Hello, its Surplus Equipment time on 4^th October and this Newsletter has details of some of the items on offer to wet your appetite.

We hope there will be a good turnout for this exceptional Autumn Sale, when members can bring along items for sale and also items to be donated to the club. We have a reasonable amount of donated gear to sale and this will be balanced against members' own sale items. It is very helpful, as in the past, for sellers to be in the clubroom well before 8 o'clock, and no boxes of "rubbish" please.

All members and visitors they have brought along must sign the attendance book and all must be conversant with the rules. Note that the club accepts no responsibility for goods sold at this private sale, and the purchasers buy on the understanding that they are capable of determining the usability, fitness for purpose and SAFETY of goods obtained.

The following also applies:

Items the Club has for sale include many from the estate of the late Dixie G4FQQ. I list an extract of items below and include a guide price:

• Lowe SRX30 Rx 0.5-30MHz AM & SSB - £40
• Yaesu FRG7 Rx 0.5-29.9MHz - £45
• GDO 440kHz-280MHz Tech Tradiper - £10
• Farnell AC/DC millivolt meter - £5
• RC Bridge (EICO 110v) - £5
• Coil Winder - £35
• QRP transceiver Heathkit HW7-some mods £45
• SWR Bridge - £10
• Spectrum Analyser Project (for use with Scope) - £15

RADIO REMINISCENCES - G8TB

This was an absorbing evening and it was a shame that there was not more than the 15 or so that attended to enjoy Bernie's reminiscences.

Apparently Bernie's interest with communication started at the age of 5 when he and his neighbour set-up a pair of wires between their houses and used a Morse key and buzzer. His father was then making radios using square wire with lots of right angles. Also made their own coils and loudspeakers and had speakers everywhere.

Bernie's first interest in Radio proper came in 1934 via the "Popular Wireless" magazine. He built his first receiver and whilst twiddling the knobs heard Ray Herbert.

In 1935 he started work as a solicitor's clerk up in town but needed HP to pay off the season ticket. He started building sets with his 1^st transmitter out of the Eddystone book using directly heated valves (P265 I think he said).

He initially held the artificial aerial licence 2BWY (by the way after the war these were converted automatically to a full amateur licence following a Morse test and statement why wanted). I noted however that Bernie had the full call G8TB in 1937 and would work Ray G2KU on 14MHz.

In 1939 Bernie volunteered for the Civilian Wireless Reserve (CWR) where special frequencies were used following RAF procedures. G2DN Norman Guy was the controller for Croydon. Bernie thought that he probably holds the record for the longest distance with lowest power [3v @ 1.5mA = 4.5mW]

After 6 months he transferred to the RAF reserves. On 24^th Aug 1939 he was called up, issued with a uniform but then sent home. On 1^st Sep 1939 he was called up again and spent a night in Endsleigh Hotel where they had a bedroom each (luxury!). Then went to Debden, inoculated, given two blankets each but now slept on the floor. On 3^rd Sep they heard the declaration of war and on the 4^th went by train to Southampton to join a boat for France. On the 5^th he was in Ameon (phonetic spelling!) in a convent (girls evacuated) with the Wireless Intelligence Screen (WIS).

The 50 RAF and 100 Army (Territorials from Croydon!) were spit into 2 RAF and 3 Army units separated 10 miles apart round the Belgian coast. Would be sending Morse messages using equipment with 1082/83's. Bernie also spoke of a month in a chicken shed, how they then moved on to Metz, and then two periods in a cow shed. The cowshed was made comfortable with use of mattresses to sleep on, and using a cast iron stove. (Had to clear out the straw left by the French!). During winter there was 2ft of snow and Bernie made skies with the ends turned up using a butter press.

When things got hot they went down to the Bay of Biscay, then to Nante, then back to England with luckily no problem though a sister boat was hit. When Bernie arrived back at Weymouth he used a QSL card to advise his parents he was still alive.

Then spent time in Weston Super Mare, Yatesbury and Farnborough. Learnt about VHF though not a lot to learn then! Spent some time making up blueprints for Radar. Went as a fitting party to Duxford - TR9D's (40m), then state of the art VHF 4Ch 1133's.

At that time a wireless operator earnt 1/6d a day whilst a wireless mechanic got 2/- a day. This required passing a trade test and Bernie needed to read-up the Admiralty Handbook. Unfortunately some time for this became available following a motor bike accident when he spent a fortnight in hospital. This came about as a colleague Les Gunnell who lived in Oxted had a motor bike and managed to get petrol (German!) and take weekends at home. Bernie used to get a lift this way.

Anyway Bernie easily passed the test and went to West Drayton and then Maidenhead where he remembers hangers just placed in middle of fields 3 miles from where they slept! Near D-day he volunteered to a unit near Elstree and after D-Day went to France again. Followed the troops up to Belgium. Radio operation was on 10-20MHz with 10kW but couldn't be heard in England but did cause interference in North Africa. Keying speeds were slow and Bernie did some modifications to allow keying up to 140WPM.

After VE day Bernie was on a boat going through the Panama Canal, still needing blackouts at night, on the way to Australia. Went via New Zealand, Wellington then Sydney, Townsville and Magnetic Island. By now they weren't wanted but went to Brisbane and became Brisbane Airport postman, then Melbourne and did a course on OZ equipment.

He got back to England eventually but was in Cape Town on Christmas Day in 1945. He was demobed in 1946 with the sum of £96. Didn't bother with a job initially but did eventually join Arding and Hobbs in their TV department which had just started. At that time there was no SSB, no FM, no tape recorders. Norman Guy G2DN was an early chairman of the SRCC after the war (see Club History in our Club magazines and soon to be available on the WEB site).

Bernie retired at age 65 in 1984. I hope I have done justice to your talk Bernie and haven't made too many errors! Many thanks Bernie for a very interesting evening.

 PHOTOGRAPH PAGE

 

 

The top row left and middle pictures are of Ron G6LX receiving his Life Vice Presidency of the RSGB from the current President Hilary Claytonsmith G4JKS.

The top row right picture is of George G5BZ formally presenting the G5BY trophy to Hilary.

Middle row left picture shows the G5BY trophy in the case made by Arthur G3YRB standing on the base made by Gareth G4XAT.

These were taken at the club meeting held 2^nd August 1999.

 

Middle row right picture shows the specially engraved Decanter and Glasses presented to Bernie G8TB. The bottom picture shows the top table at the AGM held 12^th April 1999 when this special award was made to Bernie G8TB. From left to right are Graham G3RJW - Chairman, Maurice G4DDY - Treasurer, and Bernie G8TB.

Unfortunately due to people's commitments over the above weekend the event was cancelled.

28^th Sep 1999