2025 Rally! 26th October 2025

The hall has been booked and we’re already speaking to traders about the 2025 rally.

The date will be Sunday 26th October 2025. We know this clashes with the CQWW contest but most traders still preferred that week.

Traders who wish to book a table for this year but not done so already with Jim, please email:
rallytraders @ galaradioclub.co.uk

All other rally queries (NOT table bookings) to rallyqueries @ galaradioclub.co.uk

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2024 Rally and Open Day – Sunday 27th October 2024

Many thanks to those who attended the rally, from the club members who helped set up and manned the doors and Bring & Buy, traders who came and offered something for everyone to see and buy, and the visitors who made it another great rally.

See you next year!

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Arthur Morris – GM1RKI SK

One of the earliest members of the club, Arthur Morris, sadly died on 17th September 2024, aged 88.

Some members of the club will be attending his funeral at Melrose Crematorium at 1300 on Friday 4th October.

Our thoughts are with his family.

73’s Arthur

Railways On The Air 2024 – Sat 28th/Sun 29th September 2024 – GB0WRH

Again some of our club members will be taking part in the Railways On The Air event.

The station will be set up in the carpark of the Whitrope Heritage Centre near Hawick on Saturday 28th September and will be operating until the afternoon of Sunday 29th September. The two Daves GM0KCN and MM0HTL will be there on Saturday with Dave HTL staying the night in the caravan and operating on Sunday.

The callsign used will be GB0WRH (Waverley Route Heritage) operating on HF bands on both days. All club members and visitors are welcome to come along and see the radio station and have a go at operating or just come along to chat.

The Whitrope Heritage Centre is run by the Waverley Route Heritage Association who have restored a length of track and sidings on the old Waverley line (1849-1969) between Hawick and Carlisle. Further details here: https://wrha.org.uk/about/

Location:
Whitrope Heritage Centre, Whitrope, Hawick, Roxburghshire TD9 9TY
Location: 11 miles south of Hawick on B6399 (Hawick to Newcastleton road).

Locator and directions:

Maidenhead Locator: IO85PH 00co
55.294320, -2.748944 (55°17’39.6″N 2°44’56.2″W) 1034ft (315m) asl
NGR: NT 52540 00279
WAB Square: NT50
Google: 9C7V77V2+MC
W3W:///jousting.windmills.wire
https://wrha.org.uk/the-association/find-us/

Satellite image showing location of Whitrope Heritage Centre carpark

https://rota.barac.org.uk/
https://wrha.org.uk/the-association/whitrope-heritage-centre/

PW 144MHz QRP Contest 2024 – Sunday 9th June 2024

Again members of the club will be going up the hill to operate a portable station for the Practical Wireless 144MHz QRP contest on Sunday 9th June 2024. We will be using the callsign GM4YEQ/P.

The contest runs between 0900-1500 UTC (1000-1600 Local/BST). We’ll likely be on-site by 0915 (local) if not earlier for setting up.

We’ll be at the usual “Middle Swire” location between the Yarrow and Ettrick valleys 6 miles west of Selkirk.

All club members are welcome to come and visit and catch up for a few hours, assist with setting up or operating, or operate your own sets on HF away from urban QRM.

Or if not able to come to the site, please give us a shout on 2m simplex FM or SSB if you hear us (144.150-144.397MHz is the SSB range). Someone will likely be scanning simplex channels 145.200-575MHz through the day. The more contacts we get (even local ones) the more points we get multiplied by the number of locator squares. Calling CQ on 145.500 isn’t allowed so don’t just listen for us there (nor on the repeaters)! Individual members may be monitoring repeaters and calling channels though if you want to make contact with someone in the group.

Exchange will be signal report, serial number (if you’re not participating then give 001 for your first contact) and your Maidenhead grid reference (or approximate location if you don’t know it as it still counts as a contact just not a new grid square).

Visitors should bring their own food and drink if they’re staying all day. Bring suitable clothing in case it’s windy or wet and footwear suitable for a grass field (with sheep droppings!). Dogs under strict control.

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