Extracted from Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham Observer- March 1934

THE M.A.T.S. ARE TUNING UP

Getting Ready for The Observer Trophy Contest

MEDWAY AREA TO BE WELL REPRESENTED

On March 4^th members of Medway Amateur Transmitters Society will be competing, for the second time, for The Observer Trophy, the magnificent Challenge cup presented last year by THE OBSERVER for annual competition, and which was handsomely won by Mr. Jack Mackinnon, G6VV, of Chatham.

This year members residing in the other Medway Towns are determined that Chatham must not .have all the glory, and much careful work has been done to increase the efficiency of their stations. Readers will remember that THE OBSERVER presented the challenge trophy to order to stimulate interest among amateur radio experimenters in the Medway Towns, and to give an impetus to the valuable research which these men as a body are carrying on.

DEVELOPMENTS

Throughout the country, amateurs have placed their experience and technical ability at* the disposal of various police forces, coastguards and the lifeboat institution. A recent development was the design and Installation of a complete radio outfit in the Hythe lifeboat. This set entirely designed, by amateurs, will work when completely immersed in salt water even the headphones are guaranteed water proof! Amateurs in the Medway Towns, in particular, have been in the forefront of development of the infinitely short waves and the construction of portable gear. There is for instance, the case of two local experimenters complete with portable transmitter, and receiver which can be carried cm the back, being arrested on the Lines by the military police and detained as suspected persons! This year it is expected that some dozen or so transmitters and double that number of receivers will be taking part in The Observer Trophy contest. In addition to The Observer Trophy which is awarded to the transmitter obtaining the highest number of points a trophy is also available for the receiving man who; logs the greatest number of two way contacts between Medway transmitters and other stations. This was kindly presented to the society by Mr. H. Harding, G6RQ.

CONTACT WITH THE ANTIPODES.

During the past year Medway amateurs have been in communication with stations' all over the world and nearly all the M.A.T.S. transmitters have been in two way contact with the Antipodes.

Full details of the forthcoming contest the rules of which have been modified since last year will be published in our next issue. Meanwhile we are asked by the secretary of the society to say that members from time to time receive complaints of interference with broadcasting due to the transmissions from their stations. No modern receiver should pick up such interference. There are, however, many sets giving good quality reception which are not very selective, and are liable to pick up the nearby transmitter. This has been the case with listeners living neat the Regional, broadcast stations, who have been unable to cut out the alternative programme.

A COMPLETE CURE

The elimination of amateurs' interference is, however, usually a very simple matter, and if the owner of the station is approached in a reasonable and friendly spirit, investigation will in nearly every case provide a complete and, satisfactory cure, to mutual benefit.

It should be borne in mind that quite often the amateur's own broadcast receiver is operating without interference whilst he is transmitting; this would obviously be the most likely receiver to be affected first. A wonderful spirit of camaraderie and friendship exists between amateurs all over the world, and this is always a extended to the broadcast 'listener who makes any complaint in a straightforward and reasonable manner.

EMPIRE STATIONS WORKED.

The Medway Society is now affiliated to the Inc. Radio Society of Great Britain, the national society of wireless experimenters with its world wide associate, the British Empire Radio Union. In the recently organised Empire contest a Kentish station, G2ZQ, at Blackheath, was in two way communication with more than 60 stations in Australia and New Zealand, with an input power of 200 watts, about the power required for a domestic electric iron. G2MI, a member of the Medway society was in communication with stations in the Empire in every continent; the secretary of the society, G5FN of Gillingham, also "worked " both New Zealand and Australia during the tests. The Medway Towns and district will be represented in the forthcoming contest probably as follows: one transmitter in Chatham, three in Gillingham, two in Rainham, one at Hoo, one at Tunstall, one at Teynham, one at Snodland, and one at Larkfield. The receivers are fairly evenly spread over the district. Interest is at great pitch and speculation as to the possible winner is intense; various “possibles” have. been hinted, but no one can forecast the result, for, as was shown last year, it is for the station using the greatest power which completely sweeps the board.