We have deliveries every day from our suppliers but this week we had so much arrive we thought we would let you know what’s new!

• RF Space SDR-IQ
• RF Space IF-2000
• Isotron Antennas
• DX Engineering G3TXQ Hexbeam
• Kinetic Avionics SBS-1ER
• SBS Resources 6
• Mydel BS1100WM antenna
• Palstar Tuners
• Hustler Antennas (See March Radcom page 34)
• Nissei PS-30SW11

Coming in the next few days we have Tigertronics,LDG plus all the usual stuff from Yaesu Icom Kenwood

Pop in to the store and treat yourself

The 3rd Annual open day at ML&S for the Kinetic SBS was held on Saturday the 13th February.
The event was well attended (figures possibly up on the 2009 event) and this year focused on the add-ons available for the SBS.

Four SBS stations where displayed all day including SBS,Plane Plotter,Private MMS Network,Wireless SBS Conection and SBS-r setups and Demo's

The event was started with a welcome and introduction by Chris Taylor from ML&S, who ran through a few bits of news and what has happened in the SBS community over the past 12 months which included the revamp of the forum and the success of SBS-resources (SBS-r).The new window sucker Mounted antenna was launched with many takers on the day.

After a little re-shuffling of rooms, those present were given a talk and demonstration by Rick Butterworth and Paul Brown on SBS-resources 6. The latest version of the software suite comes complete with an all new software tool which can update both your SBS’s software and firmware with ease.

Also included in SBS-r 6 is Windows 64 bit support

The Kinetic copyrighted High Resolution outlines that have been included in this update of SBS-r were listed:

Antwerpe; Bordeaux; Cologne; Copenhagen; Elstree; Glasgow V2; Hamburg; Haneda; Geneva; Lisbon; Manchester V1.1; Nottingham; Oxford; Redhill; Shawbury; Venice.
This now brings a total of 85 airfields.
A demonstration of what is involved in producing a hi-res outline and that for a small regional airport like Oxford, it takes 20 hours to plot all the co-ordinates required to produce the finished goods.

The other additions within SBS-r 6 were also run through which included the launch of Basestation 146. A question was asked why the need to update from version 130. It was pointed out that since the 5 minute delay was removed from the data feed port, it has been noted that the display runs a little smoother and the box has an even better display/refresh rate. It was also pointed out that the latest software version gives enhancement to the radio functionality for the radio key and built in radio on the SBS-1er
Other additions in SBS-r 6 include: an updated SQB file with 67,000 populated aircraft; an updated countries.dat file; Updated UK radio frequencies data; Ian's Silhouettes file has been updated and the Aircraft List Configurer V1.1 has been included.

It was pointed out that SBS-r is a suite which is added to program/data wise, on request from the users. So if something is needed, ask and if possible it will be investigated/added in future SBS-r releases.

At the end of the presentation it was announced that CD’s were available on the day for SBS-r 6 and as the raffle this year was free a donation to the local air ambulance would be appreciated for a disk. This produced over £130, so for those that donated – many thanks.

A lunch break including teas and coffees from a very capable Mrs Lynch, before the afternoon session commenced.
Alas a few of the guest speakers did not make it, so the Presentations from PlanePlotter and some of the independent websites where carried out by volunteers who use the programs and sites.

Mike (Anmer) from the Radarspotters forum, gave a brief rundown on what happens on that site and their independent status from any manufacturer. He was helped by Smudger (Mostly in the tea drinking department). Gary (Cessna24v) from the Gatwick Aviation Society talked about Active Display and the impending demise of Auto populate.
It was pointed out that the costs involved are quite extensive and it is for this reason that Auto-populate is going.
One of the new features coming out in the future for AD will include the ability to update current records and check what is valid/out of date and where necessary auto update data.

This was followed by a very informative chat from John Thompson of Panorama Antennas (The designers of the supplied mode S antenna for the SBS-1 series)

The afternoon was rounded off by a general questions and answers session followed by a few words from Chris.

A very successful day in all with the following winning prizes for the forum Competition and Free prize draw for those attending on the day

Steven Humphries-Clarke ----------------------------- (UBC-800XLT)

Lesley Stammers --------------------------------------- (BS1105 Antenna)

Steve Chalcraft ----------------------------------------- (Airband Base Antenna)

Steve Jakeman ----------------------------------------- (MD-1105 Mode S mag mount)

Terry Murphy ------------------------------------------- (Airband Mag Mount)

ML&S and Kinetic would like to thank all that came on the day with special thanks to the following

• R1ck11 (SBS-resources)
• Halcones (SBS-resources)
• Anmer (Radarspotters)
• Cessna (Gatwick Aviation Society)
• Graes 777 (Enthusiast and all round good chap)
• John Thompson (Panorama)
• Acars Logger (The forum Aircraft List Configurer)
• Dogo (The Forum & BS Alert)

For your support throughout the day and all year round the SBS community would not be what it is today without your help and efforts

See you next year or sooner

Here are a few of the new exciting products already in store for 2010!

• Microbit Remote Rig Interface
• DX Engineering DXE-HEXX-5TAP Hex Beam
• Isotron Antennas
• Nissei PS-30SW11
• Diawa SS-330W

Check back soon much much more coming in the coming weeks.

Click here for the leaflet

More Details to follow...

Martin G8CIX promoting Ham Radio on “The Plinth” at Trafalgar Square, London. See here: www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/G8CIX

Prize Winner Ian Metson collects SBS-1er worth £470 from ML&S Martin Lynch & Sons Ltd in Chertsey Surrey.

Winner of the Radar Spotters Summer Competition, Ian Metson (middle) with Martin Smith representative from the Radar Spotters forum, along with Chris Taylor, Technical Sales Director at ML&S Ltd. The SBS-1er prize was kindly provided by David Goodman, CEO of Kinetic Avionics, manufacturer of the famous SBS-1er Real Time Virtual Radar.

The competition was a quiz on general aviation run off the very busy forum site that can be found at radarspotters.eu/forum/

GW/IOTA EU-124 - The Strumblehead DX and Contest Group have now sealed the final permission to activate Ramsey Island (EU-124), off the West Wales coast, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds who own the island. They will be active from 18:00 24th July through to 14:00 27th July taking in the IOTA contest. They will be active using the club call MC0SHL for the whole duration of the operation, and using MW9W in the contest. They will be on all bands from 80M through to 10M SSB.

There is also some 30M RTTY planned by G1VDP if the other guys allow him, with participation in the last 80M Club Championships DATA section. They will be operational using generators as power. Radios used will consist of 2 K3's and a Yaesu FT1000MP MkV and amplifiers. Antennas will consist of 2 x Hexbeam, a windom and dipoles. Most of the activation is for the WAB award scheme as the square is semi rare and has not been activated for some time.

The team will be on from the farm for a few days before and after using the GB0WFF for the World Flora and Fauna award see http://www.wff44.com for award details, and using the MC0SHL club call and erecting a tower for Rob MW0RLJ. The island will not only count for the WAB award but will also count for the WFF award. A special QSL card printed for both club calls, full details are on the groups website http://www.mc0shl.com QSL via the groups manager M0URX.

A year already? If you look down the news page you will see Martin Lynch handing out the last Yaesu FT-450 in 2008!

Very pleased to announce that Tony, G8TEE was the lucky winner of this year’s Star Raffle Prize, a brand new Yaesu FT-450 worth £600. The prize was very kindly donated to all the clubs involved in running the Michael Radio Rally& Boot Fair by Yaesu & Martin Lynch & Sons.

The 12th of July McMichael Rally was the most successful to date with the car park over flowing with visitors. The weather was fantastic with brilliant sunshine and just a few spots of rain. Just as well – Martin & Chris didn’t have any wet weather protection for their stand!

Next year’s event will be even bigger and better with lots of new attractions and more stands. Date to be announced.

Katherine Kelly who plays Becky Grainger in Coronation Street opened a new Co-Op store just across the road from ML&S.

Several members of the ML&S team hot footed it over to the opening and the photo shows Kelvin Wade from ML&S Despatch with a big grin on his face after Katherine kindly autographed one of Lynch’s new “I’ve been Lynched” T-Shirts. She apparently declined to pose for a wet T-shirt shot. (No idea why).

The T-shirt will be one of the raffle prizes donated by Martin for the fourth coming RSGB Ham Fest in October.

There is a new firmware update (Rev. 2.20) for the IC-7800.

The firmware update will provide the following improvements:

To access this update, click here: http://www.icom.co.jp/world/support/download/firm/IC-7800/2_20/index.html

Using his FT-897 and ATAS 120a Attila can be heard around the UK on 40m and up parked up with his Motorbike

Russell seen here collecting the very first Yaesu VX-8R in the country – from ML&S!

After a very long wait (the UK was due to get deliveries of this important new Handie in October last year), Chris Taylor finally places a new VX-8R in the hands of Russell G7RZF at Sundays Kempton Park Rally.

They are now in limited supply and tipped to be the hottest selling dual band hand held of 2009.

Click here for more VX-8R information.

Icom is pleased to announce details of two, new exciting dualband D-STAR transceivers…the IC-E80D and ID-880H. Both these radios have been designed with ease of use in mind with large LCD displays and straightforward controls. As such, they are the ideal starter radios for any amateur or D-STAR operator. Both models include a new user interface called 'D-STAR repeater mode' (DR mode) which allows the user to access a D-Star repeater in just two steps!

Click here for more details

Following on from a very successful SBS Open Day at ML&S Martin Lynch & Sons in Chertsey, Surrey Air Ambulance were presented with a cheque for £500.

Funds were raised through ML&S customers buying raffle tickets for a prize fund of almost £2000, made up from equipment (and even a London helicopter ride) donation from Kinetic Avionics the design and manufacturer of the famous SBS-1 Real-Time Virtual Radar, ML&S & Yaesu, Icom and Kenwood.

Image shows Chris Taylor ML&S Technical Sales Director and Andy Bustin, representing Surrey Air Ambulance.

Andy also asked us to remind readers that the “Air Ambulance Open Day 2009” takes place on Sunday 31st of May at 11:00-4pm at Dunsfold Park in Horsham. For further details see: www.surreyairambulance.co.uk

The Open Day at ML&S on Saturday was a great opportunity to put new and old faces to Forum contributors, share experiences and benefit from Kinetic and ML&S briefings.

As well as having a good natter with fellow SBS-1 enthusiasts and Chris and his colleagues at ML&S,  there was an informative demonstration of the latest SBS-Resources release by Paul (Halcones) and R1ck11 (Rick).  This included the latest high resolution airfield plans and the new XSL Editor feature.  Those who attended were able to take away a copy of SBS-Resources on a memory stick or you can download from here.  The latest version includes additional airfield outlines and the latest Operator Logos and Silhouettes, courtesy of Jack Ford and Ian Kirby respectively.  The new XSL Editor is really good so if you want to change your Aircraft Details window but were put off by the thought of editing the Basestation.xsl file, fear not.  The XSL Editor does it all for you.

We then had an engaging presentation from David Goodman, CEO of Kinetic Avionic Products Limited, ably supported by his colleagues, Keith, Gaby and Paul.  David gave two presentations, one in the morning and again in the afternoon for those who could only make part of the day.  Paul, Rick and Chris also repeated their presentations.

David provided an interesting insight to the original launch and development of the SBS-1 and Basestation, nearly four years ago.  As well as being a successful businessman, David is evidently a keen aviation enthusiast and passionate about SBS-1 and the enjoyment it brings to so many.

Judging by the reaction, the most exciting news is the development of Basestation 2, targeted for launch this summer.  David demonstrated a new, three-dimensional map and talked in depth about the exciting possibilities that this presented, such as the cockpit view, rendered aircraft and weather overlays.  Clearly the release will include a lot more and the current schedule suggests Beta Group testing in about two months time.

During the question and answer session that followed there was a useful debate about integrating ACARS and allowing peer-to-peer data sharing.

Chris Taylor from ML&S concluded the formal presentations with an informative talk about antennas, coax cable, preamps and the joys of living in Watford.

There was ample tea, coffee and nibbles to keep us refreshed and a raffle in aid of the Surrey Air Ambulance raised £500.  Prize winners are listed on the ML&S website (click here) and for those who can bear to look, lots of pictures from the Open day and a video!

Last but not least, David announced that there are plans for a two-day Summer Party this year at Sywell Aerodrome, near Northampton, comprising presentations, workshops, helicopter rides and lots more fun.  Watch this space!

All in all, a great day.  It was good to meet fellow enthusiasts and get updates from David and Chris.  Thanks to everyone for making it happen, including the SBS-Resources development team and all those who have given their free time to help fellow users, especially those who have developed add-on software and extra data files.

Roll on Summer!

Mike (ANMER)