MFARS Club News

16 Apr 2012 - Due to polling day the next MFARS club night will not be on the first Thursday of the month but on the second Thursday of May. Note the location change to Clochan hall for our Annual quiz night on the 10th of May. Where is Clochan hall? See map below.

03 Mar 2012 - The Club Spring Sale date has been changed to Saturday 28 April 2012 at the Scout Hall, Christie Place, Fochabers. Timings are unchanged with the doors open to traders at 10:00am and for Sales at 12:00. Please ensure that you publicise this change of date, thank you.

24 Feb 2012 - The next club meeting will be held on Thursday 1 March 2012 at 8pm at the Scout Hall, Christie Place, Fochabers There will be a technical talk: "Why do I need a masthead amplifier" which will be an introduction to the Club construction project for 2012. All are welcome, members and visitors alike.

25 Jan 2012 - MFARS meeting Thursday 2 Feb 2012 in the Scout Hall, Christie Place Fochabers at 8.00 p.m. will be RADIO and TV of YESTERYEAR
Presented by Steve Liley and John Rennie (GM4UWX) with a display of vintage radio and television . All are welcome, a large turnout is expected. Club members should bring along at least one guest who need not have radio amateur interests.

14 Jan 2012 - MFARS have received a request to operate a station for Burghead Gudes for World Thinking Day on the Air. Further Details at the February Club Night See On Air

07 Dec 2011 - Listen out for Bill GM3KHH who will be using the call GB50RSARS from his home QTH to celebrate 50 years of the RSARS, club members are welcome to call him on the repeater to arrange a sked on hf or simplex

22 Nov 2011 - The next club meeting will be held on Thursday 1 December 2011 at 8pm at the Scout Hall, Christie Place, Fochabers There will be a technical talk: "Why do I need a masthead amplifier" which will be an introduction to the Club construction project for 2012. All are welcome, members and visitors alike.

15 Oct 2011 - The next club meeting will be held on Thursday 3rd November. It will be the President's address, no jeans or trainers please, dress smartly, collar and tie if you have one. We also hope to organise a film from the early days of MFARS. It is proposed to call a brief EGM for the purpose of ratifying the new constitution which was overlooked at the AGM in September.

Weekend Foundation Course Dates 11 - 13 November
Friday 11th - 7pm to 9.30pm
Saturday 12th 9am to 5pm
Sunday 13th 9am to 1pm then exam at 2pm

Venue: Fochabers Scout Hall
Enrolment no later than 15th October
Cost: £65 including examination fee
Please contact the Secretary or Barry Horning to enrol

16 Sep 2011 - Next club night is on 6th October - Design your own printed circuits.

29 Aug 2011 - Harry is asking if anyone would be interested in a bus run to Glerothes for Jaycee's open day on 17th September. It can only go ahead if there are enough to make it viable. If you are interested in going drop Harry an email or call.

Tea's and Coffees will be provided as soon as the kettle boils after 7.30pm when we get into the hall meeting starts at 8pm prompt.
The hall has been booked for two hours. We must vacate by 9.30pm. Please let me know if you can make it!

18 Tininver Street
Dufftown
Moray
AB554AZ

Please also bring the small sum of £1 to cover costs of hall.

19 Aug 2011 - A Foundation course and an Advanced course with optional CW training will commence sometime in the Autumn.
Please contact the secretary or Barry Horning to register your interest.

19 Aug 2011 - Next club night is on 1st September we hope to be in the hall a little earlier than usual. Looking to modification of the cabin suspension and trying out the Clark mast. The ex-army radios and the Lister generator will be going on eBay. An auction of surplus plugs and cables from the cabin will take place on the night so there will be some N Type fly leads up for grabs.

19 Aug 2011 - AGM venue is still to be decided, venue will be published ASAP but it may be at Inchberry again. It will be on Friday 16th September at 7.30 for 8pm, coffee's and teas from 7.30 as usual.

19 Aug 2011 - Junk sale is on 15th October from 12 noon as usual £1 entry , tables are free.

14 Aug 2011 - Geoff - MM5AHO will be active during Lighthouse weekend, and the week prior, from isolated rock lighthouses Dubh Artach and Skerryvore. Operating from the10m yacht "Contender", as MM5AHO/mm using 100W on bands 80m to 6m inclusive (antenna is backstay of mast), he hopes to exceed last years 530 contacts from several other west coast lighthouses including rock lighthouse Hyskeir near island of Canna. Dubh Artach is off Colonsay island, and Skerryvore off Tiree. Both are Steveson lights, Skerryvore is Scotlands tallest, and weighs 58000 tonnes. Weather plays a big part in the safety of operating from these locations where waves have been measured to 90 ft in storms, so no definite schedule can be arranged until close to the time, but he'll be out there 10 days from 12th to 22nd August, and have a series of other never activated secondary lighthouses in case he cannot get to the prime targets. He will not have internet access, and even mobile phone access is unlikely, so you'll just have to either listen, or seek the cluster spots of others.

11 July 2011 - A sales/wanted/exchange site is planned soon. If you have anything to place on the site contact me via the Webmaster address on Contact

11 July 2011 - Light house on the air is coming up soon. We will keep you posted on this.

11 July 2011 - Just a quick note to thank the members of the club for supporting us on the Rob Mannion visit to Moray Firth ARS.
We had a very interesting evening and all went well. The Society would also like to thank GM1TGY for taxi driving Rob and also to Les and Cath, Joan, Siobhan and Rowena for the marvellous spread. Not forgetting a big thank you all those who took along raffle prizes as requested.
GM3KHH selected the venue and I think we all agree it was a great place for this type of event.

Rob Mannion visit to MFARS

Talk-In will be available on 2m via GB3SS
Entrance will be £5 including a cuppa etc. a raffle will be held.

23 May 2011 - At 10am on Tuesday 24th Les 2M0BIK and Jim MM0SMD are heading down to see Robin GM0NEG who is home to Garmouth. We are fitting a rotator and antenna to his tower, assistance would be appreciated if you are in the area.

23 May 2011 - The next club meeting is coming up soon (2nd June) we hope to continue our cabin radio station project on this evening. We now have a Nato trailer to fit the cabin on to, then we can fit the Clark mast. Hope it is a dry night we can start 7pm.

23 May 2011 - Rob Mannion Visit. We still need someone to welcome him off the train and take him to Fochabers, help with the raffle and the tea's. It is a Month away but closing fast.

08 May 2011 - Rob Mannion will visit MFARS to give a presentation on Friday 1st July. The event will take place at Portessie Hall at 19:30. Entrance will be £5 including a cuppa etc. a raffle will be held. We are looking for a good turn out from club members and MM0SMD is looking for assistance from members to help. Please contact him if you can be of assistance.

02 May 2011 - MFARS Club night Thursday 05 May we were planning going round to the QTH of GM0NEG to assist with repairs to his A4S antenna, Unfortunately Robin has been taken to Aberdeen hospital. We may still go over but Jim is waiting to hear back from his XYL. Meet outside the Scout hall in Fochabers on Thursday night at 7pm and decide what happens from there.

02 May 2011 - A purpose built trailer has been purchased for the communications cabin.

03 Apr 2011 - MFARS Club night Thursday 7th April at Fochabers Scout Hut 19:30 for 20:00

17 Mar 2011 - MFARS JUNK SALE is on the 9th of April at the Scout hall, Christie Place Fochabers. Doors open 11:00 for sellers to set up and sale starts at noon. As usual it is £1 entry and there are no charges for tables. No need to book just turn up and load up a table! Please take along a small item for the raffle. We would be very happy if you could pass on this information to any of your friends who might be interested.

28 Feb 2011 - Club Meeting this Thursday 8pm at the Scout hall will be a quiz night with a chance this time to win the MFARS QUIZ NIGHT trophy.

28 Feb 2011 - Rob Mannion the Editor of Practical Wireless has written to indicate that we will visit the MFARS club. We would also like to invite other clubs and locals interested in our hobby to the lecture. An idea is to have a raffle a barbeque, teas and coffees and perhaps a beer afterwards. Rob will be coming up by train and home by Inverness airport. We are looking for a volunteer to take Rob back up to Inverness to catch the plane on the morning of Saturday the 2nd of July (yes this is the same morning as VHF field day.) Rob has a disability so a slightly higher than average car would be easier for him to get in and out of. The meeting is pencilled in for Friday the 1st of July but it may be on the day before. Venue still to be arranged but we will see how we get on at the AGM at Inchberry and may have it there.

28 Feb 2011 - After my request Bill GM3KHH got in touch and wishes to run a distillery radio station the week before the Spirit of Speyside whisky festival. Bill has arranged his station to run at Strathisla distillery in Keith, callsign GB4SWF (SPEYSIDE WHISKY FESTIVAL) has been applied for . Jim has applied for GB2SWF and have permission to operate from Craigellachie distillery from the car park on 23rd of April and maybe 24th April. More details to follow near the time. If you wish to come along and help out or operate at GB2SWF or GB4SWF or at both you are all very welcome. If you are a full license holder and would like to organise another station and apply for a GB please get in touch with me as soon as possible.

28 Feb 2011 - Bill GM3KHH has indicated his willingness to organise a 5wpm Morse class from his own QTH (depending on numbers) If you would like to attend and work towards a 5wpm certificate you can call Bill on 01542 850 247. He will build it up to 12wpm after that and maybe faster. The class will be held on Thursday nights at 7pm (unless its a club night.)

21 Feb 2011 - Exams were held on Saturday 19th February and passes at Foundation were achieved by Adam Watson (Age 9) and Simon Morrison and a pass at Intermediate by Adam's father Ian Watson. Ian sat his Foundation as well that evening which he had to pass before sitting the Intermediate. Congratulations to all involved.

21 Feb 2011 - We are planning to hold a course for the Advanced exam during the summer. Full details will be announced later but expressions of interest can be sent to or in person at a club night.