Any news, of club or members activity, will go here. Most things are allowed providing it's not waiting to go in Sprat. The reason being that there is no point in reading Sprat if you have read half of it here! Please send all copy to G4WIF

Every Monday until 30th June

EU-QRP-Foxhunt - please see http://foxhunt.qrpforum.de for details.

GQRP Counties Awards

A definative list for the "Worked All British Counties 2008" award sponsored by G3NMD

Here is an Excel spreadsheet hosted by Richard G3CWI on his Sota Beams website.

News about Credit card payments

- from Graham G3MFJ our Treasurer!

As previously reported in Sprat and on this web page we have experienced increasing difficulties when trying to debit small amounts from members credit cards. Quite often due to security concerns members have had their card frozen. We are also being charged high monthly fees for the facility which is working less & less. For the past six months we have trialled the use of Paypal for online transactions and this has proven effective while also reducing our costs.

Accordingly and effective immeadiately we are withdrawing credit card payments other than via Paypal.

If you have a DX representative you have the alternative of paying them direct in your local currency. If you do not have a local representative you can pay Tony G4WIF with an international bank draft. Some European countries have very good arrangements via their post offices. Finally you can take the risk by sending the correct cash in UK Pounds, Euro or US Dollars. Naturally the club cannot be responsible if payment in cash does not arrive.

I will still accept telephone orders for sales, but you will have to promise to send me stamps or a cheque asap.

- Graham - G3MFJ

Sprat 132 - "RAMU" (Remote Aerial Matching Unit)

RAMU was conceived by Ian Keyser G3ROO as a system for matching aerials to their transmission lines at their feed points.
You can download the source code from here.

GQRP QSL BUREAU Changes

04/04/2008 - From G4WIF....

Issue 134 has been dispatched to members. I wouldn't expect all UK based members to get their issue for maybe a couple of weeks. Let me know if you have a problem after that. Europe and DX based members will take a little longer - perhaps a couple of weeks or so more.

Please remember that subscriptions were due on the 1st January. If your issue 134 Sprat label said "2007" then your subs are way past due. Please take note of the changes regarding credit cards. Many UK members will get an extra message on their Sprat label regarding standing order payments being incorrect. Please take action to avoid problems with next years payment.

The latest SPRAT Index is complete up issue 134 and is available for download as are all of the Club data sheets. Click on "Sprat" in the above menu.

QRP Books.

QRP Basics - George Dobbs G3RJV. Described as one of the most comprehensive introductions to Low Power and how to get started. It is available from the RSGB. Click here to go direct to their web page.		Practical and Tested Aerial Systems - Ian Keyser G3ROO I am pleased to recommend this new book by Ian. Immediately I looked through its contents, I saw that it had "G3ROO" written all over it. It is a no-nonsense practical book - good technical information for the "non-professional" radio amateur with lots of practical ideas. - George G3RJV click here for more details.
The History of QRP - Dick Pascoe G0BPS. Dick G0BPS has had three books published. Introducing QRP, Pascoes Penny Pinchers & The History of QRP. Also included are the short stories written by Dick over the past few years. The paper editions have all now sold out BUT they are available as an 'E-Book' on a CD. (They need the free PDF reader to read) The CD costs £5.00 including postage to the UK. Those outside the UK please contact Dick for shipping costs. Available from: Dick Pascoe, Seaview, Crete Road East, Folkestone CT18 7EG (PayPal is good!) Non UK Buyers please email Dick for costs.		Simple Test Equipment for the QRPer. - G3MFJ/G4WIF "Don't be mislead by the title, this book will be useful for any amateur... excellent source book" - Review in R.S.G.B's January 2003 Radcom. “A wonderfully useful book by G3MFJ and G4WIF …. A must for any QRP library .. in fact, I wish I had written it!” – George G3RJV Click here for more information.