Hello & welcome

Before we get into this episode of "Ray Reviews". . . . .

Next weeks net will be in remembrance of Darren CT 1552/Sleeping Giant/2E0UKI/The Chicken Goujons Station, who has sadly gone silent key after a short illness.

The Monday Night, Channel 14, South Coast PMR Net is held on analogue channel 14, with the radio set on narrow FM (NFM). The net doesn't use any kind of access or privacy codes, which makes it open to all users young and old, expert or newcomer.
If you have been listening to the net and are thinking of joining in, don't worry about having a callsign, just call in with your name and location.

My set up for the night was the battery 🔋 powered CRT SPACE U and the "Dean" made Di-pole up on a fibreglass pole. A combination that works well in all weathers.

The net is scheduled to start at 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and finish at 23:00 Hrs 🕙 UK local time. But sometimes, like on this occasion, it went on until Tuesday morning.

My location was Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌴 Forest in the county of East Sussex, which is rumoured to be the highest point of the forest.
The weather was a mixed bag of all sorts. It was cool & breezy, cloudy then clear and sometimes foggy.

Now on with the list of who heard and or worked who.

CT 5514 - Steve - Jack n Jill - West Sussex 🥇
CT 940 - Richard - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Dragon Slayer #1 - Prue - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Keeping unwanted Dragons from the hill
DDB 50 - Allan - Redhill - Surrey
CT 4515 - John - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex
Lima 93 - Luke - Horsham - West Sussex - Showing off his new callsign
RHP 285 aka Joker - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
CT 5480 - Jonny 5 - Plumpton - East Sussex
Delta 31 - Adam - Hastings - East Sussex
CT 5159 - Neil - Hastingleigh Beacon - Kent
CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
Tango 187 - Toby - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex
GE 07 - Rob - Rye - East Sussex - Worked by Neil CT 5159 and welcome to the net 👍
CT 5502 - Paul - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Cam - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Working & testing a handy
TC 156 - Steve - Gatwick - West Sussex
FB 228 - Martin H - Hellingly - East Sussex
GE 167 - Murphy - Eastbourne - East Sussex
AM 069 - Dean - Lenham - Kent - Worked by Neil CT 5159 and welcome to the net 👍
GM 593 - Graeme - Rochester - Kent
CT 4610 - Andy - Horley - Surrey
C V M - Nigel - Crowborough - East Sussex
and
CT 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Thank you all who called in and kept the net going until it entered Tuesday morning.
If you tried to call in and wasn't heard, give it a go another Monday and maybe try at a different time. The first 45 minutes can be busy.

Now for the Score on the Doors

4 Counties worked
2 Coffees drunk
23 In the log
2 New stations worked by Neil CT 5159
4 or more biscuits eaten
and
2 New amateur operators congratulated.
Yes, congratulations to Steve CT 4627 & Steve CT 5514 on becoming Foundation holders.

One last thing, there is some gossip going round that there will be another 10m Test Net at the end of this month. Apparently it will be the afternoon of the 29th of March on or near by 28.350 MHz USB.

That brings this episode of "Ray Reviews" to an end

Cheers & best 73

Ray 2290 with the Quill, ink pot and paper 📝

Hello all and welcome

Here is my report of the Southern Area & South Coast SSB Net, held on Thursday evening 12/03/2026

The is held on channel 39 on the FCC/CEPT band or 27.395 MHz on LSB and is scheduled to start at 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and finish from 23:00 Hrs 🕙 onwards local UK time.

My set up for the net was the old version 3 Anytone AT-6666 (no amp no power mic), powered by a car battery 🔋 and a Solarcon A-99 antenna up on a 3 metre pole.

Location for the net was Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌴 Forest East Sussex in the county of East Sussex. The weather was breezy, windy, blustery no it was blowing a gale, some would say a hoolie! The vehicle rocked, the mast moved and the antenna bent over at funny angles.

Thanks to John CT 4515 who diverted to Radio Corner and helped take down the antenna.

Here is the list of check in's and who heard and or worked who.

FB 228 - Martin H - Hellingly - East Sussex 🥇
DDB 50 - Allan - Redhill - Surrey
009 - Tom - East London
RC 002 - Tom - Blackheath - Southeast London
DT 372 - John - Pinner - Northwest London
CT 4952 - Julian - Brighton - East Sussex - Using both the Burgess Hill SDR and his radio
CT 5480 - Jonny 5 - Plumpton - East Sussex
JS 7 - James - Rochester - Kent
TC 156 - Steve - Gatwick - West Sussex
MR 121 - Matt - Copthorne - West Sussex
CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
NB 101 - Dave - Edenbridge - Kent
FB 1226 - Simon - Hassocks - East Sussex
CT 4515 - John - Area 53 Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex
TE 310 aka 3 to the 1 to the 0,  MC Kevin - Leigh on Sea - Essex
LT 94 - Matt - Heathrow Airport
C V M - Nigel - Crowborough - East Sussex
LT 01 - Jake - Highgate - North London
LT 727 - Dave - Elstree - Hertfordshire
CT 1829 - Dean - Edenbridge - Kent
ET 01 - Jeff - Orpington - Southeast London
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Crowhurst - Surrey
and me
CI 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Thank you all who called in, with the gale force winds blowing across the Southeast, I didn't expect so many. Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard, give it another go on another Thursday night.

Now for the Numbers of the Night

2 Stations on Ashdown Forest (Area 53 & Radio Corner)
6 Counties worked
1 Coffee drunk
24 In the log
7 London boroughs worked
2 Biscuits eaten

That brings this report to an end

All the best & 73

Ray 2290 with the paper & pen 📝

Hello and good day to you, my favourite reader

Here is another episode of "Ray Reviews" the Monday Night South Coast PMR, held on the night of Monday 9th of March 2026.

Did you know that on this day in history, 1891 Britain was hit by a 3 day blizzard that killed 200 people and over 5000 animals die, and in 1974, the last Japanese solider surrenders, 29 years after World War 2 ends.

After that historical soundbite, now for more about the net.

My location for the net was Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌳 Forest in the county of East Sussex, which is about midway between London and the South coast.
The weather was mild most of the night with a gentle breeze, which did bring in the fog  that reduced visibility to metres. At one point, I could not see the antenna on top of the pole.

The net can be found on PMR analogue channel 14 with the radio's set on NFM. No CTCSS, CDS, ABC, XYZ codes or tones are used. This makes the net open to all, regardless of what radio you have.
If you have been a listening station and are thinking, "do I need a callsign?", the answer is no, your name or CB handle is fine.

My set up for the night was the popular CRT SPACE U powered by a car battery 🔋, and a "Dean" made Di-pole on a fibreglass pole.

Start time for the night is about 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and the finish time can be anytime from 23:00 Hrs 🕙 UK local time.

With the what time, where and when established, on with the list of check in's and who heard and or worked who.

Delta 31 - Adam - Hastings - East Sussex 🥇
Tango 187 - Toby - Firle Beacon - East Sussex
C V M - Nigel - Crowborough - East Sussex
CT 5159 - Neil - Detling Hill - Kent
Star Gazer - Tony - Turners Hill - West Sussex
Ryan - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex
Luke - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Caz - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Luke
CT 4515 - John - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex
TC 614 - Tim - Hailsham - East Sussex
CT 940 - Richard - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Dragon Slayer #1 - Prue - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Keeping a watchful eye on Richard
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex
London Calling - Mark - East London
CT 5514 - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
DDB 50 - Allan - Redhill - Surrey
GM 593 - Graeme - Rochester - Kent
Joker aka RHP 285 - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
CT 5480 - Jonny 5 - Plumpton - East Sussex
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
Bart Man aka RHP 342 - Andy - Reigate Hill - Surrey
CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
CT 5464 - Matt in the Garage - Hailsham - East Sussex
CT 5502 - Paul - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Cam - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Paul
CT 5365 - Des - Pembury - Kent
Matt in the Bakery 🍞 - Forest Row - East Sussex
Speed Bird - Russell - Reigate Town - Surrey
and me
CT 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex 💺

Thank you to the listening stations and to all who called or checked in. Without you, there would be no net.
Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard by the group. Give it a another try another night and maybe at a different time, it can be busy for the first hour.

Now for the Scores on the Doors

1 coffee drunk
1 London borough worked
4 counties worked
9 Operators on Reigate Hill
12 Mobile/Portable stations
29 In the log

That brings this "Ray Review" to an end

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the paper John Bull print set 📝

For one week starting today is the YL WWA event, OMG there's lots on HF today all with major pileups.

Bees around honeypots comes to mind!  

Interesting is a good description John! It had my grey matter working overtime, but for you youngsters it should be a doddle.  

I have requested a eQSL via LOTW & a paper one via Club Log OQRS, the eQSL should be a few days but the paper will be 2-3 months.  

EDIT A great video from Callum I wish I had found before:

I Started with a coax "bazooka" or flowerpot antenna which worked great to get me started until it got shut in the loft hatch by accident.

I then made a GPA antenna on a 259 chassis mount just like the video Ray posted and i couldn't be happier they are easy to tune, nice and compact (great if your only option is in the loft). i truly believe anyone can make one.

but the gain of a nice brought antenna does have its appeal

Hi Tony

That split frequency is very interesting . I have done the research on the FT-991A as well but not used it yet.
Well done for getting J51A . Talk about a pile up      .

QuoteAs of Saturday 7 March, the real headline grabbers are still the rare ones. 3Y0K Bouvet Island remains listed as active through 14 March (dates still subject to change), and J51A Guinea-Bissau is very much alive too — DX-World reported on 6 March that the team had already logged 164,500 QSOs after 10.9 days of operation, with roughly nine days still to run. For anyone chasing rarer DXCCs, those two belong right at the top of the watch list.
There is also plenty of workable activity on the air right now. T8OK Palau is active from 4–19 March on 160–6m using CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8. VP2E Anguilla is running 3–20 March on 160–6m with CW, SSB and FT8. 8Q7ZW Maldives is on from 28 February to 12 March, with a stated focus on the low bands, while TY5FR Benin is active from 4 March to 5 April on 80–10m using CW and SSB. Added to that, FG/HB9JAB in Guadeloupe begins today, 7 March, through 12 March on 20–10m with SSB and FT8.
Looking just ahead, PJ7AA Sint Maarten starts on 8 March and runs until 4 April on 40–6m, mainly CW with some SSB. JG8NQJ/JD1 Minami Torishima is also worth keeping in mind through 15 April, especially if you enjoy sniffing out 17m, 15m and 12m, where the operation is reported as mainly CW with some FT8. Then from 13 March, the next wave builds nicely with TX5EU Austral Islands set for 13–25 March on 80–10m using CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8 with three stations operating 24/7, plus JA0RQV/JD1 Ogasawara on 13–16 March and J79C Dominica on 13–20 March.
A bit further out, there's another one to pencil in now: S21WD Bangladesh. The team said on 4 March that they expect to arrive around 20 March, with on-air activity shortly after and operations planned through 1 April. That one has the potential to draw serious attention once it fires up.
This is exactly the sort of week where the little station details matter: a decent HF antenna, low-loss coax, good common-mode suppression, and a clean pair of headphones can be the difference between hearing them and actually working them 🎧📶

I managed J51A Guinea-Bissau on 10M, but not Bouvet Island yet. That was my first 'split freqency' QSO & the first time I had heard the calls 5up, 10up & 5 to 15up so quick learning was required.    

I use a Sharman X50 as I also operate 2M & 70cm with it, at my location it works quite well but if I wasn't such an old skinflint I would probably go for the X200.
Mine is on the top of the tv mast on the chimney.

QuoteDoes it cover all of the HF band or just different portions of it?

It's all across all of 5 bands Ray, 10/11/12/15 & 17M.

Let's hope it doesn't affect too many Thursdays, not too wooried about the rest of the week as I'm usually between 80M & 20M then.