RAFARS Monthly Newsletter

MEMBERSHIP NEWS.

RAFARS welcomes the following new and re-joining members:
2592 David G1ZAT
4498 Geoffrey G0PFH

SILENT KEYS:
287 Michael G3TEV
551 Roger G3ZDW

CALL-SIGN CHANGES:
4953 Robert 2WOFOI now to read GW6GBY

G3ZDW SILENT KEY

It is with great sadness that we have to report that Roger Hyde G3ZDW RAFARS Council member and Contest Manager became Silent Key on Saturday 14th November 2020. Roger was a long time member of RAFARS and a key member of council and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts go out to Roger's family and friends at this difficult time.

RAFARS CONTEST MANAGER

With the sad news that the Roger Hyde G3ZDW has become silent key, there is currently no replacement for him as Contest Manager. Any email sent to Contests@rafars.org will be forwarded to the RAFARS Webmaster who will do his best to answer any questions and process any actions. Please note that the Webmaster is not a member of the contest team, so please consider this before asking any questions that might be answered via a Google search. If any member is interested in taking over as Contest Manager, please contact the RAFARS Secretary by email at Secretary@rafar.org

BEST WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS 2020 AND THE NEW YEAR 2021

From All RAFARS Council Members/Posts and News Desk to all past and present RAFARS Members including your XYL, OM, YL or Partner.
Due to Covid19 this Christmas and New Years Celebrations will be reduced this year but lets hope and pray a successful vaccine can be found and we can all get back to near normal later on in 2021.
In the meantime Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year with Health, Happiness and Good Fortunes for the year 2021 particularly those of you who may be on Overseas Postings/Detachments or on Active Service or Duty commitments, and to those of you who are Sick or also on your own over the holiday period.

AIR DEFENCE RADAR MUSEUM, RAF NEATISHEAD GB2RAF RAFARS PERMANENT S.E.S FROM HOME OF G4PSH TFN

The Museum will be closed till April 2021. However GB2RAF will still be operating from the QTH of G4PSH as per Ofcom Licence 1-68D2038 until such times it is hoped the Museum re-opens in April 2021.
DeBrief. Due to poor conditions on 40 and 80m GB2RAF was not Fully Operational last month due to very heavy noise levels.

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 Contests@rafarg.org 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 2021

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. Members who wish to attend a virtual Zoom council meeting should contact G0DNI by email at webmaster@rafars.org 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

• 9 February
• 6 April
• 14 June (Monday, following Cosford Airshow)
• 7 September
• 16 October (Not a council meeting, AGM & Dinner)
• 16 November

RAFAC (ROYAL AIR FORCE AIR CADETS)

Any information relating to the RAFAC or if you are interested in joining as a member of staff contact 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 23/11/2020 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.

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.

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 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.