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MC0SHL on air in May

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

As can be seen in the diary/forthcoming events page, the team have no plans for any group activity this year. This does not mean that the group will not be on the air just that we are having a year off - for now - to spend some family time and have a break. We are also finding it problematic to co-ordinate our holidays from work this year and are putting together a diary for next years events.

The call MC0SHL may suddenly appear on air at varying times through 2013 as any of the team go and visit Rob & Jane at the farm, and this information will be posted on here and in any DX bulletins. In saying this Chris (G1VDP) is taking his mum for a break to visit Rob and Jane at the end of May and will try and get on the air at some point over the weekend he is there. So listen out for MC0SHL over the period 23rd to 29th May 2013. Say hello and if you need the QSL then plaes follow the instructions on QRZ.com or our QSL managers,Tim (M0URX), website - and if possible please use the Online QSL Request Service (OQRS) offered by him.

A Group Effort

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

On Sunday 7th April 2013 some of the boys gathered at Tim's (M0URX) house to assist him with processing the many thousand requests he had received as QSL manager of the recent 9U4U expedition to Burundi.

Charles (M0OXO) travelled from his home in Barnsley down to Nuneaton to pick up Chris (G1VDP) where they both then went the short distance to Tim's residence arriving at 07:00 (local). Following the obligatory cup of tea the boys set to work on processing the direct card requests. These were in the boxes stacked high in Tim's kitchen.

Charles started processing the envelopes for Japan, Chris on the Italians and other EU countries and Tim set about the Rest of The World (ROW). Tim had spent the previous few days attaching the labels to the cards and sorting them in to the correct alpha/numeric order, this helped the boys when they picked out one of the envelopes and looked at the callsign as it was just a matter of looking through the cards and finding the coresponding call.

As the day progressed each country/region were soon processed, and the Danish cards being sent to the Denmark DX Group for distribution as per their sponsorship rules - unless the Danish radio station had sent a request or requested cards via the OQRS system.

The only cards not sent out with this batch are the ones that had multiple requests for other expeditions Tim manages where Tim is awaiting cards from the printers, this time the 9M4SLL cards for the recent activation from Spratly Island.

More photos can be seen in the Gallery and Tim will be adding the number of envelopes processed to his website, along with more info on Charles' blog here.

At the end of the day Tim has a stack of boxes just awaiting to be posted, so if you are awaiting this card please keep an eye on your post box over the next week or two for these beautiful cards coming through. 

DX Code of Conduct Explained

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

Written by: Charles Wilmott (M0OXO)

How many of you know about the DX Code of Conduct?

Have a look at the topics below click to read more on the selected topic and look at this link too http://www.m0oxo.com/dxcode-of-conduct.html, its definately worth a read. After all, its about your hobby!

I will listen, and listen, and then listen again before calling.
I will only call if I can copy the DX station properly.
I will not trust the DX cluster and will be sure of the DX station's call sign before calling.
I will not interfere with the DX station nor anyone calling and will never tune up on the DX frequency or in the QSX slot.
I will wait for the DX station to end a contact before I call.
I will always send my full call sign.
I will call and then listen for a reasonable interval. I will not call continuously.
I will not transmit when the DX operator calls another call sign, not mine.
I will not transmit when the DX operator queries a call sign not like mine.
I will not transmit when the DX station requests geographic areas other than mine.
When the DX operator calls me, I will not repeat my call sign unless I think he has copied it incorrectly.
I will be thankful if and when I do make a contact.
I will respect my fellow hams and conduct myself so as to earn their respect.

Old IRC's and What To Do With Them

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

Written by: Tim Beaumont (M0URX)

The search is on to find unwanted, expired OLD IRC's. Do you have any of the old yellow style or even the really old blues, or how about any out of date CN01 style IRC's? 

HMS Belfast RNARS Activity Week

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

This week sees the "Easter Activity Week" of the HMS Belfast Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society. The group are on air daily from this magnificent floating museum moored in the pool of London, under the shadow of Tower Bridge.

This year also sees the 75th anniversary of the ships launch and OFCOM (the UK radio regulatory authority) have allowed the use of a special call just for this event, so listen out for GB75HMSB being on air from the Bridge Wireless office.

Each day members of the group meet and air the call on all modes, and Chris (G1VDP) will be amongst the on air team on Friday 8th April. This is also the day of the groups AGM so there will be a good few members to log. Full details can be found on the GB2RN website.

HMS Belfast was launched in March 1938, at a time when navies were competing to build powerful cruisers to protect shipping routes. Belfast was designed to be fast, well armoured, and able to smother an enemy ship with an overwhelming barrage of 6-inch shells.

On her first wartime patrol Belfast captured a German liner. Soon after, however, she struck a mine that broke her keel; repairs took more than two years. While under repair Belfast was fitted with thicker armour, new anti-aircraft guns, and advanced radars. She returned to the Royal Navy’s Home Fleet in November 1942 a modern and powerful warship.

At North Cape in December 1943 Belfast was escorting a convoy to Russia when it was attacked by German battlecruiser Scharnhorst. Belfast played a key role in sinking Scharnhorst, using her radar to track the enemy despite a snowstorm, and illuminating her at close range with flares.

In 1944 Belfast saw further action on D-Day, where her guns supported the advance of British troops. From 1950 to 1952 Belfast served in the Korean War. Decommissioned in 1963 Belfast might have ended her days as scrap metal, but for the work of a private trust which succeeded in preserving her for posterity. She opened to the public in 1971 and became a branch of the Imperial War Museum in 1978.

HMS Belfast is a unique ship. She is the Royal Navy’s last surviving cruiser, the largest preserved warship in Europe, and the only surviving cruiser built in the 1930s. (thanks to IWM website for the information)

New photo gallery and Photoshop CS6

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

As most of our readers and followers know we are all enthusiastic photographers here at S.H.A.R.K, and Chris is now learning his way around the latest edition of Photoshop. He has been practising with some of the older photo's we have in RAW file format and then converting them to a new JPeg ready to use on the website or print by the boys for QSL cards etc.

The photographs that have been put through the CS6 and played with are going to be in a new folder on the gallery, these will be a mixture of shots from our travels and gatherings. Look for new ones being added as we go through the many thousands of images we have.

Antonov AN-124 visits Doncaster

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

If you are lucky enough to be in the Doncaster area today take a trip out to the old Finningley aerodrome, now called Robin Hood Airport, to see the worlds 2nd largest none military production aircraft leave. The Antonov AN-124 flew in to Doncaster sometime last week and is scheduled to depart around 12:00 UTC today. Both myself and Charles are monitoring the flight radar website hoping to be able to see this aircraft in the air.

For a time the massive An-124 held the mantle of the world's largest aircraft before the arrival of the An-225, a stretched six engine derivative. It is commonly used for oversize freight charters.

Developed primarily as a strategic military freighter (in which role it can carry missile units and main battle tanks), the first prototype An-124 flew on December 26 1982. A second prototype, named Ruslan (after a Russian folk hero), made the type's first western public appearance at the Paris Airshow in June 1985, preceding the type's first commercial operations in January 1986. Since that time the An-124 has set a wide range of payload records, a recent achievement being the heaviest single load ever transported by air - a 124 tonne (273,400lb) powerplant generator and its associated weight spreading cradle, a total payload weight of 132.4 tonnes (291,940lb), set in late 1993.

Notable features include nose and tail cargo doors, 24 wheel undercarriage allowing operations from semi prepared strips, the ability to kneel to allow easier front loading, and flybywire control system.

The two major An-124 variants are the basic An-124 and similar Russian civil certificated An-124-100. Various upgrades have been proposed, including the western avionics equipped An-124-100M built in prototype form but not flown, the three crew EFIS flighdeck equipped An-124-102 and the An-124FFF firebomber.

Numerous reengine studies have also been conducted, including using Rolls-Royce RB-211-524Gs, General Electric CF680s (as the An-124-130) and even Aviadvigatel NK93 propfans.

The An-225 Mryia is based on the An-124 but features six (instead of four) D18T turbofans, a stretched fuselage and a 600 tonne (1,322,750lb) max takeoff weight. One was built, intended as a transport for the Russian Buran Space Shuttle equivalent. First flight was in 1988.

Thanks to airliners.net for the above information. The best viewing for this spectacular aircraft will be on the South side of the airport on the lane leading in to the old quarry. This is accessed from the roundabout in Austerfield. Good luck and if you get any photographs please do send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will include them on a update.

Plane across the sun

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

Following the photo below of the ISS crossing the sun it was interesting to see this photo of a plane crossing the sun. Also note the sun spot activity. All details of the numbers and to see the pic in all its glory go to the Solar Monitor webpage.

Thanks to Dr Lucie Green (@Dr_Lucie) for sharing this on her Twitter page, and to the guys at Solar Monitor for sharing it on there.

ARRL Logbook of the World processing delays

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

Written by Charles, M0OXO

LOTW seems to have a few problems again which is apparent from this website post;

''Logs are being received OK and the website remains functional.  IT staff will need to clear some problems with the new hardware before log processing will continue.  Thanks for your patience''

As they ask, lets please be patient !

Removal of Guestbook

Chris Colclough

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Written by Chris Colclough

Following the website being targetted by spammers through our guestbook we have decided to remove this facility from the site. Sorry to all you genuine contacts who had signed in and left a comment but we were having to remove posts daily that were either carrying a virus or were of no meaning with reference the site.

If you need to contact us the email addresses on the contact us page are all good.

Cheers and beers, and hope to meet you in 2013.