UK Radio Rallies

[Squarewave]

Radio Rallies in the UK are a great place to acquire parts for projects, test gear and even many radios and related items. They're also a great place to see familiar faces and chat to people about all things radio/electronics or just talk about how you've no idea how you're going to fit that boot load of gear into your house!

There's been a few this year already and more to come. So which ones this year are you planning on going to? I hope this thread can help people in the UK find a local event or even plan on meeting up with people at such events.

[Squarewave]

Oh, I created this to split away from the other which was created for Dunstable downs which we kind of jumped onto.

Flight Refuelling tomorrow, I can't make it tomorrow, but would like to one day.

Rugby is coming up, really wanted to go, but can't make it, but the one in Milton Keynes coming up I can do 

[bd139]

Canonical list is here: https://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

I will be at FRARS tomorrow. Possibly Rugby next Sunday. Definitely MKARS on the 28th.

After that I will probably have enough projects to see me through winter 

I will see if I can get some pictures at events I attend.

[Squarewave]

I do use that list, but it's not always up to date with postponements or cancellations.

[tggzzz]

I do use that list, but it's not always up to date with postponements or cancellations.

It is the best starting point, but obviously check with the actual organisers.

Thanks for starting this thread. There's been some chatter about rallies in the TEA thread, but this thread is more likely to attract people's attention.

To grossly simplify the recent chatter there: FRARS good (unless continuous rain), Rugby good, MK and DDARC near TNMoC so the journey costs can be amortised. That implies nothing about other hamfests.

I'd like to know whether the national rally in Newark is any good, and if so which days. I'm unlikely to flog up there without a good reason.

[Zenith]

FRARS, Rugby, MK or Torbay (probably MK), Telford (probably), Andover, Weston-super-Mud (because it's close), Newport, Hack Green, (probably, it's been highly recommended as worth going to although it's a long way), maybe Holsworthy, Chippenham. Possibly CATS, although I'll wait for opinions on that. If it's a W-s-M micro rally I won't do it.

I live in the Bristol area, so a couple of hours drive each way is just about the limit. Things on the limit have to have some promise. There are some in the North of England and East Anglia, but they are much too far away.

https://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

[tggzzz]

FRARS, Rugby, MK or Torbay (probably MK), Telford (probably), Andover, Weston-super-Mud (because it's close), Newport, Hack Green, (probably, it's been highly recommended as worth going to although it's a long way), maybe Holsworthy, Chippenham. Possibly CATS, although I'll wait for opinions on that. If it's a W-s-M micro rally I won't do it.

I live in the Bristol area, so a couple of hours drive each way is just about the limit. Things on the limit have to have some promise. There are some in the North of England and East Anglia, but they are much too far away.

https://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Weston-super-Mud rally is small, about the size of the rally in Sully near Penarth. I wouldn't bother to go, but it is so close I could consider going by bus. ("Consider" because it would be a First Bus a.k.a. Stagecoach).

Newport over-the-bridge is reasonable, but not on this year.

[Zenith]

Are you sure about Newport? It seems to be on according to the website.

https://www.gw6gw.co.uk/visitors.html

[Squarewave]

I do use that list, but it's not always up to date with postponements or cancellations.

It is the best starting point, but obviously check with the actual organisers.

Thanks for starting this thread. There's been some chatter about rallies in the TEA thread, but this thread is more likely to attract people's attention.

To grossly simplify the recent chatter there: FRARS good (unless continuous rain), Rugby good, MK and DDARC near TNMoC so the journey costs can be amortised. That implies nothing about other hamfests.

I'd like to know whether the national rally in Newark is any good, and if so which days. I'm unlikely to flog up there without a good reason.

Newark aviation museum is good, so there's something additional which you could do in the same day if the rally isn't what you expected.

[bd139]

Regarding CATS it’s a 50/50. I only go because it’s not far from me. I wouldn’t bother if you’re more than about 20 miles away. I’ve left empty handed twice.

[Zenith]

Sounds like CATS is about the same as W-s-M then. Not worth a serious trip.

There was one in Laugharne, near Carmarthen, Dylan Thomas' old haunt. Too far for what was probably a W-s-M type do.

[tggzzz]

Are you sure about Newport? It seems to be on according to the website.

https://www.gw6gw.co.uk/visitors.html

I'm sure. But wrong

[Squarewave]

Regarding CATS it’s a 50/50. I only go because it’s not far from me. I wouldn’t bother if you’re more than about 20 miles away. I’ve left empty handed twice.

I've left two this year empty handed, but not because there wasn't anything there, I just had some restraint which I've not had before. I just wanted to go and have a mooch about.

McMichael this year though, boot full, back seats full.......

[Zenith]

As well as the RSGB list, there are a couple of others.

http://southgatearc.org/rallies/rally-list.htm

http://g4rga.org.uk/All.html

They are usually the same, but sometimes there's information or even an event, covered by one but not the others.

[tggzzz]

There was one in Laugharne, near Carmarthen, Dylan Thomas' old haunt. Too far for what was probably a W-s-M type do.

Without evidence, I would presume it was Sully²; the BarryARS hamfest location is delightful and near sproglet, and the denizens are friendly. That's not enough to make me go again.

[Zenith]

I'm familiar with Sully, Sully Island at least, and a little familiar with Laugharne from 20 plus years back. They are 70 miles apart.

I'd never heard there was a rally in Sully and was a little surprised when you mentioned it. There used to be a rally in Bridgend I went to a couple of times, which was about twice the size of W-s-M and was OK.

[tggzzz]

I'm familiar with Sully, Sully Island at least, and a little familiar with Laugharne from 20 plus years back. They are 70 miles apart.

I'd never heard there was a rally in Sully and was a little surprised when you mentioned it. There used to be a rally in Bridgend I went to a couple of times, which was about twice the size of W-s-M and was OK.

It was surprisingly difficult to find links to it, which may be part of the reason it was "locals only". There was a dealer that came from Devon; I doubt he made his petrol money.

[Zenith]

Found it by searching on the WWW. If it comes up again next year, I might nip over there - more attractive without bridge charges. I can always go for a pint in The Captain's Wife near Sully Island and mull over a few old memories.

[Squarewave]

So any radio rally fun today?

[tggzzz]

It was reasonable. I saw bd and zenith, and flogged more than I expected.

My ferengi-fu deserted me. I prepared the way for bd to pick up an hp oscillator by declining it at a higher price. I felt guilty about overcharging zenith for a mule 465, and returned some money to him.

The most interesting thing there was an HP9100 calculator. I would have thought about buying it, but it was too big and I have too much on ATM. I'll remember it in the same way as the Fluke calbrator I didn't bid on because I wasn't a voltnut, doh.

I'll probably go to RATS next Sunday, especially if I can have mains available.

[Squarewave]

Which Fluke calibrator was it?

Gutted I can't make RATS, must have been 2019 since I last went I suppose. Always enjoy it up there, but MK I'm going, just for the fun of it.

[bd139]

I may do RATS.

FRARS Duplicated here for the sake of completeness:



HP 204D £10 - working fine needs cleaning.
Farnell TM6 £15 - sort of working. Needs minor repair.
ARRL books £3 for both - selling on ebay
Parts £5 - all good.

tggzzz: I did consider that 465 mule. If I'd moved I'd have had it off you but I was looking for small things

I nearly walked away with a 141T but the RF module was too high a frequency for my interests.

[tggzzz]

Which Fluke calibrator was it?

Can't remember, but in the same auction I bought a Solartron 7081 and a transportable zener-based 10V volt reference. So, in retrospect it was sufficiently good that I should have snapped it up. Oh well.

I currently have a Fluke 515A to flog, but that's not in the same class by a long way!

[tggzzz]

HP 204D £10 - working fine needs cleaning.

Oh. That's not the HP oscillator I had in mind. I saw a 3310A

[bd139]

HP 204D £10 - working fine needs cleaning.

Oh. That's not the HP oscillator I had in mind. I saw a 3310A

Oh ok didn’t see that. I’d have had that for £30 

[Squarewave]

Well, the weather isn't looking too chirpy for Sunday over in Ruggers! I wonder what the turn out will be like?

[Zenith]

I don't believe the weather will be boiling hot, like at McMichael and FRARS, which brings it's own problems. My guess is it will be a pleasant enough day, "Sunny periods with occasional showers". But that's no more than a guess. I'll have to find out and feel my bit of seaweed to give a more evidence based prediction.

The turnout will be at least 3; bd139, tggzzz, and me. Shame you can't make it. When I've been there before, it's always been well attended. I assume that with a couple of years of missed events, it will have a lot of visitors who have some rallying to catch up on.

[Zenith]

I may do RATS.

FRARS Duplicated here for the sake of completeness:



HP 204D £10 - working fine needs cleaning.
Farnell TM6 £15 - sort of working. Needs minor repair.
ARRL books £3 for both - selling on ebay
Parts £5 - all good.

tggzzz: I did consider that 465 mule. If I'd moved I'd have had it off you but I was looking for small things

I nearly walked away with a 141T but the RF module was too high a frequency for my interests.

Actually I was looking for a 475 mule and became tempted by the 465 mule. I thought I'd bought a 475 mule a time back, but when I looked at it there was so little wrong with it; a missing heatsink on a hybrid and the delay sweep has had a biff, that I'm now looking for a proper 475 mule. Or at least the heatsink, since the 465 mule would probably provide the delay sweep stuff - mainly a shaft that can't be straightened easily. Anyway, I'm certain I'll be tempted by a 465 that needs a mule.

I saw a 141T just along from tggzzz's stall, but they are huge things, and I haven't looked into them enough to put one on the shopping list, knowing what the plugins are and all the rest. He said he wanted £150 for it. All worth noting. Probably he'd have come down a lot from that because I can imagine he wouldn't want to take it home. OTOH, getting to the car would not have been fun. I doubt you would have walked off with it.

[tggzzz]

I don't believe the weather will be boiling hot, like at McMichael and FRARS, which brings it's own problems. My guess is it will be a pleasant enough day, "Sunny periods with occasional showers". But that's no more than a guess. I'll have to find out and feel my bit of seaweed to give a more evidence based prediction.

The best guide to the weather is to look upwind out the window

Boiling hot means more people go to the beach or somewhere special, rather than to a local fair.

Traders at FRARS reckoned that, so does my daughter - it means there are fewer people to buy ice creams at her local farmers' market. OTOH, hot is excellent at cricket matches

[Squarewave]

.....local farmers' market.....

Now, that's what I think of when people say Hamfest, a farmers market, a farmers fest, where there's ham and other pig related meat.

[Zenith]

I don't believe the weather will be boiling hot, like at McMichael and FRARS, which brings it's own problems. My guess is it will be a pleasant enough day, "Sunny periods with occasional showers". But that's no more than a guess. I'll have to find out and feel my bit of seaweed to give a more evidence based prediction.

The best guide to the weather is to look upwind out the window

Boiling hot means more people go to the beach or somewhere special, rather than to a local fair.

Traders at FRARS reckoned that, so does my daughter - it means there are fewer people to buy ice creams at her local farmers' market. OTOH, hot is excellent at cricket matches

I knew someone who worked for Lyons in the early 60s, in their Organisation & Methods department. Lyons was a very forward looking company - LEO and automated form reading and such.

An important part of their business was ice cream sales, and it would have been extremely valuable to have accurate weather forecasts even a day ahead. So they looked into it and evaluated all sorts of ways of forecasting the weather, including custom Met Office forecasts and all sorts of folk lore. Nothing was off limits.

They came to the conclusion that the best predictor of what the weather would be tomorrow and the day after, was what the weather was today.

Past a certain temperature, I think a lot of people would rather just stay at home and laze around in the garden. Cricket is a different thing.

[bd139]

Can confirm the beach hypothesis.  The little walk we did after FRARS along the coast was crawling with people who had no idea what contour lines are and were slowly dying 

[tggzzz]

Lyons was a very forward looking company - LEO and automated form reading and such.

They came to the conclusion that the best predictor of what the weather would be tomorrow and the day after, was what the weather was today.

Yes, that rule of thumb is oft-quoted, and (in the absence of better information) you won't get a better estimate.

Merkins, in particular, tend to disbelieve that the first business use of computer in the world (the Lyons Electronic Office 1) was in effect venture capital funded by a "tea and cake" shop.

On 15 February 1951 the [LEO 1] computer, carrying out a simple test program, was shown to HRH Princess Elizabeth. The first business application to be run on LEO was Bakery Valuations, which computed the costs of ingredients used in bread and cakes. This was successfully run on 5 September 1951, and LEO took over Bakery Valuations calculations completely on 29–30 November 1951
...
Lyons used LEO I initially for valuation jobs, but its role was extended to include payroll, inventory, and so on. One of its early tasks was the elaboration of daily orders which were phoned in every afternoon by the shops and used to calculate the overnight production requirements, assembly instructions, delivery schedules, invoices, costings, and management reports. This was the first instance of an integrated management information system

[Squarewave]

All set for Ruggers tomorrow then, chaps?

[bd139]

Not going to this one. Too busy moving house and stuff. Will do MKARS next week.

[tggzzz]

All set for Ruggers tomorrow then, chaps?

Yes. Unless I forget to wake up.

[Zenith]

Yes, all being well.

Accuweather says "19C Intervals of clouds and sunshine" - they are usually fairly accurate 24 hours ahead.

Should be a pleasant day.

[Squarewave]

I can't go today, but hope it's a good one. It's been years since I went. The Rugby rally is where my Marconi TF144H/4S came from. I rebuilt the power supply as a part of its restoration and since, it's been my main vintage signal generator in my lab.

[Zenith]

I'd say, not up to expectations. Nowhere near as much tempting junk as at McMichael or FRARS, and certainly not to be compared with Newbury. I recall it was better in previous years, and better attended. The weather was very pleasant.

There were the obligatory tatty AR88 and codged R1155, without which no rally could call itself a rally. There was a Philips Electronics Engineer kit for £25. I had one as a kid, but I have no hankering for one - but still nice to see. There was an HP AF spectrum analyser, but no other SAs. There were a few scopes I had no particular interest in.

I came away with a couple of valves, some components and bits and pieces, some SMC leads and a BNC/SMC adapter. I also scored a Racal 5MHz OXCO for £3.50 which I was assured was brand new, but judging from the solder on the pins, is previously enjoyed.

tggzzz was there and had a better day from the point of view of acquisitions.

There was nothing on my shopping list and no £5/£10 bargain bit of TE for another winter project. I'm glad I didn't miss it, and it was a pleasant day out, but if you wanted to go and couldn't, don't reproach yourself too much.

[bd139]

Thanks for the review. Glad I didn’t bother if I’m honest.

Good luck with the racal OCXO. I gave up on one here  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/repairing-off-frequency-racal-9442-ocxo/

[Zenith]

Had you been there, you might have spotted things I didn't - but my general opinion is that it was a bit flat. Since you are in the middle of a house move, I'd say it wouldn't have been worth the trip for you.

As for the OCXO, it was £3.50 and the seller had an honest face - they're always the worst. It's soldered in its can. I'll see what it can do when I get round to looking at it.

[tggzzz]

I've not been to Rugby hamfest before, so can't compare.

The footfall wasn't very high. I lost money, even excluding petrol.

But then that wasn't the reason I went.

For £90 I came away with

• HP654A oscillator. Works but could do with a little tweaking
• Picoscope differential probe 25MHz, /10 /100. I already have a /20 /200 diff probe, but this requires fewer brain cells. Works on internal batteries
• Advance OFS2B off-air receiver. Looks like it receives and locks, but no output. I'll assume its guts are similar to my other receiver, and hack it
• Tek 468, which looks like a 456B with a wart glued on. Wart contains a 40MS/s digitiser plus voltage and time cursors. Works, but guess what needs cleaning. Weighs >30lbs

Eventually I'll put pictures on That Other Thread.

[Zenith]

Good luck with the racal OCXO. I gave up on one here  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/repairing-off-frequency-racal-9442-ocxo/

This one is 9 Hz down at the upper limit of adjustment.

I wonder how you desolder these things.

[bd139]

Can opener 

[Zenith]

Unlike corned beef, they don't come with a key.

As this thing cost about the price of a pint in a pub, and the innards are used to being cooked to 70C, and picking up the odd dud is all part of life's rich pageant. I think I'll try making up a thing to pull the innards out using the mounting screw holes, fixing it in a vice, and then going round it cautiously with a blowlamp.

[bd139]

Sounds sensible. Interested to see the results and contents.

Not sure where you live but pints cost twice that here 

[tggzzz]

This one is 9 Hz down at the upper limit of adjustment.

Obvious question: compared with what?

[Zenith]

This one is 9 Hz down at the upper limit of adjustment.

Obvious question: compared with what?

5MHz as shown on a couple of Racal frequency counters which show 10MHz to about 1 digit when connected to a GPSDO.

I connected a 10 turn 10k preset pot across the 12V supply with the wiper connected to the VCO pin, and the adjustment range is about 7 Hz from 9.999984MHz to 9.999991MHz. I assumed that would be the voltage range the VCO was designed for.  I couldn't find anything on the WWW about this particular Racal OCXO.

It takes more current when the oven is cold, and the unit gets warm to the touch, so I assume the oven is OK. I suppose it might be under temperature for some reason.

I'd guess the crystal has aged out of range. It could be a trimming capacitor which has changed value.

[bd139]

Possible. Might be possible to shift it up a bit but it would involve replacing a capacitor and reducing overall capacitance in the network. Was hoping in my original one that I could tack a couple of pF on the bottom of the board. That was until I realised it'd go the wrong way 

Still arguing with my Farnell TM6 here...

[Squarewave]

Sounds like an OK day though. When I went to the Rugby rally last time, I don't think I bought much apart from that Marconi signal generator and also a Marconi chewb volt meter.

MK next week then chaps, nothing in particular on my shopping list, just want to have a browse around and see what takes my fancy if anything at all.

[bd139]

I’ve got addicted to the Marconi crack now.

MKARS has been a good one for me. It’s not huge but has been good. There’s a bit in a field and a bit inside. There’s usually a table at the end of the inside with all the interesting stuff on it. Plus one or two really good stands from locals. The rest is mostly the usual stuff.

[Zenith]

Sounds like an OK day though. When I went to the Rugby rally last time, I don't think I bought much apart from that Marconi signal generator and also a Marconi chewb volt meter.

MK next week then chaps, nothing in particular on my shopping list, just want to have a browse around and see what takes my fancy if anything at all.

An OK day, but not an unmissable one. I was really glad I went to FRARS and wish I'd gone before

Whether a rally is any good or not depends on your luck, what you are looking for, how sharp eyed you are, and the amount and type of stuff that happens to be there.  The bigger ones have more stuff, so more chance of seeing something interesting. However, the small ones, like Chippenham, could just throw up a couple of items you've been looking for for years.

MKARS or Torbay next - they clash. I haven't been to either before, but I have the impression MKARS is better.

[tggzzz]

MKARS or Torbay next - they clash. I haven't been to either before, but I have the impression MKARS is better.

I haven't been to either, but I'll note Torbay is a costa geriatica. Whether that increases or decreases chances (of modern/old or silent keys) is left as an exercise for the reader.

[Zenith]

MKARS or Torbay next - they clash. I haven't been to either before, but I have the impression MKARS is better.

I haven't been to either, but I'll note Torbay is a costa geriatica. Whether that increases or decreases chances (of modern/old or silent keys) is left as an exercise for the reader.

Torbay is a half hour less travel time and a more straightforward drive. The rally has a 10am start rather than a 9am start, which is good. Both sound about like Chippenham scale events, maybe 30 stalls.

Costa Geriatrica eh? Endless Morse keys and Yaesu transceivers, with computer junk and the odd bit of Heathkit thrown in, or a Collins R390A or an AR88 new in its transit case, plus the "acquisitions" of a deceased Tektronix salesman.

Torbay it is.

[bd139]

Morse keys are good money on eBay especially paddles 

[Zenith]

I haven't gone to these things with an eye on the ebay potential. Maybe I should, and Morse keys, a thing I've taken no interest in whatsoever, would repay some attention.

It does occur that anything small and neat, such as little audio oscillators, or those plastic cased RF sig gens rebadged as TenMa, Rapid etc, fetch an obscene amount on fleabay. If they don't work, they usually don't take much to get them working and it's fun. You can calibrate them to within their spec if you have halfway reasonable test gear. Clean them up, and a nice photo... I'd rather sell working stuff.

Then there are valves. There must be all sorts of things.

Transistors. Imagine hitting paydirt with a bag of 100 fabulous TI BC183Ls for a couple of quid.

Yes, I must get in touch with my inner Ferengi and see rallies in that light.

I'm beginning to feel I must have left RATS with treasure unlifted.

[bd139]

Yeah bounced a few of those generators myself 

I make a habit of making the hobby pay for itself. That’s all really.

[Zenith]

Quite so. It wouldn't be much of a career.

However, there's no shame in turning an honest quid - it beats picking pockets every time. You also enable someone to find the very thing they want on ebay, without having to go out and look for it. Regard it as a service to society.

[Cerebus]

I promised myself that I'd get to a rally or two this year. Fed up of hearing from the rest of you about your bargain acquisitions. The barrier for me is getting up early enough to make the trip worthwhile and not arrive after all the good stuff has gone.

I'm pondering MK but haven't made my mind up.

[bd139]

Do it do it do it 

[tggzzz]

Do it do it do it 

You're confusing this thread with another

[Zenith]

@Cerebus

I have the impression you live in the London area.

https://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Not that many good ones within striking distance left this year. There a few that might be OK in the North of England or East Anglia. Too far for me.

There's Andover, Chippenham and Croydon, but I don't believe they are top notch. Chippenham, Newport and Weston-super-Mare are fairly local for me, but I wouldn't recommend any one to travel a long way to them.

Go to MK. Make the special effort to get up. You know you'll feel better for it.

I shan't go to MK because I'll check out Torbay instead.

[Cerebus]

@Cerebus

I have the impression you live in the London area.

Correct. East London. North of the river. Can add a fair chunk of time to get out and/or across London for some destinations.

https://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Not that many good ones within striking distance left this year. There a few that might be OK in the North of England or East Anglia. Too far for me.

There's Andover, Chippenham and Croydon, but I don't believe they are top notch. Chippenham, Newport and Weston-super-Mare are fairly local for me, but I wouldn't recommend any one to travel a long way to them.

Go to MK. Make the special effort to get up. You know you'll feel better for it.

I shan't go to MK because I'll check out Torbay instead.

Andover and Chippenham are quite a drag, further than I'd want to go purely because they'd involve getting up at sparrow fart for a same day trip with the obligatory 9ish arrival. About 6:30 and 6:00 departure time respectively. Croydon although relatively close is, of course, Morlock territory.

MK's probably a 1 1/2 hour drive, yielding a tolerable 'get up and go' time. I'd be prepared to go much further afield if things started at more relaxed times

[Zenith]

I don't dig early morning rising either. I agree they should start these thing at about 3pm, but they don't. That's one of the reason's for Torbay rather than MK.

Coming from East London and going around the bleeding M25 which never seems to end........

I'd say Newbury and McMichael (now done for this year) might be worth the trip, with a blast down the M4. Chippenham isn't. Dunstable Downs (Luton) should be one for you.

You need to consult the list at the start of the year and plan your rallying earlier.

Sometimes new rallies start up, and there might be one conveniently close to you.

[bd139]

Missing Kempton at the moment. That was ten mins from me

[mikeselectricstuff]

From East London, IMO Dunstable Downs is the only one worth going to

[tggzzz]

There's Andover, Chippenham and Croydon, but I don't believe they are top notch. Chippenham, Newport and Weston-super-Mare are fairly local for me, but I wouldn't recommend any one to travel a long way to them.

W-s-M, Chippenham, Newport: agreed. It will be Chippenham's second hamfest this year, so not sure how many goodies will be available.

Ask bd about Croydon.

[bd139]

Croydon sucks.

I only go because I've got sod all else to do and it's only about 30 minutes away.

[tggzzz]

Croydon sucks.

So I've heard. But what about the nearby hamfest?

Croydon wasn't bad the last time I went there, in the 60s and 70s.

[bd139]

Only bit of Croydon I have suffered through recently is ikea because they were the only store with the TV unit fronts I needed left. That sucked too. I also knew someone who loved it so much she moved to Peacehaven which is like an atomic wasteland.

[tggzzz]

Only bit of Croydon I have suffered through recently is ikea because they were the only store with the TV unit fronts I needed left. That sucked too. I also knew someone who loved it so much she moved to Peacehaven which is like an atomic wasteland.

I presume Peacehaven is a an up-market Torquay. Much like the place in "The Good Place" comedy, not least that you think it is a good place and you go there before you die.

I have, IIRC, got a piece of Tek TE from between Torquay and Brixham; it didn't work.

[bd139]

Worse. Peacehaven is so nice it's trying to throw itself in the sea so no one else has to suffer it....

[Cerebus]

Only bit of Croydon I have suffered through recently is ikea because they were the only store with the TV unit fronts I needed left. That sucked too. I also knew someone who loved it so much she moved to Peacehaven which is like an atomic wasteland.

By coincidence when SWMBO and I went to Dungeness for a walk and then on to Brighton for a fish supper the other week we stopped off in Peacehaven for a piss break. Followed signs to the shopping centre and found a mini-mall that had obviously been built around a Co-Op supermarket as an "anchor store".

The place was so deserted looking from the car park that we thought everything was shut and abandoned or we'd driven to the back of a disused 1970s community centre instead. The Co-Op was open, although you had to push the door to be certain because it was so empty and underlit. Every other store in the mini-mall was conspicuously abandoned. If they had tumbleweeds in South East England they would have been rolling about indoors.

Edit: On reflection, Peacehaven is probably best described as "Suitable for people who find the racy pace and hustle of Bexhill a little too exciting for their tastes."

[Squarewave]

There's Andover, Chippenham and Croydon, but I don't believe they are top notch. Chippenham, Newport and Weston-super-Mare are fairly local for me, but I wouldn't recommend any one to travel a long way to them.

W-s-M, Chippenham, Newport: agreed. It will be Chippenham's second hamfest radio rally this year, so not sure how many goodies will be available.

Ask bd about Croydon.

Chippenham's second Rally is cancelled isn't it?

[Zenith]

Chippenham's second Rally is cancelled isn't it?

Not according to any of the lists I've seen. Of course, before going to a rally it's wise to make sure it's still on. There are a couple of phone numbers for booking tables and an email address, so closer the day, 19th November, it will be worth checking, unless the lists say it's cancelled.

[Squarewave]

At the bottom of the list on the rsgb website, the November rally is listed under cancelled events.

[Zenith]

Not according to the two browsers I've tried.

As I say, it's worth checking before travelling.

"To reserve tables contact rally@chippenhamradio.club for more information."

[tggzzz]

Chippenham's second Rally is cancelled isn't it?

Horse's mouth... https://wiltshirespc.org/wp/g3vre/rally/

Hopefully horse doesn't have a serpent's forked tongue.

[Squarewave]

That's interesting. Wonder where the rsgb got that from then. I may go in that case but it'll probably be very small if it's indoors at the same site?

[bd139]

RSGB have a reputation of not being able to organise a piss up in a brewery. Took me a week for them to unfuck buying a book from them about 3 years ago.

[Zenith]

The pictures on the website tggzzz found look as if they were taken by an estate agent. "This rally in a bijou but deceptively spacious hall in a sought after location, is bound to attract a lot of interest among discerning clients".

I suppose mid November isn't too late in the year for outside stalls, if the weather is kind.

I assume it's on, but I'll check closer the day, and if so I'll go because it's an easy half hour drive.

[tggzzz]

The pictures on the website tggzzz found look as if they were taken by an estate agent. "This rally in a bijou but deceptively spacious hall in a sought after location, is bound to attract a lot of interest among discerning clients".

I suppose mid November isn't too late in the year for outside stalls, if the weather is kind.

I assume it's on, but I'll check closer the day, and if so I'll go because it's an easy half hour drive.

There is, apparently, another indoor room available as well. I presume it will be smaller than the "cozy" main hall.

Sun or fog would be OK outside; rain wouldn't. It rained at their event earlier in the year. I took some treasures, but didn't bother to open the car boot.

I did find an ESI DekaPot there for £10, but otherwise it is merely bits and pieces.

[Zenith]

If I lived in your part of the Bristol area I'd think the Chippenham November rally was a marginal one, certainly for what might be  a wholly indoor event. For me it's a shortish run down the M4.

Who knows what's going to turn up at these things? At the smaller ones there's less chance of coming across interesting junk people are trying to get rid of, but haven't the heart to take down the dump.

[Squarewave]

Anyone going to St. Neots also?

[Zenith]

I'd have to be convinced it was on a par with Newbury or better. It's a three hour drive for me. That's a 6am start.

MK would have been on the limit.

[Squarewave]

Yeah, a three hour drive isn't worth it at all really. I limit it to an hour, maybe a little more if there's other things in the area.

[Squarewave]

I need to make sure my shopping list is up to date, I've a few projects and a rally is a good place to get some items.

[Squarewave]

Was at the MK Rally today, was smallish, as it always has been, but picked up a few goodies.

[Squarewave]

Just got back from the Huntingdon rally, a good turn out with a few goodies 

[tggzzz]

From the website, Telford looks like it might be good, but...

It is a 2+2hr flog for me.
I'm knackered.
Rain is forecast.

Doubtful I'll bother

[Squarewave]

Yep, Telford is too far for me too really. Might, just might go to Andover tomorrow, still not sure yet, it's been a busy weekend so far and I'm quite tired. BBQ and too much drink already......

[tggzzz]

Anybody going to Hackgreen Hangar Sale in Cheshire tomorrow 30th? https://www.hackgreen.co.uk/events/hangar-sale-autumn

At least we get an extra hour in bed tonight.

[tggzzz]

I went to the HackGreen hamfest today.

Small, in an MoD "farm shed", the usual traders I see were absent (probably too far for them). Not much new stuff, lots of old stuff, so relatively interesting.

I picked up three Philips ZM1050 decatron-like indicators


and an APC UPS, shown with a working front panel .

The adjacent "Secret Bunker" museum was well worth a visit. It would have been one of the regional centres of government if WW3 had started. Now it contains some interesting exhibits I haven't seen elsewhere e.g. Russian equipment, missile warheads and payloads and a WE177 400kt bomb. The WE177 and payloads were both surprisingly small, and I can see how the concept of a man-portable nuke-in-a-backpack is technically feasible.

[artag]

Nice acquisition !
I didn't know you could get them with numeric-shaped electrodes, mine are all just pins.

I've only been to Hack Green once but it was a lot of fun - i stayed overnight in my tent and enjoyed a late night whisky-fueled chat. Don't know if they still do that but yeah, the site is interesting even though the rally is quite small.

[Squarewave]

Hack Green is too far for me, but because of how far away it is, I use their web SDR for testing purposes.

[Squarewave]

Was at Newbury on Sunday, forgot to post here to see who'll be there. Was a good day, restraint in my buying things to hoard.

[tggzzz]

Was at Newbury on Sunday, forgot to post here to see who'll be there. Was a good day, restraint in my buying things to hoard.

Not so "good" on my part, nor on Zenith's. I got another Tek1502, this one working apart from the expected hazardous waste zone, a Tinsley galvanometer (bust), an HP5300A multimeter with the delightful dotted 7 segment displays (bust), a Tek 2465 operators manual which I'll keep, Sony/Tek 323 service manual which I'll flip.

[Squarewave]

Was at Newbury on Sunday, forgot to post here to see who'll be there. Was a good day, restraint in my buying things to hoard.

Not so "good" on my part, nor on Zenith's. I got another Tek1502, this one working apart from the expected hazardous waste zone, a Tinsley galvanometer (bust), an HP5300A multimeter with the delightful dotted 7 segment displays (bust), a Tek 2465 operators manual which I'll keep, Sony/Tek 323 service manual which I'll flip.

The only thing I bought was a power factor and wattage unit for the Avometer. I don't expect it'll work and will never probably use it either, but for the price I thought why not.