Mar 28 2014

Buildathon

We built our Oscillators

Over the past few weeks the club members have been busy exercising their electronic, mechanical and soldering skills, building several Morse code practice oscillators. The concept behind the Buildathon project was to construct a device which could be used while delivering the communicator badge work for Beaver, Cubs and Scouts, using easily obtainable and inexpensive components. The circuit was based on the ubiquitous “555 chip”. The hardware consisted of a “clip lock” box which contained the speaker, battery and chip. The Morse key was constructed using an everyday clothes peg, a block of wood and a rubber “O” ring. The six oscillators and Morse keys which were made have already seen action at the 10th Greenock and District Scout camp and proved to be a big hit with everyone. Club members are already considering modifications to improve the product so watch this space.

Learning code with the practice oscillator

Learning code with the oscillator

The finished project

Steph solders the components

Roy and Andy build the box

Feb 22 2014

Amateur radio at its very best

During November 2013 the club had the privilege of operating the Radio Society of Great Britain’s special centenary radio station, GM100RSGB.

We all had a great time and the full story of our operation and that of the Wigtonshire Amateur Radio Club can be read in the March 2014 edition of ‘RadCom’, the Radio Society’s magazine.

Feb 21 2014

New Badge Workbooks published

We have added new material to our Badge Work page.
We have revised the Scouts Communicator Activity Badge Workbook which is now at Revision 4 and we have designed and published a Brownie Communicator Badge Workbook.

Be sure to check them out before you leave the site.

Feb 17 2014

Thinking Day on the Air (TDOTA) 2014

Once again the club provided Girlguiding Renfrewshire’s presence on the airwaves for the annual Thinking Day on the Air activities, operating from the South Newton Training Centre.
This year, due to prior commitments, we only operated on the Saturday.
However, this limitation in no way reduced the enjoyment for the participants and we all had a great time.

We were hosts to twenty-two Brownies, six Leaders (including the South Newton Chairperson,Maureen Foley) and five other visitors on the day.
We were able to make 116 Radio Contacts in 17 Countries ranging from the USA to Europe with one new 1 new DXCC country, Algeria (7X2ARA), being successfully logged.
Special mention must be made of our contact with the Winter Olympic Games Special Event Station, a unique opportunity which we were glad to take.

We also made contact with fourteen Guide/Scout Stations in the UK and our Brownies were able to exchange greetings messages with many of them including a contact with Liz Jones, MM0ACL, the Girlguiding UK TDOTA organiser.
At this point we would like to express our thanks to the many operators for their patience and understanding which greatly helped to make the event an enjoyable and memorable one for our young people.

All the Brownies attending earned their Communicator Badge and the activities also went towards three different parts of the ‘Big Brownie Birthday Challenge Badge’.
Another successful TDOTA completed, now we look forward to next year and more Girlguiding DX!!!