castleviewschool

South Essex Amateur Radio Society

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For the past year Canvey Island’s Mark, M0IEO, has been very proactive in taking Amateur Radio to the public. As a member of the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society he has twice put his caravan in the Chelmsford Town Centre http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/events/town-centres-2009/index.htm in an effort to attract public interest. He has also taken his caravan to Sandford Mill Open Days (http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/sandfordmill/science-2009/science-2009.htm), and other Field Events http://www.g0mwt.org.uk/events/stock-windmill-09/index.htm.

No surprise then that he had been requested by the school to set up a demonstration Amateur Radio Station for the event. He promptly arranged for the call-sign GB2CVS to be issued for the event and invited SEARS, as the local Amateur Radio Society, with a keen interest in Special Events, to team up with him.

A Field Station on a plate! It would be a joint effort. Mark would provide his caravan and SEARS the gazebo. We would collectively provide the equipment and manpower to set it up.

Castle View School Open Day

Saturday 3rd Oct 2009.

We arrived before 8am to complete the setting up before the young people arrived at 9am. Great teamwork ensured the station was up, despite the high winds, and operating on 2 Metres by 9am, with HF working shortly afterwards.

The original plans to support the G5RV between 2 X 40ft masts was dropped, due to the increasing winds, so one heavily guyed mast supported the VHF Co-linear and the G5RV as an inverted “V”. A multi-band HF vertical was also mounted at ground level as this has proved very useful with PSK31 and SSTV.

The pictures http://www.southessex-ars.co.uk/castleviewschool.html tell the story. Many young people came to see the station working. Mark, M3BFB, had a particular rapport with them and successfully encouraged them to use the microphone to exchange greetings with Amateurs over the radio. Dave, G4UVJ, demonstrated the PSK31 digital mode using a laptop PC linked to the radio. Mark, M0IEO, set up an Amateur satellite receiving station using two handheld transceivers and two Yagi antennas on a tripod. Peter, G4OAD, demonstrated Morse Code. Norman, M0FZW, welcomed the youngsters to the station, introduced them to the Team and did his best to explain a technical subject as simply as possible. Belinda, Marks wife, provided refreshment, photographs, and support wherever it was needed. Many thanks to John,2E0NNQ, who arrived early to help set up the station before going off to work, so was not able to take part during the day.

The Deputy Head, the Head of Science and other teachers also showed a lot of interest. One lady teacher from Hungary was keen to speak to any station in her home country but when we finally contacted a station there, via PSK31, she could not be found.

In light of the interest shown by the pupils the school has asked the Team if we would be willing to setup a similar event around March 2010 for Schools Science Week. In our mission to further Amateur Radio that would be a resounding “Yes”, providing the schools red tape will allow it.

This was a very enjoyable and successful liaison between CARS’ and SEARS’ Members to provide an informative public event. The Team will meet again on Sat 17th Oct 2010 for the Scouts JOTA (Jamboree On The Air). The callsign will be GB2CIS, http://www.southessex-ars.co.uk/jota.html

Norman, M0FZW.