MEMBERSHIP NEWS

RAFARS welcomes the following new and re-joining members:

4861 Salim G7RCK
4962 Paul G1DVA
4963 Richard G0HPM
4964 Jason M0YJW
4965 Peter G4CJX

SILENT KEYS:

276 Vic G3JLZ
2981 Richard G0RNM

CALL-SIGN CHANGES: None Notified

GB75VED 75YRS VICTORY EUROPE DAY S.E.S. 1 TO 28 MAY 2020

Due to the virus epidemic Ofcom have given RAFARS Special Permission to Operate the Special Event Station GB75VED (Victory in Europe) by RAFARS Members from their home QTH from 1st to 28 May. Members were asked to contact Michael M0MJG QTHr our Treasurer also see RAFARS website if anyone wishes to take part. A good response has been received so far.
QSL Cards are only via RAFARS QSL Bureau Andrew 2E0NDZ QTHr and qrz.com with a SAE. QSL Cards are not to be sent to the RSGB Bureau and due to cost RAFARS will only be sending out QSL Cards which have an enclosed Stamped Address Envelopeand ask stations if they wish to QSL? and if so put tick or a cross in the Log.
Would all SES Stations quote over the air from time to time the QSL System and give out your QRA Locator and quote OfCom Authorisation to operate from home.
On completion a ‘Hard’ or ‘Electronic’ copy of log to be sent to M0MJG Our GB75VED co-ordinator. Further to the recent email sent to all members there are, at the time of publication, still a few opportunities for members to make enquiries or an application to use this call. If you are interested in joining in the exciting opportunity please contact Michael M0MJG at m0mjg@penalter.plus.com for further details; please provide a telephone number and Michael will call you with all the details. Other information is available on RAFARS web site.
A list of Operators can be found on our website Under News.
8/9 May ARRL K2V 14.055 CW. Operator Mike KE2EH PA USA for 75 yrs of VE Day.

VACANCY FOR RAFARS SERVING MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE

There is still a Vacancy for a RAFARS Serving Members Representative. Volunteer required to fill this post. Contact Vince G4DQP RAFARS Secretary if you are interested.

RAFARS CONTESTS, RALLIES WITH RAFARS STANDS AND OTHER SPECIAL EVENTS IN 2020

Owing to The Coronavirus. Events may be cancelled, check before you attend or take part.

All Contest Volunteers/Queries and Contest log sheets to Roger G3ZDW QTHr. Contest Rules can be found in your RAFARS QRV Journal, QRZ Call Book or on the RAFARS Website: https://www.rafars.org/contests/

RAFARS QRV JOURNAL

Please send your news and items for inclusion in the QRV Journal to QRV@rafars.org Do not forget RAFARS QRV JOURNAL requires content from you, the Members.
Without your submissions QRV will not have enough content to keep it interesting. Why not pen an article? The membership would no doubt enjoy reading about your experiences in Amateur Radio; illustrated by your photos that would that would be an excellent bonus. Please continue to send your stories, articles, events, pictures, personal profiles, your shack and letters.
Digital jpg photos should be sent as attachment to Word documents. Please do not import them into the text. Send to the QRV Editor at QRV@rafars.org
If News Desk receives any correspondence/pictures/stories that are not relevant to the News Letter they will be forwarded to the editor to be considered for the QRV Journal.
Talking QRV is available in the Members Area of the RAFARS Website https://www.rafars.org/tqrv/

COUNCIL MEETINGS 2020

Until further notice, the RAFARS council meetings will be conducted via video conference at mutually agreed dates and times that may or may not correspond with the dates previously published for 2020. Due to the technical limitations, it will not be possible for members to join in with the video conferences.

• 15 Jun 2020 (Monday TBC, RAF Cosford Airshow postponed TFN)
• 8 Sep 2020
• 17 Oct 2020 (Not a Council meeting, AGM and Dinner)
• 17 Nov 2020.

RAFARS CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS

Members should note that the current travel and gathering restrictions will affect many of the events listed in this newsletter. Where cancellations have been announced, these are shown in the newsletter. Planned events are still listed, but may not take place if restrictions are still in place.
With many of us confined to our homes, this is a good time to take advantage of radio communication to keep in touch. The FM VHF/UHF bands seem to have gone quiet over the last decade or so, but this might be the time to dust off that old handheld and give a call to see who is out there.
Although is isn’t ‘real radio’ Network Radio is very active and the Zello application can be installed on any smartphone or tablet device. The RAFARS Zello channel has met with limited success, but it is still out there if anybody wants to use it. See the RAFARS website ‘Latest News’ section for further information, there are two articles covering Network radio and further information can be seen on the Essex Hams website at https://www.essexham.co.uk/news/rise-of-network-radio.html

RAFAC (ROYAL AIR FORCE AIR CADETS)

06/07 June 2020 Exercise Blue Ham RAFAC 5Mhz M0SKT
17/18 Oct 2020 Ex Blue Ham 5Mhz. M0SKT
Any information relating to the RAFAC or if you are interested in joining as a member of staff contact amateurradio@aircadets.org or Terry at RAFARS News Desk who is a Squadron Radio Officer and HF National Net Controller with the RAFAC. Also see www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets If you are interested in joining the RAF Halton RS, please contact Malcolm G7VRT QTHr, or the Chairman, Derf G8ZGK, QTHr in RAFARS Call Book and on qrz.com. The E-mail address is RAFHaltonRS@outlook.com or look up G1RAF on qrz.com.

AIR DEFENCE RADAR MUSEUM, RAF NEATISHEAD GB2RAF RAFARS PERMANENT S.E.S.

Due to the Coronavirus GB2RAF is Off the Air TFN.

RAFARS QSL BUREAU

As of 23/04/2020 outstanding QSL Cards await SAEs- NIL THIS MONTH.
Send 2nd Class Stamped SAE to Andrew 2E0NDZ RAFARS QSL Bureau Manager, at 44, Bishops Close, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire. CV37 9ED. alternatively, contact Andrew by Letter or E-mail to inform him of what you wish him to do with your cards.
If nothing is heard your QSL Card/s will be destroyed 6 months after arrival and your call sign removed from the NLs List. Cards will not be forwarded to the RSGB Bureau after the 6 months.

AIRSHOW EVENTS AND FLY-INS FOR 2020 WITH POST CODES

Due to the Coronavirus check before you go

NEW MEMBERS ROYAL AIR FORCE AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY

All Radio Amateurs, no need to be Ex RAF, are invited to apply for RAFARS Membership providing that you have an interest in the RAF, Military aviation and are prepared to help the society achieve its published aims and objectives.
Categories of membership are listed on our website. Check your eligibility for membership by logging onto https://www.rafars.org/join Print the application form, fill it in, enclose the appropriate fee* and then post it to the General Secretary for approval and processing.

*To transfer funds by telephone/on-line banking, RAFARS bank details are available from our Treasurer, Michael M0MJG by email to Treasurer@rafars.org or telephone 01305-816362. If you require more information, please contact: The General Secretary G4DQP, RAFARS HQ, DCAE Cosford, Wolverhampton, WV7 3EX. Tel: 01902-372722 (Answerphone only) or e-mail Vince at Secretary@rafars.org also on www.qrz.com
HQ will be checked at least twice weekly by G0TBI for mail & messages. Emails are handled daily at home.

RAFARS WEBSITE – BROWSER COMPATIBILITY

Recently, some members have reported that they are not able to access RAFARS website menus making it impossible to navigate through the site.

The website uses JavaScript to provide visitors the best experience when using the site. Investigation by the Webmaster has revealed two issues. The primary reason for the menus not working is because visitors have been using Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 (IE 11) to view the site.

Although Microsoft is still supporting IE 11, albeit in a very limited fashion, the browser does not have the capability of viewing modern websites correctly. Microsoft have replaced IE 11 with their new browser called Edge and they are encouraging users of IE 11 to update to Edge. The second reason for the site not operating correctly is when JavaScript has been disabled in the browser settings.

The RAFARS website displays and operates correctly using the Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Brave and Edge browsers, providing JavaScript is not disabled.

RAFARS NEWS DESK

Send your RAFARS EVENTS at LEAST one month in advance for the Monthly RAFARS News Letter. The cut off date is the 23rd of the previous month or send a News Flash to Terry G4PSH, RAFARS 306, e-mail address Newsdesk@rafars.org or by letter see QTHr, International Call Books or see <www.qrz.com>. A News Flash has to be authorised by a RAFARS Council Member.

• Newsletter is produced by Terry G4PSH RAFARS News Desk.
• Editor- Gary G0DNI.
• E-mailed Bcc as a PDF Attachment & e-mailed direct to 83 Members by News Desk (at your request). If you require the NL by Royal Mail send 2nd Class Stamps to News Desk.
• Uploaded on to RAFARS Website by Gary G0DNI Webmaster@rafars.org under News Letters.
• FIRST Sunday of the Month by News Desk G4PSH at 1900hrs (local) on RAFARS Net 3.710Mhz..
• The RAFARS Website has links to Facebook, Yahoo Group, Twitter.