MEMBERSHIP NEWS

RAFARS welcomes the following new and re-joining members:

3727 Martin M1ANW
3885 Graham GW7GWT
4973 Philip M7CBK
4974 John M6FBO
4799 Darren M0WIT

SILENT KEYS:

2364 Peter G3CVK
2881 Stanley G0BYA

CALL-SIGN CHANGES: None Notified

RAFARS AGM Saturday 17th October 2020 13:30hrs.

Due to the Corvid19 situation, the RAFARS Council have decided that it may not be safe to hold a normal AGM. Therefore the Council have decided to hold a virtual Zoom AGM.

The Zoom AGM will take place on Saturday 17th October 2020 at 13.30hrs

The RAFARS Council apologises to those members who do not have internet/computer facilities and are not able to participate. Council decided that the choice was either no AGM or to have a virtual Zoom AGM.

The hotel rooms that were reserved for RAFARS members to book, have been cancelled and there will not be a Formal Dinner.

The Zoom AGM meeting arrangements will operate as follows.
Within the Autumn QRV Pack there will be a form for members to complete who wish to take part. This form will also be available for download from the RAFARS website as an editable PDF document. This should be preferably emailed or possibly posted back to the secretary. There is also an online email application form on the website. Those persons wishing to take part, their names, callsign and membership number will be checked and then passed on to Mr Hyde G3ZDW. He will allow the said members entrance into the Zoom AGM. A link to the Zoom meeting will be emailed to those members wishing to take part prior to the meeting.
Further information regarding the Zoom video conferencing software can be found on the Zoom website at https://zoom.us
Please note that use of the Zoom software to attend a virtual meeting is FREE and there is no need to create a Zoom account to attend a meeting. However, installation of the cross-platform Zoom software does make the use of the system easier.
Members who wish to attend the virtual AGM are recommended to make themselves familiar with the Zoom interface. An attendance application form will be included with the Autumn edition of QRV.
RAFARS is unable to provide technical support with regard to the installation and use of the Zoom software.

AIR DEFENCE RADAR MUSEUM, RAF NEATISHEAD

GB2RAF RAFARS PERMANENT S.E.S FROM HOME OF G4PSH.
DeBrief. Due to poor conditions on 40 and 80m GB2RAF has not been Fully Operational last month.
The Museum is still Closed to the Public and no dates have yet been given to when it may reopen. However GB2RAF will still be operating from the QTH of G4PSH as per Ofcom Licence 1-68D2038 until such times the Museum re-opens to the public.

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.

G3LMO

News Desk has received an email from Neville RAFARS 138 that due to old age he will be going QRT on HF Nets. Nev has been a regular on the HF Nets for many years and he will be missed. However he is still remaining a full paid up Member.

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. Members who wish to attend a virtual Zoom council meeting should contact G3ZDW by email at g3zdw@btinternet.com at least 24 hours prior to the meeting to confirm the time and to provide an email address for joining instructions. Please note that RAFARS is unable to offer technical advice on the installation and use of the Zoom video Conferencing software. Further details for Zoom can be found at https://zoom.us

8 Sep 2020
17 Oct 2020 **** (Not a Council meeting, Virtual AGM, the Dinner is cancelled)
17 Nov 2020

RAFAC (ROYAL AIR FORCE AIR CADETS)

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 https://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.

RAFARS QSL BUREAU

As of 23/07/2020 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 2020 Air Shows have been cancelled. Check On-line for up-dates if any.

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

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 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.