Welcome!

The Southdown Amateur Radio Society is a club for anybody interested in amateur radio, with members across the South Downs and even other countries.

We meet on a weekly basis at one of our two radio sites, as well as once a month in our Eastbourne-based club rooms.

We have members interested in everything from CW to modern data mode and participate in many contests each year – you can read more about what we get up to on the blog, or below.

Latest News

Some Sad News G8CVV SK by Barry G8DXU

Previously a long standing member of SARS, Barry Chuter G8CVV became a Silent Key on Sunday 26th of July. Barry had moved from Eastbourne to Minehead about two years ago to be closer to his family.

He had a special interest in VHF and was renown for his knowledge and expertise in High Voltage generation and research into lightening. The title page on this site shows one of Barry’s demonstrations of a small Tesla coil discharge!

Barry was a Staff Sargent in the local TA in which he served from the 1970s until retirement. Barry developed the “Chuter Box” to facilitate voice communications over the MODs Triffid / Ptarmigan radio system. He was also a Technical Officer working in the local Eastbourne “C” Submarine Repeater station.

He will be sadly missed by members of the society, together with his friends in the TA and British Telecom.

Members Contests / Competition by Barry G8DXU

This contest concluded on Saturday 25th with a number of members making contact with Ian F/G7HFS/M whilst travelling in France at Boulogne-sur-mer. Members wishing to be included in the results listing should send their completed logs to G8DXU in Excel Format.

Future meetings postponed due to COVID-19 by Tom 2E0ONX

After careful consideration and in light of the fact that a significant proportion of our membership is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, the Committee has taken the decision to indefinitely postpone all future monthly meetings as well as meetings at the Cafe Continental on Wednesdays, until further notice. Meetings at the club shacks will continue with attendance at the discretion of members.

We hope to be able to reinstate future meeting dates as soon as possible, but in the meantime a special club net is planned, with the following details:

Every Wednesday 14:00 hrs, 70cm GB3ZX (Butts Brow) repeater
Output: 430.825 Mhz
Input: 438.425 MHz (+7.6 MHz)
Input tone: 88.5 Hz

Please see our calendar for details of scaled-down events, camps and activities, these are generally limited to six members. On-Air meetings and contests are still open to all members.