Quote19 weeks to go. . . . .

Countdown started early this year!

Hello & welcome

Here is me report for the Southern Area & South Coast SSB Net, held on Thursday 23-07-2026

My location for the net was a cool, clear Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest 🌳 in the county of East Sussex and the set up was the old, slightly off frequency Anytone AT-6666 powered by a Car battery 🔋, pushing about 40 whiskies out of a Solarcon A-99 antenna.

The net is held on channel 39 on the mid-block or 27.395 MHz using the LSB mode and is scheduled to start at 20:30 🕣 UK time (19:30 UTC) and finishes anytime from 23:00 🕚 (22:00 UTC)

Here is my list of check in's and who heard and or worked who.
All stations are 26 division unless otherwise stated

26 MT - Martin - Chichester - West Sussex - Welcome to the net 👍🥇
CT 3678 - Dave - Bignor Hill - West Sussex
CW 443 - Kris - Upper Beeding - West Sussex
DT 372 - John - Pinner - Northwest London
Drummer Boy aka AMC 674 - Kevin - Dorking - Surrey
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Crowhurst - Surrey
163/26 RU 08 - Rod - Brecon Beacon - Wales
RM 262 - Karl - Basingstoke - Hampshire - Welcome to the net 👍
GB 23 - Paul - Gatwick - West Sussex
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
LR 096 - Mark - Kings Lynn - Norfolk
CT 4515 - John - Mill Hill - South Downs - West Sussex - 1st location of the night
TC 156 - Steve - Gatwick - West Sussex
NB 101 - Dave - Edenbridge - Kent
Delta 31 - Adam - Hastings - East Sussex
TE 292 - Chris - Canvey Island - Essex - Welcome to the net 👍
Tango 16 - Trevor - Reading - Berkshire - Welcome to the net 👍
CT 4515 - John - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex - 2nd location of the night
Speed Bird - Russell - Reigate Hill - Surrey
009 - Tom - East London
TE 310 aka 3 to the 1 to the 0 - Kevin - Leigh on Sea - Essex
OP 525 - Denis - Mereworth - Kent
and me
CI 2290 - Ray - Ashdown Forest 🌳 - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Contact of the night.

Karl RM 262 to Mark LR 096 mobile to mobile. Approximately 120 miles or 195 km

Thank you all who called or checked in.
Thank you to the listening stations, even the haters who tell tales
Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard, please try again another Thursday night as we would like to get you in the log

Now for the Numbers of the Night

4 New stations welcomed to the net
2 Countries worked (26 & 163 divisions)
1 coffee drunk
22 In the log
8 Counties worked
2 London boroughs worked

That brings my report to an end

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the pen & paper 📝

19 weeks to go. . . . .

MMMMM 😏

I wish Neil & co good luck 👍

Seen it heading over the last few nights, slowly pushing south but easily visible passing west to east when you hear it pop up, not been super clear on the receive at the mo but still prompts me to look up when I hear it chirp up on 437.800, never heard it on vhf so that would have been a good one to listen out for, teach me for not checking the site hey

Receive the ISS on your Baofeng & rubber duck tomorrow...
ISS Schools contact Thursday 23 July starting at 17:07UTC 18:07BST.
Downlink 145.800MHz, FM +/- doppler shift
Downlink Station is in Belgium. The School is in Mexico.
The contact will be conducted in English.
This is a virtually overhead pass for London listeners.

Their final total was 298 so well done guys!

Just had QSO with James M0GQC operating from The Packing Shed, he is with a few others including Darren M0DCX.
They are doing great with 100W, I was about No 277 in the log,
They missed the last ferry so now have to stay the night.

This afternoon I was monitoring as usual & was called by Tony66 & has a QSO, he then said 73 as his Station Manager was due home.
Back to monitoring & Charlie from Brighton seafront called out, as we were chatting I heard a QSK which was Jonny from Plumpton so the 3 of us continued briefly.
After saying our goodbye's Kieron called me for a quick catch-up, what a hive of activity for 30 mins or so.      

Just to let you good folks know, that after the events of the 1st anniversary meet.

We have been allowed back 🥳🎉

So the next café meet (5th of August) will be at the below address

Arlington Bluebell Walk
Bates Green Farm
Tye Hill Road
BN26 6SH

Venue opens from 7pm and entry is £5

Parking is on the grass verge opposite.

Hope to see you there

G'day to you, where ever you are around the world

Salut à toi, où que tu sois dans le monde.

Hallo an dich, egal wo auf der Welt du bist

世界のどこにいても、やあ

Olá para ti, onde quer que estejas no mundo

Welcome to another episode of "Ray Reviews" the Channel 14, South Coast, Monday Night PMR Net, held on the 20/07/2026

My location for the net was warm & sunny Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌲 Forest in the county of East Sussex and, thanks to a light breeze keeping the few clouds away, Radio Corner watched the half Moon 🌓 turn from a bright white to a deep red as it set in the west.

The net is held on PMR analogue channel 14. No codes or privacy tones are used to access the net which makes it open to all, regardless of experience or radio used.

My set up for the night was the CRT Space U hooked up to a car battery 🔋 & the "Dean" made Di-pole up on a fibreglass pole.

The starting time for the net is advertised as 20:30 🕣 UK time, but sometimes it's bit earlier & sometimes later & is scheduled to finish at 23:00 🕚. BUT the net can go on into early Tuesday morning.

With the when, where, & what time sorted, on with my list of check in's & who heard & or worked who.
So in no particular order. . . .

. . .  Oh wait.

Before the net started, I went for a walk over Ashdown 🌲 Forest with a Baofeng UV5R handy and put a call out.
I was surprised by the number of stations that could hear me and there locations.

On this date in history.
1837 Euston Station open in London
1941 The Guinea Pig Club is formed in Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead
1969 Apollo 11 lands on the Moon
2026 The UK gets a new Prime minister 🙄🥱

1. DDB 66 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex - Welcome to the Net 👍🥇
2. CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
3. Lima 93 - Luke - Hailsham - West Sussex - With puppy
4. Charlie - Lewes - East Sussex
5. FB 228 - Martin H - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex - Made a 70cm contact into Europe
6. CT 5363 - Shaggy - Lewes - East Sussex
7. Ratty 248 - Chris - Crawley - West Sussex
8. Delta 31 - Adam - Hastings - East Sussex
9. CT 940 - Richard - Reigate Hill - Surrey
10. Dragon Slayer - Prue - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Richard
11. KP 441 - Steve - Henfield - West Sussex - Mobile 🚙
12. CT 4610 aka Bartman - Andy - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex
13. MB 01 - Marshall - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Motorbike Mobile 🏍
14. Ollie - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Marshal & welcome to the net 👍
15. London Calling - Mark - East London
16. TK 8 - George - Tonbridge - Kent
17. CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex
18. RHP 285 aka Joker - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
19. C V M - Nigel - Crowborough - East Sussex
20. Jake - Ferring - West Sussex
21. TC 614 - Tim - Hailsham - East Sussex
22. Tango 187 - Toby - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex - With M1KA 🐶, Radio Corner K9 security 🚨
23. CT 4515 - John - Ditchling Beacon - East Sussex
24. Speed Bird - Russell - Reigate Hill - Surrey
25. XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
26. CT 5502 - Paul - Reigate Hill - Surrey
27. Cam - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Paul and using a handheld
28. CT 5464 - Matt in the Garage - Hailsham - East Sussex
29. JYW 1 - Jason - Tonbridge - Kent
and me
30. CT 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌲 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Thank you John, CT 4515, for the gift, I'm looking for the right poles to mount it.

Thank you all who called in & an extra thank you to those who stuck with it and was part of the Tuesday morning net.
Thank you to the listening stations.
Even that 1 station that has bragged he would never, ever, join in again, but clearly listens and was heard (tut tut, where is your integrity, huh?)
Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard, please give it another try on another night.

Now for the Scores on the Door

2 New voices on the net
1 Coffee drunk
4 Counties worked
3 Biscuits eaten
1 London borough worked
30 In the log
3 Stations trying/using handhelds

That, I think, brings this episode of "Ray Reviews" to an end

If you have spotted a mistake, I've got something wrong, or worse I have missed you off the log, let me know so I can give you credit for pointing it out and getting it corrected.

Best 73 & TTFN

Au revoir

Tschüss

さようなら

Adeus


Ray 2290 with the pen and paper 📝