Welcome to RADARC
Thames Valley’s leading Amateur Radio Club since 1934 – this year celebrating our 90th birthday!
RADARC is a very active amateur radio club based in Reading, Berkshire, UK.
Our activities are generally at 8pm on Thursdays, and the vast majority of our meetings are run as hybrid sessions – with both local and remote speakers, and open to those on Zoom as well as in-person audiences in all cases.
Further online interaction happens via the ‘Discord’ platform, first introduced as an experiment in response to the pandemic, and via our members’ Google group.
In the summer we run social and practical events/sessions (“antenna evenings”). Generally there is no online element to these, although you may well hear us on the air!
Our members and their activities have enabled RADARC to receive the RSGB club of the year in 2010 and 2013, and in 2016 we received the Regional award from the RSGB.
We welcome all who wish to learn about radio, electronics and indeed all aspects of amateur radio. Dates of meetings can be found on our events page.
- 31st October 2024
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Halloween G4JTR Top Band Net
31st October 2024 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Hi to all Club members
It has been suggested that we try an experimental Club net on Top Band, on Thursday eve. 31st October starting at 20.00hours.
I have been asked to co-ordinate this by John, G4RDC and I’m happy to do this.
I understand that not many members will have this capability at the moment but here is an opportunity to see how well you can lash up a system for local contacts. I suggest the following simple approach.
Antennas.
We are not looking for NVIS ionospheric propagation, what is needed for a local net of stations a few Km apart, I think, is local ground wave propagation. This means having some component of radiation with vertical polarisation from the antenna. An inverted L is ideal. It can be non-resonant and shorter than a 1/4 wave, provided your ATU will resonate it. The ATU can be at the feed point if you use a remote auto ATU, or in the shack, where the coax feeder will act as a crude counterpoise. An additional wire counterpoise at the feed point may probably help but not necessarily.
Strapped feeders on a doublet is good. A short loaded vertical resonated on top band, if you already have, one will work.
If you run a full sized antenna for more serious Top Band work, I expect it will be fine for local contacts.
Power Level.
I am proposing a net frequency of 1850KHz LSB or just below in the high power all mode section of 1840 to 1850KHz. The lowest dial reading we can use on LSB is 1843KHz. This means we can use in excess of 32W but I will probably limit my power to 50W. Your power may be limited by “RF in the shack” issues.
So, in summary, I will call on 1850KHz at 20.00 on the 31st. Or on the best frequency clear of QRN just below and co-ordinate the net as Net Controller and pass it round according to the list of callers.
Best of Luck,
Vin, G4JTR.
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- 7th November 2024
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Construction Evening, RRFC
7th November 2024 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 14th November 2024
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The Great Construction Contest
14th November 2024
To all you creative people out there. It's time to think about impressing the membership with your skills and ingenuity!
As usual, entrants will give a short (5 minutes or so) presentation on their entry.
There are two cups to be won, as voted by the whole membership in attendance. Software, hardware, old technology, new technology: all is valid and gets its chance on account of cleverness, quality of construction, complexity or simple brilliance - they all count toward the popular vote for the winner and runner up cups, to be presented on the night.
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- 21st November 2024
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- 28th November 2024
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A Celebration of 90 Years of RADARC
28th November 2024 @ 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM
2nd Woodley Scout Group, Vauxhall Park, Vauxhall Dr, Woodley, Reading RG5 4EA, UK
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- 5th December 2024
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Construction Evening, RRFC
5th December 2024 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 12th December 2024
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RADARC AGM
12th December 2024 @ 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM
2nd Woodley Scout Group, Vauxhall Park, Vauxhall Dr, Woodley, Reading RG5 4EA, UKRADARC AGM
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- 19th December 2024
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- 2nd January 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
2nd January 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 9th January 2025
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SDR Without the Math by Mike Richards G4WNC
9th January 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM
2nd Woodley Scout Group, Vauxhall Park, Vauxhall Dr, Woodley, Reading RG5 4EA, UKAcclaimed Practical Wireless author Mike Richards G4WNC joins us in person for a talk entitled "SDR Without the Math"
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- 16th January 2025
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- 23rd January 2025
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Farewell BBC R4 LW by Alison G8ROG
23rd January 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM
2nd Woodley Scout Group, Vauxhall Park, Vauxhall Dr, Woodley, Reading RG5 4EA, UKAlison G8ROG shares some BBC Radio 4 long wave history with us
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- 6th February 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
6th February 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 13th February 2025
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Photo Competition
13th February 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM
2nd Woodley Scout Group, Vauxhall Park, Vauxhall Dr, Woodley, Reading RG5 4EA, UKOur annual photo competition.
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- 20th February 2025
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- 27th February 2025
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Meeting TBC
27th February 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM
2nd Woodley Scout Group, Vauxhall Park, Vauxhall Dr, Woodley, Reading RG5 4EA, UKMeeting TBC
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- 6th March 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
6th March 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 20th March 2025
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- 3rd April 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
3rd April 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 17th April 2025
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- 1st May 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
1st May 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 15th May 2025
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- 5th June 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
5th June 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 19th June 2025
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- 3rd July 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
3rd July 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 17th July 2025
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- 7th August 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
7th August 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 21st August 2025
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- 4th September 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
4th September 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 18th September 2025
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- 2nd October 2025
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Construction Evening, RRFC
2nd October 2025 @ 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Reading Rugby Football Club, Holme Park/Sonning La, Sonning, Reading RG4 6ST, UKIn person construction evening usually in the upstairs room or outside, bar is open.
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- 16th October 2025
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