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are clean. Sometimes thc profcssional house nceds to bc set in order. We recall one instancc whcrc a base-to-mobile liok found to its wrath chat it was subject to heavy inter-ference from local 2m amateurs: the trouble was resoIvcd when a dud crystal in the Professional rig was replaccd!

Even so, it does not do to be too scJf-satisfied where “clean-ness“ of transmitter output is concerned. Lct Vic Stewart come in again on this one:

'The frequency of 145-8MHz dcrived from an 8* IM Hz crystal is a very popular one. Howevcr, the I5th harmonie comes out on the aireraft distress frequcncy. There have becn scveral incidcnts of latc where amateurs have becn received on official monitoring equipment. It seems timcly, there-fore, to print a notę in Radio Conmntmcation before any morę trouble is causcd. The policc radio centrę here is located on Blackford Hill which is also used by visiting amateurs. In addition to this service. extensivc monitoring is done on vhf at the obscrvatory (aJso on thc hill). Again there have been scveral incidents of intcrfercnce being causcd to these serviccs. I think the trouble arises sometimes because amateurs go up the hill after dark and don*t see thc exten-sive aerial farm/'

Morę operating awards issued

When thc latest batch of applications for thc Four Metrcs and Down Operating Awards was dealt with by the VHF Committee, both the claims in the 70MHz bracket were for portable operation. To Bob Parkes, G3REP/M (well, “M“ is portable!), went No 84, and to Derek Thom, G3NKS/P, No 85.

In the 432MHz batch were two operatora who are really out on a limb: G3PBV in South Devon, who gets Certificate No 76, and GC2FZC, No 74. They are dx to most 70-centimentalists for most of the time. Morę centrally placcd, G8BQH in Bucks gets No 75,

Latest issues on 144MHz are: No 208 to G3EFX/P (all the contacts were madę on one VHF NFD), No 209 to GC3YIZ, No 210 to GM8BZX, No 211 to G8BYV, No 212 to G3WHK and No 213 to GM8BDX.

A special mention for the one claimant for the 432MHz Senior: Brian Bower, G3COJ, of High Wycombc gets No 10. Healready has No 31 Senior for “Two”, so if hecan puli off a Senior on 4m he will ratę for the Supremę Award. To datę only one 'Supremc' has becn issued: to anolher Chilterns operator, G3MCS of Aylesbury.

Collect a Region 1 Certificate

The always-popular vhf contcst organized for membera in RSGB Region 1 by the Ainsdale Radio Club occura this year on Sunday 27 June from 0900 to 1800gmt, to coincidc with the Society*s 70MHz Portable event and so calculated to reap a big 4m entry. There are 2m and 70cm classes as well.

Says Norman Horrocks, G2CUZ: “We invite stations outside Region 1, which is the NW of England. to send in logs. There will be a certificate for the operator giving most points to stations in the Region. All Region 1 contacts count, whether in the contcst or not.'*

Send an sae to G2CUZ for a copy of the rules: 34 Sand-brook Rd., Ainsdale, Southport, Lancs.

And still talking about coniesłs . ..

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Trlat run on “Two" at the Leeds Radio Soclety (see story "A Isad from Leeds¹¹, this page).

“May”-hem on ‘Two"!

At 7pm on Saturday 1 May, a barrage of QRM dcsccndcd on the 144*15 to !46MHz spectrum, the like of which had not been heard sińce VHF NFD, and perhaps not łhen. The 144MHz Portable Contest had begun. Next moming the barrage was reinforeed as the participants in the short section came on the air.

We say “from 144*15“ with intent: hardly any cw was to be heard. It virtually sccmcd unnccessary when there were far morę phone stations on the band than could be worked, even during the 24-hour “Long“, and most of tbem with cnorraous signals from high sites (one or two splattering generator whine over much of the spectrum being tuned by operatora on the ncxt hill... will someone write a “Tech Comer“ notę suggesting how this percnnial trouble may be abated?).

By Sunday afternoon the 200-mark was being approached by many, excceded by a fcw. Comment after the eveot was that much eojoyment was had by all, evcn those who had to struggle to get the chosen sitc, but not afterwards: thc contacts simply came when you got there. Typicaliy, G8DJT/P wasat 2,OOOft on Kinder Scout. The party of sixcarried the gear the last mile, inciuding tents, masts and Honda genny-motor, with a declivity called Jacob*s Ladder to negotiatc verticaHy out and back. Reward: 182 contacts, five countries.

Somc of thc May sites will be reactivated this month for the Microwave Contest on 20 June and the 70MHz Portable thc Sunday after. Rules page 280, April Radio Communica-tion.

Project Moonray

A continuously operating repeater left on the moon to accept and re-radiate signals on 70cm for a year or morę: this is Project Moonray. Liaison by AMSAT with NASA is directed towards canying thc devicc to the moon in one of the remaining Apollo missions—and there may even be a radio amateur in the crew! Morę detail on Moonray in a latcr FMD.

A lead from Leeds

A club project of thc Leeds Radio Society is to construct a ąuantity of smali portable tranaistorized 2m transmitter-receivera which can easily be carricd to meetings and to outdoor field events. Transmitter powere of 2W are aimed

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RADIO COMMUNICATiON June 1971