Category Archives: Uncategorized

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

Posted by gdars on September 23, 2024 No comments

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 2022 Certificate

Posted by gdars on February 4, 2023 No comments

We received the certificate from last year’s PW QRP contest in June 2022 where myself (Mike MM3NTX), George GM1OPO, Brian MM7OYD and Nigel GM7GRH helped to get a station on-air in the back of Brian’s van and win top station in Scotland (admittedly out of 2 entrants) and top (only!) station in the IO85 square.

Thanks to the guys for helping to get us an entry for 2022.

COVID-19 / Coronavirus

Posted by gdars on July 18, 2020 No comments

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, following general advice from government, weekly Wednesday night club meetings have been suspended as of 18th March 2020. Also the Focus Centre has been closed along with all Live Borders facilities until further notice.

Members can still keep in contact through the GDARS Yahoo Group email or on local FM 2m and 70cm repeaters GB3SB, GB3HK, GB3DU, GB3LB, GB3BT, GB3BE, and DMR/YSF repeaters GB7LS and GB7EY.

The decision was made to cancel the 2020 Rally and Open Day scheduled for 25th October 2020.

Arrangements are being made for the 2021 Open Day on Sunday 24th October 2021.

Railways On The Air 2019 – Whitrope Railway Heritage GB0WRH, 20/21 September 2019

Posted by gdars on September 21, 2019 No comments

On Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st September 2019, club members took part in the Railways On The Air (ROTA) event, operating from the carpark of the Whitrope Heritage Centre south of Hawick.

Report from Dave S GM0KCN:

Quite a slow start contacts wise on Saturday with only 17 QSOs. Mike and Steven did the majority of the logging and Dave H and I did most of the operating.

We all enjoyed the sunny weather and also a wander round Whitrope Station where Border TV were filming for Border Life programme.

Sunday was not good weather wise, lots of heavy showers, however radio
wise were the centre of a pile up again, just like two years ago, with I
think 75 QSOs, so a busy time for the three of us.

We called it a day just after 3pm when conditions were fading. Packed everything away in a break between the rain and were on the road
a little after 4:30pm.

Thanks to those who managed to visit and enjoy the coffee and biscuits
and see the radio station in action.

Big thank you to Dave H for providing the caravaning facilities and
mains power and the radio kit.

Whitrope Heritage Centre, Whitrope, Hawick, Roxburghshire TD9 9TY
Location: 11 miles south of Hawick on B6399.
Maidenhead Locator: IO85PH 00co
55.294320, -2.748944 (55°17’39.6″N 2°44’56.2″W)
NGR: NT 52540 00279
Google: 9C7V77V2+MC
W3W:///jousting.windmills.wire
https://wrha.org.uk/the-association/find-us/

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