February 2024

SEARS Rally Cornelious Vermulyn School Canvey Island


VMARS Public Relations Officer Stuart McKinnon has reported on the first UK amateur radio rally of the year, the Canvey Island Radio Rally held on Sunday 4th February. Known as the SEARS Rally and organised by the South Essex Amateur Radio Society, Stuart reported that it was well attended and was a great success.


Displayed on the VMARS stand was a post war DWS Mk 123 spy set in it’s green canvas case, including all spares. For more information on these post war spysets follow this link -  https://www.cryptomuseum.com/spy/mk123/index.htm. A TR9, a TW2 2 metre AM transmitter and TW4 High, the only existing 4 metre high power transmitter built by TW, were also displayed, along with TW receive converters for 2 and 4 metres The comprehensive TW line up was provided for the display from the private collection of Pete Shepherd, G7DXV. TW standing for Tom Withers of course and for those with an interest there is a website developed by TW owners which can be found at http://twradio.uk/.  On display from Stuart's collection of  WW2 vintage equipment was a recently acquired T1154 transmitter, used on British bomber aircraft such as the famous Lancaster, and the very special B2 Suitcase Spy set, developed by Captain John Brown for use by SOE agents operating in Nazi occupied countries and the forerunner of the DWS Mk 123 spy set. The display generated considerable interest from many visitors attending the rally.

 


Manning the VMARS stand at the Canvey Rally and with the B2 Spy Set prominent, from right to left: P.R.O. Stuart McKinnon, G0TBI, Hon. Secretary Iain Moffatt, G0OZS and member Pete Shepherd, G7DXV, talking to fellow member Jen Easdown, G4HIZ.

The Canvey rally attracted many VMARS members who gathered at the stand for a group photograph.


 

June 2023

Photos of the VMARS presence at the ESWR (Ipswich Rally) on 18th June 2023

The first picture features (L to R), Derek M0JMV, Roger G1EUF, Iain G0OZS, Martin G0HVW, Andy 2E0DIQ, David G0SKE and Alan G8LIT.  The second picture has Bob G0PEY.  Photos by Kathy M0DFL (M0HVE XYL).

I would like to thank Al and David for doing the VMARS stand while I was busy with RSGB book sales.

Iain G0OZS

May 2023

Membership Secretary of VMARS Ron Swinburne, M0WSN, displaying his Series III long wheel base Landrover at the Thorpe Camp Rally held in May. This particular vehicle is an ex-army FFR version - Fitted For Radio - and is installed with various Clansman HF and VHF communications equipment.
Ron is proudly wearing the Beret and "Jimmy" cap badge of the Royal Corps of Signals, which is a depiction of Mercury, the Roman God of communications. Ron served with the Royal Signals for his National Service.

April 2023

VMARS Publications Manager Professor Bronek Wedzicha, M0DAF, receives the cup for the best home built equipment presented at the annual Blackpool Rally held at the Norbreck hotel in Blackpool and hosted by NARSA, the Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association. The award presented to Bronek by RSGB Chairman John McCullagh was for the home design and construction of a 10 meter transceiver. More details on Bronek's winning equipment can be seen in the VMARS monthly News Sheet distributed to all members.
Among the aims of the Vintage and Military Amateur Radio Society, building and operating home built equipment has a strong following within the membership. Many examples of these can be heard on the regular A.M. nets held on 3615 KHz and also on 10M. 

 



Martin Owen on the right, G4JSX, VMARS Chairman, welcomes Adrian Hodgson, G8UGD, to the Society stand at the NARSA Blackpool Rally. For more information on joining VMARS follow this link.
 
 

March 2023

Vintage & Military Amateur Radio Society members have been buying copies of the hardback Royal Signals glossy, coffee table top publication, "Roger So Far", through an arrangement made between the Society Public Relations Officer, Stuart McKinnon G0TBI, and the Royal Signals Museum located at Blandford Camp in Dorset. In March, Stuart and  Anne McKinnon, M3TBI, met with the RS Museum Business Manager Adam Forty at the museum and presented him with a cheque for the sum of £224.20 toward museum funds.

 
VMARS PRO Stuart McKinnon and RS Museum Business Manager Adam Forty
hold up a copy of the "Roger So Far" publication

"Roger So Far" is a lavishley illustrated book which follows the history of the Royal Corps of Signals from its earliest incarnation as a Signals Troop in the late 19th century through to its present day operations. In a message to VMARS, Adam Forty thanked the Society for its support and outlined some of this years planned public activities.

Copies of "Roger So Far" can be obtained from VMARS P.R.O. Stuart McKinnon at a special price of £14.95.

On behalf of all at the Royal Signals Museum, we would like to thank Stuart and Anne McKinnon and all at VMARS for their kind and continuing support of the Museum.
 
The Museum will be attending the Chalke Valley History Festival ( 26th Jun to 2nd Jul) and Bournemouth Air Show (1st Aug – 3rd Sep) with our STEM Outreach Team, so if you are in the vicinity please check us out.  We are also working with Martin Simonsohn, RSARS,  who will be taking a Clansman setup to Chalke Valley as part of our interactive displays and activities.
 
Our current new, storytelling exhibition on The Balkans War will end in August 2023, at which time it will be replaced by a new exhibition illustrating the role of the Corps in The Gulf War, Op Granby and Op Telic.  The exhibition, which will open in mid-September, will also feature story telling by the soldiers who served during the campaigns.
 Kind regards
Adam
 

25th February 2023 - VMARS Auction Day

“Three Wise Men” look on as around 80 bidders battle for some very attractive vintage equipment at the latest VMARS auction held at Baginton on Saturday 25th February.  Full details of the auction will appear in the forthcoming VMARS monthly News Sheet.


 

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