AARG Autumn 2009 News Update

Membership

Our membership rose this year to 50 full and associate members with a commendable average attendance of 25 throughout the year. 

Meetings

The Group met on 20 occasions with the Committee having 5 scheduled meetings along with some ad hoc sessions called for when required. There is a definite call for more practical sessions and this is being addressed by the Committee.

Awards for All Grant

It has been well documented that the Group was successful in attaining a substantial award to further the programme of assisting Foundation level members for a period of 6 months to access the bands as quickly as possible and prior to them purchasing their own equipment.  Following the Equipment Survey of the members, measures are now well underway to obtaining equipment to mount and furnish a serious field day station with quality rigs, accommodation and furnishings.

To date 2 new Icom ProIII’s have been bought along with 3 x Icom 703’s & 3 x Icom 718’s in addition to a 30A - Linear power supply.  In addition 2 x laptop’s plus carrying cases have been purchased for field logging purposes and general use.  Our summer purchase of a Blacks of Greenock ‘Bungalow’ Tent was christened at the Ayr Flower Show in August. 

Community Outreach

Again the Group successfully supported the Coylton School Science week and for the second time operated over a full weekend at the Ayr Flower Show.  Unfortunately the advance party were hit by severe weather conditions after the first night’s operation at Turnberry Lighthouse that was abandoned on the Saturday morning during the International Lighthouse & Lightship 2009 Event. 

Toward the end of 2008 we were approached to set up a Duke of Edinburgh Training programme to assist in a pilot project for 2 Ayrshire Schools.  The programme has been designed by us but is still on hold by the Education Authorities. 

In May 2009 the group once more took part in the Magnum Radio rally at Irvine and had a very successful day.

The Group re-instated their association with the Girl Guides movement by setting up 2 stations for their International Thinking Day at the Auchendrain Centre near Ayr.  Many members and friends supported this event that proved to be an overwhelming success with a standing invitation to attend next year to help celebrate their Girl Guides Foundation Centenary Anniversary over a full weekend in 2010.

Training

The Group ran a Foundation Course in  June/July 2009 with 8 candidates successfully sitting the examination and going on to proudly apply for their first operating Licence.  A further Foundation Course is scheduled for November 2009 with some 9 candidates interested at the moment.  In addition we have a few other members wishing to sit the Intermediate exam in the near future. 

Field Days

During the year Group members operated from the Girl Guide Centre at Auchendrain, Ayr in February, with Brown Carrick Hill ‘Low Power Contest’ proving to be another great day in June 2009 with MM3LZU’s ‘Chuck Wagon’ in attendance.

The National Homecoming Event to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Birth of the Scottish poet Robert Burns was marked by the AARG operating the special event callsign GB250RB (courtesy of and in conjunction with our friends in the Kilmarnock and Loudon ARC) during the International Museums Weekend over 27/28th June 2009.

We had a very full 3 day event at The Ayr Flower Show for the second time but unfortunately as mentioned above the Turnberry Lighthouse weekend did not go ahead.