Author - Chris Cloclough G1VDP

As the year 2024 end draws ever closer, we like to wish all our friends around the world season’s greetings in their home language, and we do apologize if we miss yours off the list. Let’s hope that 2025 brings us all good luck, health, and prosperity.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddn Newydd

Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo

Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annèe

Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo

Vasel Koleda

Froehliche Weihnachten undein gluckliches Nues Jahr

Kala Christougenna Kieftihismenos O Kenowios Chronos

Boldoy Karácsonyt

Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia

Cestitamo Bozia

Boas Fiestas e um feliz Ano Novo

Nollaig Shona Dhuit

Any of my radio friends out there would like a nice design of a badge or banner creating, then have look at the Facebook page of Marcel – PD3MR – who has made some beautiful designs of call sign badges and banners. My QSL card image is one of his, from a photograph of the Red Arrows taken by myself. He also designed the HARES badge in an earlier post, so he is pretty good in my opinion. Do contact him and see what he can do for you, and mention my name and call when you do enquire. 

(Photo taken from ITV News)

The trend for naming storms has continued this past weekend with a storm hitting the UK causing power outages, damage to homes and trees, and radio amateurs antennas or supports. It is once again coastal areas that have taken the brunt of the hit. I am just hoping that my friends down in West Wales are all safe as the worst damage I am seeing and hearing about, my friend Rob (MW0RLJ) has suffered damage to his antenna with 2 spreaders on his Hexbeam breaking, some damage to his barn roof, and lost tiles on the house roof – at least he is safe. The BBC are reporting on sad news of at least one death from the storm. 

Locally I am hearing f friends antenna supports breaking in Redditch, a shed roof felt being blown off – the shed is his shack – and the smallholding where I go out portable has also suffered damage, her henhouse has gone over scaring the chickens I bet.

Here at home I have lost a couple of tiles on my roof, and luckily no other damage as far as I can tell. At least my antenna is still up. And who’s idea was it to name a storm after a comedian? Darragh O’Brien it is not funny now all this damage.

Time for an update on myself and why no posts in November. To be honest I have just not been myself and been hiding away in home putting on the “I’m OK” face when I have had to leave the house. Luckily I do have a few really good friends that have kept me from falling fully and not doing a self destruct mentally. I think I am back on track even though it is approaching Christmas and not my favourite time of year, but we will get through it.

I also started a diet in September to try once again to get my weight down and my health back, mainly so I wasn’t always feeling lethargic and out of breath when walking. This is working and over 2 stone gone, and I do have more energy. My consultant is encouraging and an old school friend so that helps.

One of my radio clubs, the local one I attend almost every meeting Hinckley ARES, has elected me as secretary at their AGM at the start of November and this has kept me busy trying to arrange some talks and visits for the next year. We have a nice looking calendar through to April now, and I am still looking at some visits for members in the warmer months. Below is the calendar and all are welcome to come along if visiting the area, you will be made welcome and offered a cuppa and a biscuit.

Today this was posted by the team going out to Namibia. Hopefully they will be on the air this weekend for some fun chasing them. Good luck and safe trip my friends.

V55LA Namibia
Dear All,
Our team has been working tirelessly to prepare for this exciting adventure, and we’re pleased to share that the flight tickets are confirmed, our QTH in Namibia is secured, and some of us are updating our vaccinations to ensure a safe journey.
We’re also proud to unveil our brand-new V55LA logo, beautifully designed by our longtime friend, Miguel EA5ZD. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to finalize our preparations.
DXpedition Dates
​
Departure: 30th October 2024
Return: 11th November 2024
During this period, the V55LA team will be active on all HF bands (CW, SSB, Digi), with a particular focus on the low bands. Our team consists of experienced operators skilled in “human modes”, so you can expect to hear plenty of activity on both CW and SSB throughout the expedition where it is needed for most of you.
Our goal is to make contact with as many operators as possible so Digi will be run too of course, and we’ll be doing our utmost to make this a memorable and enjoyable DXpedition for everyone.
Meet the Team
Rune – LA7THA (Leader)
Gjermund – LB5GI
Erwann – LB1QI
Svein – LA3BO
Morten – LB8DC
Chris – LA8OM
Philipp – OE7PGI
Svein Jarle – LA9KKA
Torvald – LB1FI
(Additional operators to be confirmed soon!)
Stay Connected
Our dedicated V55LA webpage is live! We’ll be regularly updating it with new information as the DXpedition date approaches. Visit us here:
https://www.ardxpeditions.com/dxpeditions/v55la
QSL Information
We are delighted to have Charles Wilmott (M0OXO) as our QSL Manager. QSL policy will be detailed soon.
Support Us
If you’d like to support our efforts, donations are warmly welcomed! Please send contributions to our PayPal address:
donations@ardxpeditions.com
We can’t wait to embark on this journey and look forward to making contact with as many of you as possible!
Warm Regards,
The V55LA Team (2024)

This coming weekend – 17th to 19th October 2024 – Hinckley ARES are helping out with a couple of our local scout groups with their Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) and Jamboree On The Internet (JOTI) weekend. This is where the beavers, cubs, and scouts get chance to gain their communication badge while learning about amateur radio. We have planned some fun activities for them and we have a Special Event Station (SES) call which we will be using to encourage the attendees to speak with other JOTA stations, some from around the world and not just in the UK.

We will also be using the call outside the event to test the antennas and equipment before letting folks loose. So look out for GB2HBB – Hinckley, Bosworth, Burbage scouts – and please do give us a call. A QSL card will be available via our QSL manager Charles (M0OXO) on his OQRS system and we will show the card when we have the proof of design.

GB2HBB – Hinckley, Bosworth, Burbage scouts –  Fox Covert Scout Camp, Kirkby Mallory, Leicestershire.  Locator; IO92ho  Worked All Britain;  SK40

What a cracking weekend. Didn’t start well with both mine and Charles’ (M0OXO) flights being delayed, causing us to be late in arriving at the hotel – well 19:00 rather than 18:00 – but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the local hospitality and beers. Dave (EI9FBB) collected us from Dublin along with Philip (DX6SP) and Tomi (HA8RT) who were giving a talk on their recent trip to Guyana 8R7X, but more on that later.

So after late arriving aircraft we got on the road for the 2 1/2 hour journey to Ennis in the south of the country, passing right through the centre of Ireland (Eire) on the motorway. Dave had me get the mapping app on my phone to show exactly where we were at that moment. We finally arrived at the hotel at 19:00, so quickly checked in and unpack my bags in the room and head to the bar. There was already a good group in there, most having food from the bar menu which I have to say was excellent all weekend, and just chatting over a beer. It was also good to see Adrian (KO8SCA) and his wife sat with the 8R7X team, Fred (G4BWP) and Kerry (G8VR). As there was a spare chair I joined them to catch up and talk radio. Eventually as the night wore on we all started drifting off, but for some reason I ended up staying through to 00:30 when the bar closed talking with some of the Irish lads about pensions, the Navy, and how we all started in amateur radio. I declined the trip in to town, finally getting in bed just before 01:00.

Rather a shock to the system when the alarm went off at 07:00 to get up for breakfast. As mentioned previously the food was absolutely delicious and the full Irish, or County Clare breakfast as the hotel called it, was one of the best I had tasted on my trips over to Ireland. Following breakfast and coffee to bring me around it was getting close to the time to go into the room where the presentations were to be held. The hotel, the Temple Gate in Ennis, used to be an abbey before the conversion and new buildings erected. The hall was the old chapel, and the wooden beams were still in place, encompassed into the whole design of the building. A magnificent setting for some interesting and diverse talks.

Dave (EI9FBB) went through the running order of the day and started off with the DX quiz. As suggested by the name all the questions are based on DXing and the DX community, for example “If you operate as 6Y7EI which ITU region are you in?” Or “JARA is the national society of what country?” Little did we know but both these questions were clues to the next EiDX Groups expedition which we will mention more of later. Oh the answer to the first question you ask, region 2. This is a team competition and it also gives you chance to meet new people who may only be there as a day visitor.

A CW and SSB pileup test was next, how these guys pull out the calls from the cacophony of noise is amazing. The CW was won jointly by Fred and Adrian both receiving a trophy later in the day. Fred did the double with winning the SSB event also. Adrian was the first presentation on his recent adventure on CY9C St Pauls Island. This had only ended 4 weeks previous and was being shown for the first time at DX Feile. 8R7X was next with 3 of the team, Jamie (M0SDV), Philip, and Tomi all doing their bit to tell the story and how they had overcome the difficulties of planning and getting the necessary permissions from the local government. Luckily they found a “fixer” who was well known in the area and got all the licences and a location suitable for what they needed – he was also a bit of a local celebrity and got the guys in the local paper and contacts with the government minister. 

Lunch break and time to again have a chat and refreshments. The hotel was not disappointing with what they offered, and with Dave liaising with the staff the menu had talk themed names for the dishes on offer – St Pauls fish and chips! Well done Dave for this, and to the staff for their fast and friendly service which we received all weekend. Back into the talks and time for a rookie expeditioner to give his view on the EiDXG trip to 7P8EI Lesotho. 

Denis (EI5GSB) started with his own view from a rookie’s point of view with 4 or 5 quick fire slides, delivered with the Irish humour and wit he is known for, saying thanks and ending saying “there you go Dave, got back the 45-minute delay” before giving an interesting and informative look at the trip from his angle as the new boy. Followed by Adrian with N5J Jarvis Island, it was incredible that he had left Jarvis Island, sailed back to Hawaii and onto home to immediately get back on a plane to go to CY9C, his wife must be a very understanding lady. This was the first big expedition to use the RiB (Radio in a Boat) concept where most of the operators were actually hooked u via the internet from their homes. 

The final presentation was given by Jeremy (EI5GM) with the announcement of the next EiDXG trip in March 2025. Remember the quiz question about JARA and 6Y7EI? Both clues to Jamaica. Looking forward to this one for some fun chasing and wish all safe travels. Close to the end with the prizegiving for the quiz and pileup competitions, and the raffle. All finished so retire to the room to freshen up and get ready for the DX Dinner. Food once again was excellent and then to the bar for more fun over a couple of local brew – Guinness.

Up on Sunday for breakfast before meeting in the reception to say our farewells. Jamie and I were on the same flight from Shannon to Birmingham, so Dave (once again) was the driver and dropped us at the airport with plenty of time to spare. We got coffees and sat waiting for the flight to come up on the board. Amazingly it was shown and we left 15 minutes before time and landed in Birmingham 30 minutes early. An excellent weekend with the best company and talks. Cannot wait for next years which is happening on October 11th 2025 at the same location.