After months of meetings being held using Zoom throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, our Monthly Meetings have now resumed face to face at Bidborough.
Club Noticeboard
Next Meeting / Event:
Apr 3 Annual General Meeting – Note change of date to avoid Easter Monday.
Future Meetings & Planned Activites:
April 14: 75th Anniversary Dinner at the magnificent Salomon Estate
May 8: Solar Power for Home & Rig; Noise, Interference, filters. An illustrated talk by Chris G6HTH
May 13 & 14: Windmills-on-the-Air Weekend with HF & VHF Special Event Stations GB2NW at Nutley Windmill.
Jul 1 & 2: VHF National Field Day Contest at Matfield from 14:00 hrs.
Jul 2: 75th Anniversary BBQ hosted by Richard G8CDD at noon for members & their guests at his Matfield QTH during the RSGB VHF Field Day
Recent Events & Meetings:
Mar 13 Surplus Equipment Sale at Bidborough Village Hall run by Dave G4OTV; an opportunity to clear out the shack & sell unwanted items or find a bargain.
13 Feb: Video presentation on Propagation; a hot topic with the present sunspot cycle getting towards maximum.
.9 Jan: Annual Planning Meeting,, particularly arrangements to celebrate the Club’s 75 Anniversary Year.
12 Dec: Christmas Bash, held on Zoom due to snow & ice making travelling risky.
16 members enjoyed ‘Santa’ Dave’s G4OTV quiz but could only admire the mouthwatering sausage rolls & mince pies he’d made.
14 Nov: Show and Tell meeting featured short talks by 4 members about things they’ve built, software & other projects.
10 Oct: An excellent talk on Magnetic Loop Antennas by Mike M0RYK with examples from other members using small loops.
12 Sept: “The KW story” Steve G3ZPS returned to Bidborough to talk about Rowley G8KW and his company in Dartford that produced amateur radio equipment to rival the USA & Japanese black boxes.
3-4 Sep’22: RSGB HF National SSB Field Day & 2m Trophy Contest at Matfield, thanks to Richard, here; 10th of 28 in the HF SSB and 7th of 17 in the 2m Trophy, a good result.
8 Aug’22: Natter Night at Bidborough Village Hall, with some /P operation.
2-3 July’22: RSGB VHF National Field Day at Matfield, thanks to Richard.
20 QSOs in 4 countries (ODX PA4VHF at 458km) on 6m and 18 on 4m (2 countries, ODX EI9E at 516km). The 2m station made 88 QSOs in 9 countries (ODX DR2B at 820km).
11 July’22: “Rig power, Noise, Interference and EMP”. Chris G6HTH on keeping RF out of the Shack.
9 May’22: “Repairing radios around the world” Steve Venner G0TAN excellent talk about his experiences in ML&S workshop.
7-8 May’22: GB2NW for Mills on the Air. HF & VHF stations by invitation at Nutley Windmill.
11 Apr’22: AGM: Switched from Bidborough to Zoom to ensure the quorum of 15 was met.
14 Mar’22: “Old Ham Radio Gear, why the hell do we bother” Steve G3ZPS fascinating talk via Zoom.
Please revisit this page at regular intervals for additional details on this and our other activities on the Meetings page. A downloadable year planner (as a PDF download) has now been added on a sub menu under the Meetings page.
Read our Month on the Air for December & January 2023
We are a local radio society of over 40 members who, in normal non-COVID times, meets monthly in Bidborough. Our membership comes mainly from licenced radio amateurs and those who are working towards being amateurs. Our current Members tend to live in and around Tonbridge, Crowborough, Paddock Wood, Hildenborough and Tunbridge Wells but prospective members from further afield are always very welcome to join us.
In addition to our monthly meetings which frequently have a speaker, some members also meet twice a month for practical sessions which involve an activity such as: building equipment; learning Morse; or software programming.
We organise evening and weekend activities which often includes contest working, generally from fixed stations in the winter months but including some portable operating in the summer months using the Society’s own equipment, tents, aerials and generator.
We hold periodic social events and set up demonstration/special event stations to introduce others to the world of amateur radio.
Joining the Society
Membership is open to all with an interest in the hobby, whether licensed or not. Further details regarding joining West Kent ARS and a membership application form can be found here.
You are welcome to come to a few of the society’s formal meetings before you decide whether to join. We offer family membership and a discounted rate is available for those still in full time education.
West Kent Amateur Radio Society 