Science Week 2004
For Science Week this year, we decided to set up a demonstration amateur radio station in the visitors centre at the Lighthouse, on Sunday March 14th, activating, GB2PBL.
Despite a fine start to the weekend weather-wise, conditions had deteriorated by Sunday, which proved to be one of stormiest days in recent months! High winds whipping around the lighthouse tower and frequent rain made setting up even our modest HF wire antenna a challenge to say the least, but we got there in the end!
Our main station in the visitors centre included HF and VHF radios, with modern modes such as PSK31 and UI-VIEW being on show (indeed, PSK31 was the most popular mode of operation during the event). Whilst not amateur radio as such, we also had a demonstration of weather satellite reception by Graham (very appropriate, given the conditions on the day!).
Owen, 2E1OZY, worked stations all over the UK
and Europe on 10W PSK31 during the event
In addition to the downstairs station, we had a second HF/VHF station set up at the top of the lighthouse tower, on show to those energetic visitors who climbed the 150+ steps from ground level, and from which the local 2m GB2RS news broadcast was read in the morning, and some HF phone contacts made during the day.
Overall, due to the very inclement weather, visitors number were lower than usual, but the station attracted interest from the public, and, above all, a good day was had by all the PARC volunteers!
From Kerry, M0WIK