History of TDARC
Background
Trowbridge & District Amateur Radio Club was founded in November 1983, by a small group of amateurs and SWL's. The inaugural meeting of what was to become the club, was held at the QTH of Peter Woodhouse, G2BQY, who became a founder member and was club President until he went 'silent key' in 1988. In the months before this meeting, many of the founder members use to meet regularly on-air and, it was not uncommon for nets to be heard on 2 metres most days. Sometimes these nets comprised of ten or more stations and more often than not G2BQY was the main stay. Some years earlier in the area, a great interest was to be had on 160m and on similar lines a group called the 'White Horse Net' used to meet regularly.
During the early eighties a great influx of amateurs to the hobby was borne out of Citizen Band Radio. Several of our members starting out in the Westbury FM club. Consequently many new licensees appeared on the bands, particularly on 2 metres. The seed for a local club was sown following G6ZDE’s meeting with G2BQY at Peter’s QTH in Southwick. From this local 2 metres nets became popular and the idea of starting a local club for the West Wiltshire developed. G2BQY was the driving force and was in the ‘chair’ for many of these nets. Around about the same time Devizes & District Amateur Radio Club G4WIK was formed this meant that local radio activity was extremely good.
Our other nearest club was the well established Chippenham District Amateur Radio Club G3VRE, founded in the 1966. Over the years our club has shared a strong link with the Chippenham club, with several of our members having a foot in both camps. This link was strongest when regular morse classes were held and with on-air practice as well, many of the present and former members at Trowbridge attained their 'A' ticket. Currently Chippenham and Swindon Clubs meet regularly along with the Ridgeway Repeater Group and an active RAYNET group. Unfortunately the Devizes and Salisbury ARC’s have now QRT.
The first official meeting of our club was held in Southwick on 31st January 1984 at which fourteen people attended. At the second and third meetings in following months 24 people attended. During the third meeting the first club committee was formed G2BQY chair: G4SPE secretary; G6ZJP (G0OTN) treasurer and ordinary members were SWL BRS 33658 and G6EJZ (G0GKH). Meetings were held monthly at Southwick and were generally well supported with many evenings seeing over 20 members and visitors attending.
The club inherited Peter Woodhouse's callsign in 1990 by bequest and with consent of his widow Georgina. G2BQY formerly 2BQY was an 'Artificial Aerial' license, issued pre-war it is therefore a great honour to keep it activated. In 1997 the club took out the class B license M1BQY (this lapsed in 2004). The latter callsign was activated for the first time by the late club president Reg Holland G3BPE (S/K 2006) on 7 July 1997. It is worth recording that whilst in the R.A.F. serving in Khartoum, Reg operated ST2AM.
The club has no permanent radio shack at Southwick at present but does have an end fed wire for HF and a 144MHz/433MHz vertical (May 2016). The club callsign is used on the odd occasion through the year, either at a 'special event' such as the local Scouts' Fete or in the odd contest. Club meetings focus on activities related with the hobby, although over the years we have had visits from non-radio folk, which provide a degree of diversity and helps to maintain interest. The club also exists to provide a focal point for local radio amateurs and SWL, where they can meet in a social atmosphere, to compare notes, 'rag chew' or exchange ideas. For example three members of the club, G0BBL, G0XAR and M0PUB produced a Phasing Direct Conversion Transceiver using 'state of the art' components, with DDS direct digital synthesis VFO technology, based on designs by KK7B. More recently they have been advancing SDR.
In 2011 & 2012 the club won the G0ODQ Trophy for winning the RSGB AFS 432MHz contest, the G3MEH Trophy for winning the 2011 & 2012 144MHz AFS event, the Martlesham Trophy for winning the Restricted Section of VHF NFD in 2011, and the G5BY Trophy for winning the mix 'n' match section of VHF NFD in 2008, 2015, 2017 & 2018.
In 2004, 21 years after the club was formed membership peaked around the 50 mark. We had a slight decline thereafter but in 2012 our membership reached 55. We reached another peak during 2014 with 63 members.
Meetings are held in the Southwick Village Hall, on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, starting at 8pm, the 1st Wednesday being a talk and the 3rd Wednesday a natter and on the air evening. Members have the option to become associate members of the Southwick Sports & Social Club, giving access to the lounge bar on 'natter' nights and other times. The hall benefits from internet access.
The club diary will be published elsewhere in this website as events are planned. If you can offer a talk or demo'. Please contact the secretary via secretary.tdarc@gmail.com
New members always welcome.