Clubs seeking members..

[Braddock, VC]

Bloobirds Radio Flyers operate out of Dover, Kent. We have vacancies, limited only by the number of frequencies on the 35 Mhz as each member is allocated a frequency for his/her sole use. Send me a message and I'll give you the necessary phone numbers. R/C power is the main discipline with electrics making big inroads. There are some helicopters and at least one jet has flown from our current field which we share with a flock of sheep.

[Allan Jordan]

 Hi John, What a sensible idea for frequencies ! Mind you, the advent of 2.4ghz will be a great improvement won't it? Regards Allan J..

[Mike Stevens]

on the 35 Mhz as each member is allocated a frequency for his/her sole use.

Canterbury Pilgrims use a smililar frequency control with a spare used for guest flyers.

Mike

[Jimboss]

Please could you send me information on joining your club

  Many Thanks

        J  G   

   

[Braddock, VC]

When I wrote the above we (Bloobirds Radio Flyers) occupied a field as described above. We have now negotiated a lease with another farmer on a flatfield site that fulfils all of the requirements of the bmfa's flying site guide.

The site overlooks the Straits of Dover and is a stone's throw from Dover Castle and the field where Bleriot landed. During WW1 the site was used as a transit point for aircraft being flown out to france and was, until this year, still controlled by the MOD, it's still called RAF Swingate. The field itself is bounded by a perimeter tarmac road that could be used to take off from until we managed to get the grass flattened and rolled.

 We still need members to bolster our flagging bank account, send me a message and I'll put you in touch with our Hon Sec who deals with those matters.

Subs are likely to be in the £85 - £100 range dependant on numbers.

[spoddy d.s.t]

What a great sounding site John,wish i were a little closer to you.

dave.

[Braddock, VC]

Forgot to mention, there's enough airspace for jets and lma stuff, if you're competent.

[RobC]

Hi John,

I was alerted to this by JG.

When did this new feild happen then, and is it up and running? 

[Braddock, VC]

Rob, been on the cards for a while, finalised last week 1/1/08 is the start date.

If you go into www.google.com and google RAF Swingate and check the map on the google map response, the arrow on the map just about coincides with the strip. my phone is 615487 in the daytime if you want more info, 331727 e & w/e

I think you've flown on the old site that backed onto reach road, this part of the farm is accessed from the Deal road entrance and the actual field is the one that contains the concrete blockhouse with 8 ( I think) UHF aerials on.

 Nellies is currently like a skating rink whilst the ground on this site, though clay, has drained well.

George is sorting out the paperwork as we speak, Simon (the farmer) is going to provide a map with no go areas on. HTH, see you soon, John.

[Braddock, VC]

Jimboss, my phone nos above, it's a dover no.

[RobC]

Thanks John,

Goddit, I think.

On GE the shadow of the land side Dover Pylon is pointing directly at the concrete blockhouse so I take it the new field lays between on the blockhouse side of the access road.

The pointer on Goggle maps is actually the gate entrance to RAF Swingate which is now the Dover Pylons infrastructure site and the gate we will use to access the field.

Brill, well done you boys. 

Let me know when, and I will attend the first meet at the new field, I'll bring Jimboss if he wants to come.

In the mean time if you need any preparation help on-site weekdays give me a shout.  

[Peter Miller]

We also limit membership so that everyone has their own frequency, we work at 20 Kc spacing.

Another reason for limiting membership is that it is much easier to negotiate flying sites when the owner knows that there will not be more than 15 people there. (The never are that many)

We have three regular sites that we rotate round and one for evening and occasional use. All rent free. The owners get a bottle of Whisky and a big tin of Chocolates every year at Christmas. Cost per member this year? £6.99

No, we don't have any vacancies at the moment.

[Braddock, VC]

Peter, I really don't think 20kc spacing is necessary with modern radio equipment with the possible exception of m*cr** stuff, which is the only one I've seen fail the adjacent channel test. GWS, jr, fut, sanwa, hitec, fleet, mpx, all work well alongside each other.

I've just gone over to 2.4 futaba of course and it is good, with a failsafe chucked in on 4 cell rx mode.

[RobC]

Peter,

I hope that I am wrong when I think there may be a degree of smugness it your post (apologies if I am wrong).

Back in the 70's our club Bloobirds Radio Flyers helped write the SMAE/BMFA book on field rotation policy which we found without any shadow of a doubt helps with reducing noise complaints.

For many years we had up to four fields and used them on a rota. We too only paid with a bottle of Whisky, and for that matter helped the farmers drink it when we took it round at Christmas (before breathalysers)!  

Alas those were the hay days for us, the realities of today demand that farmers have more pressure to make a profit on every acre of land, locally dairy farming is wiped out and sheep farming seriously declined, that coupled to the fact we are situated on a convex coastline with less than 180 degrees of land, flying site options have dwindled somewhat and we now pay equivalent of a lorry load of whisky per year for a single field!

Good luck to you and your members Peter and I hope that for you the crunch never comes but if it does, like it has for us, don't ever forget how well off you have been!    

[Braddock, VC]

Just a couple of points to augment Rob's comments.

When I became involved with Bloobirds for the third time in the early part of this century (Christ!) I advocated that continuity was essential, paying the best part of £1000 for 1/2 an acre of strip plus a few parking spots may seem stupid. To a farmer a return like this can only be matched if he grows Afghanistan poppies, ganja or strikes oil so he's unlikely to turf us out on a whim - as long as we give a better return than the staple crops.

This has worked so well that this farmer actually asked us to return to his farm and gave us the freedom of the farm to pick the best site; I feel vindicated in recommending this policy.

Having said that, I'd still like to get it for an annual bottle of booze and some choccies.

[Peter Miller]

The 20 KC spacing was made a rule back when it was necessary, about the 70s, in those days we limted the club to 10 members. We keep it because we are limited to 15 members.

Negotiate with someone and say that you have 30 or 50 or 100 members and they invisage 100 cars parked in their farmyard.

We do know who lucky we are, we also know that we can be asked to go at a moments notice. It happened once on one field. But while it lasts we will accept it very gratefully.

 Some of us are using 2.4 Ghz because one or two fields have an occasional interference problem.

I am sure that if it came to the crunch we would go for the renting option. One snag with renting one field is that one would need planning permission if used more that 28 day in the year and of course any neighbours would get the noise every weekend.

[RobC]

Posted by Mike Stevens:   Canterbury Pilgrims use a smililar frequency control with a spare used for guest flyers.

******** 

Hi Mike, sorry I'm hopeless with names, but have we met?

Talk of pre-breatherliser days and whisky reminds me that a certain Pilgrims member who frequented our slope soaring comps at the Crete Road Folkestone site in the 70's always brought along a flask of single malt to pass around in an attempt to 'nobble' us! 

What was his name now...............BAZ it!.........I can't remember!!!!!!!

[Braddock, VC]

David, many thanks for your plug; we've had one applicant already!!!!!

We now have permission from the farmer to run an open day at the end of march, any bloobirds members on here please contact George, we gonna need help.

[David Ashby - Moderator]

Good stuff John.

[Ray Blewitt]

Hi Guys

Anyone know to any First time Beginners Flying in Club in the Wolverhampton, West Mids Area for a mature Student and New to Flying RC Planes. I've got the gear but just need the practice now.

Ray

[Braddock, VC]

Ray, check out the bmfa pages they have a list of affiliated clubs, generally with contact details.

[Braddock, VC]

For info, Bloobirds is arranging an open day on Sunday, 27th April 2008, the flying field is the first gate on the right as you leave the A2 onto the A58 Deal road, should start at about 11.00 ish. All are welcome.

Very few rules, transmitter compound, off the peg on 35 meg, 2.4 subject to adjacent tranny check. Models 7 to 20 kg dry A certificate is a must, over 20 kg LMA accreditation papers and B certificate, all plus proof of insurance.

RSVP.

[Ray Blewitt]

Hi John

Thank you, for your reply, I joined the BMFA early last year for the purpose of joining a local flying Club, and even left my details at my Local Hobby Shop but no Luck I'm afraid, I shall continue to keep trying.

Thanks again John

Ray  

[Braddock, VC]

Ray, try www.bmfa.org/clubs/clist.php and remember the old maxim, "shy kids get nowt"

[Braddock, VC]

I made a boob on the post above, it should read A258 Deal road -