Pontefract's coat of arms
 
Yorkshire Regional Quiz Night
The quiz begins: The York team consider Question 1!  
Tuesday, 11. March 2008
The first Yorkshire Regional Quiz event was held at The Grange, Carleton, Pontefract - home of Pontefract and District Amateur Radio Society (PDARS) - attracting teams and their supporters from right across Yorkshire.  There was representation from clubs in North, West and South Yorkshire.  G3FYQ operated a talk-in station on 2m from 18h00 until the quiz began at 19h45.

An interesting trade show was put on by LAM Communications. A wide selection of contemporary amateur equipment was on display right through the evening.  Lee from LAM Comms showed a range of D-Star radios and his demonstrations of this new technology attracted a lot of attention.  A team from the Northern D-Star Users Group came for the quiz but spent a lot of time answering questions about D-Star, repeaters and digital operation.  LAM Comms also generously donated the first prize, a VHF/UHF colinear taken back to Ripon by the winning RADARS team.
 

Doors opened at 18h30 so there was plenty of time to see LAM Comms' display, to find a seat and locate the bar before the quiz began at 19h45.  Many visitors also went along to the PDARS club room to take a look around the PDARS shacks.

Quiz questions covered technical topics, history, some general knowledge and trivia.  Like most quizzes, it was very hard if you didn't know the answers and, if you did, it was easy!  The questions were set by quizmaster Chris, M0JRQ.
RADARS team from Ripon - Plotting their victory
  

Try a question!
In 1802 an Italian suggested the relationship between electric current and magnetism. His name is an anagram of Radio Enigma Coming Soon. Who was he?

Answer: Mouse over to see the answer.
Gian Domenico Romagnosi (1761-1835) His account described an electrostatic charge from a voltaic pile deflecting a magnetic needle.

Halfway through we had an interval and a well-earned rest for the contestants! Pie and peas was on offer with mint sauce, onions and all the regular Yorkshire trimmings. That all seemed to go down well, especially with a visit to the bar included in the half-time itinerary.  One (nameless) member of the audience who had two portions of pie and peas then bought another 8 pies to take home (Or, I suspect, to eat on the way home!)  Answering questions, or eating pies and peas, is thirsty work and I think the bar did a trade which was later described as 'brisk'.

Winners were four members of RADARS. Their captain is seen in the photo receiving their prize from Lee, M0LAM of LAM Communications.  They also receive an engraved shield marking their achievement.

This event looks set to become a regular feature in the annual amateur calendar for Yorkshire.
G3FYQ: talk-in station on 2m
 The pie and peas kitchen Winner receives first prize  
Talk-in station G3FYQ on 2m
Ian, G4LUG at the mic
There was a pie and peas supper during the interval
Chefs Colin, G0NQE and Keith, G0RLN
prepare for the half-time stampede 		Lee, M0LAM of
LAM Communications
presents first prize to
RADARS Team Captain 		 
Flyer The quiz winners' trophy  
The original flyer for the quiz
is still available to view, here 		The winners took home this trophy