The Calendar has now been updated with activities for the first 6 months of 2019.

Meetings will be on 1^st and 3^rd Fridays of each month, between 7:30 and 9:30.

·         1^st Friday meetings will be social events where members can have a general chat, use the club radio and bring their own kit / questions for others to help with or to tell us about.

·         3^rd Friday meetings will be talks on a variety of topics and the calendar will cover the next 6 months. Doors open at 7:30 for talk to commence at 8pm.

Calendar

January	Zello and Network Radio	Sean Burton 2E0ENN
February	CW	Brian Hiley M0YBX
March	CB Radio	Richard Shireby G0OJF
April	Grounds and RF Earthing	Stewart Mason M0SDM
May	Planning Permissions	Adam Hicks M6OLT
June	First Aid	Konrad Emery-Ford M0KVF

In addition to the regular meetings, there will be a number of outdoor activities where we get the opportunity to make some contacts as well as socialise with each other. We plan to run one special event station each quarter, with a number of other activations that we hope will be of interest. If you are interested in helping to organise any of these (or have other ideas), please let us know!

Special Event Stations

Late/Mid May	Castles on the Air
Sept	Field Day
Mid Oct	JOTA	Stewart Mason M0SDM

Activations/Social

19 Jan	Mam Tor Activation	Steve 2E0WCG
	Kite Flying
	2m from Belmont/Wolds
	HF from the Beach
	Summer BBQ
	Backpackers 2m
	WAB activation
	Sota (Derbyshire/Yorks)
	Club Contesting

Richard Powley (M0IGM) passed away on November the 3rd at the Grantham Hospital Hospice. Richard had been unwell for some time.

Richard first came to SKARS after he answered a call for volunteers to help at one of our JOTA stations and became an active member, a regular on the club net and participated in other club activities and meetings, always keen to offer his advice and assistance to new operators.

In May this year Richard spent an entertaining couple of hours talking and accepting messages over the radio from the members of a local scout group after we went to give a talk and demonstration, going out of his way to assist.

Richard spent much of his life in Germany and after coming back to the hobby operated for a while operated as M/DJ0MDW.

The committee and members of SKARS send their condolences to his wife Joy and his family and friends.

South Kesteven ARS have once again proved they are an award winning society

RSGB Region 13 winners for three years running

National Finalists for three years running, 3rd in 2015, 2nd in 2016 and now finally grabbing the first place for their hard work and efforts in 2017

Collecting the award on behalf of SKARS was Stewart Mason (Event coordinator) and his son Noah at the National Hamfest on 29th September 2018. The club received a voucher for £500 and is looking to buy a transceiver from Waters & Stanton the sponsors of the competition.

Club of the Year winners announced

Congratulations and thanks to all SKARS members and the committee for their hard work.

Abdel Mesbah M0NPT came along to SKARS on the 6th July 2018 to give a talk and demonstration on operating through Amateur radio satellites.

As well as a powerpoint presentation Abdel was able to demonstrate the operating of an SSB linear transponder on FO-29 during two passes that evening. Using a Yaesu FT-847 and a handheld homebrew antenna made a number of successful QSOs. (Video and photos by Stewart Mason M0SDM)

As part of the British Inland Waterways on the air weekend BIWOTA, SKARS will be operating a special event station from the Grantham Canal Society http://www.granthamcanal.org/ on Sunday 26th August 2018

In light of the General Data Protection Regulations that come in to force 25 May 2018 SKARS has performed an audit and assessment of data it holds and uses.

Privacy/Data Protection Policy

 

On May 4 2018 Sean Burton 2E0ENN gave a talk and demonstration of the various Digital voice modes available to amateurs including DMR, DSTAR and Fusion (C4FM) and how they be connected via internet linking. Several types of personal hotspot brought along, explained and demonstrated. Sean made several QSOs via the system, one to club member Sid G4RIO who was out mobile at the time.

 

At the club meeting Friday 4th May 2018, there will be a presentation on Digital and Internet Linked Amateur Radio with Sean Burton 2E0ENN

Details here

On the 6th April 2018 SKARS will be holding a session on Basic First Aid Training at the club meeting, everyone welcome (normal £2 cover charge to pay hall costs)

Club Meeting – Basic First Aid Training

Due to the weather forecasts and weather warning for freezing temperatures, snow and high winds, gusting to 50mph the special event station GB0WM at Woolsthorpe Manor for British Science Week has been cancelled.

It is hoped the station may be put on later in the year