Just another day at the club.

I am a member of the Hilderstone Radio Society, G0HRS – G7HTI. I was re elected as Club Secretary again this year. One of my responsibilities is being a key holder for the site where we meet. We are very fortunate to be hosted at the 1st Margate (St Johns) Scout Group at Durban Road, Margate.

As part of our agreement to use their facilities we have taken on responsibility to maintain the grounds. As with many amateur radio clubs our membership tends towards the senior age group rather than the school age, so we have recently acquired a ride on lawnmower to ease the effort.

Like all machinery it requires maintenance, so I opened up the club site to allow Paul, G1DRX – F4WEL, who has taken on the role of mechanic to the lawnmower, so he could do a service on the beast.

Every worker requires adequate supervision. (Please note how the managers are sat in the shade whilst ensuring Paul gets a proper sweat on!)

Successful test drive to prove his workmanship.

Later that Thursday I returned to Durban Road for a club night. It was ‘just’ a natter night. Often people disparage natter nights, nights when we do not have a speaker or a specific planned activity. But I often find these evenings as entertaining or more so due to their spontaneity & variety.

Here we see a group of members gathering around Matt & Steve. Steve has recently acquired an Icom IC-705 & a mag loop, he had asked Matt for a ‘driving lesson’ as he had experience with the rig. They had retreated to the corridor for a bit of quiet.

However, they made the mistake of tuning to a station sending CW. A few of us had gathered by the front door & were discussing learning CW, as well as various electronic keyers. The sound of CW drifting through the building drew us in.

The ‘Knitting circle’ meanwhile in the main room were discussing other topics. We have formed the habit of setting out chairs in one corner of the room. Initially because in the winter it was under the heater away from the door. The circle grows & or splits as members arrive or conversations develop.

Occasionally the circle is observed from the periphery, as here by a more serious minded pair standing whilst engaged in discussing loftier topics. (Please note the ‘DX Dog’ keeping guard from under the table.She prevents anyone from entering without signing in.)

The knitting circle enlarged later, whilst I had joined another small group for a chat on various topics as Matt had moved on to reprogramming various handies with updated DMR code plugs or modified firmware.

What is not shown is the ‘tea table’, the kitchen is a little on the small side, we put up a table in the back corridor with the club mugs & the makings for a brew. As we all know a cup of tea or coffee lubricates conversation wonderfully.

So a true natter night with many topics covered, information exchanged, assistance given & received, lessons learnt, friendships deepened & companionship shared.

Will this night be remembered as notable in the club history? No, but this sort of evening is what makes this club so good & why I am a proud member of G0HRS.

More information is available on the club website g0hrs.org (the website, as I post, is off line undergoing a revamp. It will return very soon) or contact secretary@g0hrs.org

73.