Thames Estuary QRM

Radio amateurs in the Thames Estuary area (in South-east England) have been suffering from interference on the 70cms calling channel 433.500 MHz for the last year or so.

South Essex Amateur Radio Society member Norman Crampton M0FZW decided to take on the challenge and went out over Christmas with some other members and with help from Ofcom, they DF the signal to the Isle of Grain in Kent.

The culprit turned out to be a tower crane avoidance system operating from a building site there.

It has now been shut down, but beware, it may come to your local area on the next building project.

They may be operating on low power, but at 300ft in the air, the signals travel a long way - wiping out the local area.

More information and the full text is on our club's web site: http://www.southessex.ars.btinternet.co.uk/

Dave Speechley G4UVJ
Secretary
South Essex Amateur Radio Society