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G0MWT, GX0MWT, GB5HF, GB5SWM, GB100MWT & M2T CARS Members operating for RNLI at the Marconi Sailing Club, 25th/26th January 2014 |
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G0MWT, GX0MWT, GB5HF, GB5SWM, GB100MWT & M2T CARS Members operating for RNLI at the Marconi Sailing Club, 25th/26th January 2014 |
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22nd October 2014 |
Added this page |
CARS Operating from the Marconi Sailing Club at Stone on the River Blackwater for the weekend 25th/26th January 2014. Call-Sign GX0MWT.
Based on a suggestion by James Beatwell, 2E1GUA at a Committee Meeting, CARS have been fortunate with tremendous co-operation from various people to be invited to commemorate the RNLI by Operating from the banks of the River Blackwater, opposite Osea Island.
Osea Island from the Sailing Club.
Photo by Peter, G3SUY
The main station was on 40 Metres and operated SSB or CW to suit the operators preference, the Aerial was a 40m Half Wave Dipole. The station was active from nominally 9.30 am to 5 pm each day. This Dipole was erected and tested Thursday 23rd January afternoon during a lull in the rain storms sweeping Essex. The Comet 250B was also erected but not tested.
There was also a supplementary station on 160 or 80 Metres SSB at various times, this station operated with a 200 ft kite Aerial over the sea. This provided the best possible propagation conditions - sea water! Unfortunately the wind did not allow the RAF Rescue Dinghy Kite to be used.
There was also local activity via 2 Metres and GB3DA using James's IC706 and his Buddipole.
All CARS and Club members from Dengie were, of course, very welcome to participate. The location is rather remote and thus the event was somewhat dependent on the weather. However in the event the tremendous storm appeared as the people involved were leaving the site.
The Radio Locator References are as follows:-
Locator JO01JR NGR TL931058 WAB TL90.
The site is at: - 51.7181200 N 0.7952644 E
Operating on Saturday, 25th January.
Many CARS Members and visitors supported the SOS Event...
(Left) Chairman John Yates, G1UZD operating using the club's Comet 250B Aerial.
He worked the World - dispelling the story that the Comet is just one big 50 Ohm Resistor! Maybe the sea helped?
Organizer James Beatwell, 2E1GUA operating the club IC756 ProIII with Vice
Chairman Geoff Mills, G3EDM
operating the Buddipole and David Bolwell, G3JCM standing.
Photos by John G8DET.
QSL Card received from the Lebanon to John, G1UZD
Peter Bridgeman operating his TX from his car and using the Kite at 150ft on Top Band
The team packed away all the kit and left the Club House just before a tremendous storm with Thunder and Lightning struck the area.
The Team will be on the air on Sunday 26th - look out for GX0MWT - a mighty signal!
A good link is to the Essex Ham Web Site where more photographs are displayed. Link to Essex Ham Web Site
A Thank You to the Committee and Members of the Marconi Sailing Club for allowing CARS to Commemorate the RNLI this weekend in your lovely Club House and land nearby - a lovely site.
The Start of the RNLI
It is worthy of note that the RNLI was started by Danbury, Essex resident Sir William Hillary.
William was resident at Danbury Place (now called Danbury Palace) and during the period 1803 to 1805
raised a private Army to defend Essex from the French. It was for this he was granted his Title.
He moved to the Isle of Man in 1808 and realised that sailors were dying due to there being no one to save them and in 1824 he formed the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck – 30 years later to be renamed the RNLI.
He died in the IOM on 5 January 1847. A Thanksgiving Service is held in Douglas in January every
year in his honour and a statute of him has been erected at Douglas Head.
He personally saved many lives at sea - although he could not swim.
History in more detail of Sir Hillary
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