BADARC'S LATEST NEWS

Bedford & District Amateur Radio Club will be focusing on training and rapid deployment this year:   

April 2024. Welcome to the New Year - time for a new pastime and to learn new skills. Whether you are interested in Amateur Radio for the sheer joy of communicating, learning new scientific principles, electronics and construction, exercise or preparedness to help your family and fellow man. There is something for everyone in Amateur Radio; from very high frequency (VHF) and satellites to throwing a wire over a tree branch and chatting with fellow licensed radio operators.

We enjoy nothing more than to put up a station and tell the world about the various interesting things about Bedfordshire. To that end we develop aerials and practice putting on a station as quickly as possible. Indeed, some of us consider rapid deployment (RaDAR) as a pleasure in its own right. Come and join us in our pursuit of knowledge, skill and enjoyment in communication.

As spin-off from Covid and to help control fuel costs we are having our weekly talks using both "Zoom" AND in person at the club, simultaneously, which also means that we can welcome Dx members far and wide. We look forward to seeing you at the clubhouse if you can come. We meet at the club,  on Tuesdays, Saturdays and some Sundays to experiment and learn about radio, electronics and various associated interests. We also simply have a conversation. The club is also open on other days of the week - keep an eye on the web site and direct social media.  Also we CAN and DO meet on air and virtually. We have increased our on-air presence on 2m FM/SSB, also on GB3BF repeater and on 15m/20m/40m/80m/160m HF with inland and overseas contacts, nets and, perhaps, contests. Some of us also enjoy digital and digital voice modes. Listen out for us as we activate special calls such as GB4PAX and GB4SOE, GB4BMA, GB4KWM for the Special Operations Executive and Bromham or Kempston Water Mill respectively. May the restrictions under which we were operating now inspire you to look at ALL aspects of our lives and consider if we have the opportunity to modernise or improve the things that we do and enjoy and also the ways in which we do them.  We will continue to provide mentoring and advice via e-mail as well. We are also recommencing our courses to help folk with the new online licensing exams.

Unlike some clubs, ALL of our female members are licensed radio operators.

Anyone can listen in to amateur radio transmissions. If you’re new to amateur radio, then listening-in for a while is a good way to get a feel for what is going on. If you want more stations go to websdr.org in the links on the right of this page.

To become a radio amateur, licensed to transmit, you will need a brief period of study, and to pass a simple theory examination, which can be taken in the comfort of your home, and then do some practicals.

We will be starting our next series of exam preparations, see the RSGB site for the requirements. We include all new members in our on going learning activity. The essence of our pastime is Experimentation and Education.

We also prepare for our various "outings" and "special events" of the year such as the Museums on the Air and Mills on the Air from Bromham Watermill.

We enjoy one of the core activities of our pastime, communicating with other folk.  We share this with our international friends by making contact with our twin town of Bamberg at the same time as enjoying good fellowship.  Thus fostering LEARNING, COMUNICATION AND FRIENDSHIP. These, incidentally, are also at the heart of our pastime.

Congratulations to Sue m7tlw and Duncan m7yed having earned very impressive passes in our exams and Duncan has now upgraded to 2e0yed having started from scratch relatively recently. Also to our advanced licence holder Marc m0ywo who, starting from scratch, is now one of our training assessors. GOOD LUCK  to those who are progressing in their learning journey in Amateur Radio with their licence exams  in the coming months!

We enjoy experimentation in all sorts of topics. Aerials are always a favourite. We have a lovely field to try out all sorts of experiments...

2017 was a special year for BADARC as it was our diamond jubilee. The actual date of the original Bedford Radio Club has been, like all good legends, lost in the mists of time. There have been various phoenixes over the decades but our badge has been consistent. It was a most exciting year with a variety of special events and activities... but here every year is exciting and interesting. We hold a variety of talks and activities to which all are welcome, young and no so young, beginner and old hand. See the calendar below for our activities and events.

Come along and join us in our experiments - If you are interested in electronics, radio or a licenced amateur I hope that you will find something of interest to you. Explore the page and the site and scroll down to our calendar entries. Listen for us as we operate the club calls MX1BED or GX3WTP on Mondays (yes even the un-licenced can listen using WebSDR (see the links on the right of the page). If you have the time drop by and share a coffee, or tea, and a chat about radio. You can find a map of how to find us at the bottom of the Club and Location tab page.

Club field and aerials

 

We are one of the few clubs in the country to meet weekly during the daytime [ Saturday 1330 till 1730 ] and in the evenings [ Tuesday 1900 till 2100 ] (see below). 

Check the calendar below for further events.

Our INTERMEDIATE and ADVANCED course is held on various Saturdays / Sundays with evening revision sessions. We run foundation courses in the summer when there is sufficient demand. Contact our training officer for more details.

We also have Morse code classes on Thursdays.

The essence of our pastime is experimentation and education but above all communication. Give it a go on air there are many experienced members in the club only too willing to explain and help. We have a number of people studying and practicing at various training levels so we shall be organizing exam sessions shortly. (Those of you with licences remember to revalidate them regularly.)

Here is a simple kit that a number of members have built with interesting results:

All of the lady members of our club are licenced radio amateurs.

Girls and Ladies are active radio amateurs in all aspects of the hobby. Watch the video below. Training for all members is on an on-going basis - time to get on air.

 

Outings Day As a club we go on a number of outings both as individual groups and "en mass". One such outing was to the cruiser HMS Belfast in London which has an amateur radio station aboard.

BADARC has joined

RNARS  and RAFARS  and RSARS

 

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