it was a good net tonight well done to every one who came out and lodged in from Richy 2E0RQO 73's

Quote from: Matt on Jan 21, 2026, 12:52 AMYeh its lovely lil radio, but no it doesn't do 446 out the box it was wide banded before i brought it apparently its an easy mod but still beyond me 
The VNA i am still learning it but the yellow line shows the swr curve and value top left

it was definitely a shock on the net when voices started popping up i had never heard before  

Thanks Matt for the radio & VNA info.
Let's hope you have some more good shocks, I look forward to hearing about any more.

As promised


Not sure if i should be proud or ashamed.

Best contact was Neil - CT 5159 in Maidstone about 35 miles from our position at Bo Peep car park near Lewes

Yeh its lovely lil radio, but no it doesn't do 446 out the box it was wide banded before i brought it apparently its an easy mod but still beyond me 
The VNA i am still learning it but the yellow line shows the swr curve and value top left

it was definitely a shock on the net when voices started popping up i had never heard before  

These are a couple of PMR 3-element Yagi Folded Dipole Beams that I made, basically the same except all of the design calculators are for the folded dipole to be oriented 90 degrees to the boom, I have always used this design for previous beams I have made. For my most recent design, I decided to go with images I've seen but couldn't really find any information on, with the folded dipole lying flat to the boom. I would say they work equally as well; however, the one with the 90-degree folded dipole is not always facing the intended direction that you would expect, always seems around 45 degrees off, but it did not affect receive performance.

I used the initial calculation from here https://3g-aerial.biz/en/online-calculations/antenna-calculations/dl6wu-yagi-uda-antenna-online-calculator

Hello

Here is my report for the Thursday Night Chit Chat held on the 15-01-2026, sponsored by the name Dave and belated Happy New Year's

After finishing work, I headed straight to Radio Corner and set up my Anytone AT-6666 (no amp no power mic), powered by a car battery and Sirio 4000 Performer stuck on the roof with a mag mount.

The weather could only be described as wet, windy and raining.

At eight twenty eight I turned on the radio and the chat started.

Here is my list of all those that popped in and said hello and hung around to see who else was about.

RC 402 - Tom - Blackheath - Southeast London
CT 3969 - Dave - Isle of Wight
CT 5363 - Shaggy - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex
NB 101 - Dave - Edenbridge - Kent
CT 847 - Peter - Portsmouth - Hampshire
CT 1829 - Dean - Ide Hill - Kent
TE 310 aka 3 to the 1 to the 0 - Kevin - Leigh on Sea
MR 121 - Matt - Copthorne - West Sussex
KP 441 - Steve - Devils Dyke - West Sussex
RM 427 - Mark - Dorking - Surrey
JS 7 - James - Rochester - Kent
GE 167 - Murphy - Eastbourne - East Sussex
TK 8 - George - Tonbridge - Kent
CT 700 - Dave - Crawley Down - West Sussex
TC 156 - Steve - Gatwick - West Sussex
DT 372 - John - Pinner - Northwest London
LT 727 - Dave - Elstree - Hertfordshire
Speed Bird - Russel - Reigate Hill - Surrey
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Crowhurst - Surrey
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
TE 23 - Jamie - Whitham - Essex
LT 318 - Dave aka Spider Mike - Crystal Palace - South London
LT 777 - Adam - Hendon - Northwest London
FB 178 - Andy - Harrow - Northwest London
LT 74 - Simon - Ruislip - West London
CW 443 - Kris - Upper Beeding - West Sussex
LT 01 - Jake - Highgate - North London
and me
CI 2290 - Ray - Ashdown Forest - East Sussex

Thank you all who called in and for the conversations about Betamax & VHS players, Laser Disc's, DAT tape's, and Mini Disc's.
If you were listening via your Radio or the Burgess Hill SDR, thank you and I hope it was entertaining.
Sorry if you tried to call in and wasn't acknowledged, just by looking at the above list it was a busy night.

Best 73

Ray 2290 taking notes on the paper & pen

Well hello.

Here is something a bit different, an episode of "Ray Reviews" the South East Sunday Morning Net.

The net was held on Sunday 08/01/2026 and can be found on FCC channel 28 USB and run's from 10:00 am to 11:30 am.

My set up for the morning was the Anytone AT-6666 and the Sirio 4000 Performer on the roof with a mag mount.

Here is my list of stations I worked

JS 07 - James - Bluebell Hill - Kent - Chairman of the net
FB 857 - Paul - Rye - East Sussex
CAM 17 - John - Bluebell Hill -Kent
RM 005 - Roger - Bexleyheath - Southeast London
UK 175 - Wayne - Wadhurst - East Sussex
CT 5468 - Steve - Loughton - Essex
AM 167 - Dave - Maidstone - Kent
OP 525 - Dennis - Mereworth - Kent
LT 727 - Dave - Elstree - Hertfordshire
GE 67 - Richard - Goudhurst - Kent - Mobile
DDB 50 - Allan - Redhill - Surrey - Heard only
GE 2020 - Matt - Butts Brow - East Sussex
and not forgetting me
CI 2290 - Ray - Ide Hill - Kent

Thank you to James for running the net and I look forward to calling in again

Best 73

Ray 2290

Good day to you, and welcome to the 1st episode of "Ray Reviews" the South Coast, Monday Night, Channel 14 PMR Net of 2026.

The net was held on the 12/01/2026 and started about 10 minutes late due to Chairman Ray helping another station get his radio up and running.

My location for the night was wet, rainy, windy Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌴 Forest in the county of East Sussex.
Ashdown 🌴 Forest is best known for being the home of Winnie the Pooh and friends.

The net is held on PMR analogue channel 14 NFM. To access the net you wont need to use any kind of tones or codes. This makes the net open to all kinds of radio operators new or old, and no need for callsigns, just use your handle or name.

My working conditions or set up, was the CRT Space U powered by a car battery 🔋, pushing about 10-15 watts out from a "Dean" made dipole.

The start time for the net is 20:30 🕣, work permitting, and can finish anytime from 23:00 🕙 onwards.

So with the when, where and what time established, on with who checked in, worked and heard who.

CT 1829 - Dean - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex 🥇
London Calling - Mark - East London
CT 940 - Richard - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Dragon Slayer 1 - Prue - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Keeping Richard in check
CT 4515 - John - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex
Tango 187 - Toby - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex
RHP 285 - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Pyro - Jay - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Steve
CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
Delta 31 - Adam - Hastings - East Sussex
Camper Van Man (C V M) - Nigel - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex
DDB 50 - Allan - Redhill - Surrey
CT 5159 - Neil - Maidstone - Kent
Harry - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex
CT 5464 - Matt in the Garage - Hailsham - East Sussex
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex
CT 9484 - Mark - Haslemere - Surrey
CT 5480 - Jonny 5 - Plumpton - East Sussex
CT 4952 - Julian - Brighton - East Sussex
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
TK 8 - George - Tonbridge - Kent
TC 156 - Steve - Gatwick - West Sussex
Sarah - Tonbridge - Kent - Welcome to the net 👍
CT 5502 - Paul - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Welcome to the net 👍
CT 5365 - Des - Pembury - Kent
RJ - Jay - Reigate Town - Surrey
and me
CT 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

The net finished sometime between 23:00 🕙 and midnight 🕛.

Thank you all who called in and were patient while I tried to pass round as many as possible.
Sorry if you tried to call in and wasn't heard. Please try another night as it would be good to get in the log.

Score on the Doors were
27 in the log
2 Coffee's ☕ drunk
1 London borough worked
4 counties worked
2 new voices heard on the net
0 silliness from IQ 0's or grumpy stations

Best 73

Ray 2290, a bit rusty but made good use of the paper and pen 📝

Quote from: Jonny5's on Jan 13, 2026, 12:17 PMGreat to hear you out there chairing the net again on Monday Ray, I know it gives me something to look forward to on a Monday, thanks for all your efforts. Was also good to hear all the other voices out there calling in again. I managed to miss the end of the net this time, so guessing it didn't roll over in to Tuesday morning like usual.

Anyway, thanks again, hopefully hear you out there this coming Monday.

Jonny

Hi Jonny

After the last few weeks of "socialising" it was nice to get back in the big old leather chair 😃

You will see by the upcoming episode of "Ray Reviews" the night was somewhat of a success, with no silliness from stations unknown or known 😉😉

Best 73

Ray 2290

Great to hear you out there chairing the net again on Monday Ray, I know it gives me something to look forward to on a Monday, thanks for all your efforts. Was also good to hear all the other voices out there calling in again. I managed to miss the end of the net this time, so guessing it didn't roll over in to Tuesday morning like usual.

Anyway, thanks again, hopefully hear you out there this coming Monday.

Jonny