On this page you will find details of the radio nets run by the Vintage & Military Amateur Radio Society and by members under their personal arrangements. These nets are NOT exclusively for VMARS members. All licenced amateurs are most welcome to join in and all we ask is that you follow the purpose of the net, for example by using A.M., USB or LSB where specified. Scroll down the page for more information.
Special NetsAll Special Nets are 3615 Khz Amplitude Modulation 07:30 local UK time unless otherwise statedThe Society holds a number of controlled Special Nets which are designed to encourage the use of specific types of vintage and home brew equipment. These nets take place, usually but not exclusively on a Saturday, from 07:30 UK local time on 3615KHz and run for one hour, following which the frequency is handed over to the VMARS Net Controller for the regular Saturday A.M. net at 08:30.
Details of forthcoming Special Nets are published here and in the monthly VMARS News Sheet. Some examples of previous nets are also reproduced here to provide an idea of the type of interests covered.
Wednesday April 18th 2024 07:30 - 08:30 3615KHz: A.M. QRP Net - 10 watts or less, even a lot less. The lowest powered signal heard widely on the last QRP net was 167mW. Several stations regularly communicate with less than 1 watt. It can be done with a decent aerial!
Saturday February 10th 2024
Wartime tactical equipment - Wireless Sets 19, 22, 29, 46, 48, 62, T1154/R1155, Bendix TA12, Collins TCS-12 etc.
Normandy Landings Beach Zone Expedition June 2023 Copyright of photographs in the Normandy 2023 section James Burrough Tony Barron, G3YYH, settting an earth rod for the Canadian Military Pattern lorry wireless equipment at Pegasus Bridge on 6th June 2023.
After arriving in Normandy from England on Saturday 3rd June with the 1943 Canadian Military Pattern lorry - CMP and a support vehicle, the crew refresh themselves with a beer and prepare for the rigours of the coming week. Left to right - James Burrough, M7JBZ - Tony Barron, G3YYH - Rich Bamber, M0XRB - Martin Smythe, M0MGA - Rik Proctor M7NTS The station will be operating in Normandy for a few days at various locations which had significance in the 1944 Normandy landings. For direct contact with the CMP vehicle listen on 3615kHz A.M. from around 06:00 BST and on 7070kHz USB from 12:00 BST from Sunday 4th June to Saturday 10th June. Some efforts will be made to link up on 51.700mHz F.M. but these will be dependant on 6m propagation. Schedules will be notified on this site and on the VMARS Members online Reflector as they become available, but will be subject to short notice and changes resulting from security arrangements for visiting dignitaries, along with other national representatives of the combatant countries.
A Spitfire taxis past local farmers harvesting wheat at B-2 Bazenville Advanced Landing Ground in 1944
 VMARS member Trevor Sanderson, PA3BOH, operating the classic British WW2 vehicle mounted station Wireless Set No.12 transmitter and R107 receiver. Trevor is controlling the daily morning 3615kHz A.M. net from the CMP parked adjacent to the Bazenville Advanced Landing Ground and working into the UK, France and Netherlands.  Tony Barron, G3YYH, concentrates on sending CW while Martin Smyth, M0MGA, pays close attentionNot WW2 equipment - but 1970's British Army vintage for operating SSB and FM nets during the Normandy 2023 expedition. Top is a Clansman VRC321 HF transceiver for SSB, A.M. and CW operation on any frequency from 1.5mHz to 30mHz. Underneath is the Clansman 353 FM transceiver working from 30mHz to 75.975mHz. Operating such equipment on air by non military individuals requires an amateur radio licence issued by OFCOM, which limits operation to bands of frequencies specifically allocated for amateur use.
This is the Wireless Set No.19 in the CMP, the most widely used vehicle mounted transceiver in the British & Commonwealth Armies of WW2 and beyond. Installed in Tanks, Reconnaisance vehicles, Jeeps and Lorries, along with any type of portable or fixed station imaginable, even in light air observation aircraft for communication with artillery and armour. The additional unit on top of the WS19 is an RF amplifier designed to boost the power of the transmitter.  The CMP with the Luftwaffe Würzburg Radar at DouvresFor the June 2023 D-Day Expedition by VMARS members. Special event callsigns have been issued for use from the following locations: During the week between Saturday 3rd June and Saturday 10th June, VMARS members will be operating WW2 period radio equipment from the CMP lorry from at Normandy Invasion beaches and surrounding area. Listen out and contact them on the following frequencies and nets:- 3.615 Mc/s A.M. VMARS nets every morning at about 07:00 BST3.615 Mc/s A.M. VMARS Saturday net 08:30 following the early morning 07:00 net3.615 Mc/s LSB/USB nets Wednesday & Friday evenings at 20:00 3.680 Mc/s USB MATRON Net - Sunday afternoons
3.600 Mc/s possibly to link up with regular French A.M. nets7.070 Mc/s USB daily at 12:00
51.7 Mc/s FM From Douvres Radar Museum.– These will be experimental communications links to test 6m summer propagation and low power signals between UK and Normandy are very possible.
 Rigging the Yagi antenna for 6m cross channel communications tests on 51.700 Mc/s. Note the essential tea & biscuit facility
Below:The Moxon 6m aerial used for the same tests. Martin Smyth, M0MGA operating from the CMP and busy working stations in the U.K., France and the Netherlands using military equipment operating Upper Side Band on 7.077 Mc/s Early morning on Gold Beach 6th June 2023, the CMP is ready to unload and set up the TM79GOLD wireless station
Below:- Early morning on Gold Beach 6th June 1944, British troops leading the beach assault For information about Canadian Military Pattern lorries, extensively used by British forces, click on this link
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Military_Pattern_truck
 Local map of the Gold Beach first assault wave plan for 6th June 1944. The Landing Beach Zone Expedition team operate from the East Red Jig location on the Beach Road.
Follow this link for more information:-
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Beach
Flowers placed on Gold Beach in a moving tribute to those who landed here on 6th June 1944
VMARS official controlled AM nets are held at 08:30 on each Saturday morning. The frequency is 3615KHz and the Society welcomes all Amplitude Modulation stations using vintage or modern equipment. Operators do not need to be members of VMARS to join in.
There is also an informal net of UK AM stations and occasional Continental stations which operates daily on 3615KHz, beginning at about 07:00, depending on the band being open for inter G contacts, and usually active until around 09:00.
VMARS Saturday morning prenet & net recording 6th October 2018
Prenet recording: Click on the AR-88 receiver
Features ON/M0MGA and ON/G3YYH operating portable from the WW1 battlefied site located at Polygon Wood in Belgium
VMARS Net Controllers GalleryBelow - Bronek Wedzicha, M0DAF, regular VMARS AM Net Controller located near York.
Bronek's recently built transmitter shown here being used on the Saturday net, has a line up of 12BY7A VFO, 5763 buffer, 5763 doubler/driver, 813 PA, modulated by a pair of 811A's. The audio front end employs a Datong Clipper followed by a MOSFET driver. The receiver in use when on air is either Racal RA17 or a Bendix RA-1B.
Below - Justin Woolgar, GW0FZY, regular VMARS Net Controller located near SwanseaJustin has a wide range of A.M. equipment ranging from an ex RAF Marconi T1509 transmitter to the home built Class E A.M. transmitter that he is seated in front of in the photograph. On top of that is an Optimod A.M. audio processing unit. Another of Justin's hobbies is getting jet engines working and running them in his garden.
View Justin's website by clicking on this link and be in for a surprise 
Below - Keith Yates , G3XGW, regular VMARS AM Net Controller located near Evesham, Worcestershire Keith usually operates the VMARS net with a Labgear LG300 transmitter and a National HRO receiver but he has been known to come up on a Heathkit DX100U transmitter with an RCA AR88 receiver.Keith is pictured here in front of his 1940's Marconi T1145/R1155 RAF aircraft station famously used on board Lancaster Bombers.
Below - Stuart McKinnon, G0TBI , regular VMARS AM Net Controller located in Kinver, Staffordshire Stuart's main station for use on the net is an RCA ET4336 Tx and an AR88 D receiver. However, he will frequently be heard using some of his other sets, such as his Marconi T1509, a DX100U or KW Vanguard transmitters from his large collection of vintage and miltary equipment.
Below - Paul Craven, M1PVC , regular VMARS AM Net Controller located near to the village of Hartfield in the Ashdown Forest, East Sussex. Paul operates the VMARS net with a Heathkit DX100U or Labgear LG300 transmitter in combination with a National HRO 500 receiver. Among other restored vintage wireless equipment to be found in Paul's shack and frequently heard on air are a T1154 and Bendix TA12c aircraft transmitters
Below - Martin Sweeting, G3YJO, regular VMARS Net Controller located near Guildford in Surrey.
Martin is pictured here seated in front of his fully restored Wireless Set No.53 transmitter next to an R107 receiver. As well as being on the Saturday Net controller rota, Martin can be regularly heard on air using one of his collection of British WW2 wireless sets which includes WS No's.19, 52 and 62, as well as the WS 53.Below - Bob Tucker, G6AVI, regular VMARS Net Controller located near the town of Watton in Southwest Norfolk.
Bob is pictured here using a Minimitter ‘tabletopper’ transmitter and his Collins 75A-4 receiver. He also has an interest in building his own equipment and his "Home Brew" 813 transmitter and modulator can also be seen, along with other vintage equipment from his fine collection.
Below - the shack of Tony Barron, G3YYH, located in the Cotswold Hills about 5 miles south east of Cheltenham.
Tony generally uses an HRO receiver from 1946 and a DX100U transmitter, with SDR on stand-by to resolve difficult signals. Tony also frequently operates from portable locations in the UK and France and frequently works from his Land Rover or the vintage WW2 Canadian Military Pattern lorry that he owns jointly with Martin, M0MGA.
Below - The shack of John Sommerville, MW0XHO regular VMARS Net Controller located in Conwy, North Wales.
John's extensive collection of equipment includes some heavy metal transmitters and receivers which include a Collins KWS-1 tx and 75A-4 rx "Gold Dust Twins" station, a Diplomatic Wireless Service Mk210 transmitter and his 1948 Marconi T1509 RAF ground transmitter pictured below. Receivers at John's QTH include an RCA AR88D and a Collins 390A.
Below - Jonathan Wymer, G8URE is a regular Net Controller operating from Chichester in West Sussex.
Seen here with his WW2 WS18, which he uses with a transverter to work on 3615 Khz, Jonathan can always be relied upon to turn up on net with some rare and sometimes exotic equipment combinations to entertain us on air.
Below - Ian Underwood, M0YMK , occasional VMARS Net Controller located in GloucesterIan, who also holds the French licence F4VSC, operates a 1950's Labgear LG300 or a Heathkit DX100U for net control. Other transmitters regularly used by Ian on VMARS nets are Bendix TA12c, Wireless Set No.52, Wireless Set No.19, Larkspur C11/R210, Collins TCS12 & Collins ART-13.
Below - Martin Smyth, M0MGA, regular VMARS Net Controller located in Whitehill near Bordon in East Hampshire.
Martin uses a Heathkit DX100U transmitter and an RCA AR88 receiver for his turns as Net Controller. At other times he can also frequently be heard using his very distinctive Wireless Set No 12 transmitter and regularly operates portable in UK and France with Tony, G3YYH.
Below - Martin Owen, G4JSX, regular VMARS Net Controller located near Rugby in Warwickshire.
Martin has a fine collection of Naval equipmemt dating from the 1940's into the 1970's, which can be regularly heard on air on the weekday SSB nets as well as on the weekly Saturday Morning AM net.
 SSB nets
The society also runs SSB nets. A USB net takes place each Wednesday at 20:00hrs local time on 3615KHz +/-QRM to provide an opportunity for those who wish to use their unmodified military sets which operate in USB only. There is an LSB net on Friday evenings to encourage members to keep in touch on-air. This takes place at 19.30 and uses LSB on 3615KHz +/- QRM.Special on-air events
From time to time, the Society runs special events, generally on the 40m, 60m and 80m bands, which specialise in use of vintage equipment or to commemorate some historic event with "wireless" connections. These are advertised to members in the News Sheet, and also on the Society’s website.The VMARS call-sign is M0VMW The SRS Nets
The Dutch Surplus Radio Society run AM and SSB nets for vintage enthusiasts, full details are on their website here .Other AM Activity Frequencies
AM activity is increasingly found on a number of other bands, in particular: 5317KHz, 7143KHz, 14286KHz, 21425KHz and 29000 - 29150KHz. There are several local AM nets in the UK on topband.FM Frequencies
For mobiles working into VMARS events, 2m calling in on 145.500MHz (S20) is usual, before QSY to a working frequency. At event locations where military equipment is in use, suggested FM "Centres of Activity" on VHF are 51.700Mhz, 70.425MHz (70.450MHz calling).CW Practice Sessions
CW practice sessions are run by Colin, G3TSK in Somerset and Keith G3XGW in Gloucestershire.The practice sessions take place on Mondays and Fridays starting at 09:00 local time and last about 30 minutes. The frequency is around 3.546MHz. Speeds are approximately 14, 16 and finally 18wpm. Listeners are invited to email G3XGW to be added to a group email to receive texts for checking. Keith's email address is correct in the VMARS members list and on QRZ.com. The practice sessions are not nets, although brief reports will be acknowledged at the end of the session (in CW, of course!). 
Colin G3TSK, running a morse practice session at below zero temperatures in mid-January, with Keith G3XGW, enjoying the comfort of his heated shack.VMARS NETS & RECOMMENDED FREQUENCIESAll times are UK local3615 KHz AM | Saturday AM net 08:30 – 10:30 | 3615 KHz USB | Wednesday USB net for military equipment 20:00 – 21:00 | 3615 KHz LSB | Friday LSB net 19:30 – 20:30 | 3615 KHz AM | Regular informal net from around 07:30 - 08:30 and throughout the day | 3546 KHz
3563 KHz CW
+/- QRM | CW Practice sessions run by Colin G3TSK and Keith G3XGW are operated at 09:00 Monday & Friday on 3546KHz. These sessions are not nets but reports will be acknowledged. See above for more details.
Calling Frequency for CW. Scheduled operating times are 10:00 hrs and 19:00 hrs Daily. This is an informal net established to encourage greater use of CW by VMARS members, but non-members are welcome to join in. | 5317 KHz
AM | Regular AM QSO’s, usually late afternoon. (Advanced licence required. 6Khz max bandwidth) | 7143 KHz
AM | VMARS AM operating frequency | 51.700 MHz FM | VMARS FM operating frequency, also used at rallies and events | 70.425 MHz FM | VMARS FM operating frequency, also used at rallies and events |
VMARS Net Controller Rota for 2024/5 on 3615Khz
Amplitude Modulation every Saturday at 08:30 UK timeHear and work 20+ stations using vintage equipmentlast amended 3rd April 2024
Net Control Rota 2024Date
| 1st
operator
| 2nd
operator
| 3rd
operator
| January 6th
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| January 13th
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| January 20th
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| Guest
| January 27th
| M0MGA
| Guest
| G4JSX
| February 3rd
| Guest
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| February 10th
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| February 17th
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| February 24th
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| March 2nd
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| March 9th
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| March 16th
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| March 23rd
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| March 30th
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| M0YMK
| April 6th
| M0MGA
| M0YMK
| G4JSX
| April 13th
| M0YMK
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| April 20th
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| April 27th
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| May 4th
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| May 11th
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| May 18th
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| May 25th
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| June 1st
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| June 8th
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| M0YMK
| June 15th
| M0MGA
| M0YMK
| G4JSX
| June 22nd
| M0YMK
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| June 29th
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| July 6th
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| July 13th
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| July 20th
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| July 27th
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| August 3rd
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| August 10th
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| August 17th
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| M0YMK
| August 24th
| M0MGA
| M0YMK
| G4JSX
| August 31st
| M0YMK
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| September 7th
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| September 14th
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| September 21st
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| September 28th
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| October 5th
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| October 12th
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| October 19th
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| October 26th
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| M0YMK
| November 2nd
| M0MGA
| M0YMK
| G4JSX
| November 9th
| M0YMK
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| November 16th
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| November 23rd
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| November 30th
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| December 7th
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| December 14th
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| December 21st
| M1PVC
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| December 28th
| G0TBI
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
|
2025
| January 4th
| G3XGW
| M0MGA
| M0YMK
| January 11th
| M0MGA
| Guest
| G4JSX
| January 18th
| Guest
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| January 25th
| G4JSX
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| February 1st
| G8URE
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| February 8th
| G3YJO
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| February 15th
| G3YYH
| G6AVI
| M1PVC
|
VMARS Members at play during summers with some of their prized vintage equipment 
VMARS is affiliated to the Radio Society of Great Britain |
