Special Events News – 3 May 2020

Since the change of regulations applying to special event stations in the UK, many activations are now able to go ahead. UK amateurs would like to thank Ofcom for their help in making this happen.

Fort Purbrook Amateur Radio Club will be activating GB1VE on 8, 9 and 10 May from six different members’ homes. Two members on HF voice, always on different bands, another on HF CW, one on HF data modes, one on 6m or 2m or 70cm and, finally, one on 4m and Oscar-100—full details on QRZ.com.

GB75BVE is now being hosted from homes in and around Bournemouth until 10 May. Operators will be G3YUZ, G3XBZ, G4XEE and G3WZP, using all modes and the 160 through to 2m bands. They hope to share the VE Day commemorations on the air.

The RAF Amateur Radio Society will be activating the special event GB75VED from 1 to 28 May from members’ homes. Details are at rafars.org and QRZ.com.

Dragon Amateur Radio Club and North Wales Radio Society are operating GB0GIG—named after the National Health Service in the Welsh language—throughout May. The station will be active on HF, VHF and UHF using as many modes as possible. An award certificate is available and full details can be found on QRZ.com.

Kent Active Radio Amateurs will be running GB0HVE on 8 May as part of the anniversary of VE Day. All operations will be from members’ homes.

Tokyo-based 7-CALL Amateur Radio Club will operate 8J17CALL for a year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Japanese 7-series call signs, for example 7K1AAA.

Although the Mills On The Air event has been cancelled, Chesham and District Amateur Radio Society will be operating GB0BWM for Brill Windmill from members’ homes 9 and 10 May. The idea is to celebrate the hope for the event next year and to give publicity to the windmill that will need to attract visitors once restrictions permit. Operation will be on 3.5, 7, 14, 50 and 144MHz, mainly SSB but with some CW and FM. It is expected that stations will be on the air from around 10am on Saturday, but a schedule of times and frequencies will be available online.

XN1BOA is on the air until 15 May commemorating the end of the Battle of the Atlantic. This event is being run by the Grass Roots Ham Radio Club, whose operators will be active from their homes—details on QRZ.com.

GU75LIB will operate at varying time between 6 and 13 May, to commemorate Liberation Day on 9 May. They will be operating from home, each taking turns on band and mode.

Braintree and District ARS will operate GB5VED with several club members using their home stations. These will be active over the weekend of 7 to 10 May to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. Operators will include some of the senior club members who were present at the original celebrations. Contacts will be sought on HF, VHF, UHF.

Listen out on HF for GB4 V V V, the distinctive dit-dit-dit-DAH of wartime broadcasting, sent by the special event station managed by Andy, G0SFJ, until 11 May. He would prefer eQSL—SWL reports are very welcome.

Category: GB2RS Special Events