Hastings Electronics and Radio Club - HERC
Join Our Club Today!
About our club
G2LL G1HHH G6HH
HERC brings you amateur radio and electronics in the seaside town of Hastings and surrounding villages.
Please feel free to send an email for more information.
Skeds:
CW - Mondays 8pm 144.575Mhz - this may change so check in regularly to confirm.
2m - Every day at 10am on 144.575Mhz. If nothing heard check in to repeater GB3ES as this is now reliably operational and makes it easier for members to join the sked.
Club meet - check the 'Notice Board' calendar below.
We also hold twice weekly zoom nights - Tuesdays and Fridays at 7:30pm - members only. Zooms are for the free 40mins.
You are most welcome to join in on our on-air skeds, no membership required although members benefit from a monthly newsletter. You are also very welcome to come along to any of the outdoor/indoor meetings to find out what goes on and after a little persuasion maybe join up and join in.
Membership details for 2024
Annual membership £12.00
Under 18 years & students £6.00
Family, where two or more people reside at the same property £18.00
Ordinary members will receive a copy of our monthly newsletter Vital spark by email.
To receive a printed copy of Vital spark there is a £2.00 surcharge.
Send an email to herc.hastings(at)gmail.com for more information. Note! Please put @ in the email address instead of (at).
HERC brings you amateur radio and electronics in the seaside town of Hastings and surrounding villages.
Please feel free to send an email for more information.
Skeds:
CW - Mondays 8pm 144.575Mhz - this may change so check in regularly to confirm.
2m - Every day at 10am on 144.575Mhz. If nothing heard check in to repeater GB3ES as this is now reliably operational and makes it easier for members to join the sked.
Club meet - check the 'Notice Board' calendar below.
We also hold twice weekly zoom nights - Tuesdays and Fridays at 7:30pm - members only. Zooms are for the free 40mins.
You are most welcome to join in on our on-air skeds, no membership required although members benefit from a monthly newsletter. You are also very welcome to come along to any of the outdoor/indoor meetings to find out what goes on and after a little persuasion maybe join up and join in.
Membership details for 2024
Annual membership £12.00
Under 18 years & students £6.00
Family, where two or more people reside at the same property £18.00
Ordinary members will receive a copy of our monthly newsletter Vital spark by email.
To receive a printed copy of Vital spark there is a £2.00 surcharge.
Send an email to herc.hastings(at)gmail.com for more information. Note! Please put @ in the email address instead of (at).
Notice Board
Weekly meetings are at the venues as shown.
November
Wed. 6th- Bexhill Garden Centre. 13:00
Wed. 13th - Bexhill Garden Centre. 13:00
Wed. 20th - Bexhill Garden Centre. 13:00 Dear Leader will be farm-sitting so will be absent.
Wed. 27th - Taplin Centre. 18:30
Sat. 30th - Fairlight. 13:00
Advance Notice An informal Christmas Party will be held at the Bexhill Garden centre on Thursday (not the usual Wednesday) December 12th at 12 noon. Brings your partner. The cafe will be offering a Christmas-themed menu. Some members from east Kent might find this a bit of a trip so there will be another party at the Bale House cafe in Fairlight at a date to be announced. Both events will be early start to give drivers a chance to get back before sundown and the pesky LED headlight lighting up time. It's easier to see potholes in daylight too.
Venue addresses:
Bexhill Garden Centre (Blackbrooks). Head for Freshfields TN38 8FB then, immediately after turning into the road turn left into Lewis Avenue. It's a dead-end at the garden centre although Lewis Avenue continues as a footpath round to the big roundabout at Ravenside. Don't get confused! If open we'll be in the overflow carpark to the right at the end.
Hastings Country Park The carpark with the Bale House Cafe, Lower Coastguard Lane, at the top of Battery Hill. Postcode TN35 4AD.
The Taplin Centre 3 Upper Maze Hill, St. Leonard's-on-Sea, TN38 0LQ
Look out for the little black Mini clubman - reg. ending TVJ
Will HERC members keep an eye out for any prospective new members please.
Remember to check this website before leaving your house as sometimes there is a last-minute problem and we have to change venue and or the day, or, if there is a catastrophe, cancel.
November
Wed. 6th- Bexhill Garden Centre. 13:00
Wed. 13th - Bexhill Garden Centre. 13:00
Wed. 20th - Bexhill Garden Centre. 13:00 Dear Leader will be farm-sitting so will be absent.
Wed. 27th - Taplin Centre. 18:30
Sat. 30th - Fairlight. 13:00
Advance Notice An informal Christmas Party will be held at the Bexhill Garden centre on Thursday (not the usual Wednesday) December 12th at 12 noon. Brings your partner. The cafe will be offering a Christmas-themed menu. Some members from east Kent might find this a bit of a trip so there will be another party at the Bale House cafe in Fairlight at a date to be announced. Both events will be early start to give drivers a chance to get back before sundown and the pesky LED headlight lighting up time. It's easier to see potholes in daylight too.
Venue addresses:
Bexhill Garden Centre (Blackbrooks). Head for Freshfields TN38 8FB then, immediately after turning into the road turn left into Lewis Avenue. It's a dead-end at the garden centre although Lewis Avenue continues as a footpath round to the big roundabout at Ravenside. Don't get confused! If open we'll be in the overflow carpark to the right at the end.
Hastings Country Park The carpark with the Bale House Cafe, Lower Coastguard Lane, at the top of Battery Hill. Postcode TN35 4AD.
The Taplin Centre 3 Upper Maze Hill, St. Leonard's-on-Sea, TN38 0LQ
Look out for the little black Mini clubman - reg. ending TVJ
Will HERC members keep an eye out for any prospective new members please.
Remember to check this website before leaving your house as sometimes there is a last-minute problem and we have to change venue and or the day, or, if there is a catastrophe, cancel.
Special Events
Railways on the Air - ROTA
GB1FUN
Many thanks for those HERC members who took the time and made the effort to join in with this Special Event.
club history
The Hastings Radio Club was originally formed back in the 1920s and, apart from a couple of short breaks, has been around ever since.
Month on the Air
Phil G3MGQ prepares a monthly round-up of what's happening on the bands. Click on the link below to open Phil's latest document.
MOTA January 2024.pdf
MOTA February 2024.pdf
MOTA March 2024.pdf
MOTA April 2024.pdf
MOTA May 2024.pdf
MOTA June 2024.pdf
MOTA July 2024.pdf
MOTA August 2024.pdf
MOTA September 2024.pdf
MOTA October 2024.pdf
MOTA November 2024.pdf
MOTA January 2024.pdf
MOTA February 2024.pdf
MOTA March 2024.pdf
MOTA April 2024.pdf
MOTA May 2024.pdf
MOTA June 2024.pdf
MOTA July 2024.pdf
MOTA August 2024.pdf
MOTA September 2024.pdf
MOTA October 2024.pdf
MOTA November 2024.pdf
Parks on the Air - POTA
Parks on the Air (POTA), Mixing Amateur Radio with the great outdoors.
To begin with, POTA is not a competition, it is an event.
Parks on the Air (POTA) began in early 2017 as a continuation of the ARRL’s National Parks on the Air special event. When the year-long event concluded, a dedicated group of volunteers decided to keep the event alive, leading to the creation of POTA.
So, what is POTA?, It encourages amateur radio operators to explore the great outdoors while enjoying their hobby. Whether you’re an “activator” setting up a station in a park or a “hunter” making contact from anywhere, POTA offers flexibility and fun.
Getting Started as a Hunter (Work from anywhere)
Remember to follow the rules: ensure that you comply with legal requirements, comply with the DX Code of Conduct, and follow the Golden Rule!.
Visit the Spotting Page, head to POTA’s website and explore the spotting page https://pota.app/#/, It lists active stations, their park locations, frequencies, and modes. tune around and respond if you hear an activator, making a contact officially starts your POTA journey!.
Sign up for your free account, create an account on the website to track your progress, certificates, and awards. POTA operates on a system based on park activator logs.
Getting Started as an Activator:
Follow the Rules: As an activator, adhere to legal requirements, the DX Code of Conduct, and the Golden Rule!.
Set Up in a Park, pack-up your portable gear and head to a designated park. respect the park boundaries, leave everything how you fount it, and follow any instructions from park wardens, the list of parks can be found at https://pota.app/#/map.
It can also be helpful to notify others of your planned activation in advance, this will help the hunters plan their hunting, this can be done on the scheduled activations page https://pota.app/#/activations.
Remember to spot yourself while calling CQ, visit POTA’s map to add a spot. Hunters will soon find you!
Log Your QSOs, Using any logging method that generates a valid ADIF file. Upload your logs on the website to track your stats and earned awards, as the activator, you are responsible for logging all the contacts, the hunter does not need to do anything, if you do not upload your logs then neither you or the hunter will get the points.
By now you must be wondering what the Golden Rule of POTA is?, Well it is to have fun and keep it simple!.
To begin your Journey, sign up here: https://pota.app/#/signup
A getting started video can be found here: https://youtu.be/odegfaGczAc?si=klJslL7IIkyyjjn7
Rules can be found here: https://docs.pota.app/docs/rules.html
CW guide can be found here: https://docs.pota.app/docs/cw_guide.html
To begin with, POTA is not a competition, it is an event.
Parks on the Air (POTA) began in early 2017 as a continuation of the ARRL’s National Parks on the Air special event. When the year-long event concluded, a dedicated group of volunteers decided to keep the event alive, leading to the creation of POTA.
So, what is POTA?, It encourages amateur radio operators to explore the great outdoors while enjoying their hobby. Whether you’re an “activator” setting up a station in a park or a “hunter” making contact from anywhere, POTA offers flexibility and fun.
Getting Started as a Hunter (Work from anywhere)
Remember to follow the rules: ensure that you comply with legal requirements, comply with the DX Code of Conduct, and follow the Golden Rule!.
Visit the Spotting Page, head to POTA’s website and explore the spotting page https://pota.app/#/, It lists active stations, their park locations, frequencies, and modes. tune around and respond if you hear an activator, making a contact officially starts your POTA journey!.
Sign up for your free account, create an account on the website to track your progress, certificates, and awards. POTA operates on a system based on park activator logs.
Getting Started as an Activator:
Follow the Rules: As an activator, adhere to legal requirements, the DX Code of Conduct, and the Golden Rule!.
Set Up in a Park, pack-up your portable gear and head to a designated park. respect the park boundaries, leave everything how you fount it, and follow any instructions from park wardens, the list of parks can be found at https://pota.app/#/map.
It can also be helpful to notify others of your planned activation in advance, this will help the hunters plan their hunting, this can be done on the scheduled activations page https://pota.app/#/activations.
Remember to spot yourself while calling CQ, visit POTA’s map to add a spot. Hunters will soon find you!
Log Your QSOs, Using any logging method that generates a valid ADIF file. Upload your logs on the website to track your stats and earned awards, as the activator, you are responsible for logging all the contacts, the hunter does not need to do anything, if you do not upload your logs then neither you or the hunter will get the points.
By now you must be wondering what the Golden Rule of POTA is?, Well it is to have fun and keep it simple!.
To begin your Journey, sign up here: https://pota.app/#/signup
A getting started video can be found here: https://youtu.be/odegfaGczAc?si=klJslL7IIkyyjjn7
Rules can be found here: https://docs.pota.app/docs/rules.html
CW guide can be found here: https://docs.pota.app/docs/cw_guide.html
Taplin Programme
This section is run by our Programme Manager - Peter G0FUU
HERC Program 2024
Items are subject to change or review, Dated 21 April 2024
22 May What has the RSGB ever done for me?
If you come along this evening you can find out when we receive a presentation and explanation by the RSGB Region 10 representative Keith Bird G4JED.
This is HERC’s annual mystery object evening. Bring alone something weird, unusual or just little known and the collective audience will try to work out what it is. Educational or just light heated entertainment, an enjoyable evening.
Operating or just a get together at Hastings Country Park (sometimes known as the Helipad), Fairlight Road, Hastings TN35 5DT. Bring along a BBQ if you wish, a portable radio, a chair and if sunny some shade. Toilets are available but parking has to be paid for.
International Marconi Day is held every year on the Saturday closest to the birthday of the Guglielmo, 25 April 1874, when amateur radio stations around the world commemorate Marconi, sometimes known as the fathered of wireless. This year’s commemoration was on 27Th April when members of Southdown Amateur Radio Society (SARS) set up a station at Newhaven in East Sussex. Stuart Little M0ABT will give a talk about the origins of the event and its connection to East Sussex.
A fascinating presentation about Frederick Stanley Mockford who devised the (now) internationally recognised distress call 'Mayday'
23 October Bring Your Thing
HERC’s annual construction contest for the RL Fellows G3OGS Contractor’s Award cup.
The format is the same as in previous years. Members bring along something they have made, give a brief outline and then we all vote on our favourite. Projects can be anything radio, electro-mechanical, home design; built from a kit or constructed in a garage. If you have made it or modified it bring it along and show others.
27 November Laser cutting and 3D printing in Amateur radio
Well known local amateur Dan Adkin, M0HOW, will give a demonstration and talk about some of the products he designs builds and sells. Perhaps you will see something to put on your Christmas present list to Santa.
December No meeting - apart from the HERC Christmas Party
Future possible talks or presentations
Raynet
APRS
Manufacturing engineering
The GPO
Digital amateur radio
Radar and missile trials.
Radio operation on merchant ships
TS Hastings
Fairlight military history
Cold war spying
HERC Program 2024
Items are subject to change or review, Dated 21 April 2024
22 May What has the RSGB ever done for me?
If you come along this evening you can find out when we receive a presentation and explanation by the RSGB Region 10 representative Keith Bird G4JED.
This is HERC’s annual mystery object evening. Bring alone something weird, unusual or just little known and the collective audience will try to work out what it is. Educational or just light heated entertainment, an enjoyable evening.
Operating or just a get together at Hastings Country Park (sometimes known as the Helipad), Fairlight Road, Hastings TN35 5DT. Bring along a BBQ if you wish, a portable radio, a chair and if sunny some shade. Toilets are available but parking has to be paid for.
International Marconi Day is held every year on the Saturday closest to the birthday of the Guglielmo, 25 April 1874, when amateur radio stations around the world commemorate Marconi, sometimes known as the fathered of wireless. This year’s commemoration was on 27Th April when members of Southdown Amateur Radio Society (SARS) set up a station at Newhaven in East Sussex. Stuart Little M0ABT will give a talk about the origins of the event and its connection to East Sussex.
A fascinating presentation about Frederick Stanley Mockford who devised the (now) internationally recognised distress call 'Mayday'
23 October Bring Your Thing
HERC’s annual construction contest for the RL Fellows G3OGS Contractor’s Award cup.
The format is the same as in previous years. Members bring along something they have made, give a brief outline and then we all vote on our favourite. Projects can be anything radio, electro-mechanical, home design; built from a kit or constructed in a garage. If you have made it or modified it bring it along and show others.
27 November Laser cutting and 3D printing in Amateur radio
Well known local amateur Dan Adkin, M0HOW, will give a demonstration and talk about some of the products he designs builds and sells. Perhaps you will see something to put on your Christmas present list to Santa.
December No meeting - apart from the HERC Christmas Party
Future possible talks or presentations
Raynet
APRS
Manufacturing engineering
The GPO
Digital amateur radio
Radar and missile trials.
Radio operation on merchant ships
TS Hastings
Fairlight military history
Cold war spying
Band Conditions
For an up-to-date review on band conditions - courtesy Paul N0NBH
training videos
This section has information about training videos available on the internet.
Find a topic in which you are interested and click on the associated link.
SWR - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWmx1_-V1-o&ab_channel=DavidCasler
Logging - https://youtu.be/QAyfL9hIfiU
Find a topic in which you are interested and click on the associated link.
SWR - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWmx1_-V1-o&ab_channel=DavidCasler
Logging - https://youtu.be/QAyfL9hIfiU