Many years ago the Cornishman SSB Transceiver was conceived, designed and built by a group of dedicated Cornish Radio Amateur Club members known to include the likes of Johnny Brown and Bill Hamill to name just a couple. Recently a visitor to the website (Phil) contacted us as he had been using a Cornishman up to just a few years ago and he has kindly supplied us with the following images.

This was one of the first SSB transceivers and when you compare today’s ‘black boxes’ to it it is very evident just how far we have progressed. Further articles about the Cornishman project will appear either on this site or the Blog from time to time as I have learned today that Phil’s example is returning the county of its conception in the near future. We hope to be able to get it on air during our 25th anniversary IMD celebrations in April.

Stay tuned as they say!

Yesterday evening three candidates, Phil from Penzance, Darren from Carbis Bay & Steve from Redruth were the three candidates taking our first intermediate examination at CRAC. Darren a nd Steve had previously achieved their Foundation licence  receiving instruction from Graham G3LAI when our second Foundation course was won.

The examination at Perran Ar Worthal was invigilated by Ken G0fic & Steve G7VOH and I am delighted to report that all three candidates were successful apparently achieving excellent marks well above the required minimum.

Congratulations to Phil, Darren  &  Steve  -  well done, only one more hill to climb (I bet Darren has started studying already). I guess Graham will have to sort out an advanced course now;no rest for the wicked Graham.

On behalf of the candidates I take this opportunity to thank the volunteers that have made their success possible. To Graham for his excellent teaching skills, to Ken & Steve for giving their time to invigilate and in true Hollywood style, to Perran Ar Worthal Church for providing the venue for the exam…..to Grahams mother etc etc

Well done chaps, await hearing the shiny new 2E0 calls in the near future.

Information

Special callsigns for amateur radio stations during 2012

The Radio Society of Great Britain and Ofcom have reached agreement on the optional use of special callsigns for two significant events during 2012.

For the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, all UK amateur stations will have the option of applying for a variation to their licence if they wish, to use a special prefix for a five week period. This will add or substitute the letter “Q” in the place of the Regional identifier in the callsign.

For the period of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, a similar facility will exist for a seven week period, using the letter “O”.

Both the above facilities will also be available to Amateur Club licences.

Furthermore, calls in the series GB2012aaa will be available for Special Event Stations relating to the Olympics and licences will be issued for four “flagship” stations using the prefix 2O12a where “O” is the letter O, and a is a single letter relating to the location of the station. (2 oscar 12L(ondon)

Further details of these arrangements are on the attached summary, and administrative details will be issued by Ofcom and the RSGB shortly.

In more detail:

The following facilities will be available to holders of the following licences:

Amateur Foundation Licence
Amateur Intermediate Licence
Amateur Full Licence
Amateur Full (Club) Licence
Amateur Full (Reciprocal) Licence
Amateur Full (Temporary Reciprocal) Licence

Special prefix to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee:

Period: 00.00 BST 5th May 2012 to 23.59 BST 10th June 2012

Authorisation: To conform to the requirements of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, each licensee must obtain a Notice of Variation . This is an on-line process, and will be available from 1st March 2012.

Callsign: the letter Q will be added to calls, or replace the regional identifier. For example (where “aaa” represents the final alpha block of the callsign):

M3aaa becomes MQ3aaa
G3aaa becomes GQ3aaa
GM3aaa becomes GQ3aaa
2E0aaa becomes 2Q0aaa
2M0aaa becomes 2Q0aaa
GX3aaa becomes GQ3aaa

Special prefix to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games:

Period: 00.00 BST 21st July 2012 to 23.59 BST 9th September 2012

Authorisation: To conform to the requirements of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, each licensee must obtain a Notice of Variation. This is an on-line process, and will be available from 1st March 2012.

Callsign: the letter O will be added to calls, or replace the regional identifier. For example (where “aaa” represents the final alpha block of the callsign):

M3aaa becomes MO3aaa
G3aaa becomes GO3aaa
GM3aaa becomes GO3aaa
2E0aaa becomes 2O0aaa (Two Oscar zero aaa)
2M0aaa becomes 2O0aaa (Two Oscar zero aaa)
GX3aaa becomes GO3aaa

At Gweal an Top, School Lane, Redruth TR15 2ER 7.00 – 7.30pm

It seems hard to believe that Christmas has already passed by and the New Year begins on Sunday! Where did 2011 go, amazing.

Unfortunately we have lost more good friends in 2011, the recent losses include Geoff G3VJB who served the Club for many years in times past and Bert, G3VWK who was an officer of the Club for more years than I can remember (I joined the Committee in 1980 and he was there then) taking a step back only a couple of years back, mainly due to ill health and the difficulty of attending meetings. They and others will be sadly missed.

On a brighter note, we have helped several new comers to the hobby achieve their first call sign in 2011. Now, we are on the point of running our first Intermediate Exam towards the end of January, I believe. Good luck to Darren, Phil & Steve when they sit the test.We need some good HF operators for the special events in 2012.

April will see our 25th International Marconi Day, yes its true 25 IMD’s and we wondered if it would last a couple of years. thanks to everyone who has helped olver the years. We want to make 2012 something special and therefore need more operators to come forward and give some of their time to man the event. With the bands beginning to show signs of increased activity 2012 might just be the first year for some time when we may be in a position to contact 2,000 or so stations over the 24 hours. to do so we need to be running at least two stations, preferably three and, even if you are a ‘lapsed’ member we invite you to contact us to arrange a spell at the Mic or key if you would prefer?

Our meeting venue has recently changed to Gweal An Top, School Lane, Redruth. The move has proved to be very popular and we have seen an increase in membership and attendance as a direct result, we feel. We are still awaiting getting our arrangement on to a more formal basis and, until this happens there could be the chance of losing the venue especially if we don’t adhere to their rules. So, please ,no cigarette ends outside the front door!

We wouod like to take the opportunity of wishing everyone Compliments of the Season and a very Happy and, we hope,prosperous New Year in 2012.

Norman

and the Committee of CRAC

We have received another selection of special offers to Club Members from UAS Enterprises Ltd.

A very interesting selection of products offered at extremely keen prices.

You will find full details by clicking on the following link.

Click Here

Many thanks to Roy at UAS

Thursday 17th November will be the next meeting evening at

Gweal An Top, Redruth.

A constructors evening.

Bring along any project you may be having problems with, someone will probably be able to help.

A construction competition will be announced! First prize will be a years membership of the Club

There will also be a 2nd and a 3rd prize……..steady on, don’t get too excited.

See you there.

Norman

Next meeting will be our constructors workshop evening at Gweal An Top School, Redruth

1900 hrs for 1930 start.

Bring along your projects and get help from the other member attending. Who knows, it

could save you hours of frustration is someone knows the answer to your problem.

See you there

Next Meeting of the Cornish Radio Amateur Club

Will be on FRIDAY 7th October 2011  as the room was double booked on Thursday, our usual night.

at

Gweal An Top School, School Lane,Redruth,Cornwall

at 1930 Hrs

There will be the normal general business section of the meeting followed by

I believe we will be treated to a talk on antennas by David G3NPB. Well worth listening to David as he has many years of experience and considers himself to be something of an antenna expert.