Issue 165 A publication of the Vintage and Military Amateur Radio Society December 2016

www.vmars.org.uk M0VMW Affiliated to the Radio Society of Great Britain

1 December 2016

VMARS NEWS SHEET EDITOR As part of succession planning, a vacancy exists

for a VMARS Member to edit and produce our monthly News Sheet, requiring a commitment of up to one day (usually spread over several days) per

month. Previous experience of desk-top publishing would be an advantage but is not essential.

Applicants, who should have a good grasp of WORD and photo editing, are invited to contact VMARS Chairman Tony G3YYH or may discuss

informally with Bronek M0DAF.

NEXT VMARS AUCTION Saturday 25th February 2017 at Baginton Village Hall

Further information on page 4

VMARS Committee

Chairman:

Tony Barron G3YYH Wren Cottage Foxcote, Andoversford Gloucestershire GL54 4LP +44(0)7785 376518 chairman@vmars.org.uk tbarron@btinternet.com

Hon. Secretary:

Peter Chadwick G3RZP Three Oaks Braydon, Swindon Wiltshire SN5 0AD +44(0)1666 860423 honsec@vmars.org.uk

Hon. Treasurer:

Peter Shepherd G7DXV 25 Tomkins Close Stanford-Le-Hope Essex SS17 8QU +44(0)1375 640618 treasurer@vmars.org.uk

Membership Secretary:

Ron Swinburne M0WSN 32 Hollywell Road Sheldon, Birmingham West Midlands B26 3BX +44(0)1217 421808 memsec@vmars.org.uk

Publications Manager:

Bronek Wedzicha M0DAF 22 Farmers Way Copmanthorpe, York North Yorkshire Y023 3XX +44(0)1904 708704 M0DAF@outlook.com

Ordinary Member and Public Relations Officer:

Stuart McKinnon G0TBI 145 Enville Road Kinver, Near Stourbridge West Midlands DY7 6BN +44(0)1384 872157 Pro@VMARS.org.uk

Ordinary Member:

John Butcher G4GWJ Mount Pleasant Trampers Lane North Boarhunt, Fareham Hampshire PO17 6DG +44(0)1329 836229 wlfireman@tesco.net

Issue 165 The VMARS News Sheet

December 2016 2

From our Chairman

A new year is upon us: let’s hope that it’s a happy, healthy and prosperous one.

The special net for WS19, etc. stations at the close of last year was a good one: a dozen or more WS19 and WS62, WS22, TCS12 stations joined and struggled through difficult early morning conditions. Propagation was so long-skip for the first half of the net that it was easiest for Ian F/M0YMK in Brittany to control the net; even the might of Martin G3YJO’s WS53 wasn’t up to short hop transmissions. As conditions improved after 08:00, Martin was able to take control and good fun was had by all. My thanks go to Martin and Ian, and to all who joined or tried to join the net.

In my leader for last month, I asked for input to the planning process for Field Day(s) this coming summer. The silence has been deafening! We want to avoid the Committee planning something that’s not what members want, so please drop me a line with your thoughts, preferably by email.

The auction on February 25th is now fully subscribed for lots and the catalogue is published with this News Sheet. There are many interesting lots, so please do scrutinise the catalogue and turn up on the day ready to bid. It’s evident that there are more lots to be put into auction from various sources, so stand by for announcement of the next one. Commission bids may be left with Stuart G0TBI, Ron M0WSN or myself.

Ron M0WSN has been extremely busy managing the large influx of membership renewals. First, I want to thank him as it’s a great deal of work and it requires precision; secondly, I want to remind you all that (if you’ve not already done so) to renew your membership at your earliest convenience. You have until the end of January.

Regrettably, I also need to refer to a number of postings on the Society’s Yahoo Reflectors; those who use the Reflectors will know what I mean. Action has been taken to stop one source of such postings. The Committee, at its next meeting, will be discussing a revision to the standards expected to be employed by members. I regret that we have to do this because the postings in question frankly breach common courtesy or are simply out of context. If you think that another member has behaved badly, the way to manage it is to write to me, not the reflector; similarly, the reflectors are not for political comment. Expect summary action through moderation (at the first offence) and dismissal from the reflectors (at the attempted second offence) if you breach these very basic rules.

Now, let’s go and enjoy our hobby and move on. I look forward to seeing some of you at the auction, or to speaking to you on-air.

Tony Barron G3YYH

Non-receipt of emails

Colin Guy G4DDI first drew our attention to the fact that some received e-mails were being placed in spam folders which may not be accessible from Office programs such as Outlook. My btinternet account is one such example. It appears not to be possible to prevent a large number of e-mails being labelled as spam and these e-mails can get lost, which can be a serious problem when working on VMARS publications.

I should say that all correspondence concerned with editorial work is acknowledged by me personally without delay. Anyone sending me e-mails is advised not to rely on automatic delivery confirmation, because this is triggered by the delivery into a spam folder, whether I can see it or not.

The only e-mail provider that I know to be fully compatible with Outlook has addresses ending in “outlook.com” and I have taken out the new address “M0DAF@outlook.com” for an initial trial period to iron out any quirks and then will adopt as my main editorial address for VMARS. So please put this address in your contacts list and begin using it.

Non-receipt of e-mails has been causing a great deal of additional work for some of our authors and myself, but I hope that, having identified the problem, I can see a way forward, despite not being a solution as such.

Bronek Wedzicha M0DAF

A visit to G1EDP

I recently had occasion to visit Mike Hazell G1EDP. Mike, a long standing VMARS member, is located in the dark depths of the Forest of Dean, although I am assured he has no wild Boar in his back garden, just a Series lll FFR Land Rover, awaiting slight repairs.

I had put out a request on the VMARS reflector back in November when Mike had an issue with his Admiralty 8M transmitter. One of his vitreous enamel resistors had gone US and, at that time, I could not locate my ET-4336 spares (sister sets, both made by RCA).

You can imagine the smile on his face when I turned up with a large box of ET spares found in my garage a week or so earlier.

Mike and I went through at least 8 to 10 of these resistors and, while at least four were ‘duffers’, we did manage to find

what Mike wanted: a 31.5 k resistor, plus a spare and a few others to test, making sure we marked all values on the tested ones that are now back in the box with the rest of the spares.

Seen here is Mike with his new acquisition, having tested the equipment and now back on air, you can hear Mike most days on 3.625 MHz 10 a.m. onwards, If only my ET was hum-free!

The VMARS News Sheet Issue 165

3 December 2016

Thanks for the hospitality Mike and get cracking on that Landy!

Stuart McKinnon G0TBI

BC453 pastry cutter

Readers may be amused by my response to a request for a star-shaped pastry cutter for the tops of mince pies. The screen from a BC453 capacitor compartment met with tin snips and a pair of pliers, resulting in a functional kitchen utensil as illustrated below:

We're all still alive, so the original donor was evidently not fungus and moisture-proofed in September 1944, as was just about everything else.

My BC453 pastry-cutter combines food science with valve radios – possibly our Editor’s two main interests.

PS. The nimble fingers belong to my daughter, Mary.

Peter Mellett G3PIJ

The WS19 Net: a view from Brittany

On Saturday 31st December the “WS19 net” began at 07:30 on the usual 3615 kHz frequency normally used for VMARS nets. The nominated net controller was Martin G3YJO who operated his recently restored Wireless Set 53 transmitter from his location near Guildford. During WWII and in post-War military campaigns, the WS53 transmitter was paired with an R107 and operated regularly from battlefield command vehicles in communication with WS19s fitted into tanks and AFVs undertaking field operations, so it was entirely appropriate that it should be used for the control station for this net.

In common with many other VMARS members, I had my WS19 warmed up and ready to go at the appointed hour, but unfortunately the long-skip propagation had other ideas, which made inter-G communications very difficult and, for many, impossible. Martin put out several calls but the only station who responded was Trevor PA3BOH in Den Hague who was 59+10 with me in central Brittany, 430 miles away (700 km) and somewhat weaker with Martin in Guildford, at a distance from Den Hague of about 220 miles (350 km). G3YJO was about 57 with me so, realising that low power wireless sets were likely to struggle in these conditions, I put out a call with a high power modern transmitter. Several stations responded to my call, including Alan G4GEN, who Martin usually receives very strongly but, on this occasion, could not hear at all so, in order to keep things moving, he asked me to take temporary net control until conditions had changed with the sunrise.

On 80 m at 07:30 31st December here in central Brittany, propagation was perfect for distances of 300 to 500 miles (480–800 km), putting most stations on the net within the window at my location. It was a great pleasure for me to hear so many excellent WS19s and other low power stations of the era putting such terrific signals into NW France and I list below the stations which I received, along with their wireless sets, their locations and peak signal reports in central Brittany.

By around 08:00, propagation for inter-G working had improved substantially and Martin was able to resume net control from Guildford on the WS53 as planned. For me this was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and it was sheer joy to hear so many VMARS members making the effort to put all this classic equipment on air. I sincerely hope that we will continue to have more of these special nets from time to time but wonder if it would not be better to hold them on a Sunday morning so that they can be time-adjusted to suite the prevailing propagation and not clash with the Saturday AM net starting at 08:30.

G3YJO Martin Guildford WS53 59+20

PA3BOH Trevor Den Hague WS19 618T

48 59+10

G4GEN Alan E. Sussex WS22 WS53

X 59+

G0TBI Stuart Kinver WS22 Other

48 59+10

G3MHX Mike Herts T1154 56

G3XGW Keith Evesham WS19 5

MW0LUK Chris S.Wales WS62 59+15

G3VTD Ray Pontefract WS19 58

MW0KGP Phil N.Wales WS19 59+5

G4DVN Steve Stoke TCS12 59+15

G4EJM Mike Stoke WS19 59+10

M3XBZ Martin Bracknell WS22 59+10

G3YYH Tony Cheltenham WS19 59

G8URE Jon Chichester WS19 59+10

G3TSK Colin Minehead WS19 57

G8YFH Dave Alton WS19 46

GW8TBG Mervyn Swansea WS62 59

Ian Underwood F/M0YMK

The WS19 Net: signal reports from G3YJO

Reports using WS52 remote RX with WS53 TX

PA3BOH 56 G4DVN 59+10

F/M0YMK 59+10 G4EJM 59+10

G4GEN 59 M3XBZ 59+

G0TBI 43 G3YYH 59

G3MHX 55 G8URE 59+10

G3XGW 23 G3TSK 56

MW0LUK 22 G8YFH 58

M6LBZ 11 M1PVC* 59+

G3VTD 59+10 GW8TBG 59+20

MW0KGP 59+10

*Bendix

Martin Sweeting G3YJO

Baird Event: London 27th January 2017

I am involved in the organisation of an event at the Royal Institution, in London on 27th January 2017, related to John Logie Baird's television inventions (particularly the first public demonstration of television on 26th January 1926 in Soho, London).

It will be a free-to-attend but by invitation only, all day event.

Issue 165 The VMARS News Sheet

December 2016 4

Although not quite in the subject domain of VMARS, maybe it would be of interest to VMARS members. On the back page of this Issue of the VMARS News Sheet, there is a copy of the poster advertising the event with essential details and a URL to request an invitation. Additionally, if I have a list of names and e-mails of VMARS members who would like to receive an invitation, I can arrange that they get one.

Tony Davies

Next VMARS Auction Baginton Village Hall

Frances Road, Baginton, Coventry CV8 3AB Saturday 25th February 2017

10.00 a.m.–4.00 p.m.

This event is for VMARS Members and guests only. Members are advised that non-Members may not bid for items sold at this auction.

The first part of the auction catalogue was published in Issue 164 (November) of the VMARS News Sheet with Part 2 in the current Issue. There are now more than 250 lots for auction which is greater than we have had previously so it is time to close the Auction to further lots and suggest that Members hold these over for a subsequent VMARS Auction. Following requests from Members, Bronek will also publish a ‘short-form’ catalogue without photographs in soft-copy, with the next (January) Issue of the News Sheet, to appear in February when further information concerning the Auction will also be published.

VMARS Reflectors (Groups) on the Web

The Society hosts two official Yahoo Groups (VMARS-Member and VMARS-Collector) exclusively for VMARS Members. These are closed groups and the discussions cannot be viewed by non-subscribers. Members can join both groups by invitation only. Invitations to join VMARS-Member are issued automatically to new Members or by application to Bronek Wedzicha M0DAF. Invitations to VMARS-Collector are issued by application to Tony Barron G3YYH. Both Groups are moderated by the Committee and their purpose is as follows:

The VMARS-Member Group is a forum where Members can share technical and other specialised information about all aspects of VMARS Members' interests and within the scope of the Society. It is not to be used for the posting of advertisements for trade.

The VMARS-Collector Group is a trading platform for VMARS Members. Its purpose is to enable Members to buy, sell, exchange or request items which relate directly to vintage and military radio, radar and associated items.

Members are advised that another Yahoo Group calling itself VMARS is not an official VMARS site and correctly identifies itself as having nothing to do with the Society except in name.

Bronek Wedzicha M0DAF

Sale of back-issues of Signal

With so many becoming VMARS Members each year, it is inevitable that we should receive enquiries regarding the availability of back issues of Signal and its forerunner, The

VMARS Newsletter.

Back issues of Signal are available to fully paid-up VMARS Members as follows: 1-9 issues at £4 per issue. 10+ issues at £3 per issue. 20+ Issues at £2.50. 30+ issues at £2 per issue; all + postage at cost. Signal is available in hardcopy only. Similarly, we can provide hardcopies of individual issues of the VMARS Newsletter; back issues are not held so reprints would need to be made and will be charged at cost +postage.

A complete list of the contents of each of the 41 Issues of Signal was published in Issue 164 of the VMARS News Sheet.

Any Member wishing to purchase back issues should contact the VMARS Membership Secretary in the first instance.

Ron Swinburne M0WSN

Saturday AM Net-Controller’s Rota

Date 1st op 2nd op 3rd op

21st Jan M0DAF MW0XHO G4GEN

28th Jan MW0XHO G4GEN G4BQF

4th Feb G4GEN G4BQF GW8TBG

11th Feb G4BQF GW8TBG G3YYH

18th Feb GW8TBG G3YYH G8AQN

25th Feb G3YYH G8AQN M1PVC

4th Mar G8AQN M1PVC G0TBI

Disclaimer

This News Sheet is for the information of Members of VMARS only. Information contained within it is privileged and subject to formal confirmation and no liability will be accepted by VMARS for use made of its contents.

Sending in articles, news items, letters and advertisements for VMARS Publications

Please send copy to Colin Guy G4DDI by post or e-mail, 7 Herrick Court, Clinton Park, Tattershall, Lincs. LN4 4QU Tel 01526 344715 g4ddi@vmars.org.uk The copy deadline for the next issue of the News Sheet is 15th January. For articles for the next issue of Signal the deadline is 9th February 2017, but copy would be appreciated as far in advance as possible.

Copyright Notice

The VMARS News Sheet is a publication of the Vintage and Military Amateur Radio Society. Copyright remains vested in the authors, thus no material in this News Sheet may be copied and published elsewhere, in part or in full, by any means, without the express permission of the author. This may be sought either

from the author direct, or from the News Sheet Editor, Bronek Wedzicha M0DAF.

The VMARS News Sheet Issue 165

5 December 2016

Helplines 165/01. B40 or B41 and Eddystone 730/4 for

display

I'm currently working on a Netflix series called The Crown. We are doing a few communications scenes that are meant to be on the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1956 and for this we are using the radio rooms on the HMS Belfast with their on-board B40/41 receivers and an Eddystone. We are also doing a scene at the Admiralty where they are demonstrating some of the new technology, uniforms, etc. available to the Navy at that time to a young Prince Phillip and we thought it would be nice if we could match up the stuff on the Belfast to be part of the display and have it in the background while he is being shown around.

For this reason I am looking to buy a Murphy B40 or B41 Receiver and an Eddystone 730/4 Receiver for part of this display and hope that one of your members may be able to help. Tel: 07759 230 811 or jwayre@aol.com

Jon Wayre

165/02. Marconi HP311

I recently came across a Wireless Set HP 311 in cases while sorting a deceased Radio Ham’s estate for probate. I’ve only found one article about this set in a copy of Wireless World – see below. Are you familiar with this set? How rare is it? Have you any idea how much I should pay for it if for sale?

E-mail: cockleshell_hero@icloud.com

David Coles

Committee Notices Applications for Membership

We wish to welcome the following new applicants for VMARS Membership:

Name, Callsign (Region) Interests

Mr DP Hayes GW4AKY Ceredigon, Wales

Vintage valve amateur radio and ex-WD radio equipment, particularly British. Collecting, restorating and operating. Use of CW on amateur bands.

Mr RJ Spreadbury G3XLG Stowmarket, Suffolk

Military sets from 40s, 50s, 60s. CW operating.

Mr J Harris Newcastle-upon-Tyne

WWII radio and electrical/ electronic equipment (in particular as fitted to bombers).

Mr N Gregory Ireleth-in-Furness, Cumbria

Command sets, GEE, aircraft equipment and VHF equipment.

Mr PD Allen M6GYS Folkestone, Kent

Clansman.

Mr PR Pupins 2E0PRP Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

All sorts. Motorcycles, military vehicles (K9 and QLR radio).

[Membership rules require names of applicants for Membership to be published, before they are formally accepted as Members. This allows existing Members to object, if they wish. If you want to object to any of the above, please write to our Hon Sec, Peter Chadwick G3RZP – Ed.]

Advertisement Wanted: B40, B41 and Eddystone 730/4. Please see the

piece under Helplines above.

Jon Wayre (NM) 07759 230 811 or jwayre@aol.com

~ ~ ~

This newly-acquired

BC610/BC348 combination

makes for a very fine station at

G3YYH

IEEE UK and Ireland Section THE EVOLUTION OF TELEVISION FROM BAIRD TO THE DIGITAL AGE

a free-to-attend invitation-only event

on Friday 27th January 2017

at the

Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BS

A ‘celebration’ of the first public demonstration of television in January 1926 at 22 Frith Street, Soho, London by John Logie Baird. The demonstration is recorded as being attended by some 40 members of the Royal Institution (RIGB).

Television a Greek word τῆλε (tèle), meaning "far", and a Latin word visio, meaning "sight"

Provisional Details

Registration, with coffee served, will be from 1030.

Welcome and Opening Introductions in the RIGB Lecture Theatre: to take their seats from 1100. The platform party will include Karen Bartleson, 2017 IEEE President, Bill Hayes, President of IEEE Broadcast Technology Society, Iowa Public Television, USA, IEEE Region 8 Director, Ali Hessami, IEEE UK and Ireland Section Chair, Iain Logie Baird, grandson of John Logie Baird, Antonio Polledri, owner of Bar-Italia and Little Italy in Frith Street.

Donald F McLean will describe early television concepts and the technical contributions of John Logie Baird,

Iain Logie Baird will speak about his grandfather. After a buffet lunch, the afternoon programme will comprise several more-specialised lectures on TV technology related subjects, commencing with Cyril Hilsum who will describe how British research resulted in the LCDs used now in almost all large flat TV screens, and will include Nick Wells on the revolution in TV broadcasting – from analogue to digital, and closing with Bill Hayes who will speak about the impact and future of modern TV related digital developments.

Following the closing ceremony at about 1600, there will be a short refreshments and socialising period.

The event will be associated with the formal unveiling on the previous day of an IEEE History Milestone Plaque to be mounted in Frith Street. The outline of the plaque, being cast in bronze, is illustrated here. It is intended that a recording of the ceremony will be shown on the screen at the RIGB on 27th January. To request an invitation ticket, go to:

www.ieee-ukandireland.org/baird Ticketing will be done via Eventbrite.