Denby Dale Amateur Radio Society going strong thanks to Examiner Community Cas Giveaway

May 15 2010 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Talk to an astronaut on our wavelength

To mark the end of Local Newspaper Week we profile Denby Dale Amateur Radio Society which received £900 from our Community Cash Giveaway, yet many will not have heard of the group. One of its members, journalist ROBERT COCKROFT, took the chance to spotlight the society in the Examiner

AN IT director from Kirkburton captures images in space using a balloon with a transmitter-linked tracking device.

An engineer from Bradley uses the dots and dashes of Morse code to reach friends across the world.

A retired teacher from Shepley helps hams co-ordinate charity events using portable radios.

This mix of experiment, friendship and public service has been a feature of amateur radio since operators took to the airwaves more than 100 years ago.

There are roughly six million amateurs worldwide. About 65,000 licences are in issue in this country – and many in Huddersfield where the hobby thrives.

One focus of activity is the Pie Hall, Denby Dale, where the Denby Dale Amateur Radio Society has been meeting for nearly 40 years.

It developed out of a Scout jamboree at Shelley when local hams were invited to set up a transmitter to contact other jamboree stations.

Chairman Gerald Edinburgh said: “A visitor Jack Clegg, who was an amateur, looked around and said ‘you’ve enough people here to form a club’.”

And so it began. Four founder members are among the men and women who gather fortnightly for presentations, technical talks and to share their passion for all aspects of radio communication.

Jim Thornton from Mirfield – call sign G3YDL – passed his enthusiasm to his sons, Simon and Matthew.

Thirteen-year-old Matthew was only seven when he passed the exam allowing him to transmit.

Jim said: “His interest in radio has encouraged an interest in electronics and he enjoys building circuits and kits.’’

Club president Lew Bower, 83 – a retired mining, electrical and mechanical engineer from Skelmanthorpe – has been on air for 32 years.

A keen constructor, he was chivvied into studying for the exam by club chairman Gerald Edinburgh, of Shelley. And he’s grateful for the opportunities it brought.

“My job was in innovation and amateur radio encouraged me to experiment with electronic circuits,” he said.

One result, which helped to increase safety in the mines, was the development of a control drive based on such a circuit.