This week it was time for my bi-annual trip to Cambridge - for work. As usual, the trip to the office involved lots of meetings and nothing much else. As I was down in Silicon Fen, and work were paying for the travel, I decided a trip to Bletchley park on the way home today (Friday) was in order
The last time I visited Bletchley park was almost five years ago, when staying 144MHz apart meant most of the pre-fabricated huts, including Hut 8 where Alan Turing hung out, were closed. Furthermore, playing with the radios in RSGB National Radio centre was strictly forbidden.
After a short demo of FT8 (yawn) and QO-100, it was time to have a go operating as GB3RS. I fired up SOTA watch on my phone and to my surprise there were a load of G stations activating. Being used to 12W from my KX2 the chance to use some serious power was something of a novelty.
First in the log was Alex GM5ALX on GM/CS-066 (on 40M), who I struggled to hear for the annoying FT8 booming out from another radio. With the FT8 din muted, next in the log was Richard 2E0XGO on G/LD-044. There were many more I could have worked, but sadly my allotted time was up. Here’s a piccie of yours truly, working GM5ALX/p.
It was quiet when I went to GB3RS. I asked a volunteer if I could see the station in action with Morse code. The volunteer said unfortunately none of the volunteers here at the moment can use Morse code. I replied that I could do Morse but somebody would have to show me how to drive the fancy radio.
I put on some CQs and soon had a steady of callers. It seemed out of nowhere that the radio room filled with people, all watching this really nervous guy making QSOs using a Morse key! I survived!
Great to hear you today! My first Bletchley QSO. I could hear some commotion in the background, so clearly you were putting on a good show!
My sister came along today, I picked Morrone so we could have tea and cake at the Bothy in Braemar, and she wanted to look at the Highland Coos tea towels and other tourist tat.
Was a bit windy on the top, and there was a lot of QRM on 40m, maybe from the massive tower behind me.
Great to work you today Alex. Despite the din from FT8, between every 15 second transmit you were clear.as a bell into the radio room at Bletchley. You must have a cracking microphone
The RSGB chap noting down the QSL, put up your qrz.com page on the big screen, so all present could see who I was talking to…
Much the same happened to me. The friendly chap on duty that day encouraged me to have a QSO but was unfamiliar with using the radios in CW and we couldn’t get the paddle to work. Meanwhile his colleague managed to gather up a crowd of spectators to watch me. I managed a rather nerve-wracking QSO trying to work out how to use a straight key, how to work an unfamiliar radio, as a CW novice, whilst questions and answers were being fielded behind me. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
