Looks like a very nice shack indeed, and the illuminated call sign is next level. Merry Christmas

Oh and I thought TOTA was toilets on the air, I guess that's why I wasn't having much luck there  Still on a positive note, all this hot weather has been great for my BGOTA beer gardens on the air!

John CT4515 showed up at my QTH on Tuesday evening to return the Heil Headset which he has been working on for me.
My early xmas pressie was in the form of a bench/worktop holder for the Heil TX trigger which was until now just dropped into the top drawer when not in use or laying on the worktop when in action.

Then an even bigger surprise appeared from John's bag, it was an illuminated call sign & I was blown away.

They were both great additions to my shack, so a very big Thank you John.

Now I need to tidy up the spaghetti junction of wires/cables. Lol

Hello & welcome.

Come sit down and enjoy another episode of "Ray Reviews" the Monday Night, South Coast, Channel 14 PMR Net

The net was held on the hot, sticky evening of Monday 25/05/2026.
There was very little wind so the scattered cloud allowed the Waxing Gibbous 🌔 to shine down on Radio Corner and for us to look up and see the satellite's dashing across the sky.

My location for the net was Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌳 Forest in the County of East Sussex.
This is where I set up "Dean" made Di-pole up on a fibreglass pole and a battery 🔋 powered CRT Space U.

The net can be found on PMR analogue channel 14 (446.16875 MHz) and doesn't use any of those CTCSS, privacy or sub tones.
This makes the net open to all, new or experienced, young or old.

Starting time for the is scheduled at about 20:30 🕣, depending on when the chair arrives from work, but if you call out before that time you might just have with some of the early birds.
Finishing time is normally 23:00 🕙, but it can go on to Tuesday morning, which this net did.

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

CT 1647 - Phil - Hadlow - Kent 🥇
Matt - Strood - Kent
Keith - Canvey Island - Essex
CT 904 - Richard - Reigate Hill - Surrey
Dragon Slayer #1 - Prue - Reigate Hill - Surrey - No dragons seen on this night
CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex
KP 441 - Steve - South Downs (IO 90 WV) - West Sussex - Working a handy
Craig - South Downs (IO 90 WV) - West Sussex - Yomping with Steve
Lima 93 - Luke - Reigate Hill - Surrey
TC 614 - Tim - Hailsham - East Sussex
C V M - Nigel - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
FB 228 - Martin H - Burwash area - East Sussex - Keeping the location a bit vague
CT 5464 - Matt in the garage field - Burwash area - Shotgun with Martin
Tango 187 - Toby - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex
Charlie 212 - Charlotte - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex - With M1KA 🐶, Radio Corner security
Matt in the Bakery 🍞🥐 - Forest Row - East Sussex
RHP 285 - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
CT 5480 - Jonny 5 - Plumpton - East Sussex - Sometimes working a handy
Shaggy AKA CT 5363 - Shaun - Butts Brow - East Sussex
Wilma - Shelly - Butts Brow - East Sussex - Shotgun with Shaggy
CT 5159 - Neil - Maidstone - Kent
Matt on a Motorbike - Burwash area - East Sussex - Welcome to the net 👍
Dusty Bin - Dan - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex
London Calling - Mark - East London
Ratty 248 - Chris - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Hats off to Chris who left a family BBQ to check into the net
Witchy Women - Vicky - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Mixing potions and casting spells
Delta 31 - Adam - Hastings - East Sussex
TK 8 - George - Tonbridge - Kent
CT 4515 - John - Area 5 3/4's - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex
CT 1829 - Dean - Edenbridge - Kent
CT 5502 - Paul - Reigate Hill - Surrey - working a handy
Cam - Reigate Hill - Surrey - Shotgun with Paul
RJ - Russ - Reigate Town - Surrey - Working a handy
CT 4362 - Chris - Reigate Town - Surrey
CT 1074 - Mike - Devils Dyke - West Sussex - Working a handy
Marshal - Reigate Hill - Surrey
and a tired me
CT 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Well what a busy night?

The net went on until about 00:30 🕧 before we shut it down, if it wasn't for work later that day I would have happily carried on chatting.

Now for the Scores on the Doors

3 Lady operators on the net
0 Coffee's drunk (I didn't have time)
1 London borough worked
5 Counties worked
0 Biscuits eaten (same reason as the coffee)
5 Stations using Handheld's
40 in the log (a possible net personal best)
>15 Satellite's seen dashing across the night sky
1 tired Chair

Thank you all who called in and the patience shown while waiting to be passed around.
Thanks & cheers to he listening station

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

Don't forget to put out the empty milk bottles and make sure the cigarette 🚬 is out, as it can soon light up a 70's sofa!

Best 73
-... . ... - / --... ...--

Ray 2290 with the melted Crayon's and many sheets of A4 paper 📄📄📄

Ah well done Tony, very nice! Always think it's just nice to get a contact, but then the funny thing is, when a qsl card comes through, that's even better!

I managed 3 MMH stations, but not the original GB0MMH!

Great contact from GB0MMH for the Men's mental health awareness from Patrington Haven near Hull. Thanks for the contact, Kevin 

Hello and welcome

Here is a different episode of "Ray Reviews".

This episode is of my time on the Stay Prepped Radio Net 446 (the biggest PMR net in the UK) held the on evening of Sunday 24/05/2026 and is held on analogue channel 8.

Due to the coverage area of the net being more North Kent and Essex, I choose the location of Ide Hill which, I hoped would put me in a better position to take part in the net.

At 19:00, I started calling out and was greeted by campers chatting away about food, dressing up and getting back to camp ASAP.

After 2 hours of calling out on channel 8, I made 1 contact with Mark aka London Calling in East London.

I'm going to give another go next week from a different location to see if I can make a few more contacts and get my name in the log.

Best 73

Ray 2290

Hello & good day to you

Here is my report for the Southern Area & South Coast SSB Net or sometimes called the Southern Net. Held on Thursday 21/05/2026

My location for the net was Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌳 Forest in the county of East Sussex and is sometimes called Winnie the Pooh land. The weather on the night was warm and clear allowing a good view of the Waxing Crescent Moon 🌒

The net is held on 27.395 MHz LSB or channel 39 on the mid-block and is scheduled to start at 20:30 🕣 and finishes anytime from 23:00 🕙 onwards.

My working conditions were an old version 3 Anytone AT-6666 (no amp, no power mic) powered by a car battery 🔋 and a Solarcon A-99 antenna with it's base about 3 meters above the ground.

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

CT 5159 - Neil - Hastingleigh - Kent 🥇
163/26 RU 08 - Rod - Brecon Beacon - Wales
TC 101 - Al - The Warwickshire Plateau
TC 37 - Richard - Birmingham Airport - The Midlands
RM 055 - Roger - Bexleyheath - Southeast London
J S 7 - James - Rochester - Kent
TE 155 aka CI 155 - Paul - Hartley - Kent - Welcome to the net 👍
RHP 248 - Steve - Reigate Hill - Surrey
DDB 50 - Allan - Redhill - Surrey
TE 231 - Stuart - Rochester - Kent - Welcome to the net 👍
KP 441 - Steve - Firle Beacon - East Sussex
XR 41 - Jerry - Hailsham - East Sussex
NB 101 - Dave - Edenbridge - Kent
CT 3466 - "Radar" Ray - Crowhurst - Kent
TC 614 - Tim - Hailsham - East Sussex
FB 228 - Martin H - Hailsham - East Sussex
633 Spitfire - Biggin Hill - Southeast London or Kent?
LR 77 - Robert - Polhill - Kent
CT 5374 - Jay - Romford - Essex
009 - Tom - East London
C V M - Nigel - Crowborough - East Sussex
Bosley 1860 - Paul - Brentwood - Essex - Welcome to the net 👍
T K 8 - George - Tonbridge - Kent
TC 156 - Steve - Gatwick Airport - West Sussex
DT 372 - John - Pinner - Northwest London
Speed Bird - Russell - Reigate Hill - Surrey
CT 4013 - Tony - Brighton - East Sussex
and me
CI 2290 - Ray - Ashdown 🌳 Forest - East Sussex - In the Chair 💺

Here is Al's video of our contact (we start at 21:36) if you want to listen to my slightly off frequency voice 🙄😆


Now for the Numbers of the Night

2 Countries worked (26 & 163 divisions)
7 Counties worked
1 Coffee drunk
3 New stations on the net
4 Operators from the Tango Charlie DX Group
28 In the log
4 London boroughs worked
3 Stations near Airports

Let me know if you spot a mistake, or worse, I have left you off the log.

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the paper and pen 📝