TheSkywaves

Caterham Radio Group History
In Our 48th Year

History Caterham Radio Group G0SCR GX0SCR

In July 1975 following the demise of PARDC Purley Amateur Radio and District Club after twenty plus years. Some members (who have known each other since the late 1960s') wanted to continue meeting on an informal basis.

Fortnightly meetings were held on Friday evenings at the 'Blacksmiths' Public House Caterham On The Hill.

The Caterham Radio Group (CatRad) was born and became affiliated to the Radio Society of Great Britain first of March 1976 and was allocated the Radio Station Identifier RS37608.

After a few years meeting in the public house. With the smoke in the clothes and the effect on our members eyes and health. It was decided to meet in member's homes fortnightly.
These meetings are informal and discussions held on any type of topic.

Since Covid19  (2020 onwards) The Group now meets every other Friday evening 8PM when available. Meeting online using Zoom virtual meeting application, for an informal chat covering a wide range of topics. We are also sometimes joined by ex Purley Club and CatRad Members.

Member's at that time were G3GKF, G3JSQ, G3SYF, G3TWJ, G3XMW, G4AKG, G4APL, G8ASV, G8DLB, G8DTQ (now G0SYR).

During the period 1975 - 1980's the group participated in VHF Contests, HF and VHF National Field days.  Which were held on Kenley Common adjacent to the Battle of Britain World War 2 fighter airfield, or on land behind the Famous Caterham Army Barracks (Now a large Housing Estate known as The Village).

Not to be confused with our local village. Just popping down to the village High Street (Town End), Caterham On The Hill. Other contests were operated from member's home Amateur Radio Stations.

Though by the 1980's the effect of contesting under canvas for fun waned.

In 1983 the Idea of the 'CatRad Wireless Weekend’ was born. Where some members decided it would be good to have a long weekend portable in a field operating radio equipment into large aerial farms.

A site in West Oxfordshire was found. This event was normally held over six days for the past twenty nine years.(1984-2012)

Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 1992 in pdf format. (90KBytes)
Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 1993 in pdf format. (133KBytes)
Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 2004 in pdf format. (450KBytes)
Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 2005 in pdf format   (1.6Mb)
Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 2006 in pdf format   (587Kbytes)
Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 2007 in pdf format  (9.0Mbytes) (including Pictures of the Shilton July 2007 flood)
Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 2008 in pdf format (634Kbytes)
Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 2009 in pdf format (116Kbytes)
Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 2010 in pdf format (1.6Mb)
Report of CatRad Shilton Camp 2011 in pdf format.(1.1Mb)
Report of CatRad Shllton Camp 2012 in pdf format (1.2Mb)  (last Camp at Shilton)

This had become the groups main outside event for the past 28 years or so.  In recent years three HF Stations, 70cm, 2m, 6m, 4m, packet radio, SSTV and PSK31 stations running into various HF, VHF, UHF beams.

Each year the some of the group member’s went to the Amateur Radio Rally’s (since 1970), Sandown VHF Convention February (Ceased during late 1990's), Longleat Rally Wiltshire (though not in recent years), Brighton Rally July(Ceased 2002 The ladies of our group really enjoy this one, as they got a lift on the 'Rally Bus' from the Race Course to the Beach), Woburn Rally August (Ceased late 1990's), Sandown BATG October (Ceased late 1990's). Pickets Lock. Kempton Park

In 1992 the group applied and got the Club callsign G0SCR/GX0SCR

The group use to maintain daily contacts with our friends on the Isle of Man for over 30 years with Jim GD3YUM (Now a silent key), who helped the original PARDC 'DX expedition' to the IOM (Isle of Man) in the late 1960’s early 70’s. Namely G3GKF, G3TWJ, G3FTQ, G3XMW all packed into Ted Honeywood’s(G3GKF Now silent key 2000) little van including everything required and the kitchen sink.

In December 2004 Jim's son Martin has taken over his father's callsign GD3YUM and has been heard active on 20 and 40metres.

In the early 1970's the group members were all set-up with crystal control equipment on 144.6875MHz. Then in the early 1980's AX25 Packet Radio started to appear on two metres. As a result of this, the Caterham Radio Group lost the use of this frequency when 144.675MHz was allocated for Packet Radio data transmission use.

It was thus decided after several months of monitoring 70.280MHz in the four metre Radio Amateur band. That the members would purchase low band ex commercial PMR’s (Private Mobile Radios) that were on the surplus market.

Bryan G8DTQ (G0SYR) took on the task of converting all these transceivers (about fifteen of them). Most members could be contacted on this frequency and or on S20 145.500MHz during the earlier years.

In the late 1970’s most of the members were able to receive Fast Scan Amateur Television (ATV) (just as you receive BBC TV and receive transmissions on 70cm from three of the members using modified portable black and white televisions.

As was mentioned above packet radio data transmissions started to appear on the two metre band. G8DTQ (G0SYR) and G4APL(ex G8DYZ)  in 1984-1986 used the Cambridge Packet program which they modified with extra features which ran on the BBC B computer which was very popular at that time.

In 1986 G4APL and G8DTQ switched over to using the PacCom TNC200 (Terminal Node Controller) supplied in kit of parts, that had to be built. This was based on  AX25 (Amateur X25) AX25 (Amateur AX25) packet radio.

In the late 1980's started experimenting with Network Operation System (NOS) IP (TCPIP) over packet radio which is in use to this day. Today you use this under laying technology when you read this web page and access the Internet.

They concentrated on providing links and services to other parts of the country outside the London area for Radio Amateur's to use.   They also encourage live real-time contacts.

This was achieved with the use of TheNet/NetRom Node software as well as a stand-alone Mini Convers Chat Node software. This Chat Node became know as APpLeTaLK (APLTLK).

Today G4APL and G8DTQ/G0SYR run and operate the following CatRad Nodes, (TCP/IP Routers) known as CATerham A (CRNODE) and CATerham B (CATHAM), with site cleared callsigns GB7CP ( (Caterham Packet) Closed down 8 November 2014. GB7CR (CatRad).GB7CIP (Caterham Internet Protocol). GB7CR replaced with MB7NCR March 2015

The (Chat Node, Convers server), has been updated and is fully integrated into the World Wide Convers Amprnet (AMateurPacketRadioNETwork) TCP/IP Network running on a Linux Server (Caterham Internet Protocol) GB7CIP since early 1994 and still operational today.
Members and friends meeting up on channel 11.

With data being carried over Radio (Wireless) and Internet links to other Amateur Radio Servers around the UK and other parts of the world.

The AX25 (Amateur X25 protocol) Callsign is GB7CIP-5, The TCP/IP UNIX Server gb7cip.ampr.org.

There are currently nine licensed members anf friends in the group, some still finding time to attend the fortnightly informal meetings.

Some members over this period also assisted contest group(s). As well as JOTA Jamboree On The Air Scouts (October ) and TDOTA Thinking Day On The  Guides (February) for the local Caterham Guide and Brownie Companies.

This was organised and run from Ann (G7BSF) and Paul's (G4APL) home and assisted by daughter's Annabel 2E1PAL/M3PYL, Belynda M3BYL.

On the 14th October 2002, a Purley and District Amateur Radio Club reunion after 27 years of it ceasing. This was held at the CATS Radio Club meeting venue.
Where a group photo was taken by G4APL.

CatRad RAFA Kenley and Kenley Common Fund Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P
In the past years, CatRad members Ken G3CQU, Mike G3TWJ, Kim G6JXA and John G8MNY have set-up and run a Special Event Station on RAF Kenley Airfield as part of their RAFA. Kenley support activities.  Paul G4APL Joined them for August 2010.

13 August 2005 CatRad RAFA Kenley  Special Event Station (SES) GX0SCR/P
CatRad operators Ken G3CQU, Mike G3TWJ, John G8MNY, Abigail M3JGJ

17 August 2008 CatRad RAFA Kenley  Special Event Station GX0SCR/P
CatRad operators Ken G3CQU, Mike G3TWJ, John G8MNY

Report of CatRad RAFA Kenley's Hardest Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P August 2010
Report of CatRad Kenley Common Fun day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P July 2011
Report of CatRad RAFA Kenley Hardest Special Event Station GX0SCR/P August 2011
Report of CatRad Kenley Heritage Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P 23 June 2012
Report of CatRad RAFA Kenley's Hardest Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P August 2013
Report of CatRad Kenley Heritage Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P 15 June 2014
Report of CatRad RAFA Kenley's Hardest Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P August 2014
Report of CatRad RAFA Kenley's Hardest Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P August 2015
            G4APL Paul from the Caterham Radio Group
            introducing their Amateur Radio Station at the Portcullis Club August 2015
Report of CatRad RAFA Kenley's Hardest Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P 14th,21st August 2016
Report of CatRad Kenley Heritage Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P 11 September 2016
Report of CatRad RAFA Kenley's Hardest Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P August 2017
Report of CatRad Kenley Heritage Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P 10 September 2017
Report of CatRad RAFA Kenley's Hardest Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P August 2018
Report of CatRad RAFA Kenley's Hardest Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P August 2019
Report of CatRad Kenley Heritage Day Special Event Station GX0SCR/P 8 September 2019
 CatRad RAFA Kenley August and September 2020 SES activiity CANCELLED due to COVID-19

Members Activities
Report by CatRad Member Kim G6JXA at WDARS SES Reigate Hill Camp July 2012
Report by CatRad Member Kim G6JXA at SES Sutton Model Engineering Club May 2013
Report M0PEL, 2E0EUI, 2E0TSA kindly give their permission for their GB2KM report to be published..
 
To be continued by G4APL Paul Lewis