[SADARS] 9 Jan 2020 - Welcome Back

[SADARS via rec.radio.info Admin]

SADARS

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9 Jan 2020 - Welcome Back

Posted: 10 Jan 2020 03:40 AM PST
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2617


In spite of the wet and cold weather, a good turnout attended the clubs
first meeting after the holiday recess. Members sat with chairs in a circle
and had a general discussion ending with detailed info on separate RF
earthing and how that can impact the radio shack thats using the PME system.


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5 Dec 2019 - Mince Pie evening.

Posted: 06 Dec 2019 03:49 AM PST
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2612


The meeting last evening was the last of this year. We would have finished
the following week except the election operation will be using the hall.

Have a very good holiday and we hope to see you back at the club on the 9th
of January 2020.


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28 Nov. 2019 - Raspberry Pi Mk4, by Alan, G4PSO

Posted: 29 Nov 2019 02:58 AM PST
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2591

Raspberry Pi Mk4

This handy credit card size computer has been designed to put the power of
computing and digital making into the hands of people all over the world. 
Originally offered as a project for young students, it has been taken up by
hobbyists, including radio amateurs everywhere.

Alan began with an explanation of the beginnings of the Raspberry Pi in
2012 up to the latest version in 2019 and listed the latest Pi4
capabilities. He covered programming options and amateur radio applications.

Members were welcomed to look at the various versions and set ups on
display during tea and biscuits.

More information was offered at these links:  (copy and paste)

Raspberry Pi Organisation  https://www.raspberrypi.org/

MagPi Magazine (free pdf)    https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/

G4WNC website https://photobyte.org/

HackSpace Magazine (free pdf) https://hackspace.raspberrypi.org/

RSGB G4WNC Raspberry Pi Talk 2017  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvVkY_2DwTk
From Right: Alan, G4PSO, John Shipman, Andy, G4DAQ


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21 Nov 2019 - Brians Audio Quiz

Posted: 23 Nov 2019 03:59 AM PST
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2589


This year’s quiz consisted of cleverly assembled sound samples grouped into
categories leading to quiz answers. There were singers to be identified,
mystery sounds to name, CW to copy,  as well as dates to recall. All very
challenging!

The members present on the night were divided into groups of three and the
winning group, chose the name  Jokers 3 and consisted of  Don, G4LOO,
Richard, G3NII and Gareth, M5KVK who each took home a bottle of wine as
first prize. I wont name the group awarded the wooden spoons!


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14 Nov 2019 - Dons report on CQWW and IOTA contests

Posted: 15 Nov 2019 03:41 AM PST
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2579


Don, G4LOO began by giving an overview of the IOTA contest this year. Some
problems arose due to incorrect serial numbers being recorded and it was
found that when entering the callsign and report, the operator must tab to
the next field (in N1MM+) in order for the reports to be updated and logged
properly. The club placed 15 out of 30 entries in our class.

The overview of this years operations in CQWW SSB began with a look at what
went right and what went wrong.  The clubs effort was thwarted by numerous
equipment and electronic faults.

Discussions followed as to how these may be addressed for future contests.
Although the final results have not been published yet, the raw scores
indicate the club might come 118 out of 255 in the world and 77 out of 145
in Europe and fourth out of six entries in our class in England


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7 Nov 2019 - one hundred years in the game

Posted: 08 Nov 2019 05:44 AM PST
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2568


David, G8UOD gave a well researched and presented history of this countrys
security services now celebrating one hundred years of keeping us safe. The
history began just after the First World War and detailed the setting up of
the Security Service as a government department.

On 1 November 1919 the GC&CS (Government Cipher and Code School) was
formed. The duties assigned  included cryptographic service, Naval code
breakers and monitoring of messages by cable companies.  In 1921 the
Foreign Office took control of GC&CS with an increased workload including
the inception of machine generated     ciphers in 1925. The services remit
included the censorship of news papers and books being published that
included possible sensitive material from the war.

Included in the overall structure of the organization in 1924 were overseas
radio and communications monitoring stations.  At about this point in time,
the Rotor Cipher machines were invented, the most widely known was the
Enigma machine which the Germans improved in the early thirties. Other
countries, including Poland and France, began working on methods to break
the code. During the build up of hostilities in the 30s, the GC&CS moved
out of London to Bletchley Park.

Other parts of the service had grown and also moved out of London to larger
sites. David explained various early computers and organisations working on
post war signals intelligence.

In more modern times, GCHQ have been working on Cyber Crime in connection
with government departments, financial Institutions, and banks.

On 14 Feb 2019, the Queen unveiled a plaque during a visit to Watergate
House in London celebrating the 100th anniversary of the intelligence
service. The plaque is said to contain secret coded messages!


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31 Oct 2019 - A Video Evening

Posted: 02 Nov 2019 08:08 AM PDT
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2557


Good attendance assembled to watch an RSGB convention video by Steve
Nichols, G0KYA about propagation.  Members were dismayed at the length of
solar minimum predicted which seemed to be the consensus of numerous
methods of predicting.

Steve explained aspects of predicting and the various methods being
examined to make the printed predictions in RadCom more readable and
understandable.

The meeting ended with Tea and biscuits while members reminisced about the
good conditions  experienced in years gone by!


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24 Oct 2019 - Military Intelligence during WW2

Posted: 25 Oct 2019 06:34 AM PDT
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2549


Our speaker for the evenings talk was Bill Steadman, Curator of the
Military Intelligence Museum based at RAF Chicksands.

Bills very comprehensive talk began by outlining the attributes of the
enemy, those which were positive and also negative. This topic was expanded
to Intelligence and communications and how they affected happenings on the
ground.

Next to be examined were planning aspects; looking at what went wrong in
the past. This set the question about intelligence: what does it need to
do? The answer was protect our secrets and discover the enemys.  Bill then
went on to detail how this was accomplished. Also pointed out was the fact
that intelligence could be used to deceive and confuse the enemy. He then
listed the many aspects of intelligence that were carried out in
Bedfordshire.

It was shown that years of planning produced the largest ever seaborne
invasion and the most complex military operation ever undertaken.
D-Day Landing


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26 Sept 2019 - Use of SDR by Alan, G4PSO

Posted: 05 Oct 2019 08:44 AM PDT
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2529


Alan gave a talk on the uses of SDR based on his experience to try and get
a weather station to work correctly.  The method chosen was to use GNU to
help find the frequency used by the weather station and eventually see if
he could pick up the data from the device.

He explained how the GNU programme could be used to see different o/p and
represent them in various forms an example was a 1 KHz audio signal o/p and
an oscilloscope giving a sine wave of the out put.  The programme uses
various elements, which are selected to make the programme do what you want
to do.

Alan had used several types of SDR in his experiments and he demonstrated
how the signal from his weather station was represented on the waterfall
screen. It was noted how members activation their car keys could also be
picked up showing how wideband the SDR was.

Alan had used the Funcube dongle, the HackRF and other SDR dongles to help
him find out about the weather station.  He pointed out that a shortcoming
of  amateur SDR equipment was the sensitivity which can be overpowered by
strong RF signal.

An interesting and different evening.
Report by David, G8UOD


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12 Sept 2019 - Welcome Back after the Summer Break

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 04:30 AM PDT
https://sadars.co.uk/wp/archives/2519


We were 10 in number. Tables were set around with chairs and tea and
biscuits were quickly on the tables. Gary M0PLT spoke about being mobile on
his bike and using APRS. Another subject discussed was FT8 and FT4. Victor,
G3JNB, made the point that if it were not for that mode the airwaves would
be quiet. Gary, M0PLT, mentioned that he had exchanged details using FT8
into Australia. There was quite bit of discussion, before closing at 21.30
hours
Report by Paul, G1GSN