1970 to 1979
21/1/70 Committee meeting at Peat Pitts. A statement from Sheards stated that £4-1-6 was still outstanding and if payment not received by seven days legal proceedings would be taken. The S640 had been removed from Linden House. It was reported that there may be difficulties in returning to the Sportsman for meetings following alterations there.
19/2/70 Peat Pitts. The committee noted with very great regret the passing of Mrs. Shaw G3OMM. A letter sent to her husband and daughters. More on the coach saga. A telegram had been sent to Howard Bottomley G8BCL on the occasion of his recent wedding, the cost of which was 9/10.
18/3/70 Grave doubts about returning to The Sportsman. It is decided to pay Sheards the outstanding amount.
9/4/70 Ninth AGM at The Peat Pitts. 23 members present.
Chairman reports that no stations were held at galas and NED received poor support. The VHF Field Day was well supported with a gratifying result. The society placed above the halfway mark. The motor vehicle hadn’t cost the society anything this year. The Sportsman Inn was unable to offer accommodation to the society and they would have to meet at the Peat Pitts at twice the cost. The Secretary reported that there were 36 full members 14-G3, 8-G8, 13-SWL. Tribute was passed for Mrs. Mary Shaw G3OMM who passed away on February 25th. After a vote for chairman both Mr Benn and Mr Allen received 8 votes so a coin was tossed.
Elected: Chairman Mr Benn
Secretary/treasurer Mr A Robinson
Minute Secretary Mr Cobb
Committee Messrs. Howell, Allen, Allan Robinson, Bottomley, Noel Wrynne.
Subscriptions raised to £1. Mr R Constantine stated that he held the club valve tester which was available by appointment.
15/4/70 Committee meeting at Peat Pitts. It was decided that there was no interest in NFD and therefore should be dropped and VHF NFD should take its place as there was more interest shown.
19/6/70 Manchester A.R.S. visit cancelled due to lack of support from their members. Skelton Pastures visit cancelled due to lack of support from our members. The junk sale raised £9-3-6. Mr Sykes a junior member of the club had received an extension of one month on the loan of the club receiver. Arrangements were in progress for the VHF NFD at Soil Hill on September 5/6. JOTA was to be with Keighley scouts again. Mr Benn reported that he would be leaving the district because he would be employed at Fylingdales.
2/12/70 The club truck had been sold for £90. News of Mr Benn not leaving the district. It was decided to buy a 240v A.C. generator for £40 and sell the 28v one. At a demonstration station at Heath Grammar School a rotator and aerial had been stolen.
7/4/71 Tenth AGM 19 members present.
Few members supported field day and demonstration stations. 30 paid-up members over the year. Although morse practice had been offered it never took place. Late arrivals at meetings were mentioned.
Elected: Chairman Mr G Theasby
Secretary/treasurer Mr Arthur Robinson
Minutes secretary Mr L Cobb
Committee Messrs Fuller, Allen, Bottomley, Sheard, Benn
Reports that the club came 26th out of 160 on VHF NFD. No HF contest had been entered. It was hoped to enter a 2m and 70cms contest in May. There was a shortage of class A operators.
6/9/71 A letter from Mr Aspinall G3RXH was read. This complained about the memorandum circulated with the syllabus (this was a memorandum couched in fairly straight terms asking for more support by members). A reply was to be sent to Mr Aspinall regretting that he had taken exception to the memo. Local scouts had been approached in respect of JOTA in October. Photographs of VHF field taken by Mr Allan Robinson were submitted with a view to selecting one for publication.
3/11/71 Expenditure for VHF field day £5 for fuel, £1 for tent hire.
12/1/72 Mr Sykes, a junior member, still has use of the club receiver. A profit of over £5 was recorded from the ‘Flea Market’ which was a success as usual. No entry was submitted for the society in the September VHF NFD, presumably since the results were so poor. Mr Theasby offered the view that the present conduct of the RSGB was unsatisfactory particularly in view of the financial report in Short Wave Magazine. In his opinion the NHARS should withdraw its affiliation. Discussion took place with a suggestion that rather than withdraw its support, the NHARS should complain and attempt to have things altered.
12/4/72 Eleventh AGM 17 members present.
Apologies received from G3XSF and G3HMV. Only 16 paid-up members. The W1BB tapes were not in so much demand as previously. The log book had not yet been completed for the VHF NED. Mr Bottomley as contest manager reported that owing to shortage of assistance the entry for VHF NED had never been completed. There had been trouble with equipment. He stated that in his opinion no future contests should be entered owing to lack of support. He continued by saying that a separate contest group should be set up.
Elected: Chairman Mr R. Constantine
Secretary/treasurer Mr A Robinson
Minute secretary Mr L Cobb
Contest manager Mr G Theasby
Committee Messrs Sunderland, Robinson, Allen, Pickard, D Barber
Suggestions were made, either members pay 10p for postage or leave S.A.E. with the Secretary A notice board should be displayed at each meeting.
3/5/72 Congratulations on the standard of the recent newsletter. At a junk sale Mr Allen had (on his own initiative) conducted a raffle and donated the prize. All members congratulated him on his foresight. Mr Constantine reported that the VHF NED log sheets etc. for 1971 were now completed and would be given to the secretary by week-end. A suggestion to obtain prices for cable and plugs for the generator was offered. A further suggestion of quizzes with other clubs was put forward. Mr Sunderland also suggested that it may be possible to make an inflatable marquee for outside events.
23/6/72 Demonstration stations: No space at Halifax Gala. No stations were entered in contests, but various entries had been made by private members and groups of members. Mr Theasby had made some progress in the matter or JOTA. Mr Barber has been presented with some heavy duty mains cable which could be used for mains distribution. The vehicle fund (£50) now transferred to club account. Invitation to Spen Valley A.R.S. to a quiz. Club activities reported in Keighley News.
4/10/72 RSGB raise affiliation from £1.05 to £4, or £2 if ‘Radio Communication’ is not taken. Mr Theasby proposed that the club should resign. There was no seconder. Mr Allan Robinson proposed, Mr Allen seconded, that the club be affiliated at £2. This was carried. The Generator needed minor repairs.
29/11/72 Traps and balun had been purchased and an aerial constructed, It had been successfully used at JOTA at Cullingworth and is now held by Mr Theasby. There was poor response by the public at JOTA. Annual dinner arranged at Ye Olde Golden Egg. Two donations of one pound were to be used to buy a bottle of sherry and a bottle of wine. These were to be used as prizes in a raffle at the dinner. Mr Allan Robinson reported that the club project, of a 2m converter kit, was well under way.
7/2/73 Annual dinner. The food was good but the room was cramped. A bottle of whiskey had been donated for the raffle, by Mr Dennis Barber, was won by the raffle organiser. This was regarded as being skilful organisation. The cost of printing the syllabus would be about £4-5O for 300. It was decided to run a demonstration station at the Halifax show in August.
21/3/73 The club project is proceeding Mr G and Mr D Barber have drilled the boards and stocks of components are being built. The Secretary has contacted an insurance company. Mr P Allen proposed, Mr G Theasby seconded, that Mr H Crewe be offered Honorary Membership of the club in recognition of his past work. Carried.
11/4/73 Twelfth AGM
Chairman’s report: The news letter had been a success and further issues were being looked forward to. Greater effort should be made to encourage new members, particularly young people.
Secretary/treasurer’s report: Membership increased to 25. Demand for W1BB lecture was only moderate, SAE had been left by some people, but in general the news letter had cost about a £1 each issue. The club had not entered VHF NFD, but a group of members had entered. It was hoped that next year the club would enter. JOTA had been a success covered by Press and Radio Leeds.
Election: Chairman Mr Constantine
Secretary/treasurer Mr Arthur Robinson
Minute secretary Mr L Cobb
Events Manager Mr G Theasby
Committee Messrs P Allen, G Fuller, A Robinson, G Barber, H Bottomley
It was suggested that various contests be entered. Application at Halifax show had been applied for. Mr H Crewe was made Honorary Member.
30/5/73 The generator was now repaired. A site at Halifax show had been offered at no cost. Still no visit by insurance company representative. The certificate for honorary membership had been obtained.
19/9/73 The club project is now fully operational and only awaits essential trimmers. The demonstration station was held at Halifax show. The club receiver and its spare valves are now in the possession of Mr Allen who is overhauling it. It was reported that G2SU QSL cards needed reprinting, the cost being £8 for 500 or £14 for 1000. Cheaper prices were sought. The chairman reported a need for a 70cms beacon in the north and that a site was available on Emley Moor, 900 feet up the tower. Equipment was available and the RSGB would pay the licence. The club being involved was proposed and accepted. The Golden Egg was chosen again for the annual dinner.
6/3/74 The converter project was discussed and the committee was advised that tests had shown that whilst the converter was a workable proposition, the kits could not repeat the specification with predictability. Therefore it was not yet practical to release the kits. The main problem was now one of available free time by the project group. The 70cms beacon was continuing although nothing has been approved by either the RSGB or GPO at this time. It was hoped that one of the committee would meet the RSGB beacon group at the forthcoming VHF convention. The annual dinner was a great success held at The Golden Egg on January 16th. The club receiver still held by Mr Allen, special switches have been obtained and the job that was bigger than expected, will soon start, subject to work load etc.
3/4/74 Committee meeting at Candy Cabin
A brief test of the transmitter that is proposed to be use at Emley Moor as a beacon was made and successful reports were received from many parts of the country. It appears unlikely that anyone will be able to visit the VHF convention, Mr Allan Robinson reported that Otley A.R,S. are organising The Northern Mobile Rally at Keighley on May 19th.
10/4/74 Thirteenth AGM at The Peat Pitts Inn.
Only 18 paid-up members. The morse records are still missing, but the morse tapes and recorder are being held by Mr R Arak. A questionnaire had been circulated and its suggestions had helped with the syllabus. The cash raised at junk sales had stopped the club from having a loss of £12 over the year. Mr Arthur Robinson pointed out that the club Receiver had been out of action for over a year. It was suggested that it be sold but Mr P Allen reported that he was still attempting to repair it and that for what price would be obtained it would be better to keep it. Mr G Theasby reported on the events of the past year. The Diamond Jubilee Contest in which the club came second in the northern section and the Halifax Show were both successes. The club did not take part in VHF NFD or JOTA.
Election Chairman Mr Paul Allen
Secretary/treasurer Mr Arthur Robinson
Minutes secretary Mr L Cobb
Events Manager Mr Constantine and Mr Allan Robinson each had 6 votes and Mr Robinson won on the toss of a coin.
Committee Messrs. Pichard, Constantine, Barber, Fuller and Levitt
It was decided to charge non-members a 10% excess for sales at junk sales.
17/4/74 Mr Bottomley is working on the club project, a converter. Mr Barber and Mr Bottomley visited the VHF Convention on April 6th and complained to the RSGB VHF committee about the delay in processing the application to install the beacon. The club receiver has been repaired by Mr Allen and returned to Mr Robinson. It was decided not to replace the receiver with a more modern one.
1/5/74 Club receiver on loan to David Fryer a junior member. Mr Arthur Robinson reports that the club morse records have now turned up.
3/7/74 250 syllabuses have been printed at a cost of £5. The application to install a beacon is proceeding and Mr Allan Robinson is constructing an electronic keyer
4/9/74 The club had entered the Diamond Jubilee Contest and were waiting results. It was suggested that the club pay a subscription for QST Magazine and that the magazine be circulated to interested members. Two contests had been entered from the home of Mr Constantine with promising results.
30/10/74 A party of stalwarts endeavoured to activate a station for VHF NFD and succeeded in getting the station on the air. Unfortunately the weather conditions were the worst in living memory and the attempt had to be abandoned during Saturday evening. The price of hiring the room had increased to 75p. Mr Constantine offered to run a morse course at the club. A letter from the scouts had been received thanking us for running a station for JOTA.
15/1/75 QST magazine arrived. Annual dinner to be held on January 22nd.
3/3/75 QST circulation rota is causing difficulties. Annual dinner was expensive and other alternatives to be looked into. First morse classes had taken place with 5 people attending.
2/4/75 Fourteenth AGM
70cm beacon held up by licensing regulations. Mr Michael Warrington was in possession of the club valve tester. Comments on the lack of attendance were, Mr Crewe thought, that the cost of transport was important and that the ‘Americanisation’ of Amateur Radio no longer required the contact with other members to gain experience, components etc. Mr Bottomley thought that it was due to interest in construction work rather than on-the-air operating. The morse classes were running well by a group of operators. Not much had been done in the way of demonstration stations. The membership was now standing at 22.
Election: Chairman Mr Fuller
Secretary/treasurer Mr Arthur Robinson
Minute Secretary Mr L Cobb
Events Manager Mr Allan Robinson
Committee Messrs Allen, Pichard, Bottomley, Theasby, Tait
The purchase of two 30ft collapsible masts at £5 was accepted.
15/10/75 Committee meeting at Candy Cabin. Syllabus £3.50 for 200 printing. Secretary to arrange to have 250 OSL cards printed. Logbook for VHF NFD completed by Mr Constantine. Sandall Farm chosen as Annual Dinner location. The question of club meeting place was discussed, following the meeting on the 6th when it was discovered that the Peat Pitts had not been booked. At a moments notice the Landlord of the Bradshaw Tavern allowed the use of his upstairs room for the junk sale.
12/11/75 A stock of QSL cards had been found and no further are required at the moment. £3.60 was raised at the junk sale. Comments that the Star Radio Club charge 10p admission for attendance at junk sales. £8.67 had been spent on VHF NFD and Jubilee contest. Mr Arthur Robinson pointed out that the Eddystone S640 was now becoming a liability and suggested that it be sold. This was accepted and was decided to be advertised.
18/2/76 The S640 RX was exchanged for a 14 element 2m aerial (value £20) courtesy of Jim Fish. The RSGB (after 4 years) said that the beacon licence is almost likely to be issued. Having disposed of the S640, the receiver fund has been wound up and its balance of £6.22 has been transferred to the general cash in hand.
31/3/76 Fifteenth AGM at The Peat Pitts
GB3EM the 432MHz beacon at Emley Moor, was installed on 21st March, and is successfully working. The morse records have again disappeared. Mr Constantine asked for volunteers to help make some crates in which to store aerial accessories, with the object of making them quickly and easily accessible. Membership down by two. W1BB tape lecture had only been used once during year. VHF NFD conditions were poor but for the first time the 1296MHz band was worked. A successful evening was the Christmas Party at Denby Dale. Annual Dinner was held at Sandal Farm and was much enjoyed.
Election: Chairman Mr Theasby
Secretary/treasurer Mr Arthur Robinson
Minute Secretary Mr L Cobb
Events Manager Mr Constantine
Committee Messrs. K Brook, W Magor, G Barber, W Tait, G Fuller.
A discussion on declining membership followed. Comments about venue not being accessible and meeting in a pub. Also trying to attract more HF members since there was a dearth of HF members in the club.
7/4/76 A prize had been found for the construction competition, A Grampion microphone of some vintage and great weight!
14/7/76 The club had for a 12 month trial period received QST but had not renewed the subscription. Discussion took place about a change of venue, Shelf Community Centre was mentioned. Mr Theasby mentioned that a firm in Keighley had contacted him about car stickers carrying the name of the club. These would cost about £6 for 50. Further consideration would be given to these. Mr Constantine was given permission to purchase new guys for the club 40ft masts. These were later purchased with the remainder of the vehicle fund.
16/1/77 The cost of the annual dinner (and dance) had increased to £4.25 and was to he held at The Laithe Restaurant (next to Candy Cabin). 42 tickets had been sold, thus breaking even. A Top Band news letter had been received from WIBB and was displayed on the club notice board. A good time had been had by members and their wives at the Denby Dale Christmas Dance, apart from the bar closing at 10.30 PM.
16/3/77 Committee meeting at Candy Cabin. Minutes by Mr G Theasby. A letter from the RSGB complaining about an item in the newsletter ‘The RSGB rides again’. This letter did not satisfy those present. Mr Theasby will reply on behalf of the members consulted. The W1BB tapes need re-recording Mr Paul Allen would attend to this. Mr Noel Wrinn’s generator which was destroyed at the contest in 1976 will need repairing at a possible cost of £60. Mr Arthur Robinson will apply to the RSGB for club insurance.
6/4/77 Sixteenth AGM at Peat Pitts
The morse records are still missing but tape copies are held by Mr Tait. Mr Warrington has the valve tester. The 70cm beacon is working well apart from the few days when there was trouble with the keyer. Work is proceeding with a 1296 beacon, for which many of the parts and the licence have been obtained. Sporadic demand still exists for the W1BB tape lecture. Comments on past year were passed about D/F Foxhunt, Annual Dinner and outstanding lectures such as Slow Scan TV by David Raven and Dr. David Tong G8ENN on his various inventions. The Committee was thanked for its work and Geoff Theasby would not stand for chairmanship but would continue as Newsletter editor. The membership now stands at 21. Hire of the room had increased to £1 per meeting and other increases would be G2SU licence and RSGB subscription. Mr Fuller suggested that the G2SU licence was an unnecessary luxury Mr Robinson had written to the RSGB about insurance which covered club property (£500) and public liability (£250,000) for a premium of £10 P.A. Mr Constantine reported that the club had taken part in four events during the year. These included VHF NFD, Denby Dale was invited to Join forces, the new masts and 2m Parabeam were used. He also commented on the poor writing of the log sheets. 47 people attended the Annual Dinner, visitors from the White Rose and Denby Dale Clubs were present.
Election: Chairman Mr Fuller
Vice Chairman Mr Bottomley
Secretary/treasurer Mr Arthur Robinson
Minute secretary Mr L Cobb
Events Manager It was decided that this position would not be filled this year.
Committee Messrs. Barber, Bottomley, Brooke, Allen, Constantine
Membership £1.50, Associate membership £1, Juniors and OAP 25p.
13/4/77 Committee meeting at Candy Cabin
Annual Dinner photos had been printed and dispatched. The W1BB tape still required re-recording. The Borrowed generator still required repair. Suppliers of spares for the generator had been contacted. Mr Robinson had written for further details about the insurance.
14/9/77 A visit to the BBC transmitter at Moorside Edge has been arranged for June 14 1978. The visit is limited to about 15 members. Otley A.R.S reported that their Secretary was now Mr Jack Annakin of Otley.
7/12/77 Mr Barber has practically completed the overhaul of the club generator but was having trouble with the borrowed one. A quiz had been held with The White Rose Club which the they won by a narrow margin.
5/4/78 Seventeenth AGM at Peat Pitts
The 2m and 70cm aerials were held by Mr Constantine. The 432Mhz and 1296Mhz beacons are both working well. No demands for the W1BB tape. Mr Fuller noted that a reasonable, if late, attendance of members saw some good demonstrations. Mr Arthur Robinson does not wish to continue as Secretary/Treasurer. The rent of the room is to be increased from £1 to £2. The membership is 27 paid-up members.
Election: Chairman Mr Keith Brooke G4ENR
Secretary Mr L Cobb
Treasurer Mr P Allen
Committee Messrs. Geoff Milner G8NWK, Marcus Topham GBNUC, Gerry Fuller G3TFF, David Edmunds G8EWN, Howard Bottomley G8BCL, Peter Sykes G4GAK.
It was proposed and carried that the club should adopt, on completion, the 7Ocm repeater GB3WY, with the amendment that the club only be liable to a limit of £50. Insurance: enquires should be made about obtaining third party liability.
12/7/78 Committee at Bradshaw Tavern
It was proposed that Mr Arthur Robinson be invited to be a Honorary Member. Mr Bottomley reported on negotiations which had commenced with the British Sub Aqua Club, Bradford Branch, who have a permanent headquarters at Mountain, Queensbury. They are willing to discuss the possibility of a long-term agreement, whereby members of the NHARS could become Social members of their club. This would enable the club to meet at Mountain, but on Tuesday evening. An Extraordinary AGM was proposed to discuss change of meeting place and day, increase of subs and election of Honorary Life Member.
2/8/78 Extraordinary AGM at Peat Pitts.
The meeting passed the day and change of venue. Also passed was the increase of subs to cover the 50p Social Membership to the Sub Aqua Club. No comment in the minutes about the election of Honorary Life Member.
31/10/78 Committee meeting at Club HQ.
It was reported that Mr Jack Bateman and Mr Tom Petch had passed away. The insurance policy proposed by the Sun Alliance, at a cost of £10 PA was authorised to be paid by Mr Allen. Mr Allen would also get the syllabus printed at reasonable costs. It was proposed that the Sub Aqua Club should be approached for storage space for NHARS Club equipment, Mr Constantine would contact them.
17/1/79 Committee meeting at club HQ.
The insurance certificate has arrived. The Sub Aqua Club has offered use of a space opposite the lecture room, subject to being cleared and made secure. This to be used as a store room or perhaps workshop. There should be a permanent and formal agreement between the two clubs. At the next AGM, the repeater will be handed over to the club. This means that a person must be appointed to take charge of this, with perhaps a sub-committee. Equipment of the late Mr Bateman G6BX has been donated to the club. It was suggested that a trophy be made with the proceeds. Mr Arthur Robinson G3MDW certificate to be offered for presentation at the AGM. Suggestions that the club 14 element aerial be sold and a 10 over 10 with harness be purchased with the proceeds. Also the 3KW AC generator be sold and the proceeds be used to purchase a smaller more compact one. All agreed to both proposals. Mr Allen would contact the Sub Aqua Club with the view to using the larger room upstairs for meetings.
10/4/79 Eighteenth AGM at Bradford Sub Aqua Club.
28 people in attendance.
Election: Chairman Gerry Fuller G3TFF
Secretary Marcus Topham G8NUC
Treasurer Paul Allen G3USH
Committee Geoff Milner G8NWK, Richard Harker G4CMK, Howard Aspinall G3RXH, G8ENH, Allan Robinson G3TQA.
Allan Robinson noted that there had been several misunderstandings with the Sub Aqua Club and that some form of formal liaison should be set up. It was agreed that the secretary should do this.