UK Radio Rallies

[Squarewave]

Radio Rallies in the UK are a great place to acquire parts for projects, test gear and even many radios and related items. They're also a great place to see familiar faces and chat to people about all things radio/electronics or just talk about how you've no idea how you're going to fit that boot load of gear into your house!

There's been a few this year already and more to come. So which ones this year are you planning on going to? I hope this thread can help people in the UK find a local event or even plan on meeting up with people at such events.

[Squarewave]

Oh, I created this to split away from the other which was created for Dunstable downs which we kind of jumped onto.

Flight Refuelling tomorrow, I can't make it tomorrow, but would like to one day.

Rugby is coming up, really wanted to go, but can't make it, but the one in Milton Keynes coming up I can do 

[bd139]

Canonical list is here: https://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

I will be at FRARS tomorrow. Possibly Rugby next Sunday. Definitely MKARS on the 28th.

After that I will probably have enough projects to see me through winter 

I will see if I can get some pictures at events I attend.

[Squarewave]

I do use that list, but it's not always up to date with postponements or cancellations.

[tggzzz]

I do use that list, but it's not always up to date with postponements or cancellations.

It is the best starting point, but obviously check with the actual organisers.

Thanks for starting this thread. There's been some chatter about rallies in the TEA thread, but this thread is more likely to attract people's attention.

To grossly simplify the recent chatter there: FRARS good (unless continuous rain), Rugby good, MK and DDARC near TNMoC so the journey costs can be amortised. That implies nothing about other hamfests.

I'd like to know whether the national rally in Newark is any good, and if so which days. I'm unlikely to flog up there without a good reason.

[Zenith]

FRARS, Rugby, MK or Torbay (probably MK), Telford (probably), Andover, Weston-super-Mud (because it's close), Newport, Hack Green, (probably, it's been highly recommended as worth going to although it's a long way), maybe Holsworthy, Chippenham. Possibly CATS, although I'll wait for opinions on that. If it's a W-s-M micro rally I won't do it.

I live in the Bristol area, so a couple of hours drive each way is just about the limit. Things on the limit have to have some promise. There are some in the North of England and East Anglia, but they are much too far away.

https://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

[tggzzz]

FRARS, Rugby, MK or Torbay (probably MK), Telford (probably), Andover, Weston-super-Mud (because it's close), Newport, Hack Green, (probably, it's been highly recommended as worth going to although it's a long way), maybe Holsworthy, Chippenham. Possibly CATS, although I'll wait for opinions on that. If it's a W-s-M micro rally I won't do it.

I live in the Bristol area, so a couple of hours drive each way is just about the limit. Things on the limit have to have some promise. There are some in the North of England and East Anglia, but they are much too far away.

https://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

Weston-super-Mud rally is small, about the size of the rally in Sully near Penarth. I wouldn't bother to go, but it is so close I could consider going by bus. ("Consider" because it would be a First Bus a.k.a. Stagecoach).

Newport over-the-bridge is reasonable, but not on this year.

[Zenith]

Are you sure about Newport? It seems to be on according to the website.

https://www.gw6gw.co.uk/visitors.html

[Squarewave]

I do use that list, but it's not always up to date with postponements or cancellations.

It is the best starting point, but obviously check with the actual organisers.

Thanks for starting this thread. There's been some chatter about rallies in the TEA thread, but this thread is more likely to attract people's attention.

To grossly simplify the recent chatter there: FRARS good (unless continuous rain), Rugby good, MK and DDARC near TNMoC so the journey costs can be amortised. That implies nothing about other hamfests.

I'd like to know whether the national rally in Newark is any good, and if so which days. I'm unlikely to flog up there without a good reason.

Newark aviation museum is good, so there's something additional which you could do in the same day if the rally isn't what you expected.

[bd139]

Regarding CATS it’s a 50/50. I only go because it’s not far from me. I wouldn’t bother if you’re more than about 20 miles away. I’ve left empty handed twice.

[Zenith]

Sounds like CATS is about the same as W-s-M then. Not worth a serious trip.

There was one in Laugharne, near Carmarthen, Dylan Thomas' old haunt. Too far for what was probably a W-s-M type do.

[tggzzz]

Are you sure about Newport? It seems to be on according to the website.

https://www.gw6gw.co.uk/visitors.html

I'm sure. But wrong

[Squarewave]

Regarding CATS it’s a 50/50. I only go because it’s not far from me. I wouldn’t bother if you’re more than about 20 miles away. I’ve left empty handed twice.

I've left two this year empty handed, but not because there wasn't anything there, I just had some restraint which I've not had before. I just wanted to go and have a mooch about.

McMichael this year though, boot full, back seats full.......

[Zenith]

As well as the RSGB list, there are a couple of others.

http://southgatearc.org/rallies/rally-list.htm

http://g4rga.org.uk/All.html

They are usually the same, but sometimes there's information or even an event, covered by one but not the others.

[tggzzz]

There was one in Laugharne, near Carmarthen, Dylan Thomas' old haunt. Too far for what was probably a W-s-M type do.

Without evidence, I would presume it was Sully²; the BarryARS hamfest location is delightful and near sproglet, and the denizens are friendly. That's not enough to make me go again.

[Zenith]

I'm familiar with Sully, Sully Island at least, and a little familiar with Laugharne from 20 plus years back. They are 70 miles apart.

I'd never heard there was a rally in Sully and was a little surprised when you mentioned it. There used to be a rally in Bridgend I went to a couple of times, which was about twice the size of W-s-M and was OK.

[tggzzz]

I'm familiar with Sully, Sully Island at least, and a little familiar with Laugharne from 20 plus years back. They are 70 miles apart.

I'd never heard there was a rally in Sully and was a little surprised when you mentioned it. There used to be a rally in Bridgend I went to a couple of times, which was about twice the size of W-s-M and was OK.

It was surprisingly difficult to find links to it, which may be part of the reason it was "locals only". There was a dealer that came from Devon; I doubt he made his petrol money.

[Zenith]

Found it by searching on the WWW. If it comes up again next year, I might nip over there - more attractive without bridge charges. I can always go for a pint in The Captain's Wife near Sully Island and mull over a few old memories.

[Squarewave]

So any radio rally fun today?

[tggzzz]

It was reasonable. I saw bd and zenith, and flogged more than I expected.

My ferengi-fu deserted me. I prepared the way for bd to pick up an hp oscillator by declining it at a higher price. I felt guilty about overcharging zenith for a mule 465, and returned some money to him.

The most interesting thing there was an HP9100 calculator. I would have thought about buying it, but it was too big and I have too much on ATM. I'll remember it in the same way as the Fluke calbrator I didn't bid on because I wasn't a voltnut, doh.

I'll probably go to RATS next Sunday, especially if I can have mains available.

[Squarewave]

Which Fluke calibrator was it?

Gutted I can't make RATS, must have been 2019 since I last went I suppose. Always enjoy it up there, but MK I'm going, just for the fun of it.

[bd139]

I may do RATS.

FRARS Duplicated here for the sake of completeness:



HP 204D £10 - working fine needs cleaning.
Farnell TM6 £15 - sort of working. Needs minor repair.
ARRL books £3 for both - selling on ebay
Parts £5 - all good.

tggzzz: I did consider that 465 mule. If I'd moved I'd have had it off you but I was looking for small things

I nearly walked away with a 141T but the RF module was too high a frequency for my interests.

[tggzzz]

Which Fluke calibrator was it?

Can't remember, but in the same auction I bought a Solartron 7081 and a transportable zener-based 10V volt reference. So, in retrospect it was sufficiently good that I should have snapped it up. Oh well.

I currently have a Fluke 515A to flog, but that's not in the same class by a long way!

[tggzzz]

HP 204D £10 - working fine needs cleaning.

Oh. That's not the HP oscillator I had in mind. I saw a 3310A

[bd139]

HP 204D £10 - working fine needs cleaning.

Oh. That's not the HP oscillator I had in mind. I saw a 3310A

Oh ok didn’t see that. I’d have had that for £30