Called out on Ch14 at about 9.45am (local) not expecting anyone to be on but to my surprise a voice I know well replied. It was non other than Toby (T187) who had already had QSO's around the world on HF & was just breaking down his station.
He had been on Ashdown Forest for a few hours and was ready for breakfast. Lol

It just proves a shout on a silent Channel/Frequency can pay dividends.

 

Hello, Goeiemorgen, Hallo, Ola

Here is a special "Ray Reviews" episode of the Monday Night Channel 14 South Coast PMR Net

or

"Happy Birthday 🎈 Witchy Women who was 21 and 2/3's 🎂"

Now on with the Review. The net is scheduled to start at or as close to 20:30 Hrs 🕣 and finishes at or anytime after 23:00 Hrs 🕚.
If you can't wait for the start of the net, tune in early as you could find some on having a pre-net chat.

My location for the night was the busy Radio Corner, Ashdown 🌴 Forest in the county of East Sussex, which is near Trig Point TP3357 and about 30 miles south of the capital London.

The net is held on PMR analogue channel 14, doesn't use any kind of access tones or codes and is open to call.
You don't need a callsign or handle nor do you have to be a radio expert to join in, just enthusiasm and if it's busy patience.

My set up for the night, was the CRT Space U powered by car battery 🔋 and the 1/4 wave "Sputnik" antenna up on a 4 and a bit meter pole.

The weather on the night was hot and sticky with a gentle breeze. The temperature at the start off the night was 27.8 degrees C, fell to 20 degrees C while the net was on and 21 degrees C at the end.

Before the net started, some stations had a chance to work Philip near Cherbourg in France (14 Division)

So with when, where, what time and Happy Birthday 🎂🎈🎉🍷 to Witchy Women covered.
On with the list of check in's, unhappy punters and who heard and or worked who.

CT 3466--"Radar Ray"--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex 🥇
RHP 342--Andy--Reigate Hill--Surrey
CE 01--Rob--Canvey Island--Essex
KP 441--Steve--Newtimber Hill--West Sussex
C V M--Nigel--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex
CT 5383--Lee--Devils Dyke--West Sussex--1st location of the night
London Calling--Mark--Walthamstow--East London
Delta 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
Ratty 248--Chris--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex
Witchy Women--Vicky--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex--Shotgun with Chris and the Birthday girl 🎉🎈🎂
CT 4515--John--Ditchling Beacon--East Sussex
Gaz--Haywards Heath--West Sussex--Working a handy and welcome to the net 👍
RHP 285--Steve--Reigate Hill--Surrey
Rob--Reigate Hill--Surrey--Shotgun with Steve and welcome to the net 👍
TK 08--George--Tonbridge--Kent
CT 1829--Dean--Ashdown Forest--East Sussex
TE 032--Adam--Southend on Sea--Essex
Matt--Rochester--Kent
XR 41--Jerry--Hailsham--East Sussex
James--Reigate Hill--Surrey--Using a handy and welcome to the net 👍
CM 01--Jason--Shooters Hill--South East London
Matt in the Garage--Hailsham--East Sussex
CT 5383--Lee--Worthing--West Sussex--2nd location of the night and Mobile 🚗
TE 15--Martin--Hastings--East Sussex
Mike--Heathfield--East Sussex--Welcome to the net 👍
CT 4543--Tom--Whitstable--Kent
CR 01--Dave--St Ives--Cambridgeshire--Welcome to the net 👍
ST 02--Rob--Basildon--Essex--Welcome to the net 👍
Speed Bird--Russell--Reigate Hill-Surrey
Matt--Northstowe--Cambridgeshire--Welcome to the net 👍
Tango 187--Toby--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex
TC 156--Steve--Gatwick--West Sussex
CT 940--Richard--Reigate Hill--Surrey
Dragon Slayer 1--Pru--Reigate Hill--Surrey
TW 460--Richard--Tunbridge Wells--Kent--Working a handy
CT 5159--Neil--Maidstone--Kent
R J--Reigate Town--Surrey--Working a handy
TM 052--Steve--Hampshire--Isle of Wight
and me
CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown 🌴 Forest--East Sussex--In the chair 💺

Some fun figures for the night.
39 in the log
15 stations in the 1st 30 minutes
2 London boroughs worked
7 counties worked
3 months approximately to the 10th birthday of this net
3 mugs of coffee ☕ drunk
2 happy birthdays 🎂 sung
1 shooting star seen 🌠

Some topics of conversation between contacts were the heat, getting bitten by midges and the tropo

Thank you all who called in and showed great patience, while I prioritised working the stations coming in on the tropo.
Sorry if you heard us but were unable to get through.

That brings this episode of "Ray's Review" end.
Thank you for reading, and if you spot any mistakes, let me know and I will correct them.

Don't forget to put the cat 🐱 out with the empty milk bottles and the bin bags for the foxes 🦊

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the paper & pen 📝

Hello Everyone

Just Showing my setup on Firle Beacon , with a blue theme LOL

Telescopic with two raised radials for 40M


My view from the car (I am in Heaven LOL)


Thanks You

Best 73's John

The next 145 Alive is on 20th July 2025.
There is 145 Alive to the start.

Hello and welcome

Here is my report for the Southern Area & South Coast SSB Net held on the 26-06-2025

My location for the net was yet another different and busy car park on Ashdown Forest 🌴, which is in the county of East Sussex about 30 miles or about 48 kilometres south of the capital London.

In busy, I mean there where 2 amateur stations set up working 20 & 40 meters, 1 of which had converted his mast into the antenna!!

The net can be found on channel 39 FCC or the Mid-Block and uses the LSB mode

The weather on the night was warm, clear and breezy outside the car park.
Where I was parked it was shielded from the breeze.

My set up for the night was my trusty old Anytone AT-6666, a car battery 🔋 to power it and a Solarcon A-99 antenna on a 3 meter pole.

The net starts at 8.30pm 🕣 and finishes anytime after 11.00pm 🕚 UK local time.

Now for my list of check in's and who heard and or worked who.
All station are 26 division unless otherwise stated.

FB  249--Jay--Jack n Jill Hill--West Sussex 🥇
FB 1226--Simon--Jack n Jill--West Sussex--Shotgun with Jay and 1st location of the night
GE 2020--Matt--Ore Village--East Sussex
CT 4515--John--Ashdown Forest 🌴--East Sussex
Ricky on The Ridge--Hastings--East Sussex
163 / 26 RU 08--Rod--Brecon Beacon--Wales
CT 4610--Andy--Reigate Hill--Surrey
DDB 50--Allan--Redhill--Surrey
Delta 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
CT 1829--Dean--Redhill--Surrey
NB 101--Dave--Edenbridge--Kent
GT 67--Danny--Crawley--West Sussex
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
TP 59--Charlie--Crawley--West Sussex--Welcome to the net 👍
CT 4627--Steve--Reigate Hill--Surrey
FB 20--Jono--Bignor Hill--West Sussex
JR 6969--Jim--Sutton--South London
CT 700--Dave--Crawley Down--West Sussex
TE 15--Martin--Hastings--East Sussex
XR 41--Jerry--Hailsham--East Sussex
FB 1226--Simon--Hassocks--West Sussex--2nd location of the night
CT 5380--Ronnie--New Addington--South London
LT 01--Jake--Highgate--North London
and me
CI 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest 🌴--East Sussex--In the chair 💺

Thank you all who called in and sorry if you tried and wasn't heard.

Figures for night.
2 Countries worked (26 & 163 Division)
3 London boroughs worked
4 counties worked
23 in the log

Best 73

Ray 2290 with the paper and pen 📝

I tuned to Ch27 EU about 6.30pm until 8pm, despite calling a number of times heard only tumbleweed.

Hello all and welcome

Here is another episode of "Ray Reviews" the Monday Night Channel 14 South Coast PMR Net, held on Monday 23-06-2025

or

"Whoop Whoop that's the sound of the BAND police 🚔"

or on this day in history

"Was the first solar powered coast to coast 2 way radio conversation"

Now on with the review, my set up was the CRT Space U powered by a car battery 🔋 and a home made 1/4 wave "Sputnik" antenna up on a fibre glass pole.

The net is scheduled to start at or as close to 20:30 Hrs or 8.30PM 🕣 and goes finishes anytime after 23:00 Hrs or 11.00PM 🕚. Sometimes before the net starts, you will find people on having a pre-net chat.

My location for the night was Radio Corner, Ashdown Forest 🌳 in the county of East Sussex, which is about 30 miles south of the capital London.

The net can be found on analogue channel 14 or 446.16875 MHz and doesn't use any kind of codes or tones. This makes it open to anybody with any kind of radio.

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

Camper Van Man--Nigel--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex 🥇
CT 5159--Neil--Detling Hill--Kent
RHP 248 aka CT 4627--Steve--Reigate Hill--Surrey
Pyro--Jay--Reigate Hill--Surrey--Shotgun with Steve and working a handy
Ratty 248--Chris--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex
Witchy Women--Vicky--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex--Shotgun with Chris
CT 4515--John--Ditchling beacon--East Sussex
Delta 31--Adam--Hastings--East Sussex
Vinny--Hastings--East Sussex--Welcome to the PMR net 👍
Tango 187--Toby--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex
CT 4610--Andy--Stand 13 South Terminal Gatwick Airport--West Sussex
CT 1829--Dean--Edenbridge--Kent
Ricky on the Ridge--Hastings--East Sussex
XR 41--Jerry--Hailsham--East Sussex
London Calling--Mark--Walthamstow--East London
CT 4848--Charlie--Brighton--East Sussex
Matt in the Garage--Hailsham--East Sussex
CT 4013--Tony--Brighton--East Sussex
and me
CT 2290--Ray--Ashdown Forest 🌳--East Sussex--In the Chair 💺

Thank you all who called in and sorry if you tried and wasn't heard.

Successful experiment of the night was Ratty 248.
With his normal set up he was unable to work the Hastings, after a bit of thought, an extra pole was found and his antenna was raised about another meter, and Ta-Dah! Hastings was heard and worked 👍😀

Thank you to the "BAND Police 🚔" (you know who you are) for the nee-naw nee-naw sounds when there was any mention of more then 0.5 watts, removeable antenna's and WFM being used. It's good to know that as responsible radio operators we do our utmost best to keep within the spirit of the guide lines.

That about brings this episode to an end, let me know if you spot a mistake or 2 😉

Catch next time best 73

Ray 2290 with the quill and parchment 📜

On Friday 27th June 2025 we celebrate 11 years of legal AM and SSB in the UK with a special radio event from 18:00 hours....
SSB calling on 27.275 USB (Channel 27 EU)
AM calling on 27.125 (Channel 14 AM)
(Please QSY if the channels are busy in your local area)
This is a chance to make new friends and increase activity on the CB bands.

To change light/dark simply click on the 'Moon' or 'Sun' icon(Top Right of page).