Steven Burnand

As a lad I would collect old radio sets from the local rubbish tip and jumble sales. Then go back and plug them in. There were a few very loud bangs and I got shocks from a live chassis or two. Some theses old set’s had voltage running through the speaker and I found this out, in very much the same way. My enthusiasm grew as I repaired a few and I became hooked by the old glowing valves and listening to the short wave. I could here stations from all over the world, however some I could not tune in. Just down the road from Portland Road Gamley’s was GWM, so often, as a lad, I gravitated there. As Less had filled the place full of, old radios. I was 13 when I asked, what are those squawking sounds, on the sort wave and Less replied, radio hams. I then inquired how to listen to them and he suggested an AR88 with its BFO. My interests are still in the old equipment, although by trade I am a computer/network technician. I will be back on air soon, running a TS780S through a PC and an old faithful FT101ZD with the FM board fitted. My thanks go’s out, to all those that have helped me, get back on air again.

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More on the National Mills Weekend 2013

The National Mills Weekend 2013 at the Polegate Windmill and the Windmill Hill Windmill.   Here is Simon G4BJP operating at the Polegate Windmill on National Mills Weekend 2013 John G3DQY operating and Simon G4BJP logging Simon and John seen here again with the ladder cable from the G5RV. Poking the cable through the small …

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National Mills weekend

I will be adding to this blog over the week…. Our club was asked to help out at Windmill Hill this year and here are a few details. If you have old photos of our polegate windmill events from previous years could you let me know via our websites contact form? Sadly I lost mine …

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Redoubt Fortress

RSGB AFS contest

A BIG thanks goes out from all SARS members to John Vaughan G3DQY for operating on last Saturday’s RSGB AFS contest under the club call sign G3WQK. John braved the snow and was there alone, however he did manager to work 40 stations, giving us a score of around 400. The Hailsham Shack opening times are …

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Club meeting on the 4th of February

Our guest speaker at the next club meeting on the 4th February, will be Dick Jeffries G4KAR speaking about the Eastbourne & Wealden RAYNET Group, that was formed back in 1976 with the objective of supporting the blue light emergency services, the Emergency Planning Officer and the voluntary emergency services such as the British Red …

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French Connection

Radio Club de Normandie – Our Twin In 1976 our club was twinned with the Radio Club de Normandie in France – this page is dedicated to the history of events that have taken place as a result of this relationship. To the right is a photograph of the RCN visit in 1979, three years …

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Club origins and the first 39 years

This article, by Club President Geoff Ellis G3LFZ spans 39 Years of our club history from (1967 – 2006). The Society The inaugural meeting of the Southdown Amateur Radio Society was held in the Gilda Café, Polegate in 1967. Regular monthly meetings followed at the Beachy Head Hotel. Time dims memories and one forgets now …

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Metropole Hotel 1981