The latest amateur radio club to be formed in Essex is the Thurrock Acorns Amateur Radio Club
Following the success of a series of weekly 2m simplex nets, a group of amateurs in the Grays Thurrock area met on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 for the first official club night of the Thurrock Acorns Amateur Radio Club.
TAARC invited Essex Ham along to the first get-together, where the official formation of the club was discussed and agreed, and plans outlined to prospective members regarding the club’s future direction.
With support from the assembled amateurs, the committee was officially formed, and it was agreed that the club will host monthly meetings on the third Tuesday of each month, in addition to the weekly net at 7:30pm on Thursdays.
The new Chair of TAARC, Nick G4HCK, said it was great to see so many amateurs turn up to support the formation of the new club. A series of club nights are already in preparation and will be held at the club’s meeting venue: the 1st Grays Scouts Hall, Cromwell Road, Grays, RM17 5HG.
The club also plans to be very active with training, and at the same time as the inaugural meeting was taking place, a local foundation training session was already in progress at a nearby location.
To give prospective members a taste of what to expect from the new club, Dave M0TAZ presented an excellent talk on the subject of QRP. The talk covered a number of areas including antenna types, power supplies, and examples of some of Dave’s own operations.
The next meeting is on Tuesday 18 February 2014, doors open at 7:45pm. If you’re in the area, go along, meet the team, and sample their tea and biccies.
Thurrock Acorns Amateur Radio Club (TAARC) - http://www.taarc.co.uk/
The formation of TAARC is a further sign of the growth of amateur radio in Essex coming just 16 months after the formation of the Thames Amateur Radio Group (TARG). It is to be hoped that more new clubs will form around the county in the coming years.
