The Crawley Amateur Radio Club (CARC) was formed over 40 years ago and moved into its present premises Hut 18 Tilgate Forest Recreational Centre, in the early 90’s. We are an affiliated club of the RSGB. Membership, currently standing at around 55, ranges from a member in their twenties to several octogenarians. The monthly talks and presentations cater for a diversity of technical backgrounds from absolute beginners to well-qualified professional engineers. Members of note include a past President of the RSGB the late John Graham G3TR, and the late Ron Vaughan G3FRV (now VK6RV), General Manager of the RSGB in the late 60’s. Current members include Stewart Bryant, G3YSX (past President of the RSGB, and currently RSGB Chair), Caspar Pierce (Winner of the RSGB Kenwood trophy), and Eugene Sully G0VIO of Big Brother fame who does much to actively promote interest in radio communications and the Sciences in general. Facilities at the spacious Clubhouse include: A contest-grade radio station...
Radio propagation through the ionosphere is one of the great gifts nature gives to anyone with an antenna and a receiver. While most of us are familiar with the F layer's role in long-distance HF communication, the E layer — and especially its unpredictable cousin, Sporadic E — deserves its own detailed look. This piece covers both the traditional, well-behaved E layer and the wild, VHF-opening phenomenon known as Sporadic E, with an eye to what it means for CARC members working HF and VHF from here in West Sussex. Part One: Traditional E Layer Propagation What Is the E Layer? The E layer is a region of the ionosphere located roughly 90 to 150 km (56 to 93 miles) above the Earth's surface. It sits below the F layer and above the D layer, forming one of several ionized layers that make radio propagation possible. The "E" designation comes from the original naming convention used by physicist Edward Appleton, who studied the layers using "electric" wave ...