Darenth Valley Radio Society is a small, but friendly club, that meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at the Crockenhill Village Hall starting at 8pm.
On the other Wednesday, we have Radio on the air and fault finding on members equipment. On non Club Wednesdays, we have a Club net on 145.475 Mhz at 8pm, if the frequency is clear and on every Sunday at 8am. Non members are welcome to join in.
During the year we participate in the VHF Field Day (first weekend July) and SSB Field Day (first weekend in September). In 2019 we came 2nd in the Multi Operator Single Band Section.
The Club is now a registered training establishment, for the Foundation and Intermediate licence.
Amateur radio is a popular technical hobby and volunteer public service that uses designated radio frequencies for non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, and emergency communications.
Amateur Radio is the only hobby governed by international treaty.
As a radio amateur you are able to transmit radio signals on a number of frequency bands allocated specifically to the radio amateurs.
Radio amateurs make use of their frequencies in a number of ways:
There is no better way to explore the fascinating world of radio communications than by becoming a radio amateur.
A 1910 announcement by the then HM Postmaster General licensed “experimental wireless”, which still uniquely gives radio amateurs the ability to innovate without commercial or statutory controls even in the closely regulated environment of the 21st century.
You do not need a licence to listen to radio amateurs, if you want to talk back to them on the amateur radio frequencies, then a licence to transmit is a legal requirement.
You need to attend a training course at a registered training establishment.
There are three types of licence;
The first licence you must obtain is the Foundation. This licence lets you transmit up to 10 watts.
The next licence is the Intermediate. This licence lets you transmit up to 50 Watts.
Once you have the Intermediate you can study for a Full licence and transmit up to 400W. It is possible to go from Foundation to a Full licence in a year or less.
More information can be found on our Training page.