Special Event Station GB0DRT will be operating from the Weymouth veterans weekend on the 23rd/24th June. GB0DRT is a special event callsign used with a recreated RAF Mountain and Desert Rescue Team (MDRT) FFR Signals Wagon as originally deployed on Masirah Island Oman in 1973/4. The vehicle has an original HF station consisting of a 100Watt CW, AM and USB Redifon GR479A radio with a 4m whip antenna.
Thanks Geoff, the weather is set fair which will enable us to operate the Sigs Wagon topless in true Masirah fashion! The GB0DRT Special event call is valid when we are at Castletown. Elsewhere I will use my call M0XDL/P (or should that be /M, must check!) I will also have a SARBE MK3 aircrew beacon and R/T to show with the A43R, although only HF on the air of course!
Signals Wagon here and in good shape. Rig receiving well but not so confident on Transmit Power. We will be at the Pavillion from about 10.00 and I’ll try a few M0XDL CQ calls from there on 3.615 USB. We’ll be at Castletown by about 1.30pm and thats when I’ll start GB0DRT CQ calls. Sunday will be from the Pavillion and therefore M0XDL from about 1.0pm. Fingers crossed! 73deRayM0XDL/GB0DRT
The South Dorset Radio Society (SDRS) will be operating GB0MFH (Marconi Flat Holm) from Flat Holm Island in the Bristol Channel for International Marconi Day 2018. The period of operation is 0000 UTC to 2359 UTC on Saturday the 21st of April. Flat Holm island is in the IO81KJ Maidenhead square, the WAB ST26 square, and is listed as IOTA EU-124.
ISLAND HISTORY
Flat Holm island is situated in the Bristol Channel between Cardiff in South Wales and Weston Super Mare in Somerset, England. Flat Holm is a sister island to nearby Steep Holm. Both islands were fortified in Victorian times and in both World Wars to protect the approaches to major Bristol Channel ports such as Bristol and Cardiff docks. Flat Holm was also the historic site of Guglielmo Marconi's very first over water transmission from Lavernock point in South Wales in 1897. Today the island is a nature sanctuary and provides basic accommodation for visitors in the Island's Farmhouse.
The SDRS Flat Holm activation team is now on the Island following an exciting RIB crossing from Cardiff. So far one operator is QRV on PSK31 20m using SOTA dipole. A second operator will soon be QRV with FT8 on 30m using a 10m vertical. SSB operators using SOTA dipoles on 40m or 80m are currently at lunch! Weather is good antennas are erected.
In 1897 Marconi used a kite borne antenna as part of his wireless experiments on Flat Holm Island. Today the SDRS team is recreating the Marconi experience with a SOTA Beams kite antenna configured as a long wire sloper with the kite at an altitude of about 15m. Several contacts have been made on 80m and the antenna is still being used for 80m SSB QSOs.
It is now Sunday 22nd and the SDRS Flat Holm station is closing down ready for pack-up and collection by the tractor at 10:00. Rib leaves around midday. 102 KT8 QSOs and about the same on SSB. Weather has been reasonable but it has been very cold at times. The nesting sea gulls have been all pervasive!
I was only able to listen using Hack Green WebSDR but the 80m Station was a consistently strong signal whenever I did. Anyone got a small HF RX I could borrow?
I really enjoyed making contact with the SES station from the Cray Valley Club station (G3RCV) on Saturday morning. When I returned home, I followed GB0MFH around the HF bands from my less-than-perfect home station, using an indoor whip antenna and ATU. I heard quite a number of DX stations calling the SES but never heard the SES on SSB or FT8 myself. I did get brave enough to venture onto a WARC band for the first time ever, and though I never heard the SES, I did work an ES3 station in Estonia on FT8, with 5 watts, S9 noise level, and the modest indoor HF antenna. :-)
I hope the SDRS SES members on Flat Holm had as much fun as I did over the weekend :-) Congrats!
A fun day operating (part time) from the GB0DRT Special event station, sometimes using M0XDL/P. All callers were received well, but transmissions on 3.615 MHz USB and AM were a bit anaemic. Sorry about that, hope to do better tomorrow (Sunday). Listen out on 3.615 between 10.00 and 11.30. The Masirah MDRT Signals Wagon was very well received by Veterans and the public! 73 to all...
Sorry there were no GB0DRT QSO’s today. The GR479a was receiving well and could be matched to the whip but power output appeared low. I changed the linear but no improvement. It is either low drive to the linear or the inefficiency of the whip on 3.615. The large number of very interested visitors precluded any more tech! I plan to get the other set working away from the vehicle and next time I’ll maybe go for a 40m or 60m frequency! Sorry to disappoint. 73deRay.
SDRS Herm Island Expedition GB0HAM – September 18 - 20
IOTA EU-114 WAB WV48
Nine members of the South Dorset Radio Society will take the Condor ferry from Poole to Guernsey - then a small ferry to Herm Island. Accommodation is in two log cabins near the top of the Island which will become our QTH. It looks idyllic if the weather Gods smile on us! We will do our own daytime catering but will probably visit the Mermaid Pub for our evening dinner.
The Special Event Callsign is GB0HAM and we will operate on whatever bands are open using SSB and Data Modes. We should be on the air from the late evening of the 18th to 2359 on the 20th.
Condor have cancelled the ferry crossing for the second time and is now impossible to get to Herm in time to run this event as planned. It is hoped that the event can be rescheduled at a future date.
The intrepid SDRS Operation Market Garden team have been QRV at RAF Tarrant Rushton using callsign GB0MKT since Tuesday 17th Sept with SSB on 40 and 80m and Data (FT8) on 30, 20, 17,15 and 10m. The QTH is excellent and the weather has smiled on the happy campers Ray M0XDL and Stuart M0SGV, ably assisted during the day by Rob G0RYL, Carol GXXXX and Mike G0LQI. The activation of this historic Pegasus Bridge and Arnhem glider launch point will end later today.
This is a new facility that is intended to provide 'live' reports on SDRS activities and events.
ReplyDeleteSpecial Event Station GB0DRT will be operating from the Weymouth veterans weekend on the 23rd/24th June. GB0DRT is a special event callsign used with a recreated RAF Mountain and Desert Rescue Team (MDRT) FFR Signals Wagon as originally deployed on Masirah Island Oman in 1973/4. The vehicle has an original HF station consisting of a 100Watt CW, AM and USB Redifon GR479A radio with a 4m whip antenna.
DeleteUpdate: On the air on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning on 3.615MHz USB and yes please note that is USB as the equipment does not operate on LSB.
DeleteThanks Geoff, the weather is set fair which will enable us to operate the Sigs Wagon topless in true Masirah fashion! The GB0DRT Special event call is valid when we are at Castletown. Elsewhere I will use my call M0XDL/P (or should that be /M, must check!)
DeleteI will also have a SARBE MK3 aircrew beacon and R/T to show with the A43R, although only HF on the air of course!
Signals Wagon here and in good shape. Rig receiving well but not so confident on Transmit Power. We will be at the Pavillion from about 10.00 and I’ll try a few M0XDL CQ calls from there on 3.615 USB. We’ll be at Castletown by about 1.30pm and thats when I’ll start GB0DRT CQ calls.
DeleteSunday will be from the Pavillion and therefore M0XDL from about 1.0pm.
Fingers crossed!
73deRayM0XDL/GB0DRT
IMD 2018
ReplyDeleteThe South Dorset Radio Society (SDRS) will be operating GB0MFH (Marconi Flat Holm) from Flat Holm Island in the Bristol Channel for International Marconi Day 2018. The period of operation is 0000 UTC to 2359 UTC on Saturday the 21st of April. Flat Holm island is in the IO81KJ Maidenhead square, the WAB ST26 square, and is listed as IOTA EU-124.
ISLAND HISTORY
Flat Holm island is situated in the Bristol Channel between Cardiff in South Wales and Weston Super Mare in Somerset, England. Flat Holm is a sister island to nearby Steep Holm. Both islands were fortified in Victorian times and in both World Wars to protect the approaches to major Bristol Channel ports such as Bristol and Cardiff docks. Flat Holm was also the historic site of Guglielmo Marconi's very first over water transmission from Lavernock point in South Wales in 1897. Today the island is a nature sanctuary and provides basic accommodation for visitors in the Island's Farmhouse.
The Station organiser is Ray, M0XDL
The SDRS Flat Holm activation team is now on the Island following an exciting RIB crossing from Cardiff. So far one operator is QRV on PSK31 20m using SOTA dipole. A second operator will soon be QRV with FT8 on 30m using a 10m vertical. SSB operators using SOTA dipoles on 40m or 80m are currently at lunch! Weather is good antennas are erected.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I will be looking for you later. Iain G4JMM
ReplyDeleteWhat callsign are you using prior to 0001UTC?
DeleteFT8 mainly on 30m because other bands get crosstalk with other team stations! Jonathon is working well on 80m 3.778 LSB.
ReplyDeleteRay is using the Special event call and Jonathon is using G1TGM apparently.
DeleteOff and running on Marconi Day proper! 45+ FT8 QSOs, mostly European on 30m. Jonathon on LSB 3.705MHz.
ReplyDeleteGB0MFH is currently a good signal on 3705 kHz.
ReplyDeleteIn 1897 Marconi used a kite borne antenna as part of his wireless experiments on Flat Holm Island. Today the SDRS team is recreating the Marconi experience with a SOTA Beams kite antenna configured as a long wire sloper with the kite at an altitude of about 15m. Several contacts have been made on 80m and the antenna is still being used for 80m SSB QSOs.
ReplyDeleteCurrently on 3750 kHz and a very strong signal.
ReplyDeleteIt is now Sunday 22nd and the SDRS Flat Holm station is closing down ready for pack-up and collection by the tractor at 10:00. Rib leaves around midday.
ReplyDelete102 KT8 QSOs and about the same on SSB. Weather has been reasonable but it has been very cold at times. The nesting sea gulls have been all pervasive!
I was only able to listen using Hack Green WebSDR but the 80m Station was a consistently strong signal whenever I did. Anyone got a small HF RX I could borrow?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed making contact with the SES station from the Cray Valley Club station (G3RCV) on Saturday morning. When I returned home, I followed GB0MFH around the HF bands from my less-than-perfect home station, using an indoor whip antenna and ATU. I heard quite a number of DX stations calling the SES but never heard the SES on SSB or FT8 myself. I did get brave enough to venture onto a WARC band for the first time ever, and though I never heard the SES, I did work an ES3 station in Estonia on FT8, with 5 watts, S9 noise level, and the modest indoor HF antenna. :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope the SDRS SES members on Flat Holm had as much fun as I did over the weekend :-) Congrats!
A fun day operating (part time) from the GB0DRT Special event station, sometimes using M0XDL/P. All callers were received well, but transmissions on 3.615 MHz USB and AM were a bit anaemic.
ReplyDeleteSorry about that, hope to do better tomorrow (Sunday). Listen out on 3.615 between 10.00 and 11.30. The Masirah MDRT Signals Wagon was very well received by Veterans and the public! 73 to all...
Sorry there were no GB0DRT QSO’s today. The GR479a was receiving well and could be matched to the whip but power output appeared low. I changed the linear but no improvement. It is either low drive to the linear or the inefficiency of the whip on 3.615. The large number of very interested visitors precluded any more tech! I plan to get the other set working away from the vehicle and next time I’ll maybe go for a 40m or 60m frequency! Sorry to disappoint. 73deRay.
ReplyDeleteSDRS Herm Island Expedition
ReplyDeleteGB0HAM – September 18 - 20
IOTA EU-114 WAB WV48
Nine members of the South Dorset Radio Society will take the Condor ferry from Poole to Guernsey - then a small ferry to Herm Island. Accommodation is in two log cabins near the top of the Island which will become our QTH. It looks idyllic if the weather Gods smile on us! We will do our own daytime catering but will probably visit the Mermaid Pub for our evening dinner.
The Special Event Callsign is GB0HAM and we will operate on whatever bands are open using SSB and Data Modes. We should be on the air from the late evening of the 18th to 2359 on the 20th.
HERM EVENT CANCELLED
ReplyDeleteCondor have cancelled the ferry crossing for the second time and is now impossible to get to Herm in time to run this event as planned. It is hoped that the event can be rescheduled at a future date.
It is hoped that the Herm event will now take place from October 15 - 19.
ReplyDeleteTesting from Geoff
ReplyDeleteReply to test.
ReplyDeleteThe intrepid SDRS Operation Market Garden team have been QRV at RAF Tarrant Rushton using callsign GB0MKT since Tuesday 17th Sept with SSB on 40 and 80m and Data (FT8) on 30, 20, 17,15 and 10m. The QTH is excellent and the weather has smiled on the happy campers Ray M0XDL and Stuart M0SGV, ably assisted during the day by Rob G0RYL, Carol GXXXX and Mike G0LQI. The activation of this historic Pegasus Bridge and Arnhem glider launch point will end later today.
ReplyDelete