Issue 37 - Jan 22

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Wonky antennas at Common Barn Farm during CQ WW CW 2021 courtesy of Storm Arwen.

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Editorial (inc. President’s / Chairman’s / Committee Comments) Greetings and a happy new year everyone.

Firstly, I must apologise for the late arrival of this issue of QUA, number 37 as delivery had originally been planned to be prior to Christmas 2021. However, many of you will know that in November last year our then Secretary and editor walked away from the society without notice leaving us somewhat "in the lurch".

However, with the help of a number of you out there we have been able to put this edition together. It may look a bit different as at the moment we don't have the same publishing skills as was available previously, however I hope you will find the contents informative and a good read.

Please also note one major difference to recent issues is that it's landing on your door mat rather than email account. Conscious the pandemic has meant those not online or not receiving QUA by mail or in person have been disadvantaged, we have taken the decision to issue this and future editions by post.

Aware some members would prefer to receive future editions online, please make your preference known to our Treasurer at the same time confirming your preferred email address. This will also help us to ensure future notices from the society can be directed to you by the preferred method. If, however, you are viewing this edition online and haven’t received a posted copy it may be we do not have your present address. In that case, please could you let the Treasurer have your current postal address.

We will continue to add each edition to our website archive ensuring they are available to browse online.

Finally, we would like to thank Michael Kirwan EI3KO for allowing us to reproduce in this issue his article describing Marconi’s wireless experiments at Rathlin Island. As many of you will know our contest team visited the island on a number of occasions using it as a base for the IOTA contest entry. The article originally appeared in the September 2021 edition of “Echo Ireland”, the journal of the Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) to whom we also express our thanks.

Thank you and until next time, 73’s.

Views from the Chair Hello to All Members of Stockport Radio Society.

We are now into a new year and still we are coping with uncertainties with the pandemic.

At least SRS is now back at Walthew for two evenings per month, and with your safety in mind, masks, wipes and sanitizer are all available for you to use.

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We have come through a tough couple of months, but we are still here organising meetings and presentations for you all to take part in.

As you are all aware those that left SRS set up a new club and commandeered the regular radio frequencies that SRS were using for our nets. So we have moved our nets 2 Meter simplex will now be on 145.550 MHz plus or minus QRM. There is also the 70cm net using GB3MR repeater, this is so that more members can join in from further afield also by handhelds, only needing low power for access.

If you have trouble setting your radio up please contact us for advice., by phone, text or email.

The Sunday 10 meter net on 28.550USB is still taking place as are the daily CW teatime nets.

How many of you wish for the 6 Meter net to continue? Please let us know.

We are looking for volunteers who can give a few hours of your time to participate in the organising or supporting organisers within the club.

These are, but only, assisting with setting out the JB room for presentations, someone to welcome members and receive the door monies on a meeting night. This is to name just a couple of tasks, there are more. If you can assist in any way please let us know.

We now have a new contact number and are calling it The“SRS Phone” the number is 07598 892795.

If there is no answer please leave a message or send a text. The Sim is GIFFGAFF running on the O2 network.

In the coming months you are likely to see some changes, which we believe will be an advantage to you, our members. Should you have any comments please let us know.

Keep following our Social media and SRS Members Google Groups email for updates.

Stay Safe and Well. Until next time 73 de Tony M0SAV

Latest Club News and Membership Information Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting of the society took place on Tuesday 21st December 2021 online using the Webex Facility.

The meeting followed the traditional pattern of reports followed by a general discussion concerning society activities.

Minutes of the meeting are available online or by print. Please contact the Chair either by email (info@g8srs.co.uk) or by telephone 07598 892795.

At the meeting an interim committee for 2022 was appointed as follows.

Chair:

Anthony Smithies M0SAV

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Vice Chair:

Post Vacant

Treasurer:

Evan Duffield M0TJU

Secretary:

Post Vacant

Committee Members: Bernard Naylor G3SHF Kieron Murphy M5KJM Nigel Smithies M0VNL The President Nigel Roscoe G0RXA has agreed to cover the role of Secretary until a permanent appointment can be made.

Silent Keys It is our sad news to report the loss of two long standing members, Bob Robinson M0CPP and Arthur “Art” Deakin G0EOM who were both very popular figures and supporters of our activities.

Many of you will be familiar with both Bob and Art especially if you've either visited Walthew House for one of our pre-pandemic meetings or have joined in one or more of the many on air nets.

Through these pages may we once again extend our condolences to Bob and Art's family and friends at such a sad time.

Best wishes We would also like to extend our best wishes to Pete M0PTB, Brian G1YMW, Peter G8BCG and John M0PEK who are recovering from medical issues, either in hospital or at home.

Pete M0PTB is presently in hospital recovering from a spinal issue and is likely to be resident for some time either at Salford Royal Hospital or a convalescent facility. Tom M0DCG and Bernard G3SHF are in regular touch with him and are updating members as to Pete's recovery. If anyone would like to contact Pete, or indeed visit, please get in touch with Tom or Bernard who will advise times and requirements.

New Members Welcome to new members Stephen 2W0VOG who joins us from Penarth in South Wales and to Darren G7LWT more locally from Manchester.

We look forward to meeting you both in person, through one of our online meetings, or on the air.

2021/2022 Annual Subscriptions Payable annually from 1st December.

Rates are:

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Senior

£15.00 (18-64yrs of Age)

Family

£15.00

Country

£10.00 (must live more than 50 miles of the Stockport Boundary)

Pensioner

£10.00 (65yrs and over)

Junior

£2.50 (up to 17yrs of Age)

Payments can be made by: ●

● ● ● ● ● ●

Bank transfer to the society's account with Barclays Bank PLC. Sorting Code:

205377

Account number:

40346314

Account Name:

Stockport Radio Society

Payment Reference:

Your Name, Callsign (if held) and the word “Subs”.

Cash or Cheque at any society meeting.

Cheque forwarded to the Treasurer C/O Walthew House, 112 Shaw Heath, Stockport, SK2 6QS. Cheques should be payable to "Stockport Radio Society" and to help the Treasurer please quote “2022 Subs”, your name, callsign and address on the reverse.

Please note, with a payment by cheque there may be a considerable length of time between our receipt of it and its cashing.

We, now, can accept payment by credit and debit cards (Visa and MasterCard); we will have our ‘SumUp’ card reading device ready and waiting at our Walthew House meetings.

For receipts of payment, if you communicate with SRS online, we will send an email message in lieu of a paper receipt. If you do not, we will endeavour to get a paper receipt to you by post, or perhaps with the subsequent edition of QUA.

Please be aware that subscriptions not renewed by the end of February will result in membership of the society lapsing.

Should you have an questions about subscriptions, please do not hesitate to email me at treasurer@g8srs.co.uk

Double Sapphire Award The Double Sapphire Award, originally developed to commemorate the society's 90th anniversary, has proved to have been a great way to promote communication between members by radio.

Adjusted in 2020 our 100th year, the award is open to all members of the Society, i.e. those whose subscription covers the year that the QSO (contact) was made.

Being two years since our latest anniversary it is likely a further revamp of the scheme will take place during the current year. So, if there are any of you out there still to claim your award please visit the Double Sapphire Award page on our website for details and an application.

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Club Nets Many of you will be aware that towards the end of 2021 our club nets fell on shall we say hard times.

But, with the new year we will once again be looking to get back "on the air". Elsewhere in this edition you'll find our programme of events for the next few months which includes details of the "on air" nets covering 2 Metres, 70 Centimetres and 10 Metres. The intended programme of nets is as follows. ● ● ●

Weekly Thursday (7.30PM): 70 Centimetres Net using the GB3MR Repeater.

2nd Tuesday in month (7.30PM): 2 Metre simplex Net centring on 145.550 MHz. 2nd Sunday in month (10.30AM): 10 Metre SSB net centring on 28.550MHz +/- QRM.

During these nets it is very likely the club call signs will be aired in particular during the 10 Metres nets where G8SRS will be used by the net controller.

Also, for you CW addicts out there don't forget the Tea Time Morse sessions with Bernard and Tom which take place on 80 Metres (3.564MHz) at 4pm daily unless advised otherwise.

GB3MR Repeater If you are unfamiliar with the local analogue repeaters, GB3MR is located to the south of Stockport on high ground close to Lyme Park, Disley, an area known locally as Bowstones.

The repeater is managed by the UK FM Group Western along with a portfolio of others in the area covering 2 Metres, 70 and 23 Centimetres.

The GB3MR repeater details are as follows: ● ● ● ●

Output Frequency: 433.350MHz Input Frequency: 434.950MHz CTCSS Code: 82.5Hz Locator: IO83XH

It is hoped by using a repeater to host some nets our coverage will be enhanced and members with limited equipment and antennas such as just a handheld will be able to join in.

For more information about GB3MR, including some photographs of the site, please visit https://www.ukfmgw.co.uk/tx/gb3mr/

2 Metres Net For those of you who choose to join in our traditional simplex nets you will note a change to our usual frequency. This has been brought about by our familiar frequency of 145.375MHz being occupied on a regular basis by another group.

So, in order to alleviate any confusion we are moving our net on the other side of and a little closer to the FM calling frequency (145.500MHz) and will aim to occupy 145.550MHz regularly at 7.30pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Whilst no one group "owns" a frequency, we will endeavour to make this new channel a centre of our activity on 2 metres.

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Digital Nets Many of you will know we have previously held digital nets using C4FM on Monday evenings. Whilst these proved to be popular with only a small group of suitably equipped members, investigations are underway to evaluate whether digital nets using other systems such as DMR and D-Star can be made viable.

It is believed this will help others who favour digital activities to establish a society presence which may also help those outside the Stockport area, and indeed overseas, to join in.

We will provide more information as soon as it becomes available.

Walthew House Since midway through 2021 we have been holding social meetings at our HQ for those who feel comfortable meeting in such an environment. Now in 2022, the committee has decided to formally arrange for two meetings a month, on the 3rd and 4th Tuesday to be held at Walthew House.

These meetings will be an opportunity for members once again to get together socially and to have the opportunity to use the society's fully equipped station. For those who cannot attend or who are still uncomfortable with gatherings we will be continuing with a monthly Webex meeting which on occasions will include a presentation by either a society member or guest speaker.

The full Webex meeting will be on the first Tuesday each month, however, the system may still be used during our Walthew House meetings so please look out for notifications through the usual channels.

Presentations We are always on the lookout for speakers who can deliver radio related presentations to the society either in person or through the Webex system.

If you are aware of any one who may fit the bill or indeed if you would be happy to speak about a radio topic of interest to you and which may interest others, please contact Evan M0TJU at any meeting or by email to treasurer@g8srs.co.uk. Alternatively, a message can be left using our telephone number 07598 892795.

Rallies At this time there are no plans to host a Stockport Rally in 2022, however with the NARSA Rally at Blackpool once again being held this year, we will be sending a team.

Led by our Chair, Tony M0SAV the team will be there to meet other groups from around the area as well as traders and to publicise us and our activities.

If you would like to be part of the team and can help on the day, or indeed before and after, please contact Tony.

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Club Activities Tea Time Morse with Bernard and Tom Our Tea time Morse sessions arose from the first Covid shut down starting in March 2020.

At the last meeting held at Walthew before meetings were suspended, Tom and I got our heads together looking for something to do to support SRS members over the following couple of months until normality returned….! We decided we’d try running some on-air slow Morse sessions as several people had expressed interest in joining us. We decided we’d look initially at 80m in the late afternoon with the possibility of also working on 2m, depending on contact reliability.

Our thinking was influenced by the success Evan’s M0TJU and Mike’s M6MPC Morse sessions had enjoyed over a number of years at the start of meetings at Walthew House.

We soon realised we had most success achieving contacts on 80m in the late afternoon, both around the Northwest and even further afield into Europe. During this experimental phase much use was made of web SDRs to aid reception.

Nigel G0RXA soon joined us to add some discipline to our sessions and maintain a record and recording of each day's session available via our website to all our members and any visitors showing an interest in learning CW or indeed improving their ‘fists’. Little did we realise we would be approaching 2 years operating our net on 3564 KHz each day at 4.00 pm, running 622 sessions to date.

Initially a few SRS members regularly joined in with our sessions and it was very satisfying to see (hear) improvements in sending and receiving skills. In addition to SRS members we have been joined by over 50 amateurs from elsewhere around the UK, ROI and near Europe on a regular basis.

The format of our sessions has changed over the 2 years to take account of the speeds net users preferred. Currently our sessions last just over an hour with the first 30 minutes focussed on speeds of 6, 10 and 20 words per minute. The 20 wpm is currently slowed by increasing the usual Inter-letter spacing of 3 units of time (dots) to around 9 units that will be gradually reduced to 3 as listeners speeds improve.

The second 30 minutes of our sessions are for short QSOs to: a) aid net members improve their sending skills and,

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b) gain the confidence needed when responding to CQ calls, which is a major step forward in any mode.

SRS members interested in learning to send and/or receive CW are encouraged to get in touch with Tom, Nigel or myself via morse@g8srs.co.uk or CW on 3564 kHz at 1630 local time any day of the week.

Tom M0DCG Nigel G0RXA Bernard G3SHF

Teatime Morse with Bernard & Tom ●

Days: Daily unless specified

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Time: 4pm local time

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Frequency: 3.564 MHz +/- QRM

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Email: morse@g8srs.co.uk

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SRS Morse Pages: https://www.g8srs.co.uk/morse/

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RSGB Morse Code pages: https://rsgb.org/main/operating/morse/ Jodrell Bank WebSDR: http://g0xbu.co.uk/websdr.html

SRS Contest Group After a disastrous 2020 year when all contests were cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, the easing of associated regulations enabled our activities to recommence in the first quarter when home based events got the 2021-year under way.

The Affiliated Society CW and SSB contests in January saw 2 x 4 operator teams enter both contests on behalf of SRS. The CW 'A' team came 13th out of 61 entrants, while the SSB 'A' team came 10th out of 77 entrants.

Well done all the Ops. The 48 hour WPX SSB contest in March 2021 usually tackled from Common Barn Farm (CBF) was again entered by SRS operators from the warmth of their homes using the N1MM+ contest logging programs following Webex briefings from Pete M1PTR to help newcomers.

The sister CW Contest WPX over the last weekend in May was entered by the Contest Group from their site at CBF near Rainow.

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Because of Covid, we only equipped one of our stations to ensure only one operator at a time occupied the caravan shack.

Results for the WPX contests are not available at the time of writing.

(WPX = Worked All Prefixes; Prefixes are contest multipliers) National Field Day 24 hour CW contest took place in early June, just a week after the WPX CW contest.

This contest was again using our caravan shack, and the aerial system from the previous contest.

As this did not comply with the contest rules, the Contest Group submitted their 717 QSO check log.

The last weekend in July has seen the Contest Group travel to a number of islands for the 24-hour SSB/CW 'Islands On The Air' contest.

The plan for this year was to travel to Arranmore Island, off the coast of Donegal, in the ROI. Issues associated with Covid cancelled these plans and again the group ran the contest from CBF, entering the Non-DXpedition section the group came 9th out of 23 entries.

The first weekend of September saw the Contest Group enter the RSGB's SSB Region 1 Field Day. As our usual operating field was not available, the group had to operate from the group's trailer located near the silage store at CBF using a low G5RV antenna. While not ideal, the operators managed to come 4th out of 24 entrants to the Low Power Unassisted section.

(100W without DX cluster access).

At the end of October, our caravan and antenna field were again unavailable, and we were fortunate enough to arrange access to the AVRO Heritage Museum site at Woodford to host our entry into the CQWW SSB contest. Kieron towed down one of our trailer masts and a 'Pump Room' with power and lighting was available to us.

Using a single station, 1390 QSOs were made over the weekend to check out the suitability of the site for future events.

The end of November saw the SRS CG back in the caravan for the CQWW CW contest using our full MULTI-2 station set-up. All was going well until 0745 on Saturday morning, when the day shift arrived to take over from Tom & Dave.

High winds overnight along with a fair helping of snow required Geoff, our local farmer, to tow Tom's car half a mile back to the road. So with 509 QSOs in the log, a decision was made to close the station down and get the ops to safety.

This ended SRS's contesting for 2021 when all our planned events took place in one form or another and gave some surprising results.

My thanks to all the SRS operators who took part and a special note of thanks to Roy G6RSU who turned out in some terrible weather to assist the Contest Group set-up and down without the satisfaction of operating the station.

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SRS members are welcome to join or visit any of the contests arranged by the Contest Group.

If you are interested, or would like more information, contact Bernard G3SHF or visit the club website at https://www.g8srs.co.uk/peak-contest-group/

SRS CG 2022 Contest Program SRS CG are planning a similar program to 2021 but hopefully looking forward to being able to use the full facilities of the Common Barn Farm site.

In addition, we are looking to run the Region1 SSB Field Day from the AVRO Heritage Museum site again and hopefully attract SRS members to see the set-up and also try some contest operating with assistance from the CG team members.

We are again planning to enter the 3 AFS contests in January 2022 using the N1MM+ contesting program.

Any SRS members thinking of entering any or all of these contests and needing help with N1MM+ and/or interfacing with your rigs, please let me know.

Bernard G3SHF

Stop Press CQ WPX CW Contest 2021 - G5O - Score 4,308,005 Points from 2036 QSO’s. Rank: England No 1, Europe 25, World 32.

Saturday 8th January 2022 - RSGB CW AFS Contest - Submitted logs on behalf of SRS from Evan M0TJU, Bernard G3SHF, Tom M0DCG, Kieron M5KJM, Dave G0LZL and Jay M0UNN.

SRS CG 2022 Contest Program

8th January 2022 16th January 2022 22nd January 2022 26th & 27th March 2022 28th &29th May 2022 4th & 5th June 2022 30th & 31st July 2022 3rd & 4th September 2022 29th & 30th October 2022 26th & 27th November 2022

RSGB AFS CW RSGB AFS DATAMODES RSGB AFS PHONE CQ WPX SSB CQ WPX CW RSGB NFD CW FD RSGB IOTA CW & SSB SSB Region 1 FD CQ WW SSB CQ WW CW

From Home QTHs From Home QTHs From Home QTHs From Common Barn Farm From Common Barn Farm From Common Barn Farm From Arranmore Island ROI From AVRO Heritage Centre From Common Barn Farm From Common Barn Farm

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SRS HF Ladder Dec 2021 By the time you read this the festive season will be over and the new year and a new ladder competition will be underway. Looking back at 2021 we have seen a few changes, not only within the club, but also how we adjust to the ‘new normal’. Regardless of these changes on-air radio activity continues and I’m pleased to say we had a record number of entrants in 2021. All entrants took part in one or more sections. 10 entrants competed in the PHONE section. 9 entrants competed in the CW section and 12 entrants competed in the DATA section.

Propagation During the year ladder contacts were made on all 11 bands 160m – 6m so there’s DXCCs out there if you look for them. Reports claim it’s difficult to be precise in terms of actual and forecast HF conditions. What is noted is that we are in turbulent times, with the solar flux index going up and down, and geomagnetic conditions subject to fluctuations as coronal holes and coronal mass ejections come and go. Mid-Winter is the best time for low-band propagation on Top Band, 80 metres and 40 metres and the higher bands are improving with the SFI above 100.

HF & 6 DXCC Ladder Now to the end of year results, starting with the individual modes.

Peter, G8BCG topped the DATA table with a record score of 861. This was followed by Evan, M0TJU bagging 185 CW slots and lastly yours truly making 149 in the PHONE table.

Our leading Foundation class entrant is John, M7CPT with an impressive score of 718.There were no Intermediate entrants at the end of year. The lead Full licence entrant and overall winner is Peter, G8BCG. Congratulations to all the winners and my thanks to all who entered to make it a worthwhile competition. Award certificates and the G3VOU HF Ladder trophy presentation will be made at the SRS presentation night.

I started compiling the HF ladder after Jim G3VOU became SK back in 2010, Evan M0TJU ran it from 2014 then I took over from Evan in 2017. I’ve enjoyed seeing the scores and positions change as I viewed the tables. However, it’s now time for a new HF Manager so I shall be handing over to Kieron, M5KJM to manage the HF Ladder. I wish you all the best for 2022 and look forward to reading Kieron’s reports.

Information to join the competition and the link to individual mode tables is found via the ‘HF ladder’ box under the ‘Activities’ tab on the main page.

73 and Good DXing, Pete Ridley, M1PTR

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The first wireless message ever to be sent across water was transmitted by Guglielmo Marconi in May 1897 a distance of three and a half miles from Lavernock Point, on the South Wales coast near Penarth, to Flat Holms Island in the Bristol Channel. Two months later the first British Marconi company was formed in July 1897. It then went by the name of the Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company Limited but was later changed to Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company Limited.

One of the first men to whom Guglielmo Marconi went for assistance in the development of his system of wireless telegraphy was Colonel Sir Henry Hozier, the secretary of Lloyd’s of London. Lloyds were the first commercial enterprise to take an interest in Marconi’s invention. They had a semaphore station located at Torr Head on the north-east corner of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, from which they reported ships passing through the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland.

This information was forwarded to Lloyd’s, and they printed the ship movements in their daily newspaper “Lloyd’s List”. Some of the national newspapers copied the information as well. However, in conditions of poor visibility at Torr Head contact with ships could not be established.

Rathlin Island On Rathlin Island Lloyds also had a semaphore station beside Rathlin East lighthouse at Altacarry Head. The distance between the signal station on Rathlin and the one at Torr Head was 8 1⁄2 miles. Ships passed close to Rathlin Island and reported but there was difficulty forwarding the information to land during poor visibility.

The island is 4 miles (6 kilometres) from east to west, and 2 ½ miles (4 kilometres) from north to south at its narrowest. A couple of methods were tried to get the ships name to Torr Point Signal Station from Rathlin Signal Station, and then relayed to Lloyd’s in London.

The first method tried was by semaphore signals using two white flags. These could be seen at Torr Head by means of a powerful telescope, but this system was no use in bad or foggy weather. Another method used was carrier pigeon. A number of pigeons were trained to carry messages fixed to their legs; they were released and flew to Ballycastle Coastguard Station, where upon arrival the pigeon would alight on wire netting which rang a bell, thus alerting the coastguard on duty.

However, although this system was ingenious it did not

take into account the opportunism of the Rathlin peregrine falcons. Most of the unfortunate pigeons were attacked by the falcons. Consequently, Lloyds requested the Marconi Company to see if they could establish a wireless link between Rathlin and Ballycastle on the mainland to overcome this obstacle.

As Guglielmo Marconi was busy with other experiments in England, he entrusted the setting up to George Kemp one of his personal assistants. Kemp had served twenty-five years in the Royal Navy, eventually as an electrical and torpedo instructor. After leaving the navy he became a Post Office technician working at the GPO headquarters’ staff of engineers (research department). He was subsequently released by the chief engineer of the British Post Office, William Preece to the Marconi Company. Kemp’s first encounter with Marconi was on July 27, 1896, when Marconi demonstrated his apparatus to Post Office officials with a rooftop transmission between two GPO buildings in Central London.

Ballycastle / Rathlin Island George Kemp arrived in Ballycastle by train on Saturday, June 4 1898 bringing with him a quantity of gear, including Morse keys, a transmitter, a coherer for reception, ink writer etc. There he met the Lloyd’s agent, Mr. Byrne. He studies plans and surveyed the coast on the North of Ireland and Rathlin Island.

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The Lloyd’s semaphore mast at Rathlin East lighthouse was 60 feet high and 30 feet from Lloyd’s hut.

Over the next few days, he crossed over and back to Rathlin Island and decided to set up the station close to the Lloyd’s one. There he arranged with the lighthouse keepers to run the aerial wire from the lantern gallery to the ground giving him a height of 80 feet on the cliff of about 160 feet.

One of the first locations he chose for the shore station was the cottage known locally as “The Old Coal Yard” or “The Weighmaster’s Cottage,” at Carrigmore two miles east of Ballycastle. Kemp had marked it on a sketch map with the letter “Y” He recorded in his diary on 10 June: “Met Mr. Hough from Lloyd’s at 11 a.m. and at noon took a [jaunting] car and visited the coal yard then on to see Randal Kane [farmer] at Drumnakeel who was the agent for Alex Mc Donald.......then visited John Mc Laughlin at Tornaroan tenant farmer at the cliff. Had letter from J.B. Johnstone. In the evening see Mr. Mc Gildowney [owner of Clare Park estate] and J B. Johnstone, Estate agent of Ballycastle. Got permission for the stone house or coal yard and also for spar to fix up on cliff. Loan of tools and loan of flagstaff at Clare Park if necessary.”

Next day Kemp and Hough went to Rathlin Island at 9 a.m. arriving at the island at 10 a.m. On the boat trip there, Kemp noted in his diary that there was a strong breeze, and the boat was taking in water. At Rathlin East lighthouse he took a lot of measurements. In the

afternoon he returned to Ballycastle and erected a spar to support the aerial on the cliff top. The following Monday, 13thJune, Kemp started teaching Lloyd’s agent Mr. Byrne and his sons Morse code in the hope of getting their help until he got another assistant. Four days later Kemp was in Belfast where he tried unsuccessfully to source the necessary paraphernalia of masts, wire and parts to make up the antennae. Subsequently, he had to order them from London. Some days later battery cells were fitted at the coal yard station and at the lighthouse station at Rathlin.

On the 2nd July wire and insulators arrived in Ballycastle from London and by the 5 July the remaining antenna wire and insulators were taken to Rathlin for fitting up. Kemp instructed Michael Donovan, the Principal lightkeeper, and his two sons, John and Charles, both Lloyd’s signal men, on the working of the new apparatus at the station.

On the 6th July Kemp received a series of V’s in Morse at the coal yard from the transmitter at the lighthouse; success at last. Then a request came from Marconi in London to pack up the transmitting and receiving equipment and bring it to Kingstown temporarily for the regatta scheduled for the 20th and 21st July. Kemp described it as “a half ton of gear.”

He left Ballycastle on the 3p.m. train on 8 July for Kingstown. Marconi had been asked by the Daily

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Express to report on the upcoming regatta by wireless at Kingstown, now Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin.

small bedroom at the front of the house overlooking the sea towards Rathlin Island. He got the loan of a jib of a crane in the pier yard below, now the car park, which served as a lower mast. The aerial wire was hung between them .

Kingstown Marconi came over from London and he and George Bullocke, his assistant, operated the equipment on the Flying Huntress tug boat following the regatta. George Kemp and Edwin Glanville were the Marconi men on the shore station in the Harbourmasters’ house.

Edwin Glanville was a Dublin man who attended secondary school at Wesley College, Dublin. After that he entered TCD in June 1891 and read for a degree in Mathematics and Experimental Science gaining the overall 1st Class Degree of BA in 1895. In July 1897 he joined Marconi’s company.

The regatta was held on the 20th and 21st July and the up to the minute reporting was a great success as before nobody knew who was leading the race if the weather was foggy as the boats were out of sight. After finishing at Kingstown Guglielmo Marconi had the honour of being asked to install wireless telegraphy between the royal yacht Osborne and Osborne House, in the Isle of Wight, in order that her majesty might communicate with H.R.H. the Prince of Wales.

Kemp packed up the apparatus and went back to continue the experiment in Ballycastle and Rathlin.

Glanville accompanied him.

Back in Ballycastle / Rathlin Island On the 25th July Glanville was in charge of the operation on Rathlin and Kemp in Ballycastle.

It was agreed that Glanville would transmit test signals every hour while Kemp checked at different locations along the coast in the vicinity of Ballycastle for the best reception from Rathlin. He got the best results when he attached the antenna to the top of the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Patrick’s and Saint Brigid’s Church spire in Clare Street, Ballycastle. However, there was no house or room available for the receiving gear beside the church and Kemp decided to try elsewhere.

A new site had to be found. He went to the cliff head just outside Ballycastle, and to an elevated spot on the property known as White Lodge, now Kenmara House. It was located on the top of Quay Hill, North Street, Ballycastle, belonging to a Mr. Gryer, a solicitor from Ballymoney, who allowed the house to be rented out during the summer months. Kemp noted in his diary that a room was granted to him by a lady living there. It was a

Incidentally, on the 30th July the town was thrown into a state of excitement by the arrival of a couple of motor cars which had come round the coast from Larne via Cushendall and put up for a time at the Marine Hotel.

This was the first time a motor car came to Ballycastle.

On Saturday the 6th August Kemp recorded in his diary at White Lodge/ Clare Park: “Received change then went to Clare Park and received a series of V’s [in Morse] sent from Rathlin every alternate five minutes. Height of capacity from ground 64 feet. Bottom of pole to the end of wire 67 feet. Total length of wire 131 feet. Lighthouse to Clare Park pole 7 miles, 2 of which is land [on the island].”

This V test signal was typical of the one used by countless telegraphists and radio operators over the next 100 years while they were adjusting the tension on Morse keys and tuning the transmitter for maximum signal.

All went well with progress being made every day until the 21st August when a tragic accident occurred.

Edwin Glanville On Sunday the 21st August, Edwin Glanville, who was a keen naturalist, set out from his lodgings on a long walk along the edge of the cliffs on Rathlin Island. By 10 o’clock that night his landlady became alarmed when he did not return and at daybreak the next day a search party was organized. Sadly, his body was found at the foot of a 300 ft cliff in the townland of Ballyconagan later that morning. He was 25 years old. Kemp was subsequently informed.

Kemp wrote in his diary that day , the 22nd August: “I wired to London and arranged for the dispatch of a

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coffin and the arrival of the coroner and steamer and, at 6 p.m. I went to Rathlin and examined the body with a doctor. I washed the body and placed it in the cof fin. An inquest was held, and the coroner returned death was by accident.’ It appeared that the people on the island had often seen him climbing over the cliffs with a hammer with which he examined the various strata of the earth, and this was no doubt the cause of the accident.”

On the following day Glanville’s father arrived in Ballycastle and brought Edwin’s body back to Dublin, to lie in repose. His body was taken to the mainland by the S.S. Glentow and from thence by rail to Dublin for burial.

On the 24th August at White Lodge, Kenmara House, Kemp proceeded to erect a new mast in a field 104 feet to the top of the sprit and 104 feet from the window of a child’s bedroom.

The next day Kemp states that he finished the installation and adjusted the receiver and inker. He instructed Mr. Byrne in all the details of the transmitter and requested him to follow, when he received the dots and dashes from Kemp, on the inker. He sent messages to, and received messages from, Mr. Byrne until 1 p.m. on that day, leaving the station on Rathlin in the charge of Mr. Donovan and sons, and returned to Ballycastle.

Guglielmo Marconi was shocked at the death of Edwin Glanville. He travelled over to Ireland two days later and attended the funeral. The funeral left the family home on Thursday the 25th August at Ben Inagh, Rock Road, Blackrock at 9 o’clock. After Mass the remains were interred in Mount Jerome Cemetery.

Meanwhile back at Rathlin/Ballycastle work had to continue due to pressure on time. Kemp wrote in his diary for 25th August, - the day of Glanville’s funeral “Fitted up station on this side and then went to Rathlin Island leaving Mr. Byrne in charge this side. Fitted up station on Rathlin Island and sent messages to and fro until 1 p.m. then left boys in charge and went over to Ballycastle where I found Mr. Byrne had been sending and receiving messages with the boys all correct. Took four hours to cross [by boat] and I got a violent cold.”

The following day messages were sent and received from 10 am to 6.30 pm. Ten ships were reported to Lloyd’s: S.S. Patria, Taranaki, Carthaginian, Kaleva,

Tsar, Macduff, Parisian, Ottoman, Lake Ontario and Darmatian.

Guglielmo Marconi arrives in Ballycastle On Monday the 29th August Marconi arrived in Ballycastle on the 6.15 p.m. train. He proceeded to the Antrim Arms Hotel, where Kemp was staying, and remained indoors all evening.

The following day was the first day of the Auld Lammas Fair, a traditional two-day annual fair, which the locals were certainly far more interested in. Kemp called up Rathlin Island station and found that their sensitive tube had been broken. He recorded in his diary: “I told them to stop for a few days. The weather was still very wet and windy, and I spent the remainder of the day packing apparatus and transporting it to the Antrim Arms Hotel. I told Mr. Byrne that he would have to get a station built for carrying on further work, as the present room [at White Lodge/ Kenmara] must be given up because Mr. Greer of Ballymoney, the owner of the property was coming back.... I subsequently tried to go to Rathlin but found that

19 keepers were not long in learning how to work the instruments and after the sad accident which happened to poor Mr. Glanville that installation was worked by them alone, there being no expert on the island at the time.”

Conclusion no boat had been there since August 25th when I crossed.”

On the second day of the Auld Lammas Fair, 31st August) Kemp tried to get a boat to take Marconi and himself to Rathlin, but no one would venture to cross.

Instead, they went to Fair Head, where they saw Rathlin Island, Torr Head, the Mull of Kintyre and the two islands at the mouth of the Clyde ,Sanda and Ailsa Craig The following is a synopsis of the entries in Kemp’s diary for September: September 1st- “Started from Ballycastle at 9 a.m. and went over to Rathlin Island in one hour with sail. Visited the lighthouse and found that the ridge of Lloyd’s land bore N. and S. and that our station at Ballycastle bore S.S.W. I instructed Mr. Dunovan and his sons to pack up the apparatus while I took Mr. Marconi to see the cliff where Mr. Granville lost his life. We then returned to Ballycastle at 2 p.m. pulling and sailing in 1 1⁄2 hours, after which we visited Father Conway, (to thank him for the use of the chapel spire as a mast) the Water Mill, and the landowners.”

September 2nd-“Mr. Marconi left for London and then I took down the mast and returned all of our stores to the Antrim Arms Hotel.”

September 8th-“Left Ballycastle for London via Belfast and Fleetwood.”

September 9th- Arrived at Mark Lane (The Wireless Telegraph and Signal Company London office) after a very successful demonstration. I managed to work under the most peculiar instructions ever given to me. Last year the whole of the G.P.O.’s skill was put on a similar job. I was sent to do this without any assistance in this case and had to instruct all those who helped me. I then went to my home at Leytonstone for a few days’ rest.”

In an article in “Western Electrician” of 8 April 1899, Marconi summed up the demonstration at Ballycastle: “The distance between the two positions was 7 1⁄2 miles of which about 4 was overland and the remainder across the sea, a high cliff also intervening between the two positions. At Ballycastle a pole 70 feet high was used to support the wire, and at Rathlin a vertical conductor was supported by the lighthouse, 80 feet high. Signaling was found quite possible between the two points but it was thought desirable to bring the height of the pole at Ballycastle to 100 feet as the proximity of the lighthouse to the wire at Rathlin seemed to diminish the effectiveness of the station. At Rathlin we found that the lighthouse

The demonstration was a complete success and William Preece had given his backing to a point but now felt that as a government official he could no longer do so since the Marconi Company had become a commercial enterprise Consequently, the Rathlin link was discontinued, and all the gear was returned to the Marconi Works. It must be remembered that the Post Office had not authorized the undertaking, in fact post office engineers had been trying previously and unsuccessfully to establish contact with Rathlin working from “The Old Coal Yard” or “Weighmasters Cottage” at Carrickmore where Kemp also tried.

The Post Office tried an alternative method of telegraphy for connecting Ballycastle Post Office and Lloyd’s Signal Station on Rathlin Island and it was formally opened for business on the 31st May 1901. It was known as electro-magnetic or parallel wire system.

The system consisted of two parallel wires, heavy gauge wires, on poles in a vertical plane one connecting Ballycastle and Murlough Bay on the mainland, 7 miles long, and the other connecting Church Bay and the north-east corner of Rathlin Island. The wires were led into the sea at the four terminals. A powerful battery was used as a source of energy. However, the system came to nothing, and the Marconi system superseded it.

On the 1st September 1901 Lloyd’s struck a comprehensive deal with Marconi for the establish- ment of a communications system for them. By the end of the year a wireless link was established by the Marconi company between Inishtrahull and Malin Head with a wireless station at both sites.

Marconi Cottage Bernie McGill author of ‘The Watch House’ wrote a novel based on the time of Kemp’s visit to Rathlin Island.

In her introduction she refers to the cottage and the conflicting accounts that have been written about it over the years. She followed Kemp’s diaries as closely as possible and came up with the following: “Many people are familiar with ‘Marconi’s Cottage, a building to the east of Ballycastle near Carrickmore, beyond the Salt Pans colliery, and now a private residence. I believe that this building, formerly known as the weighmaster’s house, marked on Kemp’s map as station ‘Y’, and referred to by him as ‘the coal yard station’ was one of the first sites used. The diaries list

20 remembering Guglielmo Marconi, Edwin Glanville, George Kemp and lighthouse keepers Michael Donovan and John Sullivan. I would like to thank Shane Joyce, Engineer of the Marconi Clifden Project for assistance in researching the article.

Michael Kirwan

a number of other mainland sites that were later tried with varying success including Lloyd’s Station at Torr Head; a site on the McGildowney estate at Clare Park to the west of the town; and the spire of the Roman Catholic Church in Clare Street. The most successful of the sites appears to have been The White Lodge (now Kenmara House) on the cliff top at Quay Hill on North Street, used

by Kemp in August 1898.”

Source and Acknowledgements Newspapers The Irish Times

25th August 1898, 26th February 1969

Irish Independent 7th October 1955 Belfast Telegraph 7th September 2005, 26th March 1973, 5th July1973 Belfast Newsletter 1st June 1901 Evening Mail 8th April 1901

Guglielmo Marconi never carried out any test at the cottage and never stayed there.

Western Mail 29th July 1937

Memorial plaques and stones

Western Electrician 8th April 1899

Today there are no less than five plaques commemorating the event.

A New Ulster: Marconi’s Wireless Experiments at Ballycastle by Richard Mc Caughan. Nov. 1994

On the 6th October 1955 Antrim County Council in co-operation with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board unveiled a bronze plaque at “The Old Coal Yard” now known as Marconi cottage, in the townland of Tornaroan along the coast where it was thought the successful Marconi company experiments were carried out. The plaque incorrectly read “Marconi - Site of Wireless Experiments 1905 – Antrim County Council.

Moving on to 1973, Ballycastle Urban District Council decided to celebrate the 75th anniversary. On the 6th July 1973, a Marconi memorial was unveiled down by the harbour recalling the historic occasion in 1898 when Marchese Marconi and his assistant George Kemp established wireless communication with Rathlin to report to Lloyd’s station at Torr Head on ships passing along the north coast of Antrim.

On the 24th July 1998, Princess Elettra Marconi Giovanelli, daughter of Guglielmo Marconi unveiled a memorial plaque commemorating the centenary of the world’s first commercial radio station.

The Ulster History Circle placed a commemorative plaque on the wall of Kenmara House on the 25th August 1998. It states Guglielmo Marconi and George Kemp carried out a successful experiment in Wireless Telegraphy here 25 August 1898.(Guglielmo Marconi was not in Ballycastle on that day. He was only four nights in Ballycastle arriving on 29th August 1898 and leaving on the 2nd September 1898).

In 2005 in Michael Sexton’s book ‘Marconi: The Irish Connection’ he mentioned that Edwin Glanville should be remembered for his part in the wireless tests.

Consequently, on 6 September 2005 the Chairman of Moyle District Council unveiled a plaque

Londonderry Sentinel 26th August 1950

https://antrimhistory.net/marconi-and-ballycastle/ Viewed 1st July 2021 https://www.culturenorthernireland.org/article/1316/marconi-and-r athlin Viewed 2nd July 2021 Sexton, Michael. Marconi – The Irish Connection. Four Courts Press. 2005 Cecil, Tommy. The Harsh Winds of Rathlin Impact Printing Ltd., 1990 Hancock, H.E. Wireless at Sea. Marconi International Marine Company. 1950 Marconi Wireless Telegraphy. A Short History of its Invention, Evolution and Commercial Development. The Marconi International Marine Communications Company Ltd., 1909 Mc Gill, Bernie. The Watch House, Tinder Press 2017

Oxford, Bodleian Libraries – The Marconi Archives Collection, George S. Kemp original diaries MSS. Marconi 56-88.

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Good day Mr President Hello everyone.

A new year traditionally is a time to put the year just gone behind us, look forward and make resolutions.

Whilst still feeling the effects of the pandemic one cannot ignore the issues we as a society have faced in the last few months. Up till the beginning of November we were making good progress to recover from the restrictions imposed by the authorities. Regular social meetings at Walthew House were returning, participation in a number of successful summer events and the contest team had restarted activities with events such as the IOTA Contest, SSB Field Day and CQ WW contests towards the end of the year.

Then November came with what seemed like a minor disagreement escalating quickly into a more serious affair resulting in the resignations of a number of key committee members. The circumstances and actions of those involved have been discussed and disseminated elsewhere and whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation the society was left with a much reduced committee taking us into 2022. However, there is a commitment from those now charged with managing the society to use this as an opportunity to take it forward into the future.

At the AGM in December it was proposed and agreed that an interim committee be put in place to see us through the first part of the year and allow time for a pool of members to come together to take on certain roles. It is pleasing to see offers of help coming forward particularly from those not previously involved and over the next few months the process of bringing those people in will happen.

As for the committee, well, it is intended to hold a postal election later this year where a new committee will be elected to see us through until the end of 2023.

Those who have left us for “pastures new” have done so hoping the grass is greener on the other side.

Whether that is the case will be left to be seen, but we here in Stockport Radio Society are committed to continue to be a centre of excellence for radio enthusiasts around the area and beyond.

I very much appreciate our loyal members staying with us to see us into a new year and beyond. May I wish you and your family a very happy new year.

Take care, stay safe and bye for now.

Nigel Roscoe G0RXA January 2022

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Radio Rallies The situation with the Covid-19 virus is changing rapidly. You should check before travelling that the activities announced here are taking place.

20th February 2022 – Radioactive Fair Nantwich Civic Hall, Cheshire CW5 5DG http://www.radioactivefair.co.uk/

1st May 2022 – Northern Amateur Radio Societies Association Exhibition Norbreck Castle Exhibition Centre, Blackpool FY2 9AA Dave, M0OBW, 01270 761 608, dwilson@btinternet.com [www.narsa.org.uk]

11th Jun 2022 – Rochdale & District ARS Summer Rally St Vincent de Paul’s, Caldershaw Road, off Edenfield Road (A680), Norden, Rochdale OL12 7QR Doors open 10.15am (disabled 10am).

Robert, M0NVQ, m0nvq@outlook.com, 0777 811 3333

24th July 2022 – Finningley ARS Rally Nr Doncaster (M180 J2) Car boot style rally. Food bar. [www.g0ghk.com]

12th August 2022 – Cockenzie & Port Seton ARC 27th Mini-Rally Night Community Centre, Main Hall, Port Seton 6pm, admission £2, tables on first come first served basis. [www.cpsarc.com]

4th September 2022 – Telford Hamfest Harper Adams University (HAU) TF10 8NB www.telfordhamfest.org.uk

RSGB Rallies Page https://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

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Programme of Events Please see below our programme of events for the period up until the end of March 2022.

Remember, any changes to this programme will be advised through the usual channels and on our society website.

January 2022 Programme 18th: Social Evening at Walthew House 20th: Committee Meeting by Webex 20th: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) 22nd: RSGB Phone AFS Contest (13.00 to 17.00) 25th: Presentation at Walthew House and Webex - Solar Cycle 25: What it has in store for us?

Evan M0TJU. 27th: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) February 2022 Programme 1st: Online Social Event by Webex 3rd: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) 8th: 2M Net 145.550MHz (7.30PM) 10th: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) 13th: 10 Metre Net 28.550MHz SSB (10.30am) 15th: Social Evening at Walthew House 17th: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) 22nd: Social Evening at Walthew House 24th: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) March 2022 Programme 1st: Online Social Event by Webex 3rd: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) 8th: 2M Net 145.550MHz (7.30PM) 10th: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) 13th: 10 Metre Net 28.550MHz SSB (10.30am) 15th: Social Evening at Walthew House 17th: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) 22nd: Social Evening at Walthew House 24th: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM) 26th: CQ WPX SSB Contest 27th: CQ WPX SSB Contest 31st: Club Net via GB3MR (7.30PM)

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