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High Winds in UK
- Details
- Written by Chris Colclough
Today has seen the winter weather finally hit the UK. There have been reported gusts of wind up to 106 MPH (Miles Per Hour) in some Western areas of Scotland.
Here in central England the local airport at Birmingham had some of the aircraft miss the runway and take a second attempt at landing, with at least one flight having to divert to another UK airport. A video of aborted landings is available on the Birmingham Mail - local newspaper - website.
There have also been reports of damage to property, buildings, and chaos on the roads. I drive a small truck for my job and today I have been driving at low speeds due to the wind effects on the side of my truck. Antennas have been lowered by all the group, and we hope no one else gets any damaged antennas.
If you are out in this wind stay safe and we hope to meet you on air after the storm has passed.
Seasons Greetings 2013
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- Written by Chris Colclough
As the 2013 year end draws ever closer, we like to wish all our friends around the world seasons greetings in their home language, and we do appologise if we miss yours off the list. Lets hope that 2014 brings us all good conditions on the radio and we hope to contact you all at some point.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd dda
Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo
Happy Thanks Giving Day.
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- Written by Chris Colclough
May we take this opportunity to wish all our friends from across the pond in the USA a Happy Thanks Giving Day, and we look forward to meeting you guys on air in the near future.
Mexborough and District Amateur Radio Society new webpage
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- Written by Chris Colclough
We all, and I don't just mean S.H.A.R.K members, have an affinity and close alliance with a radio club somewhere around the world. And I (Chris, G1VDP), am no exception to this. When I first started out in this wonderful hobby I joined Mexborough And District Amateur Radio Society (MADARS), and subsequently went through their training course for the RAE, taught at that time by Eric Rogers, and gained my Class B licence.
Since then the club has moved on and now caters for the 3 licence classes, hold numerous functions, and special event stations throughout the year. They have also just recently built a new website with full details of the club and it's activities. To view the website click on MADARS and this will take you to the website, which is still having bits and pieces added and updated on a regular basis.
Comet Ison - Naked Eye Object this week?
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- Written by Charles Wilmott
Observers around the world are reporting that Comet ISON brightened sharply last night and is now at the threshold of naked-eye visibility. By some reports, ISON surged in brightness by approximately 2 magnitudes over last 24 hours and is now brighter than comet Lovejoy.
If this trend continues, it will be a faint but easy naked-eye object by the end of the week, SpaceWeather reports.
The sudden uptick in brightness could be caused by a fresh vein of ice opening up in the comet's nucleus. Rapid vaporization of ice by solar heat is a sure way to boost a comet's visibility.
ISON's brush with the Sun on November 28th is very near and many more of these brightening events might happen but all three scenarios for ISON are still open. The first possible scenario is fizzle - ISON evaporates under intense tidal forces and solar radiation. The second scenario is break-up - ISON breaks into smaller chunks.
The third scenario is what everybody hopes will happen - sizzle - ISON survives its brush with the Sun and emerges so bright it becomes visible on Earth in daylight.
A few days at MC0SHL again...
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- Written by Charles Wilmott
Its November again and having a couple of days down at the Club in GW Land.
Listen out for MC0SHL on the air but in all likelyhood I don't expect to be on air much at all as I have other things planned but you never know!
Also have a browse around the Club website when you have a few minutes.
You can find the website by clicking on the log top left of this message or from the left sidebar of the webpage.
On Air October 2013
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- Written by Chris Colclough
Tim has sent me a couple of photo's of Charles (M0OXO) on the air from MC0SHL head quarters.
MC0SHL On Air This Weekend
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- Written by Chris Colclough
This weekend, Thursday 17th through to Monday 21st October 2013, MC0SHL will be on the air from the club HQ on the Pembrokeshire coast. This is not a special IOTA but mainland Great Britain (EU-005).
Please do call in and say hello. Tim has taken his radio and amp down so there could be 2 stations active on different bands at any one time.
'Field Postal Service' at CDXC event
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- Written by Charles Wilmott
Several MCØSHL members attended an impromtu mailing session over the weekend took place chez G3NUG!
Whilst attending the CDXC (Chiltern DX Club) Summer Social/AGM in Leominster I took the opportunity to get rid of a few Qsl cards to various people attending including Michael G7VJR (left) and Tim M0URX (right).
These events really are a good way of exchanging Qsl Cards at 'no cost' and certainly avoids the hassle of Postage.
As well as Tim M0URX and myself, MC0SHL member Tony G3LDL was also in attendance with his wife Glynis and what a great event, great weather, great food and great company. It was also nice to meet Les VK4BUI in person too. Lets hope next year's 50th IOTA anniversary dinner also attracts some overseas members (Stuie VK8NSB is certainly one confirmation for the event).
Thanks to Nigel G3TXF for the Photo. There are several more on Nigel's website if you would like to see them click here. Check out the link if you would like know more about the CDXC group and membership information.
GB5NCQ - Nuneaton Carnival Queen
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- Written by Chris Colclough
Today (Sunday 9th June) Chris is assisting with the organising and running of the 80th Nuneaton Carnival and has asked 
the Hinckley Amateur Radio & Electronics Society - HARES - to set up a special event station at the carnival field.
They have the special call GB5NCQ - GB5 Nuneaton Carnival Queen - and will be on air from mid morning through to early evening. All QSL requests to go through Charles, M0OXO, and please do not send cards via bureau for this activation but use Charles' OQRS system on his website.
Location details for the site are: The Playing Fields, Avenue Road, Nuneaton.
WAB Area; SP39
Locator; IO92gm
Latitude; 52 30' 48" N (52.5134)
Longditude; 1 27' 40" W (-1.4612)
We hope to hear you on the air through the day.
Ramsey Island - a Different View.
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- Written by Chris Colclough
Today Chris (G1VDP), his mum, Rob (MW0RLJ) and Jane went on a boat trip around Ramsey Island.
This allowed them to see many of the birds and seals that reside on the cliffs and beaches of this beautiful island. They also visited St Davids and the St Davids lifeboat station. The photos will be uploaded into the gallery over the coming days.
We must also stress that at NO point has the MC0SHL call been on air from the island this week, and the reports on the cluster on Thursday were wrong. We are operating from the farm on Mainland Great Britain EU-005. We will try and get on for an hour or two again this evening if band conditions improve.
"CQ CQ from MC0SHL"
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- Written by Chris Colclough
Today MC0SHL managed to get on the air for a little while.
Chris (G1VDP) arrived at the farm and got on 15m and worked some USA and European stations. At the same time he was working the USA Tim (M0URX) was monitoring the frequency and hearing the same stations. The hope is for Tim and the guys to work Chris or Rob (MW0RLJ) on the bands this weekend.
MC0SHL on air in May
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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
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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.
