The MØTZO Blog

It is 21:00 & I am starting to write this heading back to London on the train from Bristol.

The RSGB AGM is over and Peter M3PHP & myself have finally collected our Kenwood Trophy for “making significant contributions to Training and Development in Amateur Radio within the United Kingdom” to Hamtests.co.uk from the RSGB board.

The rest of the day was also interesting at the AGM, although the open forum session in the afternoon proved very interesting to hear member’s views and getting answers from the board.

To finish off the evening we went for dinner with Iain M0PCB, Chloe (M0GEJ), Paul (M3JFM) and Terry (G0LUQ).

So am on my tea-break and check my text messages and find the following from Peter (M3PHP):-

• Myself and @Gadget17 have been awarded the RSGB Kenwood Trophy for significant contribution to training in providing hamtests.co.uk Woohoo! (via Twitter magicbug)

I have to call him and find out and he tells me that this morning he woke up to find not only had RSGB Radcom arrived but a letter from the RSGB, on further inspection it turns out that the RSGB Board have awarded Paul (M0TZO) & myself the ‘Kenwood Trophy’ for our significant contribution to training in providing the HamTests.co.uk website which offers mock questions for all levels of licences. (copied in part from following Peter M3PHP post)

We are of course very proud to be awarded the Kenwood Trophy and will be attending the RSGB AGM which takes place in Bristol on the 19^th April 2008 and commences at 11am.

If you are going to the AGM do say hello you can’t miss us, and of course checkout www.hamtests.co.uk

Tonight after local net had finished I went up to 432MHz to work a few station in the 432MHz UKAC contests.

Operated for about 40 minutes and worked 6 stations. Not mega numbers, but I gave a few points away and as I only ran 20w and that was into a vertical I am not upset with results.

Was more to give me something to do than watch TV all evening.

QSOs = 6
Mults = 2
Longest distance = 44km
Total Score = 202 points

More info on RSGB VHF/UHF contests available at www.vhfcc.org

Plan for future:-
Buy 70cm Beam & Rotator. Install in Loft with 2m ZL Beam.

As usual I attended the Kempton Park Radio Rally on 4th November. It was an early start for me as the person who was giving me a lift had to leave at 04:45am. Ouch.

So alarms were set and I woke up an hour early thinking I may have missed alarm and could get back to sleep. Instead I played a couple of games of bejeweled with my friend JW on MSN.

We arrived at Kempton about 5:30 and I helped set the tables with the info displaying where the vendors and clubs would be.

After 6am one of the big Vendors arrived with their Transit stuffed full of Amateur Radio items to sell. I helped them un-pack as I normally do and then other traders and clubs started turning up. After the 2nd large vendor was unpacked with my assistance I went to our clubs tables and added my 2 items with prices. I put up for sale my Icom IC-E90 handheld radio and my Squeezebox wireless music player.

At 10am the punters were let in to spend their hard earned cash and I was busily checking that everyone had a ticket. When someone could cover the door I went and brought 2 copies of the RSGB Prefix guide (one for M0BOV) and went back to keep on checking the tickets.

A while later I had a call on the radio that someone was interested in my radio. The person was tempted and the haggling began. Eventually we settled on a price and the sale was made.

Time for some more shopping. As I had helped one of the vendors I got a good price on some items. Alas the music player was unsold and when I arrived home was unpacked and back in old position.

Items Purchased

• RSGB Prefix Guide
• 2x High quality patch leads
• Yaesu FT-897 battery - FNB-87
• Yaesu MD-100a8x Desk Microphone

All in all apart from being knackered when I got home was another great day. And the M0TZO shack is getting better.

Today I sent off the fee to the RSGB for my Full Amateur Radio Exam being held in October.

I will be taking it on the Sunday 9th October 2005 at the HF Convention in Gatwick.

I am reading the Exam book at the moment, but am looking at even a fail as positive as will understand what they are expecting.

So hopefully soon will be my final (UK) call-sign and will lay the other two call-signs to rest.

**Update** - Received E-mail today from RSGB and I have been confirmed on the Exam. Also have to remember to take my Passport and Licence to the event (and copies for them and the Logbook of the World (LOTW)).