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So What is BDARS All About?

Based 15 miles South-East of London in the UK, The Bromley and District Amateur Radio Society offer technical and general interest talks, contest group, special event & demonstrations group, direction finding hunts, construction competitions, mutual help, newsletter, Licence Course tuition + Much Much more.

Club Meetings are 7.30 for 8pm every third Tuesday of the month at Victory Social Club, Kechill Gardens, Hayes, Kent.

Bus routes 119, 146 and 314 are within 5 minutes walk. There is easy parking nearby.

Your first two meetings are free (donations are, however, always welcome!). Annual subscription is just £15 with no meeting charge.

Our next meetings

  • Tuesday 16th July DF Hunt
  • Tuesday 20th August BBQ Evening also running a Station at the Club
  • Tuesday 17th September Aerial Circus
  • Tuesday 15th October Funcube pro+ SDR dongle
  • Tuesday 19th November 20/20 Build-a-thon
  • Tuesday 17th December Mince Pie Night/Quiz

Our next Training Courses

  • SUNDAY 8th SEPTEMBER Foundation Course Day One
  • SATURDAY 21st SEPTEMBER Foundation Course Day Two

  • SATURDAY 26th OCTOBER Intermediate Course Day One
  • SATURDAY 9th NOVEMBER Intermediate Course Day Two
  • SATURDAY 23rd NOVEMBER Intermediate Course Day Three


This comment was received from Jeff O’Brian, one of our recent students:

"I really enjoyed the Foundation Course, with so many contributions from different tutors I found it very interesting and educational and am very happy that I choose BDARS to do my courses as everyone is so friendly."

Please see the licence training pages for more information.

Other services for members

  • BDARS Yahoo Group - for all the lastest news, comments and photo's.
  • Club Net - Wednesdays 20:00hrs call on 145.500FM and QSY to a free frequency.
  • Club Callsign - M0XBY

if you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact us.

About Amateur Radio

Amateur Radio has a long and proud history dating back to the turn of the 20th Century, when experimenters tinkered with primitive spark gap Morse Code transmitters and receivers. In those early days, amateurs were at the leading edge of radio technology, pioneering developments such as international H.F. transmissions and SSB (single sideband). In addition, amateurs have traditionally been called on to provide emergency communications in times of disaster, right up to the present day, offering their communication skills and equipment for public service.

Amateur Radio is a great way to learn about communications technology and make friends all over the world. Getting involved in this fascinating hobby is very easy and won't cost and arm and a leg.

Today, Amateur Radio is a diverse hobby with many facets. As an amateur, one can work overseas stations on the H.F. bands (known as DX'ing), participate in contests, chat with amateur friends over the local VHF or UHF repeaters, build their own radios, antennas and accessories; communicate via orbiting satellites, try their hand at Morse Code (which is still as popular as ever), or even connect their personal computer to the world wide radio network. This list is far from exhaustive!

By international agreement in the past, amateur radio operators were required to have a qualification in Morse Code proficiency to use frequencies below 30 MHz. In 2003 the Word Radio Conference (WRC) met in Geneva, Switzerland, and Morse code is no longer internationally required for an amateur radio licence.

Why not come along to a BDARS meeting and have a chat about Amateur Radio and see how easy it is to get on the air and chatting !