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Show Notes and Transcript Maureen Bannon, a military veteran with a famous father joins Hearts of Oak to discuss the weaponization of institutions against the American people.  We delve into the military's shift towards woke agendas, the impact on warfighting, and unit cohesion.  Maureen criticizes Biden's military downsizing and emphasizes the need for strong leadership.  We also touch on the media's role in spreading misinformation and highlight the importance of alternative platforms like WarRoom and Real America's Voice.  The podcast underscores the challenges posed by institutional manipulation for political gain and advocates for truth and transparency in public discourse. Maureen Bannon is the CEO of WarRoom,  an Army Veteran, Operation New Dawn Veteran and Steve Bannon's Daughter Connect with Maureen... X/TWITTER      x.com/maureen_bannon GETTR              gettr.com/user/maureen_bannon WARROOM       warroom.org/ Interview recorded   4.6.24 Connect with Hearts of Oak... X/TWITTER        x.com/HeartsofOakUK WEBSITE            heartsofoak.org/ PODCASTS        heartsofoak.podbean.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA  heartsofoak.org/connect/ SHOP                  heartsofoak.org/shop/ TRANSCRIPT (Hearts of Oak) I'm delighted to have a brand new guest, someone I've kind of got to know here and there over the last few years, and that is Maureen Bannon. Maureen, thank you so much for joining us today. (Maureen Bannon) Thank you, Peter, for having me on. Not at all. It was about time. You kind of connect with people and you think it's probably about time to have them on for an interview. So it is great to have you. Obviously, people can follow you on Twitter. @maureenbannon is your handle and obviously you're the CEO of war room, army veteran, and of course you have a sideline of being Mr Bannon's daughter and people will know you. We've had lots of war and posse on. Lots as in, we've had Karli Bonne' on and Noor Bin Ladin this week, so it has been a WarRoom Posse week. So, it's always good fun to connect with those giving input into the program itself, into War Room, and sharing it to our half and half US, UK audience here. But I want to talk about institutions being weaponized against us all. And I think the conversation is just as valid for you, stateside, as it is for us in the UK and across Europe. We've seen that in many different levels. But maybe we can ask you, You've fought for your country, your background is in the military, and you've gone to war for, I guess, American interests and to fight for American values. Maybe start there, just tell us why you joined the military and what are your thoughts on the current state of the military? So, I joined the military. Like you said, I was in the Army. I graduated from West Point in 2006, and then I served almost nine years on active duty. So I got out. My last day in the Army was May 1st of 2019. So, I joined West or went to West Point, started back in 06. And I knew growing up that I wanted to be in the military. My dad is a Navy vet. My uncle is a Navy vet. One of my older cousins is also a Navy vet. And actually on 9-11, I had two cousins living in New York City. So, my mom woke me up on 9-11 and I was living in California. So, we were three hours behind and she told me, you know, a plane's hit the first tower. And then I was in the kitchen watching on our little black and white TV in the kitchen and I saw the second plane hit the second tower and it was kind of right then that I knew that, that an act of terrorism was going on and. I wanted to help my country. So, the next day, I told my parents, I want to join the military. I was 12, 13. What was the response? Both parents were like, okay, that's admirable, but no one's going to believe that you're 17, 18 years old and can enlist in the military. There's no way. maybe 16, I could get a waiver or 17, get away, 17, get a waiver, but not at 13. Like there was no way that I was going to convince anyone that I was old enough to serve at that time. But in high school, you know, I was like, okay, I still want to serve the military. But I want to go to a normal like four-year civilian college and actually, I was playing volleyball since the fourth grade and my dad said: well all these schools are recruiting you why don't you reach out to the service academies. You want to be in the military, you know, you can still play volleyball and you can serve your country. I was like: well I don't know but I did. And I got recruited by all three major service academies. And I fell in love. I went to Annapolis and the military academy. So, West point to visit and meet with their coaches and meet the team. And I just knew, I mean, Annapolis is beautiful, the Naval Academy, but I knew as soon as I got onto post at West point, take away volleyball, this is where I was meant to be. There was just something that was drawing me there. And, you know, I got my congressional nomination and I knew, you know, both parents said, if this isn't for you, you can always leave the Academy if you want to. However, I'm that type of person and both parents know, and they've raised me to be like, you don't quit something once you start it. So, once I got to West Point, they knew that I wasn't going to, to leave. So yeah, that's kind of my long story journey to West Point. But I played volleyball all four years and then commissioned in 2010, August of 2010, because I needed some summer school. I focused a little more on volleyball than I did academics earlier in my college time. So, I needed some summer school. So I had some training to make up, which is why I didn't graduate with a majority of my class in May of 2010. I was an August grad, but graduating at that time still, the things that I did in my Army career might not have happened or those opportunities might not have happened had I graduated in May. So, you know, everything happens for a reason, but I graduated in 2010. I was a logistics officer. I deployed to Iraq. So, I was actually part of the withdrawal out of Iraq. So, seeing the botched withdrawal in Afghanistan was extremely infuriating, because we saw now it wasn't 100% successful in Iraq. However, we saw a right way to do it. And then what the Biden regime did in Afghanistan. Was completely botched. And I think that that's where, well, it wasn't a weaponization of the military. You saw a turn in the military occur under the Biden regime. It wasn't about doing things right. It was about doing things the opposite of how President Trump did it or had it set up to do. We withdrew out of Iraq under President Obama. However, that plan was seen by President Trump. It wasn't 100% successful. We still have troops back in Iraq after we withdrew out of that. But the Biden regime was so focused on doing the opposite of what was done by the previous administration that they didn't care whose lives they put at risk. I mean, there's 13 service members, families that have to live with the pain and grief of this regime that shouldn't have to, and 28 plus service members that were injured at Abbey Gate. And then after that, you see the weaponization of the military. We're more focused on pronoun training, gender theory, than we are on war fighting. I mean, June 1st, you saw different branches of the military make posts about pride. We should be focused on war fighting. I shouldn't see a Navy SEAL post with the rainbow flag covering it. You know, especially in the special operations community, you should be focused on warfighting, not, you know, this woke agenda that the Biden regime is pushing. And I've seen, so I got out in 2019. I've seen many great leaders that I respected when I was in, get out since then. And leaders that were more focused on this woke agenda even back, you know, under the Trump administration. You could see it start to arise, but it became very prevalent, you know, under the Biden regime. Regime in 2016, we had; I was in company command in the military actually and which is for all your viewers it's basically you're in charge of a unit of soldiers. So, I was a training company commander, so in the 16 months I was in command, I had 3,000 trainees come through my company, during their time of training. We had a briefing on if we had a transgender trainee, what to do and how they would be treated. We're not focusing on, we're taking time out of our day to focus on that instead of how we're going to make sure they get the proper training to go to their unit to be successful. Wow. Well, because at the moment we haven't seen a weaponization of the military as we have seen with the police, with the political system, with the legal system, with the media. I want to touch on that, but I just want to ask you one other question, because we've seen a massive disconnect in the UK with our military and those in charge. And we have always had, simply in the royal family, we've always had where they served in the military. That's probably at an end now we've seen many of our politicians traditionally would have had a connection to the military and that seems to have a massive disconnect and I've certainly seen it and how damaging that has been. I think on national identity and how Britain projects itself whenever it doesn't have that connection with the military. I'm assuming it's a similar story over in the U.S I believe so. I think that, you know, when politicians make decisions for the military, it's extremely hard to know how it's going to affect the military unless you've served. You know, we do have a contingency of veterans in Congress, in the Senate, the current administration. You know, feckless Joe Biden had two, technically two sons served, but one served, you know, maybe 30 days before he was kicked out for drug-related charges. That's good he did 30 days. I would say that's being nice, saying that he did 30 days, but he shouldn't have ever been in the military, in my opinion. However, you know, Beau, Biden, he did serve. I still think that, that Biden uses that to try and connect with people, but, but it's not, it's, he, he doesn't understand. And he's never really been in support of the military by his actions. You know, Obama, when he, you would think that if your vice president and your president has never served, and you have a son that served, you maybe would guide him in ways to help the military. And Obama did not like the military despite, you know, I found out a couple of days ago that president Obama will be receiving an award by my alma mater for, you know, being a great advocate for the military. However, that is the furthest thing from the truth. He was not in support of the military. He actually tried to downsize the military while I was in, he was giving pink or basically allowing pink slips to be given to the military to shrink the military size, which how are we going to be an effective military, if we don't have enough personnel? So, then under the Trump administration, we tried to grow the military again. And then under the Biden regime with COVID-19, trying to lower the number of personnel in the military. And that's why, you know, many of the branches have not met their retention requirements or numbers, recruiting numbers, because no one wants to go into a woke military. And a lot of veterans see that this is not the military, you know, this is not the army that I was in. And I got out in 19. This is not the Navy that my dad and my uncle served in. And it's really hard to tell your children. Oh, I think it's, I believe it's admirable to serve. I did, but under this regime, it's really hard to say that. But I do, you know, it's, I'd love to see more veterans run for office and be able to help. Get things passed that would actually help you know the military and veterans and. Right now that's not really the case Yeah, same in the UK. We have very few veterans actually run for political office and that is a huge shame. I think they give a lot back to the country in a political capacity, but I mean with with the military obviously you you go, you're given an operation, you're given a mission, and you carry it out, and it's not whether you agree or disagree. But then, when but that's abroad and I don't think the American people really get a concept of that and it doesn't really affect them. You know whatever happens abroad is irrelevant, but I want to touch on the police because that how the police have been used and certainly during COVID we've seen the police go in with batons raised and beating people because they had a cup of coffee within two metres of someone else. And now we have CCTV being used to film people. And then you've got that intrusion and the police very much into that using live facial recognition, even which has been pushed without full legislation for that. But is there a mistrust of the police in the US? How are they perceived? Tell us a little bit about that as people go through their daily lives, or is there still a respect of those individuals? I believe there's still a respect for a majority of police. You know, there's we always hear there's a few bad apples in every every bunch. But it depends. You see police in different states that are well, well respected and then other states are not respected. You know, police in New Jersey were used by the governor to try, especially during COVID, there was a gym in New Jersey. The governor tried to mandate that every business, unless it was essential, which for some reason, liquor stores and strip clubs were essential and gyms were not. But tried to this gym was supposed to be shut down and they decided to stay open governor had the police arrest the gym owners for staying open, you know, there's police down I live in the free state of Florida and police here are very respected they're like we're not going to do this that violates someone's fundamental right. So, I honestly believe that it's the police are viewed differently depending on the state that you lived in, and it shouldn't be the case. I think that we should have a respect for the police, but I don't think that they should be used as a arm of the government, which in some states they are being used as you know the minions for the left. Well tell us, you're you said you're in Florida and of course we saw the raid on Mar-a-Lagoon president Trump and that was conducted by police officers at whatever level and you can maybe touch on some of that, but you kind of look at that and you think that seems to be extremely political, yet you have the police officers playing a part in that. Maybe they don't have a choice or there are not other crimes they can deal with. Is this the focus? And you kind of put yourself in their shoes thinking, actually, you'd think, is this what I signed up for to go in and possibly, possibly arrest a former president? I mean, how do you, how did you see that? And cause that seems to be a line that has been crossed by the police. A hundred percent. And that's what I saw it as in a, not just like a little big, your big toe or your little toe over the line. That was a huge crossing of the line in that raid at Mar-a-Lago. And the fact that, you know, the FBI had authority to use deadly force if necessary. And I actually got into an argument with a former FBI agent on Twitter about this because they were trying to say that it is normal procedure for them and their operational orders to be granted the right to use deadly force if necessary. That's scary. The fact that in order to use deadly force, if necessary, you have to feel, and I went back to look at this, to look up how it falls under the FBI, that in order to use deadly force, you must feel that your life is at risk. Risk so please tell me how a man in his 70s in his own residence is causing you any risk to your life. You know and and the FBI agent didn't come back at me with an argument but, you know what I think that he probably would have said well secret service, you know, we could Could have felt like we were at risk with the Secret Service there. However, it's the president's main residence. He, one, he was not there. But if he was there, would he have been a threat to your life? I don't think so. There was no reason to have the authority to use deadly force. And the fact that, you know, that has to go up the chain to get that. It just reeks of the Biden regime telling the DOJ and the FBI that there is authority to use deadly force if necessary. And why did you have all these plans in place if deadly force was used, if you weren't, if you didn't think that you were actually going to use it? It's scary. And obviously a police officer then could have carried that out, could have shot, and they would have been within their legal rights in theory. And that is, that's frightening. Yeah. Wow that is well can on to of course what the the reason the the FBI were allowed to go in is because the courts then authorize this, and you kind of begin to see I guess a whole jigsaw a chain coming together and allowing different parts of the state to use means which maybe we wouldn't have initially or traditionally thought was acceptable. And of course, just days ago, we've seen the trial, Donald Trump's, President Trump's latest trial there in New York. And we had Karli Bonne' giving her, only she can give her such thoughts on what had happened in a way that was difficult to keep under an hour, because it was so much fun on a topic which is so concerning only she could do that. But I mean tell us about that because that must strike fear into every American citizen when they see how that is used against a president therefore an individual member of the public a citizen actually they have zero protection and Trump can actually use finances and can use publicity to push back, but tell us about your thoughts as you've seen the attack on Trump by the legal system. You know, it should and I'm not saying this to strike fear in your audience, but it should make people fearful that if they can do it to Trump they can do it to any normal citizen. The fact that he has said before, President Trump has said before, they're not coming for me, they're coming for you. I just happen to be in the way. And the fact that we saw this, the unconstitutional things that occurred during this trial is extremely alarming. And until this regime, and it goes all the way up to the man occupying the White House right now that. Things like this can continue to occur and he has every, and I'm not a lawyer, but based on, you know, what Mike Davis has said on the show and other lawyers that have come on that there is grounds for, for appeal, but it's still, you still have to go through the process. And at the same time, knowing how corrupt the system has become, it's alarming on those steps to appeal, like what's going to occur. Because if you look at the appellate court, they don't look like the appellate court in New York, from what I've seen, don't look like, you know, Trump fans. So, the fact that it'll have to go up to the supreme court, but it should be alarming to everyone that if this can happen to him it can happen to anyone. And of course what you face there is very different from from the UK. I mean explain a little bit to our UK viewers how it really is a state by state. It's not the same system across the board. You do look at certain states and you've got an idea of how something may be more fair or less fair. Is that a proper or a rightful assessment? It is because it's, like you said, dependent state by state and then judge by judge. You know, you've seen President Trump indicted in other states and how the judges in those states... Actually, understand the law and aren't letting their political bias or their children's jobs play a part into how everything plays out into their court. So, it is a state-by-state, you know, county-by-county basis, which it shouldn't be. It should, we should see the same fairness across all states, but at this point, you know, it's you see how things play out in Florida in a red state to how things are playing out in New York, a blue state. And you obviously don't get the choice. Is it where they decide the crime has taken place so you're there under that jurisdiction? Because I hear stories of individuals wanting cases moved to different states, but is that possible? You can try, but once again, it's kind of dependent on that state and that court system or judicial system within that state. So, you can try for a change of location for a trial, but it's not always as easy as it seems. And President Trump in New York tried for a change of venue, which is actually what it's called, but that was denied by the judge, who... It seems like he had a vested interest in making sure that this case stayed in his jurisdiction. Well, I saw a, I don't know what, you see so many videos, but it was Garland being questioned by, and I can't remember what senator congressman it was, But he was being asked questions about why this judge was put in place. And it does seem as though the US system is more politicized than the UK. The UK is very much just a career system. You kind of push up and it seems to be less political nominee, where the US seems to have a strong political connection to the legal system. Is that a fair assessment? I would say yes. You know, it depends on where, in my opinion, it depends on where within the legal system. So, you know, some people assume that a judge at a local level, if some judges get voted into office, some get appointed. So, it kind of depends on, you know, what level, like here in Florida. I actually met one of the ladies that's running for judge of a certain county. She's getting, you get voted in. Now you have other judges, depending where within the legal system that are appointed into their positions. So, it just depends, and that's where you see more of, and it shouldn't be this, this way, but more of a political bias and, you know, being a judge, you should be unbiased. You should, in a perfect world. There have been some other high profile. I know that your dad's case is ongoing and you probably can't discuss that. But then we've also seen Peter Navarro being locked away. Maybe they've decided he is a threat. I'm not sure what threat he is, apart from his intelligence and ability to understand the system and put forward a message. He doesn't seem to be a physical threat necessarily. But I mean, maybe touch note, because those are other examples. You kind of go lower down, you've got President Trump, but the state seems to be going after everyone who's been associated, who supported President Trump. And it does seem to be an effort, I guess, to knock out the opposition just months away from presidential election. So, it is the left trying to silence those that are speaking the truth starting with president Trump and working their way down to those that have been very vocal about speaking the truth such as my father and Peter Navarro. Like you said I can't really discuss my dad's case as it is ongoing. However, the left, it is clear that the left is trying to silence my dad and Peter Navarro by going after them, and they won't be silenced. You know, Peter has been writing op-eds while he is serving time, and I want to let your audience know he is in a prison where he is the only one that has committed a misdemeanour. Wow. So, he is such a threat to the left that they want to force him behind bars for four months. For speaking the truth, for misdemeanours. So, they think that they're going to silence those that they do this to. They're only helping the MAGA movement grow because. President Trump, my dad, Peter, will not stop fighting for the truth, will not stop speaking out you know, against the lies that the left continue to push. So, they think that they're going to destroy this movement. They're only helping this movement grow. We saw after President Trump, after the jury found him guilty of those 34 charges, we saw, you know, record numbers of donations come in for him. People on social media saying that they had never voted for President Trump would never vote for President Trump and are seeing what the left is doing using the weaponization of the justice system of, you know, the different levels of the judicial system against him. They're like, this isn't right. You know, I didn't think that this man was speaking the truth before, but clearly he's saying something that they are trying to prevent from getting out the truth from getting out. So you know, a lot of people are like maybe he is speaking the truth, maybe I will vote for this man that they continue to attack and go after Yeah, and we've had Peter Navarro one before and his his phenomenal book what Taking Back Trump's America, is is a fascinating insight into what actually happened under the the the Trump administration. But I have, it's been, it has been phenomenal watching those numbers. I saw Jason Miller get interviewed and said yeah the 50 odd million and 30 or 40 percent of those were individuals who'd never given before and the more the left do the more president trump's best seems to be galvanized and strengthen. And I mean, as an American, it must fill you with hope because people are seen through the BS. They're realizing actually this is not the case. We see this for what it is, which is what we expect in a banana republic, but we're seeing it here. So I mean, that must fill you with confidence as a US citizen. It does. At the same time, it's like, I wish a lot of these people had seen what we were saying from the beginning. But if it took this, you know, these 34 guilty charges or verdict, then... I'm grateful that more people have opened their eyes. I wish they had opened them sooner, that what we're saying all along was actually the truth, that they were going after people that were trying to speak the truth, trying to call on the lies that the left are pushing on their agenda, what they're actually trying to do to our military, to the judicial system, to our children, things like that. But if it, if it took this and now their eyes are open, you know, that's something good that came from this horrible thing. However, they need to share this with their friends that are still with their blinders on and their eyes shut that, you know, what we're saying is actually what his, what we have been saying is actually what is going on. I want to kind of also touch on another area of weaponization which is the media and this is now your bread and butter. This is what you live and breathe and you've got four hours a day and then all the prep for that so I don't envy at all no way. Tell us about that because again, when you're outside an industry, you see it one way. So, I would see the military one way because I've never served in the military. I always wanted to join the RAF, and it went through Air Training Corps and University Air Squadron, and that's what I wanted to do. But 9-11 put an end to that. But then I can speak as someone who's been in the military, and my perception is different. And the same with the media. But you've now got a unique perspective inside that media machine. And understanding how it works. So, maybe give us your thoughts on how the media have been weaponized against the American people. Well, as we see mainstream media, government officials, their agenda that they are pushing out, certain mainstream media channels are... Using their platforms to help push this agenda. And we've seen that during this regime, you know, CNN, MSNBC attacking people that did not agree with what was being put out about COVID-19, you know, calling question about the science, which we've now seen that Mr. Anthony Fauci was lying about. I agree with MTG. He doesn't deserve to be called doctor. He made up the science. He had no scientific basis for masking or muzzling kids, putting masks on adults. He didn't even feel that he needed to wear a mask part of the time. He did it for show. The fact The fact that that occurred and mainstream media ran with it and tried to make anyone that spoke out against it a conspiracy theorist, spreading misinformation. You know, trying to tell the American people that they were crazy or didn't trust the science and didn't deserve to have their fundamental rights because they didn't believe what they were pushing. You know, I think every American should be upset, should be pissed off that these platforms continue to push that and are standing by that decision to do it and cause so much harm and risk to Americans. Tell us about the alternative media that has really flourished, and you've been a part of an exciting acceleration in the war room and really planting the flag for what it means to be an American and a patriot and someone who loves freedom. Tell us about that, because it's one of the big silver linings that we have seen in the dark cloud of Biden, that we have seen the fight back and the rise of alternative media. And whatever happens in the mainstream media, you've got this voice of truth that directly connects with the people. So, I think that because mainstream media was pushing the narrative that the left and the regime wanted everyone to hear, you saw a rise, like you said, in alternative media. In case Real America's Voice, which the War Room is on, we are on four hours a day, as you touched on. From 10 to 12 Eastern Standard Time and then 5 to 6 on Real America's Voice and 6 to 7 p.m. On Lindell TV. However, you saw this rise in alternative media because the truth needed to get out. Mainstream media was not putting that truth out. Fox News, despite it being considered a conservative news network, the Murdoch's are not conservative. They want to push a liberal agenda. So you have hosts, not all of them, but a majority of the hosts pushing an establishment, you know, left-leaning branding or like news that they want to get out there. And that's why Real America's Voice is so great because they allow War Room to get the truth out. You know, we've had our posse grow by significant numbers ever since war room started and it started with war room impeachment back in 19 and then war room pandemic and 2020 and now it's war room, but you've just seen numbers grow because people want truth and they're not getting that from mainstream media. And I've been stopped so many times since I moved, actually. You know, I got stopped a few times in my old state. And people would be like, you know, you look an awful lot like Steve Bannon or Steve Bannon's daughter. And then they'd look at me and be like, I love Steve. I love War Room. Like, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have War Room. Because, and they, and I mean, people said that to me here in Florida, but it's a lot of the time it's, I don't know what I would do, because mainstream media is not putting the truth out and your dad is not afraid of them and he's willing to fight for this country and get the truth out. So, I think that it takes, you know, people, great patriots that aren't afraid to be told that they're crazy, that they're conspiracy theorists, that they're spreading misinformation, because they're actually getting the truth out. And that's why I'm grateful that War Room is on Real America's Voice, that Real America's Voice has many other great hosts that aren't afraid and willing to fight. But I think you're, just to face it, your Dad is fairly unique. I mean, the only other person kind of on a similar level of what they're are doing as an individual is probably Alex Jones, because others have built a network and you talk about those networks the RAVs and Lindell T.V. Yeah, what I mean the name Steve Bannon is synonymous with with the rise of that mega movement not only, but also of the media and it's It's an interesting mix of him personally, but also connecting with those other networks. And it's something unique because most people, they fall in and be part of a network and they're one of many hosts. But actually to have an individual who does his own thing, but also connects with those other platforms, I think is fairly unique. And I think that's what makes what you're doing there in War Room intriguing and has turbo charged it. That kind of mix between corporate identity and individual personality. I agree. And I think that, you know, a lot of shows focus on one area or one avenue. And on War Room, we tie in. So we have, you know, economics, we have local politics, we have. Different local being, you know, local down to school board or something within a county. We also have state level. We have, you know, federal level. So, it's not just one different avenue. It's all across and have different people coming on talking about ways to get involved. So, it's not just someone talking at you. It's someone that's telling you a way to get involved or how you can do something at the different levels. And then I think also with our live streams, too, because not only are we on four hours a day, but we also do live streams throughout the week of different guests from the show, but also different people within our show. So, like Grace, myself, and Jo-jo, we did a live stream on the Force Multiplier Alliance and how you can start to get involved. And we've also done live streams where we've done a roundup of things that have occurred. We've done live streams. We did it in 22 where we live streamed different debates that were going on that people had no idea that this debate was going on in their state for their federal level, for their Congress, their congressional seat that was happening. And the local station wasn't putting it out very well that this debate was going on. So, not only did the entire country get to see the debate, but those within that district that had no idea that the debate was going on. So we did that back in 22, and then Grace, myself, and Calamity Jane would come on and give our commentary on how we thought the debate went. But just things like that, that we're, we're getting information out there. So it's, I think that that's a great thing about War Room is that while it's on air four hours a day, the information coming from War Room spans, you know, throughout the day and across different channels, networks, and not even staying within the United States. It's like we have posse members over in Europe, over New Zealand, Australia. Other countries as well but those are the ones that I know New Zealand and Australia because they usually come into our live chat. One of the things I've noticed that when you meet different people in media and there are those people who get a script and they look good and they can read what's in front of them, but actually I think I had the an interesting insight and privilege. One time I went over and Liz Truss, British Prime Minister, resigned that evening and I get a text from Steve saying, can you come in the studio tomorrow? Liz Truss has just resigned. We need you all morning. And just to witness that interaction, and that level of understanding, I think, of the issues, because you, yeah, you kind of see often usually is people who just read stuff but actually the amount of stuff that you cover in war room and the grasp of the issues that Steve has or what Natalie's on or when when jack's guest hosting or so many others. To me that also sets the parse and that's it's great to have someone who's presenting the information has an understanding of the information and they're not just reading it out blankly. Oh, I agree. And I think that that's a great thing that war room has. It's not just one host that understands the issues. Like you said, Natalie, Jack, other hosts that we've had, they understand the issue and grass, you know, the reach that it has. And while we have many great hosts, like I'm maybe just a little biased because he's my dad, but he's the smartest man I know. You could ask him any subject and he could tell you information that you had no idea about that subject. So, I believe the man's a genius and I stand by what I say. You know, I love just talking about, you know, a broad range of topics with him because I've always, I always learn something new that I did not know. And I think that is what makes War Room unique. Everyone, when they tune in, you come away thinking I've learned something. And it's not just the run of the mill, focusing on one or two stories, but it is bang, bang, bang, and you come away. Maureen, I really do appreciate coming on. Thank you so much for giving us your time with some of your experiences back in the military and touching on those aspects of our institutions, certainly the legal system, and then also the media that have been massively politicized and weaponized against us. So, thank you so much for your time today. Thank you for having me on, Peter, and I hope to come on again. Oh, you can come on anytime, you know that. And of course the viewers listeners make sure and follow @maureenbannon is on twitter I come in kind of spicy on my twitter sometimes some days. I'll take a break and then other days it's like you know four or five tweets that are all pretty spicy. Well we should rate you to see who's spicier you or Grace. I think Grace. I think Grace wins that But hands down, I think she's spicier. I did have a tweet that I had sent her. I did not end up posting the tweet, but she told me it was a little too spicy. And when Grace tells me it's a little too spicy, I was like, okay, I better not post this. I will take that 100%. But Maureen, thank you so much for being with us today.

I'm excited to introduce this week's guest, Hedley Thorne. The second time I walked the Ridgeway, I started to think about getting a drone. I love Iron Age hillforts, and I really struggled to photograph them from the ground. Upon my return, I started writing blog posts about hillforts and I discovered Hedley's Instagram account. I absolutely love his photography, and I still fantasize about getting a drone of my own. Photography adds a new layer to our outdoor adventures, and drone photography adds a whole new perspective. I've really enjoyed seeing all of my favorite Ridgeway sites from the air. It makes it easier to really appreciate these ancient sites. I hope you find this episode inspiring! Whether or not you're interested in aerial photography, it might help you to find new ways to enjoy your own outdoor adventures.   About Hedley The basics: Name- Hedley Thorne Age - 46 (by the time of the podcast!) Family - married, 3 teenage boys, living in Didcot Occupation 1- IT Operations Manager/Controller for London Heathrow Occupation 2- Aerial landscape photographer Voluntary work - Chairman of 2410 Air Training Corps committee - Didcot Air Cadets Hobbies- cycling (road or MTB), walking, UAV drone pilot (A2 qualified), aerial photography Likes- F1, chess, music (I used to play piano and did my degree in music/Business), aviation, art Fears- fish, being upside-down, claustrophobic and needle phobic Dislikes- Bitcoin, politics, bad coffee, bad music (life is too short for these)   Background: For 10 years I worked in Henley-on-Thames and road cycled between Didcot and Henley most days, sometimes doing between 60 and 90 miles on a work day which led to many foreign cycling group adventures in the Pyrenees, the Alps, Ventoux, Prince Edward Island in Canada, Mallorca and Teide in Tenerife, however redundancy struck a few years ago and I started working at Heathrow (managing and controlling the daily IT operation, managing major IT incidents that affected the airport etc) which halted cycle commuting and I then became quite unfit. The airport is 24x7 and so doesn't recognise weekends or times of the day so shifts are very long and at bad times, often overnight. Ultimately my big adventures dwindled and I had to replace the cycle commuting with something more manageable.   Introduction to photography of The Ridgeway: I live in South Oxfordshire near to The Ridgeway long distance path and since working at Heathrow I started using my days off work to walk along it. The kids (teenagers!) were at school and my wife Hayley was working so I had some days to myself. As I walked different stretches of The Ridgeway my relationship with it grew and I started looking closely on the web at the areas I walked in - many results came back with pictures from renowned landscape artist Anna Dillon and I quickly became a bit of a fan of her work, sometimes using it to guide and plan my walks, which expanded out into The Chilterns, Berkshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire.   I found my walks (and more recently mountain bike rides) helped balance out work and then ultimately became a necessity- stress levels dropped and I had space to think. I tried to replicate some of Anna's artwork taking mobile phone pictures. Then, my love of anything that flies, led me to buying a drone (well, initially using one that I had bought for one of my sons!). The aerial shots of these areas added a really unique dimension to the landscape and I quickly realised that these were views that had probably not been seen before, and I was the first to witness them.   Partnership with Anna Dillon: As I grew my Instagram and Twitter social media accounts using my new found aerial photography, Anna noticed one of my pictures of Wittenham Clumps and got in touch, asking whether she could commission it for a painting - I couldn't say "yes" fast enough! The originality of aerial landscape pictures along The Ridgeway became even more exclusive when distilled into a work of art and we both realised this through feedback. This ultimately led to our "Wessex Airscapes" exhibition at the Sewell Centre Gallery in Radley College through September 2021 just after lockdown restrictions eased in the UK, and the response to the exhibition, particularly our opening night, was terrific.   Leading up to the exhibition we teamed up with Pipstick Walks to lead a series of hikes around the Lowbury Hill area of The Ridgeway which has a very dark and rich history and formed the centrepiece of the show. We are now in the process of preparing for future events- notably a second iteration of "Wessex Airscapes" exclusive to Wiltshire, and to be held at the Wiltshire Museum in Devizes in 2023, and before then Oxfordshire Artweeks at Anna's studio in South Oxfordshire. We also have other projects on the boil relating to Uffington White Horse Hill and Grim's Ditch.   Injuries, and areas of interest: The last 2 years have been rough for me if I am honest. I suffered two injuries during my walking and cycling requiring extensive surgery on my wrist on 2 occasions (no general anaesthetic due to covid restrictions!) and also surgery on my knee for a snapped patella following a fall on White Horse Hill at Uffington - on this occasion the weather was terrible- I updated my situation live on Twitter and had company on there from many, and I was ultimately rescued by a group of brave local villagers from Woolstone (one of whom was an ex military medic with a Landrove Defender), and then I had to guide the emergency services using "What 3 Words".   These injuries, along with Covid restrictions and general lack of self-care led me to become overweight but I have a Mallorca mountain road cycling event next year to work towards and plenty of mountain biking to do over the winter! My favourite areas to ride and walk are The Ridgeway, Lowbury Hill area, Uffington/Waylands Smithy, Tan/Milk hill and nearby areas in Wiltshire, Wittenham Clumps and anywhere along The Thames. I am (as an amateur) interested in the history of these areas and I have become friends with many of the land owners, The Ridgeway Officer and people connected with The Thames from my photography mini adventures , exhibition, social media and picture sales.   My past, my work and my future: Anna's mother has done a genealogy report on my father's bloodline and it turns out that most of my previous generations on that side of the family had strong connections with the countryside, working on farms throughout Berkshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire (with a nod to royalty going far back but that is yet to be confirmed!).   Last year I was supposed to become the Aircraft Operations Duty Manager for Heathrow Airport but unfortunately the airport was massively affected by Covid restrictions and went through large staff cuts, including the role I was moving into which disappeared right before my appointment. This stopped the intensive training that I was undertaking and led me to diverting my learning efforts instead towards developing my photography and learning about the RAF as part of my duties as Chairman of the local Air Training Corps committee (Air Cadets).   Looking to the future I want to walk or cycle the entire length of The Ridgeway in one go, produce the best pictures that I can for selling on my website and the exhibitions, and also focus on what I want to do in the future at Heathrow.   Beliefs and conflicts: I sit in an awkward position which is constantly the "elephant in the room" for me - I love the countryside, its history and I am passionate about its preservation, yet I sit in the control room helping to run the country's largest airport. But knowing the remarkable people who work at the airport there is a huge and ongoing push towards sustainability that has been enhanced by the big operational reset provided by Covid.   I truly believe that those working for large organisations such as airports towards a more sustainable future are having more of a genuine impact on the environment than those throwing themselves down on the motorway in front of cars, who just seem to serve to make the public angry and detract from the very views they are passionate about. The green spaces around us are smaller than they were just 30 years ago, and yet in this high paced age of transport, industry, communication and construction they are more important now than they ever have been and those who enjoy their presence like me need to actively engage in their preservation.   Website Twitter Instagram   Listen To This Episode        What You'll Learn How Hedley combines cycling, hiking, and aerial photography Why the Ridgeway is such a great place for drone photography How to get started with aerial photography Everything you need to invest in to get started Good starter equipment—and how to upgrade  How to use Google Earth to plan your shots in advance Drone etiquette—where not to fly and what not to do Hedley's top tips for getting into drone photography   Things We Discussed Waylands Smithy Wittenham Clumps Anna Dillon Wessex Airscapes exhibition Lightroom Uffington White Horse hill Barbury Castle CAA drone test DJI Drones A2 CofC course Altitude Angel app DJI Mini 2 DJI Air 2S DJI Mavic 3 Earth Trust Brightwell Barrow Henley on Thames Lowbury Hill Pewsey Downs   Related Episodes 435 Chris Bedford ~ Adventures With Abandoned Railways 430 Sue-Ann Hickey ~ Adventures in Solo Cycling Tours 426 Doris Lance ~ Nature Bathing for the Five Senses 421 Cara Wilde ~ Adventures With Stone Circles   Connect With Holly Website Facebook Instagram Twitter Pinterest Google+ LinkedIn   How to Subscribe Click here to subscribe via iTunes Click here to subscribe via RSS Click here to subscribe via Stitcher   Help Spread the Word If you enjoyed this episode, please head on over to iTunes and kindly leave us a rating and a review! You can also subscribe, so you'll never miss an episode.

Iain Day was 3 years old when his father took him to an airshow at RAF Leuchars outside Dundee in Scotland and he was hooked. He received a Flying Scholarship from the UKs Royal Air Force at the age of 16 as a member of the Air Training Corps. Iain was, for a while, the youngest Private pilot in Scotland being only 17 when he achieved that. At 18 Iain left home and moved to the United States to continue his aviation education. Capitalizing on on the more cost effective training environment in the States; Iain arrived in Phoenix, Arizona in late December 1994. There he started working on more licenses and ratings, eventually gaining all levels of flight instructor and advanced ground instructor certificates before he turned 21. Along with flight instructing, Iain worked as a support pilot and announcer for a nationally touring airshow act. In 2001 left Phoenix and moved to New England as a First Officer and later Captain for the now defunct Colgan Air flying all over the North East. He then flew corporate jets for 10 years. After that he went to went to Virgin America where he met me, we were flying the A320 out of JFK and EWR. He left this job after the sale of VX and they closed the only East Coast base it had. He now works for a large Cargo outfit; recently having transitioned from the Boeing 747 to the Boeing 777. Just over a year ago he traded his 1974 Bellanca Decathlon aircraft, N401AD, for my current aircraft, a 1992 Yakovlev 55M, N55YA. Follow him on Instagram @capecodyak

GB2RS News Sunday 29th August 2021 The news headlines: G QRP Convention details announced RSGB releases more Online Convention info Farnham WebSDR to close   The G QRP club has released a detailed agenda for its Online Convention 2021, taking place on the 4th and 5th of September. The event comprises a series of online presentations and knowledge-sharing meetings where people can share ideas and ask questions. You can find all the details at gqrp.com. The RSGB has announced further details of its online Convention, which will be held on Saturday the 9th of October. The event will be streamed live on the Society's YouTube channel. Andrew Barron, ZL3DW will present an entertaining talk about Software Defined Radio that re-evaluates what we mean by SDR. The talk is technical, but not too technical; no maths – well, not much – no software code and no vector diagrams. It is suitable for those who want to learn more about software-defined radio. Ray Novak, N9JA from Icom is well-known in DXing circles. He will look at the question of would you like to be on a DXpedition that doesn't break the bank? He will help you get interesting ideas on how to have fun as if you were on a DXpedition to a rare entity because your next amateur adventure could be as close as your local park. Whether you're new to amateur radio or have been enjoying it for years, do put the 9th of October in your diary. You can find more information at rsgb.org/convention. The popular amateur radio WebSDR at Farnham is to close in a few weeks due to a change of site ownership. It is hoped to eventually relocate to a new site, and the operators are asking for help to identify a suitable location. More at farnham-sdr.com. Ron White, G6LTT has been co-opted as RSGB Regional Representative 9, London and Thames Valley, until the RSGB 2022 AGM. He can be contacted by email to rr9@rsgb.org.uk. Other appointments include Martin Hallard, G1TYV who takes up the role of District Representative 52, Central and East Birmingham and Leigh Preece, M5GWH, District Representative 55, Staffordshire. The Cambridge Repeater Group Foxton Rally is still going ahead on Sunday the 19th of September, however, there will not be a Bring & Buy. Car Boot traders are welcome. See cambridgerepeaters.net for details. If you are planning a visit to the RSGB National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park, please note that the RSGB will continue asking visitors to wear a face mask or shield, unless exempt. This policy is in the interest of volunteer and visitor safety, as there is limited airflow and it can get crowded in the theatre and technology areas. The RSGB is actively looking to recruit additional volunteers to join the team, particularly for the weekends. If you think this could be of interest to you, contact Martyn, G0GMB via email to martyn.baker@rsgb.org.uk. And now for details of rallies and events Before travelling to any rally or event, please check the event's website as there may be alterations or cancellations due to the pandemic. As previously publicised, the Milton Keynes ARS Rally, originally due to be held on the 29th of August, is cancelled. The organisers look forward to welcoming visitors again in 2022. The organisers of the Torbay Amateur Radio Society are very pleased to be able to confirm that the annual communications rally is going ahead today, the 29th of August. The event is being held at the Newton Abbot Racecourse site. Further details are at tars.org.uk. The Huntingdonshire ARS Rally will take place on bank holiday Monday, the 30th, at Ernulf Academy, St Neots PE19 2SH. Gates open for the public at 9 pm. There is free car parking, a Bring and Buy and indoor and outdoor stalls are available. More at hunts-hams.co.uk. The online G-QRP Convention takes place on the 4th and 5th of September. See gqrp.com. The annual Telford HamFest takes place on the 5th of September, at the Harper Adams University campus near Telford, Shropshire. In addition to the usual wide range of traders and exhibitors, there will be presentations by three prominent speakers covering topics such as EME, antennas and RTTY. The event opens at 10.15 am, with talk-in via GB4THF. Details can be found at telfordhamfest.org.uk. Now the DX news A group will be active as TM3U from the Saint Marcouf Islands, IOTA reference EU-081, until the 3rd of September. They will operate CW, SSB and digital modes on the 80 to 6m bands. They also plan to be active on the QO-100 satellite. All QSOs will be uploaded to Club Log and confirmed automatically via the bureau; direct cards should be sent to ON8AZ. See eu081.be for updates. Matt, AF2F will be active again as AF2F/W4 from Hatteras Island, NA-067 until the 4th of September. He will operate CW and FT8 on the HF bands, and Q65 on 6 metres. QSL via Club Log's OQRS. Paco, EA7KNT plans to be active as D4SAL from Sal, AF-086, in Cape Verde until the 5th of September. Now the Special Event news Nigel, M0NJW will be active as GB1SAK between the 3rd and the 5th of September during the St Anne's Kite Festival. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS. This special event station will run from the beach using a long wire supported by a kite flying at a maximum of 60m above the ground. The Shropshire Linux User Group is celebrating 30 years of the Linux operating system with GB4TUX from the 4th of September. The call will be activated from the Telford Hamfest on the 5th of September. Members of Leyland & District Amateur Radio will be activating a disused 1950s passenger liner on the 4th and 5th of September. The TSS Duke of Lancaster is beached on the River Dee Estuary, North Wales. The group will operate as GB1DOL with a mixture of SSB, CW, FM and FT8 on HF and the 2m band. Details are on QRZ.com. Members of the Air Training Corps from Surrey Wing will be operating GB80ATC at their Annual Field Day at Brooklands Museum in Weybridge on the 4th of September. This marks the 80th anniversary of the Air Training Corps. The station plans to be operating on the 2m band using FM and on the 80 to 12m bands depending on conditions. Operations will be between 9 am and 4 pm. The Alabama Contest Group will operate a Special Event commemorating the victims of the 9/11 attacks. It will run from the 5th of September at 0000UTC to the 12th of September at 2359UTC. The callsign will be K4A and there will be special QSL cards available. QSL with SASE to Bob Beaudoin, WA1FCN. 9Y59IND will be on the air to celebrate Trinidad and Tobago's 59th Independence Day. Running until the 12th of September, it will operate HF SSB, FT8, EME, DMR and D-Star. A schedule of activities can be found at 9y59ind.info. Riviera Amateur Radio Club will be running GB8BB in September in commemoration of those who served in the Battle of Britain. This year is the 80th anniversary. Now the contest news When operating in contests, please keep yourself and fellow amateurs safe by following any government recommendations during the pandemic. This weekend is the World-Wide Digi DX contest. It runs for 24 hours from 1200UTC on the 28th to 1200UTC on the 29th. Using FT4 and FT8 on the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is your 4-character locator. Today, the 29th, the UK Microwave group contest runs from 0600 to 1800UTC. Using all modes on the 5.7 and 10GHz bands, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. On Wednesday, the 144MHz FT8 Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 2130UTC. The exchange is signal report and your 4-character locator. Also on Wednesday, the UK EI Contest Club 80m contest runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. The exchange is your 6-character locator. On Saturday, the CWops CW Open contest runs for the full 24 hours. Using the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is serial number and your name. There are three 4-hour sessions to this contest. Next weekend is a busy one for contests. The SSB Field Day runs from 1300UTC on the 4th to 1300UTC on the 5th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The IARU Region 1 Field Day also runs for 24 hours from 1300UTC on the 4th. Using the 3.5 to 28MHz contest bands, the exchange is signal report and serial number. The 144MHz Trophy Contest also runs for 24-hours from 1300UTC on the 4th. Using all modes, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The All Asian DX contest runs for 48 hours next weekend from 0000UTC on the 4th. It is SSB only on the 1.8 to 28MHz contest bands. The exchange is signal report and your age, although ladies can just send 00. The 2nd Fox Mike Hotel Portable Operations Challenge will take place on the 4th and 5th of September. Session 1 is 0800 to 1159UTC on the 4th; Session 2 is 1600 to 1959UTC also on the 4th; Session 3 is 0000 to 0359UTC is on the 5th. This contest uses the 10, 15, 20, 40 and 80m bands. CW, phone and digital contacts are permitted. Full details at foxmikehotel.com/challenge. Next Sunday, the 5th, the fifth 144MHz Backpackers contest runs from 1100 to 1500UTC. Using all modes on the 144MHz band, the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. The Worked All Britain 144MHz QRO contest will take place on the 5th of September from 1000 to 1400UTC. The full rules are on their website. Entries to be with the contest manager by the 15th of September. Mobile and portable categories have resumed, but the organisers ask that participants please act sensibly. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA & G4BAO on Friday the 27th of August. We had another week with a quiet Sun, but it wasn't as settled as you might think. Yes, the solar flux index was in the low- to-mid-80s, but the Sun started to get very active. The first event on Sunday saw a prominence eruption off the west limb that flung a coronal mass ejection, or CME, into space. Another eruption near active region 2859 also launched a large amount of plasma into space, but luckily it was not headed towards Earth. So, by Thursday, we had two large sunspot groups visible, with perhaps region 2860 looking more and more active as it grows. Any potential CME activity occurring as a result of any solar flare this weekend will likely end up hitting the Earth. DX was a little sparse, but there were some nuggets to be had. Josep, EA3BT, on holiday in Tanzania, was workable on 15m as 5I3B and Pasi, OJ0W, on Market Reef, supplied CW QSOs for many stations on a mix of bands including 80 metres. Gary, G0FWX on the 10 metre UK Net Facebook group reported hearing Australia on 10m FT8 last week. Gary said: “I started working VKs in the middle of September on SSB last year, but this is a good sign”. Next week, NOAA predicts the solar flux index will be in the mid-70s with mainly settled geomagnetic conditions. Friday the third is the exception when the Kp index is set to rise to four. Maximum usable frequencies are starting to rise a little thanks to seasonal changes, with 18MHz and even 21MHz often open during the daytime. These openings will likely firm up as we head towards mid-September and head into Autumn ionospheric conditions. And now the VHF and up propagation news. High pressure looks very likely to dominate the weather charts for the coming week and will continue the Tropo-themed weather pattern of the last few days. Unlike Sporadic-E, Tropo tends to be long lasting but is usually better overnight and across sea paths like the North Sea or across Biscay to Spain and beyond to EA8. Don't forget to try modes other than FM and FT8, such as SSB or CW – and do call CQ if the band is quiet. Sporadic-E itself is looking less exciting as we head to the end of the current summer season. Fleeting events can still happen, and 10m will carry the most traffic with just the odd foray onto 6m on a good day. Meteor scatter via random meteors is usually at its best in August, so keep looking around dawn to benefit from the pre-dawn enhancement. This is caused by the dayside of the earth rotating into the flux of meteors in the orbital plane. There is just one small meteor shower this week, peaking on the 1st of September. The Aurigids have a low Zenithal Hourly Rate of just six. The Moon reaches apogee on Monday so path losses will be at their highest for the month. On the positive side, peak declination occurs on Thursday so we have high peak elevations over 60 degrees meaning less ground noise at VHF and long Moon visibility windows. And that's all from the propagation team this week.  

Mandy Hickson is a pioneering former fast jet pilot and now a motivational public speaker. Her remarkable career saw her become only to second female to fly a Tornado GR4 on the front line, including 45 missions over Iraq during three operational tours.  Despite her incredible career and success Mandy's story wasn't all plain sailing. After initial awards for flying in the Air Training Corps, she twice failed the RAF flying aptitude test and was told she didn't have what it takes to be a fast jet pilot. Undeterred, Mandy showed unwavering belief to overcome the odds and achieve her lifelong dream. This story of inspiration, drive and determination was detailed in Mandy's recently published book An Officer, Not a Gentleman where she describes the fast paced life and challenges of being a female in a male dominated world, a mum and a pilot. This is part one of our conversation, which lays the groundwork for understanding the mental framework that allowed Mandy to push past perceived limitations, beat the odds and perform under extreme pressure. Mandy's website LinkedIn    

A 14-year-old New Zealand Defence Force cadet has been awarded for saving the life of a stabbing victim in Christchurch.On December 6, Cadet Seth Whale, from the No.18 Squadron, Air Training Corps, was nearby when a person was critically stabbed in Hoon Hay.Whilst others assisted the person to the ground, Whale grabbed a towel and applied direct pressure to the wound until ambulance staff arrived.The teen had attended a one-day Red Cross Essential First Aid Course a week earlier.Commandant of the Cadet Forces Commander Andrew Law said, while the course provided Cadet Whale with the knowledge, it was his courage and determination that empowered him to take action in a critical first aid situation."CDT Whale's efforts during this traumatic incident demonstrated well the values of the New Zealand Cadet Forces, and were a key component in saving a human life. He is a worthy recipient of a Commandant's Commendation."Whale received a commendation from Commander Law at a public ceremony on Tuesday night.Commander Law said it was the first time in his tenure as commandant a commendation had been awarded to an individual cadet."When it came across my desk as a proposal, immediately I think, looking at it, the actions of the individual were worthy of recognition."When confronted with a trauma situation, rather than backing away, he demonstrated the personal courage to step up and there could be no greater decision or choice made than what he has done."The stabbing victim received multiple wounds and was taken to Christchurch Hospital in a serious condition.The police said the parties involved are known to each other and a number of people are assisting with inquiries.

GB2RS NEWS Sunday the 31st of January 2021 The news headlines: New video from Propagation Studies Committee Bath Based Distance Learning announces Full licence course New edition of RadCom Basics available The RSGB’s Propagation Studies Committee has a number of online tools available to help you work out the best band and time to make a contact. A video explaining these propagation tools has been added to the propagation pages on the RSGB website, go to rsgb.org/propagation-tools. The Bath Based Distance Learning team helped nearly 800 students to pass the Advanced exam under the old syllabus. After reworking their training material, the team are now planning their first course for the Full level exam syllabus. The course will run from March to June this year. Students will receive weekly work packages via a virtual classroom and will have access to weekly online tutorials. There will be no charge for the training, but applicants will need to work through a pre-course classroom and quiz to be eligible for a place. The deadline for course applications is Wednesday the 17th of February. To request full details and an application form, please e-mail Steve, G0FUW via g0fuw@tiscali.co.uk. The January 2021 edition of RadCom Basics is now available on the RSGB website for Members to read. It is for new licensees or anyone who wants an introduction to a different part of amateur radio. This issue looks at antennas, setting up a radio bench, making a metal box and the value of listening as a radio amateur. Go to rsgb.org/radcom-basics. A 2m beacon is operating on St Helena Island. The beacon frequencies are Channel 1 144.435MHz; Channel 2 144.325MHz; Channel 3 144.375MHz and Channel 4 144.385MHz. The next RSGB Tonight @ 8 webinar is on Monday the 1st of February. Neil Underwood, G4LDR will give you all the information you need to become operational on the microwave bands. You can watch and ask questions live on the Society’s YouTube channel. For more information about this and the other webinars in the series, see the Society’s website at rsgb.org/webinars. Leicestershire Foxes Contest Group is a new contest group. Geographically, the membership is derived from many different parts of the greater Leicestershire region. However, they also welcome operators from outside the county. If you are interested, email adyg6ad@gmail.com for more information. The RSGB Exams and Syllabus Review Group (ESRG) has appointed a new member. Jonathan Groves, M0VRI passed all three exams during the lockdown and is a member of Bredhurst Receiving and Transmitting Society. He enjoys HF operating and trying to find trans-Atlantic QSOs from a noisy suburban QTH. Jonathan is also now an active Remote Invigilation volunteer. Now the DX news Takumi, JG3PLH is a member of the 62nd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition team and will be stationed at Showa base on East Ongul Island, AN-015, Antarctica until January 2022. He will be active as 8J1RL starting in February. QSL via the bureau. Now the Special Event news To mark the 80th Anniversary of the Formation of the Air Training Corps on the 5th of February 1941, Ofcom has issued the callsign Golf Bravo Eight Zero Alpha Tango Charlie. The callsign is valid for use between 5th February 2021 and 4th February 2022. It will be managed by David, M0SKT and a team of serving Cadet Force Adult Volunteer staff who are UK Licence holders. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Jutlandia, the hospital ship, Experimental Danish Radio Amateurs will activate OV0JUTLANDIA until the 31st of March at 2359UTC. They will be active on most amateur radio bands with CW, SSB and digital modes. All bands including WARC bands and all modes may be used. All two-way contacts and SWL reports will be valid for the special OV0JUTLANDIA award. Full details on qrz.com. Now the contest news Please remember to check before the contest for any new rules due to lockdown and social distancing, which may differ around the world. The RSGB strongly advises obeying your national and local government’s advice. This weekend the CQ 160m DX contest ends its 48-hour run at 2200UTC today, the 31st. It’s CW only and the exchange is signal report and your CQ Zone. Please note that American stations also exchange their State and Canadians their Province. On Monday the 80m Club Championship runs from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB only, the exchange is signal report and serial number. On Tuesday, the 144MHz FM Activity Contest runs from 1900 to 1955UTC. It is followed by the all-mode 144MHz UK Activity Contest from 2000 to 2230UTC. The exchange is the same for both contests, signal report, serial number and locator. The 144MHz FT8 Activity Contest takes place between 1900 and 2100UTC on Wednesday. The exchange is signal report and your 4-character locator. Also on Wednesday is the UK EI Contest Club 80m Contest from 2000 to 2100UTC. Using SSB only the exchange is your 6-character locator. Next Sunday, the 7th of February, the 432MHZ AFS contest runs from 0900 to 1300UTC. Using all modes the exchange is signal report, serial number and locator. Now the radio propagation report, compiled by G0KYA, G3YLA & G4BAO on Friday the 29th of January. We are almost into February and still, the Sun is not playing ball in terms of sunspots. This week saw groups 2797, 2799 and 2800 rotate out of view, but all were minuscule and didn’t contribute much. The solar flux index was 76 on Thursday with a sunspot number of 26. There is a plage area, which can be a precursor to sunspots, at the same latitude as group 2800, but we will have to wait and see what develops. The STEREO Ahead spacecraft view shows little of note other than a coronal hole that will eventually become Earth-facing. There was a geomagnetic storm late on Monday and in the early hours of Tuesday, which was caused by a high-speed stream from a coronal hole that we warned you about last week. This week’s highlights have been short FT8 openings on 10 metres, possibly due to mid-Winter Sporadic-E. The French Alps, Poland, Ireland and Spain have all been spotted, and short F2-layer openings to Mauritius in the morning and Paraguay in the afternoon kept interest levels up. These winter Es openings are becoming rarer and shorter, but it is still worth keeping an eye on 10m. Otherwise, the lower bands have brought the most action with 40 and 80m still providing good activity after dark. With little scope for sunspots, NOAA predicts the SFI will be in the mid-70s next week. Unsettled geomagnetic conditions are forecast for Sunday or Monday, due to yet another high-speed stream from a coronal hole, which became Earth facing on Friday. The Kp index could rise to three or four, but once it passes the Kp index may be down to two. Daytime MUFs over a 3,000km path are currently exceeding 21MHz during the daytime. Night-time critical frequencies of around 2.9-3.5MHz mean that 80m is marginal for local contacts at night while remaining fairly solid for European paths and DX. And now the VHF and up propagation news. It looks like satellites will offer the best chance of working VHF DX, with not many prospects for Tropo, as the unsettled theme continues to drive our weather over the next week or so. The south and west of the British Isles, along with the north-eastern areas, will have some temporary weak ridges ahead of slowly-advancing Atlantic systems. Overall then, with some borderline snow events on the northern edge of the rain areas, there could be some winter scatter options for the microwave bands, but otherwise another thin week. Some models do introduce a weak ridge of high pressure over the country at the very end of next week, but this is not to be relied upon this far out, and probably with dry cold air near the surface it is not such a good prospect for Tropo. Moon declination goes negative on Tuesday so as the week progresses, Moon windows will shorten and peak Moon elevations will fall. Perigee is on Wednesday, so path losses are at their lowest this week. 144 MHz Sky noise is moderate but becomes high this coming weekend. The Alpha Centaurids meteor shower is just over a week away so you may see some small improvement in meteor scatter conditions, but with a zenith hourly rate (ZHR) of just six, don't expect any fireworks. And that’s all from the propagation team this week.

Getting the new year off to a flying start (pun fully intended) with the RAF's 2nd ever female fast jet pilot, Mandy Hickson. Think Top Gun with British accents and you're right on the money!Mandy's book, “An Officer, Not a Gentleman”, is a cracking read, charting her flying career from Air Training Corps as a teenager, via the years of intense training to 3 tours in Iraq and the latter years “flying a desk”.In this highly entertaining chat, we cover much of that plus men's mental health, crying as a healthy outlet for the “stress bucket” (or just at a weepy movie!), being shot at by a surface to air missile while flying in Iraq, how she built a career post-RAF teaching people about human factors - communications, decision-making, risk and threat analysis, leadership, team work – and how when it comes right down to it, having friends who know and love you make for the best times and the best memories.Mandy was so easy to talk to - we found some shared life experiences - and I'm pretty sure two tall, blonde, gobby women could quite happily have put the world to rights over a glass of wine or six, but we had to make do with a very enjoyable hour-long internet chat.I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.You can follow Mandy on Instagram @mandyhicksonspeaker and get hold of her, and her brilliantly titled book, through www.hicksonltd.com

Kate talks to adventurer, explorer and speaker, Richard Matthews about the positive effect of outdoor pursuits upon our mental heath. Richard has personally experienced and seen how all our mental states fluctuates as well as our understanding of other people around the world. From heading in to countries that the media say are dangerous and full of terrible people to find that this is not the case. Being outdoors can massively help the mental state of everyone. KEY TAKEAWAYS After a severe breakup in 2014, Richard found himself suffering from crippling depression that impacted his life greatly. After a two and a half month trip to Mongolia, Richard found himself changed, as though his depression had been left on the trip instead of returning with him. Through this experience, Richard believes that others can benefit from adventures in the outdoors, which can serve to remove the focus from the internal anxieties that may be impacting our lives. Richard’s theory is that by feasting upon the sensory overloads of different cultures from around the world, our own minds are given to letting go of the depressions that weigh us down. Cutting himself off from the world on a solo trip to Slovenia gave Richard time to think and to focus upon himself. It also gave him the opportunity to realise that he could handle being alone. BEST MOMENTS ‘I’m trying to promote the idea that everyone should get outdoors. The outdoors is an incredible place for mental wellbeing’ ‘Travelling through different cultures is an overload of the mind’ ‘It’s tough to be alone’ ‘Mental health isn’t something to be tolerated, but something to push through’ VALUABLE RESOURCES The Mental Health Revolution Podcast ABOUT THE GUEST Richard grew up living in seaside town of Teignmouth, Devon. Growing up on the coast, he embraced water based adventures from young age! These included sea swimming, kayaking and canoeing. Changing from water he then took to the land and air getting involved with Ten Tors taking him all over Dartmoor and beyond. Simultaneously Richard joined the Air Training Corps were he had many adventures, flying, shooting, mountaineering and learning a whole host of skills, then went on to gain 30+ hours flying and a few hours solo flights. The Arctic Survival Challenge in Sweden was the first international challenge for Richard. The Challenge entailed sleeping outside in temperatures as low as -35°C, in snow holes and shelter from the forest. The Mongol Rally in 2015. This journey from Teignmouth, UK to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia was my first big adventure into the unknown. We drove through Iran, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, and nearly all of Russia, all in a 1996 Nissan Micra. This trip is eye-opening to all that experience it, to have a look into the diverse cultures outside of Western Europe. www.rmadventures.co.uk Facebook: @theRMAdventures Instagram: theRMAdventures ABOUT THE HOST Kate Ashley-Norman is creator of Positive Mind Management, the host of The Mental Health Revolution podcast, and a passionate speaker and trainer about our emotional wellbeing. She is seeking to change the nature and tone of the conversation around mental health for business owners, their workplaces and ultimately in their personal lives. Kate has spent the last 25+ years running her own businesses, initially working running a six figure PR consultancy agency, then building a multi-million pound international property portfolio. Latterly she has dedicated her time to studying emotional mastery and positive psychology, while bringing up four children, and has used her experience and knowledge to create the Positive Mind Management programme specifically for entrepreneurs and small businesses. The knowledge Kate has collated will help you to not only better understand your emotions, it will help you both improve it, and supercharge it during those more challenging times when emotional wellbeing can be compromised. Fear, procrastination, overwhelm, powerlessness, self worth – empire building is a hugely challenging process in its own right. The more power you hold within your own emotions, the more you can harness the power of those emotions, good and bad, to the benefit of your business and life in general. Hugely practical and applicable, this revolutionary approach to mental health is putting the power back into the hands of each and every individual. CONTACT METHOD You can support The Mental Health Revolution, and contribute to the conversation in the following closed Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/238516643507943/ You can search Kate Ashley-Norman on any of these platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also support the movement through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=12852819 Kate can be contacted anytime via her email: kateashleynorman@gmail.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Captain Geoff White Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 1st of October 2017 Released: 17th of October 2018 Duration: 1 hour 23 seconds In this episode we hear from Geoff White, who was a childhood friend of the legendary pilot Ray Hanna, serving together in the Air Training Corps during the 1940's. Upon leaving school Geoff [...]

This Sunday TV brainbox Carol Vorderman will be swapping her calculator for jungle boots as she and nine others join ITV’s ‘I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!’ The presenter may just do very well in survival skills thanks to her link to the Cadets. She’s Honorary Group Captain of the Air Training Corps. Earlier this year she spoke to Tim Humphries about how her love of the ATC is a family affair.

A cadet from Kent has been recognised for his contribution to the Air Training Corps at a ceremony in Canterbury. Cadet Warrant Officer Jack Etherington from 2374 (Ditton) Squadron has been made the Lord Lieutenant Cadet for the county. Each year the Lord-Lieutenants’ Awards honour Reservists, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs), cadets and employees of the Reserve Forces and Cadet Organisations of the Armed Forces for their hard work and dedication. Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenants are the representatives of the Crown and are appointed directly by Her Majesty The Queen, on the advice of the Prime Minister. Listen to Jack chatting to Chris Kaye from BFBS Radio.

Nick Anderson, perhaps better known as the Old.Pilot is the oldest of the Airline Pilot Guy Podcast crew and not too far from retirement after a flying career that started in the ‘60s.  Brought up in England and from an aviation family, he began flying in the wood and canvas, open cockpit gliders of the Air Training Corps. He started his professional career in the military, the Royal Air Force. He completed jet training on the Jet Provost, Folland Gnat and the Hawker Hunter before getting into the awesome McDonnell Douglas F4 Phantom, eventually becoming a Qualified Weapons Instructor. His military career moved around a bit and he spent a while as a fast jet QFI on the BAe Hawk before taking up a post with the Royal Australian Air Force on the F18 Hornet. Back with the RAF he completed his time on the BAe Tornado F3. Captain Nick is now an international Captain on the A-340 with a UK airline referred to as "Acme Red". Hi is also an accomplished photographer.

In a special edition of UKAR's popular podcast, Dan O'Hagan meets 87 year-old veteran of World War II Ray Griffiths. Among the subjects covered are Ray's time in the Air Training Corps, surviving the Blitz, and how failing his RAF eye test led to him taking part in the Allied ground assault on Germany, and fighting in the last major land battle of the European war - at the Teutoburger Wald. UK Airshow Review's Display Frequency - Nobody does aviation better! Hop over to the official Display Frequency thread on the UKAR forums to read more, and have your say: http://bit.ly/JHuSgd

In a special edition of UKAR's popular podcast, Dan O'Hagan meets 87 year-old veteran of World War II Ray Griffiths. Among the subjects covered are Ray's time in the Air Training Corps, surviving the Blitz, and how failing his RAF eye test led to him taking part in the Allied ground assault on Germany, and fighting in the last major land battle of the European war - at the Teutoburger Wald.