Amateur Radio Communications
“From the comfort of your favourite armchair, to the most remote of islands,
or the highest of peaks …….. you can quite literally speak to the world
…….. and beyond!”
QTH
55.90522N 3.23677W - Maidenhead: IO85jv - CQ Zone: 14 - ITU Zone: 27
I have recently changed my call sign. Previously MMØMGM and no doubt this will cause a bit of confusion as I will still be coming up as MMØMGM on DMR until everybody updates their contact list.
I was originally licensed back in 1975 as a Radio Officer in the Merchant Navy. I studied Marine Communication and Electronics at Leith Nautical College in Edinburgh and once I obtained my “Ticket” I worked for Marconi International Marine and then W.Wilhelmsen Offshore Services. I worked mainly in the North Sea on various exploration drilling rigs, production platforms and support vessels during the 70’s and 80’s oil boom, but due to redundancy (and in reality, by choice) I came ashore in 1987. I maintained more than a passing interest in radio and electronics thereafter and it proved very useful in connection with my career change to Locksmithing and access control here in Edinburgh.
Things have changed quite a bit since I was at Leith Nautical College. Integrated circuits were the new kids on the block and most Transmitters and some Receivers I dealt with had thermionic valves in them, some of which could rival the size of a pint milk bottle. Despite my background in radio, I found there was a lot to learn as amateur radio differs a lot from what was “commercial radio” on the high seas. I doubt if DMR had even been thought of in 1975.
During the Covid lock-down in 2020 my business was forced to close for quite a few months and I needed something to keep me occupied, so I decided to get back into radio. Lockdown gave me the opportunity to do my Foundation which I passed in March 2021, followed by Intermediate almost exactly a year later in 2022, and then the Full Exam 10 months later in January 2023.
My home QTH is in South Edinburgh. The majority of local amateurs operate on DMR around Edinburgh but there is still some activity on 2 metres. I enjoy operating on 2 metres occasionally as I have a very good take off to both Northerly Quadrants, mostly thanks to my QTH altitude (140m ASL) and a very efficient 3mtr co-linear antenna. I have subsequently become an a enthusiastic SOTA Chaser. Furthest contact for 2 mtrs SOTA so far is just short of 85 Miles to Cairn-mon-earn (North East of Banchory, Aberdeenshire) with MMØEFI. Unfortunately I am blocked by the Pentlands to the South.
Hopefully some of the information on my site will prove useful particularly if you are just starting in Amateur Radio.
Licensing.
You must be licenced to operate on the amateur radio bands, however there’s nothing to stop you listening ……..and many amateurs start off as “listeners”. In the UK Ofcom is the licensing body, and you will apply to sit the exams via the RSGB (Radio Society of Great Britain).
Training.
There’s a multitude of ways to train for the RSGB exams (too many to mention here) but if you click here, it will take you to the dedicated page where there is more detail on training manuals, a few websites and clubs with which I have had first hand experience.
Equipment.
Where do you start? There are literally thousands of receivers, transmitters, and transceivers for use on the amateur bands. Then you have the same again for antennas and ancillary equipment. You can see some of the equipment I have used if you click here.
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