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News

If any members have news items or content they wish to include on the web site, please forward the details to Pat or Mike via the contact email address on the contacts page.

Wrexham ARS is registered by the RSGB as a training centre. Anyone wishing to take part in a foundation, intermediate or advanced licence course should contact Mike Bryant by completing the form on the course page.

Intermediate Exam Success

Wrexham ARS are please to announce this years first 100% intermediate candidate success. They sat the exam on Saturday 21st January 2012.

The new intermediate licence holders are

Paul Abram - 2W0WWR

Fred Miers - 2W0EWP

Terry Lewis - 2W0TCL

Not forgetting a word of praise to Mike Bryant for his tutoring skill’s well done Mike !!




Signalink USB Radio Interface

During the last club meeting, Bob Griffith introduced us to the world of PSK31, the popular digital mode.

Being a relatively new member having only passed my foundation exam at the end of March 2010 and passing the intermediate exam at the end of October I find these new modes fascinating. Although Bob was struggling with the signal conditions he gave a clear indication of what was capable with a small amount of equipment such as a laptop and an interface, I realised that this would open a whole new aspect of radio to me.

I got home and did a bit of research on Google and found just what I was looking for, The Signalink USB - this radio interface can be used with Ham Radio Deluxe just the same as Bob use’s and it takes care of all the signal processing for you.







I ordered mine the next day from Radioworld in Walsall at a cost of £97.45 inc p+p  and a day later it was delivered.

Setting up was a breeze, you remove the four allen bolts on the front panel and then make about four to five link connections on a dual in line carrier on the PCB to enable the interface cable that you select at the time of ordering to match your radio.

Then depending on your computer operating system you will need to set the Signalink USB sound card drivers up, the device contains its own on-board sound card and as I use Windows 7 it was automatically detected.

I was up and receiving solid signals from my FT-857 within minutes, the transmit side is still a little new to me. I will be talking to Bob at the next meeting to get some guidance on the etiquette of transmission but for now I will be happy just receiving for a few days to pick up the feel of things and then I can dive in for a short QSO and see how far five watts will get me.

Carl MW0TBB

CQ WW - Contest Achievement

Club member Steve Redmond MW0ZZK has notched up a great total Score = 5,008,880 points using the Wrexham ARS contest call GW9T in the recent CQ WW contest coming World 7th, European 4th & Wales 1st. in a marathon 37 hour operating session.














We congratulate Steve on this fantastic achievement and hope he has continued success with the club call, we hope to see him at the club in the near future so we can congratulate him in person.

RSGB News daily update items

DX-Sherlock propagation ticker - Europe