A Brief History of the Club
1948 to 1998.
The Worthing and District Amateur radio Club was formed in September 1948 from a small group of RSGB Members. The Club was to be open to both RSGB and non RSGB members.
The early meetings were held in "Olivers CafÈ", South Farm Road, Worthing. This was located adjacent to the Railway Station.
In 1949, meetings were held on the Third Monday in each month at the Adult Education Centre in Union Place Worthing. The Club participated in HF National Field Day, a major competition, from a site near the Coach and Horses, Arundel road Worthing. In those days equipment was home built, aerial masts were made of Timber and transported between two bicycles. A Club Net was held every Wednesday evening on Top Band, 1.837Mhz.
1949 saw the first lady member (YL). The subscription was 10 shillings per year and attendance's at meetings was steady at around twenty members.
1950 saw the first "Bucket and Spade" party, this was the forerunner of today's "Mobile Rallies" and was held on the seafront at Worthing.
By 1951 the Club membership had grown to forty. The club newsletter, Ragchew, was being produced, and this cost one (Old) penny to post.
In 1952 an attempt was made at the AGM to dispense with the Committee. This motion was defeated, and the club continued until 1958 when a drop in attendance led to a proposal at the AGM that "The Club be would up if interest did not improve". Again this was defeated, and the Club continued.
By 1962 the meetings had changed to the second Monday in each Month. The Ragchew had re-started and July saw the first VHF National Field Day At this time, four metres seem to be the most popular band.
1963 saw a drop in membership to twenty, but by 1964 it was on the rise again, reaching thirty. In 1965 two meetings were held every month, on the second and fourth Mondays in each Month.
1967 saw a move from the Adult Education centre to the Rose Wilmot Youth centre in Littlehampton Road. At the Rose Wilmot Centre we had the use of a large concrete double garage type of building, where we installed metal cupboards with locks for our equipment. The adjacent football pitch, with it's floodlights, provided suitable aerial supports and the Club was "On Air" regularly.
The Call Sign G3WOR was issued to the Club, and with membership on the increase, the meetings were now held weekly.
At the end of 1975 the club moved back to the Adult Education Centre with weekly meetings until a move was made in the early 1980's to a Venue in Pond Road, Durrington. Meetings were then held every Tuesday evening until the increasing membership demanded yet another move, this time to larger premises.
In 1979 the Worthing Club met with five other local clubs and formed the Sussex Mobile Rally. This was to be an annual event, held at Brighton Racecourse on the first Sunday in July. This event has continued every year since 1979. It is now called the "Sussex Amateur Radio and Computer Fair, and is one of the largest "Mobile Rallies" in the South, catering for everyone with some 100 Traders each year in the fields of Amateur Radio equipment, Components, Computers and related equipment.
In 1984 the Club moved to it's present location at the Parish Hall, South Street, Lancing. And the meetings were changed to every Wednesday evening.
During 1984, special Call Sign GB2WOR was on the Air from Worthing Pier.
Since the move to Lancing, the Club membership has steadily grown to over eighty. The Club has prospered, and many Special Event Stations are put on each year, including the Worthing Hobbies Exhibition, Fire Brigade Open Day, Windmill Day and Children in Need.
The Club participates in many competitions and owns it's own equipment. In 1998 the Club celebrated it's FIFTIETH YEAR, with an Anniversary Dinner.
The Club has over twenty trophies, donated by members over the years. These trophies are competed for on an annual basis by the members and include something for everyone.
New members are always welcome. Just drop in any Wednesday and be assured of a warm welcome.
Updated - 16/10/2007