Cray Valley Radio Society

Club meeting: Construction Contest
2024-09-05 19:30 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom
Start thinking now about what you may be able to bring along to the club construction contest.
It could be something you have made, part built, designed, built from a kit, or even just the idea – and be prepared to talk about it for a few minutes. Software is included – either something you have written or the innovative use of existing software / apps / hardware / web.
The judges will be free to award a number of merit certificates and one overall winner for the main trophy.
Members are also free to bring along anything they would like to show or demonstrate that is not necessarily part of the contest.

Club meeting: An outdoor demonstration of 160m DF by Colin G4CDM
2024-08-15 07:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom
As this is an outdoor event it will be subject to good weather.

CVRS BBQ
2024-08-03 15:00 - 19:30 | Eltham
The barbeque will be held at the 1st Royal Eltham Scout Hall in Forty Foot Way, Avery Hill, Eltham SE9 2EX starting at 3pm.
The Scout Hall can be reached via a lane to the side of the Metrogas ASA Sports Club, almost opposite
Sidewood Road.
All food, tea, coffee and soft drinks will be provided, but please bring your own beer/wine.
Full details, including a map showing the location of the venue, are published in August’s QUA newsletter.

Club meeting: Automate your home
2024-08-01 19:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom
Justin G8YTZ will be telling us how to automate our home with an emphasis on cutting down on energy costs.
Members have been asked to bring along their latest utility bill to help provide an indication of potential savings.
Some of Justin’s recommendations may involve changing tariffs to suit various usage patterns.

Club Field Day
2024-07-20 08:00 - 2024-07-21 17:00 | Gosenhill Farm, Eynsford Rd, Crockenhill, Swanley, BR8 8LB, United Kingdom
This is the club’s first informal field day, a chance for all members to operate, test antennas, or just socialise.
The venue is Gosenhill Farm, Crockenhill. Further details in QUA.

Club meeting: Get Knotted - field day techniques
2024-07-18 19:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom
This evening led by Dave G4BUO is in preparation for the CVRS field day two days later.
The first part is titled ‘Get Knotted’ and is a practical session. Members will work in pairs and learn how to tie two elementary but useful knots.
The second part is an overview of general field day techniques.

Club meeting: The Colpitts oscillator - M0JCF
2024-07-04 19:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom
Build & test your oscillator, all parts will be available on the evening. This is a social and technical evening run by Mark M0JCF

GB2CM at Crossness
2024-06-23 08:00 - 17:00 | Crossness Museum, Bazalgette Way, London, SE2 9AQ, United Kingdom
GB2CM will be operational from 10am as part of Museums on the Air weekend. This is also a steaming day at Crossness – come and see Prince Consort engine in steam!
Setup will be from 8am. There will be an HF station on 80-10m and VHF operating 2m FM, and 6m if there is any sporadic E propagation.
See the Crossness Site https://crossness.org.uk/

CVRS DF Hunt
2024-06-20 19:00 - 22:00 | Sydney Arms Pub, Old Perry Street, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 6PL, United Kingdom
This event is being organised By Ewan 2E0HOE.
When:
∙ Thursday 20 June 2024
∙ Briefing at 7:30pm local time, first team will start straight after. The start and end times will be recorded.
Where:
∙ Sydney Arms Pub, Old Perry Street, BR7 6PL (Sidcup/Chislehurst border near Frogpool Manor. Halfway between Chislehurst War Memorial and Queen Mary’s Hospital)
∙ The pub has a car park and garden. Additional on-street parking is available and there is another car park nearby
∙ The recommended entrance for the hunt is almost opposite the pub, leading into Scadbury Park Nature Reserve
∙ The evening is social. Those not competing are welcome to attend… food/drink etc.
Car Park Entry requirements:
∙ Individuals or teams may enter in the same category. Members of a team may not split up ∙ No more than one receiver may be switched on at a time in each team
∙ Only conventional equipment may be used – antenna, attenuator, receiver etc. No doppler DF equipment permitted.
∙ GPS, mapping and magnetic compass equipment are all permitted
Equipment minimums:
∙ A receiver (or transceiver) for 2m FM, (battery operated/portable). A radio with a built in S meter makes things easier but isn’t essential. Choosing a ‘selective’ radio will help. Cheap radios, many Baofeng being an example, will struggle when overloaded by strong adjacent signals. The effectiveness of your equipment’s internal screening/shielding is also important when close to a transmitter
∙ The receiver should be capable of tuning to a Beacon transmitters at 25kHz spacing at the top end of 144MHz. They will periodically identify in CW/Morse with a tone modulated onto an FM carrier – G3RCV . There is no requirement to be able to decode the CW as there will only be one transmitter – ∙
∙ A portable directional antenna. The transmitters are vertical polarisation. 3 element tape measure YAGIs are a popular antenna choice – many designs are published online
∙ Attenuator. Switched/stepped versions work well
∙ Sturdy footwear for woodland paths.
∙ Clothing appropriate for the weather – rain or shine!
∙ Torch (depending on your start time)
∙ A pen/pencil and any other stationery items
What to expect:
∙ Start times will be informal
∙ Start and stop times will be recorded at the pub
∙ There will be one transmitter to be found. it will not be visible from paths, but easier to spot up close, around head height, marked with an A4 laminated sign
∙ A ‘codeword’ should be recorded to prove that you found the transmitter
∙ Your end time will be noted when the last member of your team passes through the door/gate of the pub
Additional info:
∙ If you have hunting equipment to loan, please let me know (contact number below). I have one set to loan
∙ If you are happy to host a DF novice in your team, please let me know (contact number below)
∙ If you’re new to direction finding and you’d like to join an existing team, please let me know (contact number below)
∙ If you would like to borrow equipment, please let me know (contact number below).

∙ Do you like a project?! Why not build a tape-measure Yagi? Maybe even a switched attenuator? Or, if you’re looking to ‘up-your-game’, how about an “offset attenuator”?
All questions to Ewan Kimmins 2E0HOE – mobile: 07397 077757

Club meeting: Starting out in FT8 - M0KUK
2024-06-06 19:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom
A talk by Jakub M0KUK

Club meeting: Construction project workshop
2024-05-16 19:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom
Social and technical evening. ALL club members are obviously welcome to the meeting on 16th May. Whether or not you’re participating in either of this year’s construction projects, please come along even if it’s just for the “social” part of the social & technical evening.
Assistance from members with technical skills is of course welcome. If you have easily transportable test gear that you think could be useful and you’re happy to muck in with troubleshooting and testing, please bring it along.

Club meeting: ARISS and STEM - Hilderstone ARC
2024-05-02 19:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom

Cray Valley RS AGM
2024-04-18 19:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom

Club Meeting: Raynet - Philip Williams G6AQP
2024-04-04 19:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom

Foundation Licence training course - day 2
2024-03-23 08:00 - 17:00 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom

Club meeting: RSGB Presidential visit, and VHF DX talk by G0AFH
2024-03-21 19:30 - 21:30 | CVRS Clubhouse in Eltham, London, Eltham, SE9 2SD, United Kingdom
We will be visited by RSGB President John McCullagh, GI4BWM and RSGB Chairman Stewart Bryant, G3YSX. After an address and opportunity for a few questions, the meeting will continue with a talk on VHF DXing by Ian Burns, G0AFH.
