Author - Charles M0OXO

GS2ZE & GB2ZE

7th December 2021
100th Anniversary of First Transatlantic Amateur Radio Radio Message
 
Kilmarnock and Loudoun Amateur Radio Club is proud to announce that it has been asked by the organisers of the celebrations to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the reception of the first transmission by amateur radio across the Atlantic to operate a commemorative station adjacent to the site of the original experiment at Ardrossan.
 
The Ardrossan station will be on the air between 1200GMT Saturday 11 December 2021 until 1200GMT Sunday 12 December 2021 on HF (short wave) amateur radio bands using CW (Morse Code) and Telephony including the whole of the 160m CW QSO Party to exchange signals between the UK and the USA..
 
The station callsign GS2ZE will be used for the celebration except for the first hour of the 160m CW QSO Party and it will take part in the message relay as GB2ZE.
 
Paul Godley was able to receive the first transatlantic shortwave amateur radio message from the amateur station 1BCG located in Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.A.
The received message was recorded in Paul Godley’s logbook on the 12th December 1921 at 02:52GMT which was hastily composed by his 1BCG colleagues: “Nr 1 de 1BCG words 12, New York. Date December 11, 1921, to Paul Godley, Ardrossan, Scotland. Hearty Congratulations. (Signed) Burghard, Inman, Grinan, Armstrong, Amy, Cronkhite.”
 
Further details can be found here: www.transatlantic.org.uk

RSGB 160M events December 2021

2nd December 2021
160-Meter operators can revel in two opportunities in December that promise to fill the airwaves with activity to test skills and stations on the band. The events take place a century after the 1920s Transatlantic Tests which ushered in the dawn of international amateur radio communications.
 
The annual ARRL 160-Meter Contest begins 2200 UTC on Friday, December 3 and ends at 1559 UTC, December 5 (see rules). This 42-hour CW-only contest is most similar to the original Transatlantic Tests. The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) is planning to activate special call signs to commemorate the centenary of the Tests, with stations from the UK and Crown Dependencies using up to seven different prefixes: G6XX, England; GD6XX, Isle of Man; GI6XX, Northern Ireland; GJ6XX, Jersey; GM6XX, Scotland; GU6XX, Guernsey; GW6XX, Wales. Look also for stations signing the suffix “/2ZE” to their station’s normal call sign, which was authorized by Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, to use from December 1 – 26.
 
One week later, ARRL and the RSGB are jointly sponsoring the 160-Meter Transatlantic Centenary QSO Party for six hours on December 12, 2021; 0200 to 0800 UTC. The event coincides with the 100th anniversary of the successful Second Transatlantic Tests. Stations participating will operate only on CW, trying to contact the two official call sign activations, W1AW and GB2ZE. At times the stations may listen for callers 1kHz above their transmitting frequency, to help those listening for them. They may also periodically ask for DX callers, only. Call sign and signal report will be exchanged.
During the QSO Party, ARRL will activate W1AW from Newington, Connecticut. RSGB will activate GB2ZE with help from a team of stations, including members of the GMDX Group of Scotland sharing the operating duties. GB2ZE commemorates the call sign of Paul Godley, 2ZE, who was sent by ARRL to the UK to lead the second Transatlantic Test in December 1921. W1AW will be activated for the entire six hours, and stations operating as GB2ZE will keep the following schedule:
0200 UTC, from the commemorative station at Ardrossan, Scotland
0300 UTC, from GM3YTS
0400 UTC, from GM0GAV
0500 UTC, from MM0ZBH
0600 UTC, from MM0GPZ
0700 UTC, from GM4ZUK to 0800 UTC or until the band closes at sunrise
The GMDX Group will award a quaich — a traditional Scottish drinking cup representing friendship — to the first stations in North America and the UK to complete contacts with both W1AW and GB2ZE during the QSO Party. A commemorative certificate will be available for download. Log submissions will not be required from participants. The official logs from W1AW and GB2ZE will be used to determine the winners and for certificates. Logs will not be received from participants.
 
 
73 Nick G4FAL (RSGB Liaison with ARRL for joint transatlantic celebrations)

Charity Calendar 2022

25th November 2021

To help fund raising for Metabolic Support UK (MSUK) and due to demand, I have produced a Calendar for 2022. The Calendar shows images of Birds that I have personally photographed in Yorkshire over the last 12 months of 2021.

With only a limited number produced, the Calendar is now available for £8.00GBP (£10.00GBP includes postage in or outside the UK). All proceeds will go to the MSUK Charity, details of amount raised will be posted here once all Calendars are sold and donation sent.

 

Click the image above for further information.

MM0UKI/p – Rockall (IOTA EU-189)

19th November 2021
In June 2022 a team will land on Rockall Island, more than 200 nautical miles from the West Coast of Scotland, and the nearest civilisation. Their intention is to survive on the tiny island for one week battling winds and waves in order to raise £1,000,000 for charity.
 
The Ham Radio community know only too well, the stories of this infamous Rock. Kudos to Nobby G0VJG who will join the Team and will have 1/2 days on the rock as the sole Radio Operator. He will try to focus on 20 and 40m and use SSB only.
 
Still #1 most wanted IOTA in the World, it will be a huge challenge.
Further information will be available in the coming months but please take a look at the links on this post and follow the Team as they progress towards their target date.
 
 
For further updates you may also wish to follow M0OXO on Facebook and Instagram where updates will be made.
 
Pilot M0OXO
Qsl for this project will be M0OXO OQRS (Direct Only).
Instagram charles_wilmott

A451ND

15th November 2021
National Day (18th November) is an official holiday in the Sultanate of Oman and the main one in the Country.
 
National Day events include parades, fireworks, camel races, a horse show, and once every five years, a military exhibition drill. The ‘Glorious National Day Military Parade’ is the highlight and main event of the National Day holiday.
 
A451ND is QRV from the 18th and until around the 25th November on all modes.
 
Qsl via M0OXO

TL7M Central African Republic

1st November 2021
(From QRZ.Com) – ”Ken LA7GIA active from Bangui Oct 30 to Nov 15 2021. All band and all modes. First activation of 60m via special permit.
 
Elecraft K3 and Juma 1000 + KX3, Simultaneous transmission on 2 bands, CW/SSB + FTx. One computer, one brain.
 
Donations recieved via paypal [email protected] before Nov 16th receive Express LOTW and Direct QSL.
Donations are appreciated to cover some of the cost.
 
QSL via M0OXO – NO bureau cards. Direct only.”

XT2AW Sponsor Update

29th October 2021

Harald and his Sponsors give generously to provide for the School Children in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Thanks to your generous donations, our sponsored school children, some of whom have to walk 10 and more KM to school, have now received a bicycle.

I would also like to say thank you very much on behalf of the children and their parents.