Heaviside, 1902, postulated the presence of a high altitude reflecting layer round the earth. This was only four years after Sir Oliver Lodge’s oxford demonstration of transmission. It was left Appleton to distinguish several reflecting layers above us, the lowest he called ’D’ (for discovery), not wishing to confuse this with the ’A’ of his name!

Other features of HF propagation were described in turn and a formula for mast height and distance the signal might travel was given. A new theory of “Trophos” for the exceptional DX of VHF signals over the top of lightning.

Lighting storm areas was mentioned as were the effects of the Pedersen ’Ray’/Aurora/meteor scatter/moon-bounce and control points/silent zones/ground wave and skip distances.

With the use of a globe and a thin laser beam, an attempt was made to show the spread of light and its effect on ionisation at dawn and dusk. A visual description of this from an astronaut in the international space station was read out, plus colour pictures of travel over Europe. The hour before dawn or after dusk (“The Gray Time”) is when the ’E’ layer is at its thinnest, allowing ’F’ layer propagation and DX.

Methods for determining when the grey times were: ’Radcom’, the ‘Xantex’ , card system, computer programmes.

Finally an audiotape of a ditty by the Danish ‘Ham Band’,1998 was played with a warning song of the hazards.

To the continuation of married bliss in taking too much time ‘chasing the ‘Gary Line’.

References:- 1. Distance (Metres) = 1.41xRoot Mast height (metres)

2.”Red Sprites and Blue Jets: GW3KJW,Practical Wireless, September 1999.

3. Peggy Whitson.

4. ’Sun Mag’, G0CAS, August 2002.

5. Courtesy of Gloria, G3VUN.

Extracts from a Chronology of the RAF

April 1st 1918, The ROYAL AIR FORCE was formed by an amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service; Women’s Royal Air Force also formed. Operations continued as usual and on the Weston Front alone the RAF destroyed 23 enemy aircraft and eight balloons for the loss of 18 to the enemy.

On May 13th the Independent Air Force was formed under its commander Maj Gen Hugh Trenchard to operate without reference to Arm or Navy and provide a bombing force of nine squadrons equipped with D.H.4s D.H.9s, D.H.9As, F.E.2Bs and Handley Page 0/100s, which dropped 559 tonnes of bombs on strategic targets during the remainder of the war.

In June of that year an RAF Flight of D.H.4s, later supplemented by the Seaplane Carrier “Campania”, began operations from Murmansk and Archangel in Russia.

The RAF Nursing Service was formed, and, D.H.9A entered service with No 110 Squadron at Kenley.

July saw Maj A S C MacLaren making the first flight from England (Cranwell) to Egypt (Cairo) in a Handley Page 0/400.

In August Fighter sweeps introduced over the Western Front, with Camel squadrons at 10,00 ft (3.050m), S.E.5A squadrons at 14,000ft (4.270m) and Bristol Fighter squadrons at 18,000ft (5.490m). Also it saw the first low-level attack (65 aircraft) on a German airfield (Haubourdin).

In September the first fully decisive stroke of air power took place at Wadi el Far’a when RAF aircraft, supporting Gen Allenby’s campaign in Palastine, destroyed the retreating Turkish Seventh Army in a series of low-level bombing and machine gun attacks. Substantial air support helped to breach the Hindenburg Line in France. October saw the first aerial supply drop in battle when RAF aircraft dropped 6,500 rations in bags to French and Belgian troops without supplies in Houthulst Forest.

As we all know the Armistice was declared on November 11th 1918 and the war was over. The RAF had on charge 22,647 aircraft of all types, of which 103 were airships and first line strength was 3,300. There were 133 Squadrons and 15 Flights overseas, 55 Squadrons at home, 75 training Squadrons and depots, 401 airdromes at home and 274 abroad. Personnel strength comprised 27,333 officers and 263,837 other ranks with approximately 25,000 WRAF. The industry was producing about 3,500 aircraft per month. The RAF at home consisted of five Area Commands; SouthEastern Area (Maj Gen F C Heath-Caldwell); SouthWestern Area (Maj Gen P W Game); Midland-Area (Maj Gen J F A Higgins); North-Eastern Area (Maj Gen Hon Sir F Gordon) and North-Western Area (Maj Gen G C Cayley).

December of that year saw Maj A S C MacLaren set out on the first England (Martlesham)-India (Karachi) flight in a Handley Page V/1500 (“Old Carthusian”). arriving on December 30th. This month also saw the formation of No 86 (Communications) Wing at Hendon to provide rapid transport between London and Paris for the Peace Conference.

Odd Signs from England

Sign in a London department store. BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS.

On a Church door. THIS THE GATE OF HEAVEN. ENTER YE ALL BY THIS DOOR. THIS DOOR

IS KEPT LOCKED BECAUSE OF THE DRAFT. (PLEASE USE SIDE DOOR)

Notice in a dry cleaner’s window: ANYONE LEAVING THEIR GARMENTS HERE FOR MORE

THAN 30 DAYS WILL BE DISPOSED OF.

Message on a leaflet: IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET

LESSONS.

Spotted in a toilet in a London office block: TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR

BELOW.

For Sale

Silent Key, G0IRV, Your Scribe’s younger brother.

Yaesu. 747GX HF Rig, Digital Read Out, Signal Strength and Power Output Meter, Narrow

Switching, Attenuator, Noise Blanker, Mox, Mode Band Switch, Fast/Slow Clarifier,

Dial Lock, Spilt Frequency operation, speaker, phones, Audio Control, Squelch

Control, Microphone Control, Drive Control.

Rear Sockets include Extension Speaker, Key, AF Output, ext ALC, PTT, Band Data,

CAT, Earth and Antenna, Needs External 12 Volt Supply.

£275.00

Tokyo Hy-Power

144 MHz Power Amplifier HL-82V, All Mode, Input Power 2~10W, Output Power

35~80 Watts, Impedance 50 OHMS, DC Power 13.8 Volts, 9~13 amps, High and

Low switch , Output Power Meter, SSB/FM, RX on, Power on, Switches with Led

Indicators.

£ 75.00.

Alinco. ELH-730g, UHF Linear Amplifier 70 cm, requires 12Volt Power Supply, on/off

switch, power Led and on air Led.

£20.00

NETSET 50-Channel Programmable Scanner. 68-88MHz (VHF-Lo/inf.)

PRO-44 108-136.975 MHz AM. 137-144 MHz. 144-148 MHz 2m Ham/amateur. 148-174 MHz

VHF-Hi/sup. 380-450 MHz 70cm Ham/amateur 450-470 MHz UHF-Lo/inf.

470-512 MHz UHF-Hi/sup.

OFFERS ABOVE £25.

Oscilloscope Heathkit 10-12U, Laboratory Oscilloscope, condition fair and is in order but not

tested.

OFFER’S

SWR Mtrs Three SWR meters, suitable for 10 Metres only ex Citizen Band.

OFFER’S

HOME BREW POWER SUPPLY.

A 13.8 volts high current power supply built around ’BARTS PCB’ and designed by

G3ISD. This is a copy of the power supply, which is in regular use in the Society’s

shack and my own copy with which I won the Constructors Contest a few years back,

and which has been in use in my shack for a number of years now, copies of which I

built for my brother and George G7CEL, this model has 6 pass transistors and comes

with a diagram and full information on its construction. Outputs are metered both for

voltage and current, with LED’s to indicate the state of the power supply.

Componant Value alone is £75.

OFFERS at this level.

Other Items for Sale

Complete Equipment for making Printed Circuit Boards, Light Box, Vertical Tank,

Air Blower for Agitation, Thermo mentors for temperature control.

Original Cost approximately £125.

OFFER’S

Frequency Meter, in working order but needs attention.

OFFER’S

Simple Spectrum Analyser by G4PMK. Home Brew Project partially

Complete, with maker’s instructions.

OFFER’S.

YAESU G-500A, Medium -Duty Antenna Elevation Rotator & Controller. Voltage required

220-240 VAC, Power consumption 30VA, Motor voltage 24 VAC, 180^ rotation time

60 seconds, Control cable 6 conductors, Mast Diameter 38-43 mm, Boom diameter

32-43mm. Weight Rotator 3.3kg. Controller 1.7kg.

Original Cost about £175.

OFFERS ABOVE £75.

Spectrum Converter 2Mtrs to 6Mtrs, Home Brew, used extensively for many years, in

reasonable condition.

OFFERS ABOVE £5.

Telequipment.Oscilloscope D61a which is in good order, Double Beam.

OFFERS ABOVE £5

Programme for 2003

MARCH. 7th Chat.

14th Rail Electricfication Part 4 Ken Bowes, G3YWV.

21st Chat.

28th Galvanometers, Ray Petri G0OAT.

APRIL 4th Origins of the Music Hall. Mrs Marie Sumner.

11th Chat.

18th Computers, The very basic for us ’IDIOTS’, Digital Terestial TV, (Freeview),

it may lead to Anorok level if sufficient interest is shown. Kevin Earl, G8VJU

25th Chat.

MAY 2nd Construction Contest- Try to win a prised cup with your ‘Home Brew’.

9th

16th

23rd Annual General Meeting.

30th

Extracts from Radcom

An RSGB high speed Telegraphy Team?

The RSGB has been invited to field a team at IARU Regional High Speed Telegraphy World Championship, it is an ‘off air’ event for CW skill in both transmitting and receiving, The event is in May and we have to register by March. Full details are at http://hst2003.0st.by If you are interested in being part of a UK team please contact Fred Handscome, G4BWP (QTHR), RSGB Director Spectrum and Radio Sport or e-mail: fredch@homeshack.freserve.co.uk

YOUR FAVOURITE RADCOM ARTICLE

The RSGB website carried a poll for members’ favourite RadCom article of 2002 from a list of 20 nominations. A total of 725 votes were cast during January and the leading positions changed a number of times. Four features ended up well ahead of the others, but the winner was the article by Ed Chicken, G3BIK, called ‘Take your PIC!’ which appeared in the June issue. A last-minute flurry of voting resulted in just over 41% of the votes being cast for this article. In second place was ‘Top Drive for Lower Bands’ by Tony Preedy, G3LNP, with 14% and in third place was the ‘CDG 2000’ transceiver series by Colin Horrabin, G3SBI; Dave Roberts, G8KBB, and George Fare, G3OGQ, with 12% of the vote.In fourth place was the feature by Les Hamilton, GM3ITN, called ‘Invitation to the Falklands’, which polled 10.5% of the votes.

RADCOM NEWS

Don’t forget! National Science Week takes place 7 to 16 March See RadCom February 2003 page 11 for details of what the RSGB can do to help your radio club put on a successful Science Week display.

WEST LONDON RALLY

There’s a new rally on the scene! The West London Radio and Electronics Show will take place at the Exhibition Centre at Kempton Park Race Course, Sunbury on Thames, Middlesex on April 27th. The new show is being organised by RadioFairs, the group behind the popular June show at Epsom, who promise free entry for under 16s. Morse testing with free entry for those taking part, free tables for charities and subsidised tables for clubs, 2m talk-in by the Whitton Radio Club, a bring and buy stand run by the Echelford Radio Society, an RSGB ‘meet-and-greet’ area and bars and restaurants. For further details see www.kemptonrally.co.uk

AMATEUR RADIO MBE.

JIM HICKS, G4XBU, was awarded an MBE in the 2003 New Year Honours for his services to Sussex business and the community. Jim, a member of the Worthing and District Amateur Radio Club, is one of three radio amateurs who record RadCom each month for Sight Concern which is then distributed on tape to blind and partially-sighted amateurs.

Old Planes face Extra Checks

AIRLINES are to be forced to introduce a raft of new checks on their older aircraft to ensure they are free of potentially dangerous faults. But individual aircraft manufacturers will be left to decide what those checks should be, and critics warn they will not be frequent enough.

A ruling from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that comes into force in March 2003 will require extensive extra checks to be made on all American airliners over 14 years old. A similar ruling is being considered by Joint Aviation Authorities, the umbrella body that coordinates air safety across 36 European countries.

Autumn Leaves

The Charge of the Leaf Brigade. Jim G0HHQ.

My QTH is situated on a four laned, tree lined road. This becomes quite colourful in September as the leaves matured and change colour from pale green through their many shades of yellow to red and dark brown.

A constant screen of colours floats to the ground as the Bungee jumper’s leap from the twigs and branches.

Maple and Plane tree leaves fall at a slow steady pace, while others flutter down like butterflies to form a circle of colour around the base of the trunk.

The Sycamore sends its whirling leaves off in all directions, like mini helicopters, to spread their seed far and wide over the broad green verges.

Each puff of wind agitates the branches and encourages many more Bungee volunteers to join their friends below.

Soon the whole area is covered with a carpet of autumn tints.

Heavy traffic leaves lanes of flattened leaves all along the road.

For a short while the road is traffic free and all is still until a strong breeze revives the resting leaves. Now they all rise up and race down the road in a great disarray, each chasing to get in front of the other. Many, with great courage, hop along on their one stem leg and keep up with the fastest. Many other jumpers join them from above and disappear in the great down the hill to meet an unseen enemy.

Suddenly all is still. The wind has dropped. Now it changes direction.

The coloured army is now in full retreat and races back before the breeze to rest a while before the next charge.

Multi-wheeled vehicles take their toll and again long lanes of flattened dead stretch a very long way along the battle ground.

Each time the wind strengthens battle commences but numbers get smaller and smaller. Rain falls and kills all action. Wet leaves lie limp on the roadside never to rise again to do battle.

Wet masses of leaves fill the gutter and are eventually removed to keep the drains clear and rest on a hero’s burial site.

Daily Poem

ODE TO DAMOCLES

You eye me from your quiet corner with dark unrelenting gloom,

We look each other up and down across a silent room.

Your one blind eye accuses me of robbing you of sight,

So I’ll turn on the life giving surge which alleviates your night.

You leap into life, I jump back alarmed and again we are at war,

I lose your tool bars---one, two, three. you glare at me once more,

Accusing me of hating your delicates of knowledge what you must remember is,

I’m human with a brain like a plate of cold porridge.

I call you Damocles shortened to Dam we battle relentlessly you and I,

For hour on weary hour I try to type a letter, but its all a sham,

You do it all you spit it out, and correct mistakes as well.

Most people love computers but to me you are plain hell.

Whatever I try to do you find a way to misunderstand.

I click on this and click on that and still you undermine me.

I hate your supercilious look, your sanctimonious air,

And yet you draw me closer and nearer to dispair.

One of these days I’ll beat you yet you’ll find I’ve had my fill.

You need electricity, so don’t forget I’m the one that pays the bill.

VALENTINE BLUES

Dear Mike, thanks for your Valentine, Peter, your card was so sincere--

Vowing that you’ll be ever mine; You wrote’ To one that I hold dear’,

The verse sounds like a grovelling whine-- I don’t reciprocate, I fear,

Your offer, therefore, I decline. The whole thing’s just a little drear.

And Paul, you woke at dawn you say-- Flamboyant hearts and flowers from Jack;

Picked flowers for my Valentine bouquet; A message scrawled in heavy black--

Isn’t that just a little fey? ‘Let’s make sweet music in the sack!’

Do you suspect you might be gay? He left the price tag on the back.

I’m much too fussy, I agree,

So here’s my perfect recipe;

I’ll choose the card I want to see

And write and post it off to me

WIVES.

A touch of humour by Patricia Moran.

I went on the radio to give my friends a call

couldn’t get a signal I felt such a fool.

Fiddled with the knobs a bit to see what was wrong

but all I got was some old bird singing a silly song.

I tried to turn the volume down it didn’t do a thing

then I realized it was my wife trying hard to sing.

I said my radio’s gone bust, she said “Oh what a shame, I

plugged my Vac into your plug it’s me you’ll have to blame.”

I said “you silly person” or words to that effect

I felt like putting my two hands around her scrawny neck,

Two hours I’d spent just fiddling to get onto the air

and there she was down the stairs vacumming a chair.

“Don’t ever touch my plug again” I said, she smiled so sweetly.

With a twinkle in her eye she turned the meaning round completely.

Actual lines out of U.S. Military Officer Efficiency Rpt

Not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Got into the gene pool while the lifeguard wasn’t watching.

A room temperature IQ. Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together. A prime candidate for natural deselection. Bright as Alaska in December. Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn’t comimg. So dense, light bends around him. If brains were taxed, he’d get a rebate. If he were any more stupid, he’d have to be watered twice a week. Was left on the Tilt-A-Whirl a bit too long as a baby. Wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead. His men would follow him anywhere, but only out of curiosity. I would not breed from this officer. He has carried out each and every one of his duties to his entire satisfaction. He would be out of his depth in a car park puddle. This young lady has delusions of adequacy. This medical officer has used my ship to carry his genitals from port to port, and my officers to carry him from bar to bar, Since my last report he has reached rock bottom, and has started to dig. She sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them. He has the wisdom of youth, and the energy of old age. Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap.

THIS MAN IS DEPRIVING A VILLAGE SOMEWHERE OF AN IDIOT.

COMMON TRUTHS.

It’s not the pace of life that concerns me, it’s the sudden stop at the end.

If God wanted me to touch my toes, he would have put them on my knees.

Never knock on Death’s door: Ring the doorbell and run (he hates that).

Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.

NOTE:

It has been speculated that the reason why Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard’s math program was because he stumbled upon this proof as an undergraduate, and dedicated the rest of his career to the pursuit of ignorance.

Engineers and scientists will never make as much money as business executives will. Now a rigorous mathematical proof that explains why this is true.

1. Why is it called a building when it’s already built?.

2. Why do they call them apartments when they are all stuck together?.

3. Why do tugboats push their barges?.

4. Why is there only ONE Monopolies Commission?.

5. When two planes almost hit each other, why is it called a near miss and not a

near hit?.

6. If 75% of all accidents happen within 5 miles of home, why not move ten

miles?.

A WORD FROM ONE OF OUR FRIENDS IN THE U.S.A. K3LGC. DON.

THE PRICE OF GAS(PETROL)

You think a gallon of gas is Expensive?

Makes one think, and puts things in perspective.

Diet Snapple 16 oz $1.29......................$10.32 per gallon.

Lipton Ice Tea 16oz $1.19....................$9.52 per gallon.

Gatorade 20oz $1.59............................$10.17 per gallon.

Ocean Spray 16oz $1.25.......................$10.00 per gallon.

Brake Fluid 12oz $3.15........................$33.60 per gallon.

Vick’s Nyquil 6oz $8.35.......................$178.13 per gallon.

Pepto 4oz $3.85...................................$123.20 per gallon.

Whiteout 7oz $1.39..............................$25.42 per gallon.

Scope 1.5oz $0.99................................$84.48 per gallon.

Evian water 9oz $1.49.........................$21.19 per gallon.

Yes, and the name Evian, is Naive turned around, and the Canadians are selling

it by the millions of gallons to the U.S.

So, the next time you’re at the pump, be glad your car doesn’t run on water, Scope, or

Whiteout, or God forbid, PEPTO BISMOL or NYQUIL!!!!!!!!

TODAY’S STOCK MARKET REPORT

Helium was up - feathers were down.

Paper was stationary.

Fluorescent tubing was dimmed in light trading.

Knives were up sharply.

Pencils lost a few points.

Hiking equipment was trailing.

Elevators rose - while escalators continued their slow decline.

Weights were up in heavy trading.

Light switches were off.

Mining equipment hit rock bottom.

Nappies remain unchanged.

Shipping lines stayed at an even keel.

The market for raisins dried up.

Coca Cola fizzled.

Caterpillar stock inched up a bit.

Sun peaked at midday.

Balloon prices were inflated.

Batteries exploded in an attempt to recharge the market.

Scott tissues touched a new bottom - then went down the drain.