As some of you will know, if you read the Southern Area & South Coast SSB Net reports, that back on the 23rd of October 2025 something strange happened.

I was heard on 10m using a callsign under supervision and taking part in the 1st ever 10m test net.

The net was a success with 7 in the log with callsigns ranging from M0, M7, M9, 2E0, G0 and a VK club callsign.

The net was just to be a 1 and done thing, but it has sown a seed and there are now plans for a second 10m test net sometime near the end of November.

So if you are interested in being part of it or interested in how it develops in the future, leave a comment, and watch this space for more news.

You never know, you could be unlucky and hear me under supervision.

73 Ray 2290

Hello and welcome

Here is my report for the Southern Area & South Coast SSB Net held on Thursday night, the 6th of November 2025

My QTH or 20 for the night was Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest 🌲 in the county of East Sussex. This is an area that is popular with various radio users from HF, CB, 2m, PMR and 23cm.

The weather was calm and cloudy and unseasonably warm.

Start time for the net is scheduled from Eight Thirty 🕣 in the evening and finishes from Eleven o'clock 🕚onwards. All time are UK local.

Set up for the night was the Anytone AT-6666 (no amp no power mic), powered by a car battery 🔋 and a Solarcon A-99 antenna.

Channel 39 (27.395 MHz) on the Mids is where the net is held and the mode is LSB

The band conditions were flatter than a flat earthers belief in a flat earth. This was due, apparently, to 2 solar storms.

On with the list of check in's and who heard and or worked who.

XR 41--Jerry--Ashdown Forest 🌲 --East Sussex--Popped in on his way home 🥇
DT 372--John--Pinner--Northwest London
GE 167--Murphy--Eastbourne--East Sussex
FB 1226--Simon--Hassocks--East Sussex
CT 4515--John--Firle Beacon--East Sussex
NB 101--Dave--Edenbridge--Kent
CT 1829--Dean--Ashdown Forest 🌲 --East Sussex
FB 249--Jay--Lower Beeding--West Sussex
LT 05--Rob--Battersea--Southwest London
FB 857 aka Mr Magoo--Rye--East Sussex
Mick--Tower Bridge--London--We heard you calling and did answer back
CW 443--Kris--Lower Beeding--West Sussex
Delta 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
CT 4952--Julian--Brighton--East Sussex--Making use of the Farnham SDR and his radio
Speed Bird--Russell--Reigate Hill--Surrey
LR 022--Steve--Windsor--Berkshire--Welcome to the net 👍
CT 5464--Matt--Hailsham--East Sussex
TE 310 (3 to the 1 to the 0)--Kevin--Leigh on Sea--Essex
and me
CI 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest 🌲 --East Sussex--In the Chair 💺

Thank you all who called in and to the listeners. Sorry if you tried and wasn't heard due to the flat conditions. Please give it another go another Thursday night.

The stats for the night are as follows

19 in the log
3 London boroughs worked
6 counties worked
No skip heard
1 new station to the net

That rounds up this report

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the pens & paper 📝

PS 4 weeks to the SSB anniversary net

Cheers John

Just looking the pictures, I can see loads of smeared heat paste and a few wires that don't look standard.

A lot has gone on inside that old girl.

It's a shame the serial number plate is missing.

MMMM. Thinking about it, it could be replaced with a heatsink and make her a bit of a Frankenstein's Bride radio!!

The next ones . In marked area is a hopefully a board number which will help .




Best 73s John

Hi Ray
As promised a couple of pics inside the rig.





Hope this helps . I will add a couple more in next post .

Best 73s

Hello and welcome

Here is another episode of "Ray Reviews" the Monday Night PMR Net

or did you know that on this day in history

"The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2 with Laika the Husky on board, she becomes the first animal to orbit the earth"

The weather was dark, cloudy with strong wind and wet under foot.
It was noticed by those in Radio Corner, that my antenna pole was bending over to the 10 o'clock position when the wind was gusty the hardest.

The Monday Night Channel 14 Net is scheduled to start at 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and officially finishes at 23:00 Hrs 🕚. BUT, it can go on to mid-night 🕛 or beyond depending on who is on.

My location for the Channel 14 South Coast PMR Net was Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌴 Forest in the county of East Sussex

The net can be found on PMR analogue channel 14, with the radio on NFM and no CTCSS, DCS tones used. This makes the net open to all regardless of what radio you have or level of knowledge.

My set up was the CRT Space U and a 1/4 wave antenna up on a very bendy pole.

Know on with the list of who checked in and worked and or heard who.

CT 3466 -- "Radar" Ray -- Ashdown 🌴 Forest -- East Sussex 🥇
London Calling -- Mark -- East London
CT 1829 -- Dean -- Ashdown 🌴 Forest -- East Sussex
CT 5159 -- Neil -- Bluebell -- Kent
RHP 285 -- Steve -- Reigate Hill -- Surrey
CT 4362 -- Chris -- Shotgun with Steve
Matt -- Strood -- Kent
FB 228 -- Martin H -- Ashdown 🌴 Forest -- East Sussex
CT 5464 -- Matt in the Forest 🌴 -- Shotgun with Martin H and using a Walkie Talkie
Speed Bird -- Russell -- Reigate Hill -- Surrey
CT 5840 aka Jonny 5 -- John -- Plumpton -- East Sussex
KP 441 -- Steve -- Henfield -- West Sussex
RHP 342 -- Andy -- Reigate Hill -- Surrey -- Using a Walkie Talkie
CT 4515 -- John -- Ditchling Beacon -- East Sussex
Tango 187 -- Toby -- Ashdown 🌴 Forest -- East Sussex -- Using a Walkie Talkie
CT 4013 -- Tony -- Brighton -- East Sussex
C V M -- Nigel -- Crowborough -- East Sussex
and me
CT 2290 -- Ray -- Ashdown 🌴 Forest -- East Sussex -- In the Chair 💺

Thank you all who called in and stuck with the net. Thank you to the listening stations, you know who you are.
Sorry if you tried to call in and wasn't heard or did get heard and asked to standby but moved on impatiently.

Now for the score on the doors
18 in the log
4 counties worked 
1 London borough worked
3 stations using Walkie Talkie's

A couple of topics of conversation were fishing and my antenna bending and swaying in the strong wind.

That about brings this episode of Ray Reviews to end

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the paper, pencil and pens 📝

PS we are only a few weeks away from the 9th anniversary of the Southern Area & South Coast SSB Net.

Apparently has a mixed bag of reviews but this guy had a good time with it.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFHwbzmsetE

Lucy is very efficient, 36 hours after the contact I received a qsl card!