The next meet at Jerry's Cafe is Wednesday 4th March @7pm local time.

Bet you can "sweep" up all the QSO's with that 😂

Yet again someone proves the if it's metal it can be an antenna.

Hello and good day to you all.

Here is another episode of "Ray Reviews" the Monday Night Channel 14 South Coast PMR net held on Monday 23/02/2026

and did know that on this date in history. . . .

way back in 1909, the first radio rescue at sea, using the CQD distress code was used.

Now a bit about the net.
My set up was the CRT SPACE U powered by a car battery and a "DEAN" made di-pole on a fibreglass pole.

The net hopefully starts at 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and runs until 23:00 Hrs 🕙 or beyond, UK local time.

My location was a foggy Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌴 Forest in the county of East Sussex.

The net is held on PMR analogue channel 14, doesn't use any kind of access or privacy tones and is open to all.
"Open to all" meaning you don't need a callsign or handle and you don't have to be an expert, remember we all had to learn.

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

CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex 🥇
Luke - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Working a handy
Caz - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Luke and speaking more 👍
CT 5159 - Neil - Wye - Kent
CT 1829 - Dean - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex
CT 5480 - Jonny 5 - Plumpton - East Sussex - With his novelty antenna
Delta 31 - Adam - Hastings - East Sussex
CT 4610 - Andy - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex
DDB 50 - Allan - Redhill - Surrey - We heard you call and did reply multipole time at different times during the night
RHP 285 - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
C V M - Nigel - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex
R J - Reigate Town - Surrey - Working a handy
CT 4515 - John - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex
CT 5502 - Paul - Outwood - Surrey - Working a handy on the patio
Tango 187 - Toby - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
and me
CT 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Thank you to all who called in, to the listening stations and sorry if you tried to join in and wasn't heard.

Here is the 3rd picture of "if it's metal, it's an antenna".
This is the novelty "Broom Beam" made by Jonny 5, and yes it did work.



Now for the Scores on the Doors

4 handie's used
17 in the log
2 coffee's drunk
3 counties worked
Best funny comment of the night "FT8 is just posh Morse code" 🤣🤣

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

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the paper & pen 📝

My latest novelty antenna for the Monday night PMR Net. A straight dipole 4-element Yagi Beam, it can also still be used as a broom!

Two Vileda Brooms £4, I used an N-Type panel mount, the white mount for the dipoles is part of a plastic chopping board with some small clips from Amazon, and the Yagi beam calculator here for dimensions. https://3g-aerial.biz/en/online-calculations/antenna-calculations/dl6wu-yagi-uda-antenna-online-calculator

Looking at the VNA reading, could be better, but not bad out of the box with no tuning or tweaking.



 

Hi Tone

welcome to Radio Corner 👍🙂

Hello and good day to you

Here is my report for the Southern Area & South Coast SSB Net held on Thursday 19th of February 2026

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

The net is held on Channel 39 on CEPT/FCC band or 27.395 MHz on the LSB mode and starts, hopefully, at 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and can finish anytime from 23:00 Hrs 🕙 onwards local UK time.

My location for the net was Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌴 Forest in the county of East Sussex or POTA reference GB-0251
The weather was cold, dark and drizzly

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

GE 167 - Murphy - Eastbourne - East Sussex 🥇
GE 51 - Ian - Eastbourne - East Sussex
CT 938 - Ian - Iver - Buckinghamshire
CCA 20 - Charlie in the Workshop - Hassocks - East Sussex
163/26 RU 08 - Rod - Brecon Beacon - Wales
TC 37 - Richard - Birmingham Airport - The Midlands - I heard you calling
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
TC 614 - Tim - Butts Brow - East Sussex
CW 443 - Kris - Upper Beeding - West Sussex
CT 4515 - John - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex
CT 5464 - Matt in the Garage - Hailsham - East Sussex
CT 5369 - Rick - Heathrow - West London
MR 121 - Matt - Copthorne - West Sussex
TK 8 - George - Tonbridge - Kent
NB 101 - Dave - Edenbridge - Kent
DT 372 - John - Pinner - Northwest London
GEB 1224 - Tim - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Crowhurst - Surrey
LT 01 - Jake - Highgate - North London
LT 727 - Dave - Elstree - Hertfordshire
009 - Tom - East London
LT 888 aka 668 Spitfire - Biggin Hill - Southwest London
CT 5159 - Neil - Maidstone - Kent
431 - Brian - Billingsgate - City of London
LT 94 - Matt - Heathrow - West London - Mobile 🚗
"Scratchy" the mic - Somewhere in London
and me
CI 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌴 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Thank you all who called in and to the listening stations using their radio or the SDR, sorry if you tried and wasn't heard.

The numbers for the night were

2 Countries worked 26 & 163 divisions
7 Counties worked
6 London boroughs worked
26 In the log
0 Video's taken

Have you spotted a mistake or worse I left you off the list? Let me know and I will correct it.

Until next time best 73

Ray 2290 with the pen & paper 📝

If you miss Saturdays possible lift

Check out the forecast for Tuesday lunchtime on the 24th

Hello, welcome and good day to you all.

First off, a special mention for Dean & Toby, who on hearing that "Radar" Ray had a flat tire (thanks to the pot holes), headed off to offer assistance, make sure Ray was safe and had a hot drink.

Now on with another episode of "Ray Reviews" the South Coast Monday Night Channel 14 PMR net held on 16-02-2026

A bit about the net.
It can be found on PMR analogue channel 14 or 446.16875 MHz, with the radio set to NFM and all tones/codes turned off.
We don't use tones/CTCSS codes on the net, this makes it open to all radio users, new or old, inexperience or experience, and if you are a listing station thinking "do I need a callsign" to join in? The answer is no, just use your name, nickname or your old CB handle.

My set up for the night was the battery 🔋 powered CRT Space U and the "Dean" made Di-pole up on a fibreglass pole swaying in the breeze.

The net is scheduled to start at 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and finish at 23:00 Hrs 🕙 UK time, but it can start a bit later depending on when the chair arrives from work and the net can go on until early Tuesday morning.

My location was (as always) Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌳 Forest, which is near the town of Crowborough in the county of East Sussex. The weather was breezy which scattered the clouds which turned into showers later on in the evening.

Now on with the check in's and who heard and or worked who

Tango 187 - Toby - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex 🥇
CT 1829 - Dean - Reigate Hill - Surrey - 1st location of the night
London Calling - Mark - East London
RHP 285 aka CT 4627 - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Delta 31 - Adam - Hastings - East Sussex
Luke - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Working a handy
Star Gazer - Tony - Crawley - West Sussex
Ratty 248 - Chris - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Witchy Women - Vicky - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Chris
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Edenbridge - Kent
TK 8 - George - Tonbridge - Kent
C V M - Nigel - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex - 1st location of the night
CT 940 - Richard - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Dragon Slayer #1 - Prue - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Protecting Richard from fire breathing dragons
CT 5159 - Neil - Detling Beacon - Kent - 1st location of the night
CT 5480 - Jonny 5 - Plumpton - East Sussex - Working a handy & Fosters Beer Cantenna ( more a bit later)
CM 01 - Jason - Shooter Hill - South East London
CT 5464 - Matt in the Garage - Hailsham - East Sussex
CT 4362 - Chris - Reigate Town - Surrey
CT 9484 - Mark - Haslemere - Surrey
CT 5159 - Neil - Maidstone - Kent - 2nd location of the night
C V M - Nigel - Crowborough - East Sussex - 2nd location of the night
CT 5502 - Paul - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Working a handy
Cam - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Working a handy
CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
Speed Bird - Reigate Hill - Surrey
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Crowhurst - Surrey - 2nd location of the night
CT 1829 - Dean - Crowhurst - Surrey - 2nd location of the night
and me
CT 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Thank you all who called or checked in to the net. Without you, there would be no net.
Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard, please try again on another Monday night.

Before we go to the scores on the doors. Here is another, very occasional "If it's metal, it's an antenna".
Having seen the Spamtenna made by, and use by Matt in the Garage (CT 5464), Jonny 5 (CT 5480) chose to build a Beer Cantenna, to be more precise a Foster Beer Cantenna.



All these and only 1 finger ☝🚑 cut

Now for the Scores on the Doors

4 Handheld radio's used
27 In the log
4 Counties worked
2 London borough worked
8 Stations on Reigate Hill
4 Stations working 2 different locations
Coffee & biscuits eaten

That about brings this episode to an end.

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the parchment and charcoal 📝

About midday looks the best for Jonny 5's who can't fall out of bed early.    

It is looking good for a lift on Sat 21st Feb, must wake early to check it out!