A report by Frank GI4NKB

Myself and Harold GI4GOS made the trek to Omagh for an occasion that hopefully will become a regular event in the GI summer calendar, the GI HF convention. If any event deserved our support this new venture was it. Where else could one get personal contest logging software tuition from the author himself and an offer on the day of a key-file for the software for a £10 donation (that's better than a £10 saving) to the upcoming T32C expedition and priority treatment for QSL confirmation if you work 'em? Where else would you get to rub shoulders with some of the best HF ops in Ireland and the UK and the chance to talk “shop” with them? Or quiz RSGB higher ups straight from RSGB HQ about the National Amateur Radio Centre Project at Bletchley Park? Where else would you see the author win a years RSGB membership?

But I digress, I'll do a brief  "consumers" style review from here on in and it will only be brief because I could literally write pages about this conference if I wanted to!

We got slightly lost in Omagh town centre but a quick call on S22 got us directions to the venue in double quick time, the talk in worked for us blokes from east of the Bann – 10/10

There was lots of car parking space with the potential to use the nearby supermarket  if the on site space overflowed - 10/10

We were met at the door by a friendly bunch who upon receipt of the £3 entry fee directed us upstairs for a free cuppa and presented us with a printed sheet of the programme for the day, and what a programme!

12:00 Opening of Conference, followed by:

John Breen EI7BV, “How did Amateurs get their bands: The Early Years & the Bands Below 30MHz”

13:00 Paul O'Kane EI5DI, “Contest logging with SD”

14:00 Malcolm Granville GI8AFS, “HF Beacon Project”

15:00 Simon Lloyd Hughes GWØNVN, “EMC don't Panic”

17:00 Close of Conference / Conference Raffle

Coffee, tea, sandwiches, scones, biscuits and HOMEMADE (!) soda bread and soup were available in the canteen all day for a very reasonable, almost give away price - 10/10

The venue itself was excellent, it would be hard to imagine a better place to hold a conference, it was modern, bright, airy, clean, the  toilets were spotless and water coolers were strategically dotted all around the place. This wasn't your musty venue of yesteryear folks and easily scores 12/10

A quick look at the programme will show that lectures ran simultaneously. Perhaps there's a case here for running future conventions over two days?  I attended three full lectures and parts of several others and all without exception were excellent, perhaps though the surprise of the bunch was the one entitled, "How did Amateurs get their bands?" by EI7BV, but I must stress they were all excellent and reflected the not inconsiderable effort the lecturers must have put in to preparing them.

I saved the best for the last and that of course is the West Tyrone Club itself. The welcome we Belfast boys who did make the trip received was outstanding as was the banter throughout the day, big thanks guys. The conference was excellent but you yourselves were the icing on the cake - take a well deserved bow for the hard work you put in to pulling this event off and for having the courage to try something new. THANK YOU ALL.

The convention was sponsored by:

The RSGB, The IRTS, Practical Wireless, JBT Trading, TA Electronics, Nacl Engineering Castlederg, Icom UK, Grainger Communications Ltd Omagh, Waters and Stanton, Brae Computers Omagh, Quinns Centra Omagh, Omagh Computer Repair centre.