radios to those in need.

It is appealing to all amateur radio clubs and individuals to take part in this event. Simply get as many people as you can to sponsor you for every contact you make on air during the weekend of 26th and 27th September. The fund will supply you with special sponsorship forms and also QSL cards are available on request. For further information Tel (01634) 832501, Fax (01634) 817485, E-mail:Lin@blind.org.uk.

Since receiving this information we have not had a committee meeting, but it may be more appropriate for the club to make a donation to ensure that someone who has lost the great blessing of sight will never have to feel alone again.

90 feet, 3 section tilt-over tower. "Vesta Tower"? Electrically operated, with rotator "Emotator 5052" and 2 m Yagi. Ex G4OWM. Mrs. Sandell, Carshalton

0181 395 6890 £150 ONO. Details received from Geoff G4ELB.

We have had a very interesting letter from your past Chairman. Peter seems to have a very busy life and here follows some extracts:-

I was very interested in the model-engineering leaflet you (G4DDY) sent to me with the picture of Ron Harris aero engine on the front cover. I am currently pushing articles into our paragliding sports publications to express the need f or smaller and lighter engine units for paramotors (as you have to walk around with these things on your back!) Most world manufacturers stick with a 210cc. engine unit, which was originally designed for agricultural use and it's big and bulky ....

I now have two paramotor units and the cubic capacities are 66 and 12Occ. They have the same BHP and are lighter and quieter than the much used 21Occ Solo engine. The gearbox modifications you (Maurice G4DDY) did for me I understand are now incorporated into all the new units. This was because of seizures caused by gearbox oil leaks, and there was no way to check the oil level.

Roger and Dolly came down to our caravan last weekend after Dolly came out of hospital. The quality of the weather held and Saturday was a flying day with low winds (not many this year) and Roger kindly took a video of me taking off and also landing my paramotor/paraglider combination. I was very pleased to have this video, for though I had been flying for a number of years I have not had any. The field at Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppy was the first recognised aerodrome in the UK with many famous people learning to fly there (Rous, Brabazon, Churchill) and there was formed the Royal Aero Club with planes 11 loaned" by existing pioneers of aviation at the time. The church in the village has a stained glass window to commemorate early flight and there is also a monument nearby. When 1 fly over Eastchurch I cannot stop wondering what ghosts are looking up wondering where aviation will go next. My stringbag contains no wood and packs away into a rucksack at 30 Kg with all my flying gear and instruments (two GPS + Alt), and this weight includes engine!!!

Peter wishes to pass his regards to all. Very many thanks for those extracts from your letter. I must add that Peter finishes off his letter with a very germane thought THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MAN AND A BOY .... IS THE PRICE OF HIS TOYS"!!

Well that's about the lot for this month. Hope you are not overdoing the sunbathing and taking plenty of water with it!! Hope to see you at George's talk on Monday.

88 es 73,

Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so few to so many. Does this mean you????? There are still a few subs. outstanding.

SRCC SUBSCRIPTIONS. NOW DUE. Note Membership still only £8.00

Family membership £12.50

I ____________________________________ enclose herewith Cheque/PO for my 1998/99 subscription.

Date _____________________ Call/BRS __________________________

Send to Hon. Treasurer Maurice Fagg, G4DDY, 113 Bute Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 8AE.

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