Rustington Amateur Radio Group

Jim Dunn, Convenor of the Rustington Amateur Radio Group, says this hobby is turning out to be an alternative to face-to-face interaction.

As we accustom ourselves to the new world of social isolation, a group of Arun East U3A members have gone back very much to basics. With face to face contacts no longer encouraged and their meeting place in Rustington closed for their monthly chat over a hearty café breakfast, this group of licenced radio amateurs have now resorted to meeting up for a chat over the airwaves.

We started almost two year ago after I met a fellow radio ham from Rustington and mused that there must be others within the U3A who would cherish meeting up.

There are about ten of us with varying interests and expertise in radio communication, of which five or six have now decided to link up regularly using our VHF radio equipment. It doesn’t quite make up for the Coffee and snacks or the face-to-face company, but as Pam Davidoff our East U3A Chairman commented, “Amateur Radio is the only U3A group that can keep going in its usual format and observe the two metre space rule, as well!”

Steve Huyton a fellow member of the radio group also commented, “It is ironic that just a couple of months ago I met up with the Clerk of Rustington Parish Council to discuss the possibility of the group offering their services in the light of a local emergency. Our offer of radio communication was warmly welcomed, and weeks later we too are now prisoners of this unforeseen viral outbreak".