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It is with great regret that I have to advise that the special event station has been cancelled. The commissioners have changed their mind and now do not want to put the chosen antenna on the town hall. I apologise to any person this will involve, after six months of planning I share your disapointment but it is completely out of the control of the IOMARS.

We have applied to Ofcom for a change of venue on the NOV, if this is allowed we will operate as a field station. Please watch this space.

Andy Morgan GD1MIP, Secretary IOMARS. 05/11/2013.

 

 

 

The Star of India was built at the Ramsey ship yard in 1863, it was launched as the Euterpe, a full-rigged iron windjammer ship. After a full career sailing from Great Britain to India and New Zealand, she became a salmon hauler on the Alaska to California route. The vessel was retired in 1926 and was restored1962–63, it is now a seaworthy museum ship at the Maritime museum of San Diego, USA. The vessel is the oldest ship still sailing regularly and also the oldest iron-hulled merchant ship still floating.

The society have been asked by the Ramsey town commissioners to assist in communication with the San Diego museum over the weekend of 09th-11th November 2013, whilst both Ramsey and San Diego hold civic events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of it’s launch.  Various methods will be used including, Skype, UHF & echolink and HF.

The station is being operated with  the assistance and cooperation of our friends at the Star Of India Amateur Radio Club, San Diego USA (callsign NS6OI) http://www.sdmaritime.org/star-of-india/

Operating from Ramsey town hall with the kind permission of the town Commissioners (Council). The station will be on air between 08/11/2013 and 15/11/2013, particular activity times will be 09th, 10th & 11th 16:00-23:00 hrs UTC. If you can offer your services  during this time in any capacity please contact Andy Morgan (tel 412 711) as soon as practicable.

Well thanks to Robert Meister WA1MIK

now you can know…..

 

http://www.repeater-builder.com/projects/bird-element-tour/bird-element-tour.html

http://www.repeater-builder.com/projects/project-index.html

 

Folks,  this is not meant as a scare mongering exercise, please read the below and follow the link. Its a consultation not a definite action, put your point of view accross via the forum both here and on the forum linked on the RSGB page below.

Ofcom have announced areas where they are considering improving the clarity of the current licence and changes to improve both their management of amateur licensing as well as progression through the licence structure.

 

Follow the link below and have a good read.

http://rsgb.org/main/rsgb-consultations/ofcom-consultations/licence-review-preparation/

 

Andy  GD1MIP

The 65th AGM will take place on Tuesday 10th December 2013 at the sea cadet hall Tromode Road, starting at 19:30 hours.

If you or anyone you know wishes to be elected onto the society committee please contact the secretary as soon as practicable email iomars@manx.net

Following a recent foundation course all five candidates passed. Licences are now issued so look out on the air for………

Mike MD6MMW
Kevin MD6TDU
Simon MD6DHY
Claudia MD6FIS
Alan MD6MGP

Above radio for sale as part of SK sale for Brooks family SOLD and on its way to Devon. thanks all

Get your foundation amateur radio licence.

We will be holding the course in late August 2013. Cost of the Foundation exam is £27.50 and those sitting it must bring photo ID (of themselves!) there is no cost for the training, it is provided free of all charge.

If you or someone (young or old) that you know would like to sit the paper or have some tuition please get in touch with our RSGB Registered tutor – Andy Morgan on 412711 email GD1MIP@manx.net as soon as possible.

The IOMARS is keen to promote and encourage the advancement of those interested in the hobby, so should you be interested in taking the first step towards speaking to other people around the world then this is an excellent opportunity to start in the world of Amateur Radio.

Have a look at the Manx repeaters web site.

In a nutshell we have the new antenna fitted albeit in a temporary location.

Thanks to the repeater keeper Dave GD4HOZ  and the climbers / staff who have helped.

I have been pondering switching one mic between two radios and I want to get rid of one mic in the shack..
I have two radios fitted with RJ45 8 pin mic plugs. But I am tight, a W2IHY unit doing this task costs £160 + etc there has to be a better (read cheaper way).

Searching the www for inspiration I found this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200675826420? … 1497.l2649 it is sold as a network switch I thought / hoped it could be used as a basis for a mic / dual radio switch. All I’d have to add is speaker / head phone connection / switch. The unit cost £2 each. In theory………………… Either it’ll work or….. the smokes out so I ordered two. They are simple enough units marked A / B and IN, the push switches work opposite each other i.e. push one the other pops up.

What it looks like…. standard box…

I decided to use one box to switch the mic between my two transceivers that are fitted with RJ45 mic plugs. For this task the network switch worked unmodified – simple.

Next was RX audio, I use a headset at times so also needed to switch the audio for that. I decided to remove the RJ45 sockets out of the second network switch box and graft in some 3.5 jack sockets, to do this I removed the track from each end of the PCB (1.5cm).
To allow for a second set of phones or a monitor speaker I put two jack sockets per switching side. I just need to make an end panel insert from modellers PVC card to go round the sockets to fill in the square RJ45 holes. I stuck the two boxes together (side by side) and I now have a 2 radio / 1 mic / headset switching arrangement for less than £8. OK its not quite W2IHY but it works and looks OK. Job done.

Inside standard box…

Done….

Andy GD1MIP