ROTA 2022

Railways QSL Card

Introduction

The Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust are based at the former Midsomer Norton South Railway Station. The postal address is Midsomer Norton Station, Silver Street, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2EY. However, there are some specific details that will be of interest to radio hams:

  • Lat/Long (WGS84 Geoid): 51.280684°N, 2.483002°W
  • OSGR: ST 66408 53616 (6 figure ST664536)
  • IARU: IO81sg
  • WAB: ST65 – England
  • IOTA: EU005 (UK Mainland)
  • What 3 Words: ///puts.encloses.bathtubs (Operating Post Entrance)
  • What 3 Words: ///iteration.native.lightly (Site Entrance)

Location

Operation

Equipment Used

We’ve been undertaking our Special Events for a number of years now and have gradually fine tuned our equipment and setup over time. Railways on the Air is one of our favourite events and the only one where we regularly operate both SSB and Data. However, this year due to the limited space in the buffet car we again elected to only operate SSB.

This year we used:

  1. Nissei DPS300GL power supply;
  2. Yaesu FT991 HF/6m/2m/70cm multi-mode transceiver;
  3. MFJ 993 auto atu;
  4. 80m doublet fed with 450Ω ladder line;
  5. Acer Aspire 8942 laptop running KLog under Pop!_OS.

Saturday 24 September 2022

On Saturday Mark M0SKV and Andy G7KNA assembled the SSB station in the buffet car with the 80m doublet running along the platform nominally east-west.

Buffet CarPlatform, Signal Box and DMU

We opened our account just after 10:00 UTC (11:00 BST) with a Special Event Station GB2VK celebrating the anniversary of the first Wales – Australia telegram in September 1918. This was followed by GB0BR for our first “Railways” participant.

Mark M0SKV brings the antenna centre pole onto siteBuffet Car Interior

After that there was a steady run of stations from: England, Wales, Southern Ireland (Eire), France, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Belgium and Germany. In total we made 105 contacts including 12 other Special Event Stations: GB2VK, GB0BR, GB0ACR, GB2WSR, GB0NDR, GB1FLR, GB4GCT, GB2CPM, GB2MGN, GB4MHR and GB0WRH.

Setting up the SSB StationMark M0SKV operating GB0SDR

We even spoke to a member of the Somerset and Dorset railway Heritage Trust who is living in France and asked us to pass on apologies for his absence from the Trust’s AGM!

Sunday 25 September 2022

On Sunday, Mark M0SKV and Andy G7KNA were joined by Greg M7BUF and Ken M7MYU as we returned to Midsomer Norton South Station but had to wait whilst the volunteers moved the rolling stock around. Unlike Saturday, which had been the Trusts AGM, Sunday was open to the public and the rolling stock that was attached to the buffet car was part of the steam train rides. Whilst waiting for the buffet car to be moved to release the required rolling stock we took the opportunity to extend our 80m doublet into a 160m doublet as there was sufficient length on the platform to accommodate this.

Mark M0SKV operating GB0SDR with Greg M7BUF loggingMark M0SKV operating GB0SDR with Greg M7BUF logging

We decided that 160m was noisy and there wasn’t a lot there to excite us so we returned to our usual haunt of 40m making our first contact around 10:30 UTC (11:30 BST) in the Netherlands.

Mark M0SKV operating GB0SDR with Ken M7MYU observingKen M7MYU operating GB0SDR with Greg M7BUF loggingStation set-up

We went on to make 43 further contacts, bringing our total for the weekend to 148 contacts. Contacts were made in: the Netherlands, Wales, England, Belgium, Scotland and Southern Ireland (Eire). Only 6 stations were Special Event Stations: GB4BHR, GB1MHM, GB9WLR, GB2SRT, GB0LMS and GB2EVR.

In steamReady to embark passengers

We shut down around 14:00 UTC (15:00 BST) to allow the volunteers at the Trust site to close and clean the buffet car. All in all it was a good weekend and we look forward to returning in 2023.

Location of Participating Railways Worked

Log for Railways on the Air 2022

Date of Contact Time Station Worked Band or Freq (MHz) Mode TX RX Operator’s Name QTH IARU Locator Distance (km) Notes
RST No. RST No.
24/09/2022 10:06 GB2VK 40m SSB 57   59   Danny       Special event station commemorating the first telegram between Wales and Australia
24/09/2022 10:14 GB0BR 40m SSB 59   59   Kevin       Downland Radio Group (D R G)
24/09/2022 10:20 G4NEY 40m SSB 59   59   Jon Cambridge      
24/09/2022 10:23 G0DTX 40m SSB 59   59   John Glossop      
24/09/2022 10:26 M5JFS 40m SSB 58   59   John Portsmouth     5W QRP FT817 EFHW
24/09/2022 10:28 G0NWX 40m SSB 59   57   Darren Birmingham      
24/09/2022 10:31 M0IKT 40m SSB 59   59   Dave Southampton      
24/09/2022 10:33 M3ZLA 40m SSB 58   59   Glyn Cheltenham      
24/09/2022 10:35 GW6STK 40m SSB 59   59   Robert North Wales Coast      
24/09/2022 10:38 M7NHC 40m SSB 59   59   Nick Eastbourne     10W IC7300 Long Wire
24/09/2022 10:41 M0BOB 40m SSB 59   59   Bob Romford      
24/09/2022 10:43 M7ALE 40m SSB 54   56   Dave Goole      
24/09/2022 10:46 G0MRR 40m SSB 58   57   Chris Bridgwater     FT991A End Fed Wire
24/09/2022 10:47 G4WIA 40m SSB 59   59   Ivan Lizard Pennisula      
24/09/2022 10:53 2E0JWW 40m SSB 59   59   John Derby      
24/09/2022 10:55 G0VEH 40m SSB 59   59   John N E London      
24/09/2022 10:58 G0UQT 40m SSB 57   59   Steve Bridgwater      
24/09/2022 11:01 M0DFW 40m SSB 59   59   Dave St Neots      
24/09/2022 11:10 M3KQJ 40m SSB 59   59   Charlie Birmingham      
24/09/2022 11:12 MW0CIA 40m SSB 57   58   Neath       FT900
24/09/2022 11:15 G4GFI 40m SSB 59   59   Martin Epsom     100W Inverted Vee Dipole for 80m
24/09/2022 11:18 M0PWC 40m SSB 59   59   Paul Stoke On Trent     Near Alton Towers
24/09/2022 11:20 GB4ACR 40m SSB 59       Clive Ashton Court Bristol     Shirehampton Amateur Radio Club
24/09/2022 11:24 M0GDX 40m SSB 59   59   David Sheffield      
24/09/2022 11:24 M0HEM 40m SSB         John Dagenham Docks Railway     John O’Toole
24/09/2022 11:28 M6NER 40m SSB 58   59           North Eastern Railway
24/09/2022 11:30 G0SDD 40m SSB 58   59   Chris Lydney      
24/09/2022 11:35 G3YZY 40m SSB         Howard Portsmouth      
24/09/2022 11:39 GB2WSR 40m SSB 58   59   Richard West Somerset Railway     John Newton Memorial Radio Club / Richard Newton
24/09/2022 11:44 M0KPD/M 40m SSB 58   59   Rob Gatwick Airport     IC 7300 400W Screwdriver Antenna on a Ford Transit
24/09/2022 11:47 G6NYG 40m SSB 59   59   Roy Droitwich      
24/09/2022 11:58 GB0NDR 40m SSB 59   59   Richard Shillingstone     Flight Refuelling A R S
24/09/2022 11:58 GB1FLR 40m SSB 59   55   Phillip-John Stoke On Trent     Moorlands And District Amatuer Radio Society
24/09/2022 12:01 M0TZR 40m SSB 59   59   Paul Durham      
24/09/2022 12:03 EI7HDB 40m SSB 59   59   Dale Co Carlow      
24/09/2022 12:07 GB4GCT 40m SSB 59   59   Jeremy Greenham Common     Greenham Control Tower Visitors Centre at Greenham Common Airbase
24/09/2022 12:14 M7GLS 40m SSB 58   58   Gary        
24/09/2022 12:18 G4NKT 40m SSB 59   59   Dave Bristol      
24/09/2022 12:21 GB2CPM 40m SSB 59   59   Peter Arundel     Amberley Museum
24/09/2022 12:27 M0TPT 40m SSB 59   59   David St Albans      
24/09/2022 12:28 2E1BPC/P 40m SSB 58   59   Brian Chatham      
24/09/2022 12:31 M7BBZ 40m SSB 56   59   Norman Bristol      
24/09/2022 12:34 M0PSB 40m SSB         Joe Cornwall      
24/09/2022 12:35 2E0PBC 40m SSB 58   57   Peter Hastings      
24/09/2022 12:45 G0GWY 40m SSB 59       Geoff        
24/09/2022 12:47 G0FOZ 40m SSB 59   59   Simon Christchurch      
24/09/2022 12:49 M7UTG 40m SSB 57   59   Dave Bristol      
24/09/2022 12:50 M6ZBO 40m SSB 58   59   John Nottingham      
24/09/2022 12:51 M6EAM 40m SSB 53   59   John Christchurch      
24/09/2022 12:53 M7SSW 40m SSB 53                
24/09/2022 12:55 EI6GHB 40m SSB 59   59   John Dublin      
24/09/2022 12:56 M0PTZ 40m SSB 59   59   Paul Andover      
24/09/2022 12:58 M0JRA 40m SSB 59   59   Alan Rotherham      
24/09/2022 13:00 M0MBD 40m SSB 59   59   Dave Hainault Ne London      
24/09/2022 13:03 M0XCZ 40m SSB         Mark Bognor Regis      
24/09/2022 13:06 F4VPL 40m SSB 59   59   Dave Brittany     Member of the Somerset and Dorset Heritage Trust
24/09/2022 13:08 G0BFJ 40m SSB 59       Brian        
24/09/2022 13:09 G1BBY 40m SSB 59   58   Walter Newcastle Upon Tyne      
24/09/2022 13:10 G0FVH 40m SSB 59   59   David Poole      
24/09/2022 13:12 PA3BOE 40m SSB 58   58   Reni        
24/09/2022 13:13 G4DDP 40m SSB 59   59   Richard S E London      
24/09/2022 13:14 G0MIT 40m SSB 59   59   George Liverpool      
24/09/2022 13:16 2E0MNG 40m SSB 59   59   Neil        
24/09/2022 13:17 ON2KP 40m SSB 59   59   Karel        
24/09/2022 13:18 G0ALI 40m SSB 59   59   Alison Congresbury      
24/09/2022 13:20 G1EIX 40m SSB 59   59   Harry Stratford Upon Avon      
24/09/2022 13:22 2E0HGT 40m SSB 58   59   Alan Wakefield      
24/09/2022 13:25 M0HHG 40m SSB 59   59   Gary Torquay     100W Trapped Dipole
24/09/2022 13:27 M0FRH 40m SSB 57   57   Ian        
24/09/2022 13:28 2E0HND 40m SSB 58   59   Steven Birmignham      
24/09/2022 13:30 G4CPA 40m SSB     59   Geoff Skipton      
24/09/2022 13:34 G1NLS 40m SSB 55   53   Geof Peterborough     IC7300 100W inverted vee
24/09/2022 13:36 G4AHO 40m SSB 59   59   Ken Bromsgrove      
24/09/2022 13:40 M7BSF/QRP 40m SSB 59   59   Dave        
24/09/2022 13:42 G4ZTQ 40m SSB 59   59   John        
24/09/2022 13:44 G0JBA 40m SSB 59   59   Phil Sandwich      
24/09/2022 13:48 G0WFH/P 40m SSB 55   57   Chris N E England      
24/09/2022 13:50 2E1DNH 40m SSB 57       John Brighton      
24/09/2022 13:54 G4DXP 40m SSB 59   59   Charles Stockton      
24/09/2022 13:56 G4OBB 40m SSB 59   59   Des Suffolk      
24/09/2022 13:58 G4BSC 40m SSB 59   59   John Cheltenham      
24/09/2022 14:01 M6EVR 40m SSB 57   59   Steve Bristol      
24/09/2022 14:04 2E0MTR 40m SSB 59   59   Mike Folkestone      
24/09/2022 14:07 GI0LGV 40m SSB 59   59   Hugh        
24/09/2022 14:10 G1PIR 40m SSB 59   59   Dave        
24/09/2022 14:12 G4TFG 40m SSB 59   59   Brian        
24/09/2022 14:14 G3TMG 40m SSB 59   59   Gary Portsmouth      
24/09/2022 14:18 GB2MGN 40m SSB 59   59   Linda Wickwell     Bittern D X Group
24/09/2022 14:25 G0ROJ/P 40m SSB 59   59   Peter Sturminster Newton      
24/09/2022 14:32 G4RAC 40m SSB 59   59   John        
24/09/2022 14:34 ON4KY 40m SSB 59   59   Rolland        
24/09/2022 14:35 MW0SAW/QRP 40m SSB 57   59   Steve        
24/09/2022 14:36 DL8FQ 40m SSB 58   58   Rolf Homburg      
24/09/2022 14:37 GB0HBL 40m SSB 59   59   Cliff       The Poldhu Amateur Radio Club
24/09/2022 14:43 G3VHH 40m SSB 59   59   John Langley      
24/09/2022 14:46 2EOFVN 40m SSB 59   59   Mark        
24/09/2022 14:49 GB4MHR 40m SSB 59   59   Chris Ropley     Horndean And District Amateur Radio Club
24/09/2022 14:54 GW4BZD 40m SSB 58   59   Chris Bangor      
24/09/2022 14:57 EI0YOTA 40m SSB 59   59   Marty        
24/09/2022 15:01 GB0WRH 40m SSB 59   59   Dave       Galashiels And District Amateur Radio Society
24/09/2022 15:05 G0UJI 40m SSB 59   59   Dave Ferndown      
24/09/2022 15:08 G3WZP 40m SSB 59   59   Geoff        
24/09/2022 15:12 2E1DFI 40m SSB 55   57   Roy        
24/09/2022 15:14 G7SWS 40m SSB 59   59   Olly Spalding      
24/09/2022 15:15 G4TXF 40m SSB 59   59   Colin Pershore Worcestershire      
25/09/2022 10:32 PB5X 40m SSB 59   59   Bob Breda Holland      
25/09/2022 11:01 MW0CIA 40m SSB 59   59   Norman Neath      
25/09/2022 11:06 2E0HKQ 40m SSB 56   55   Phil Farnborough      
25/09/2022 11:22 GB4BHR 40m SSB 59   59   Mike Bideford     Appledore And District Amateur Radio Club
25/09/2022 11:48 GB1MHM 40m SSB 59   59   Trevor Cornwall     Cornish Radio Amateur Club
25/09/2022 11:54 GB9WLR 40m SSB 59   59   Phil Preston     Leyland And District Amateur Radio
25/09/2022 12:03 2E0BVP 40m SSB 57   59   Glenn Ipswich      
25/09/2022 12:06 PD1AKJ 40m SSB 57   59   Nico Holland      
25/09/2022 12:09 GB2SRT 40m SSB 59   59   Dave Southwold     Lowestoft District And Pye A R C
25/09/2022 12:15 GB0LMS 40m SSB 59   57   David Carnforth     Morecambe Bay Amateur Radio Society (M B A R S)
25/09/2022 12:18 MW6FGJ 40m SSB 59   59   Mike Pembrokeshire      
25/09/2022 12:20 GB2EVR 40m SSB 59   59   Mike Bishop Auckland     Mike
25/09/2022 12:26 M0UKB 40m SSB 59   59   Bruce Newcastle(Ish)      
25/09/2022 12:29 G2NV 40m SSB 59   59   Tom Lutterworth      
25/09/2022 12:31 M1EEN 40m SSB 59   59   Greg Walcott Norfolk      
25/09/2022 12:35 G0CNN 40m SSB 59   59   Ian County Durham      
25/09/2022 12:38 G0RDH 40m SSB 59   59   Brian Morecombe Bay      
25/09/2022 12:40 ON7TWA 40m SSB 57   57   Geert West Flanders Belgium      
25/09/2022 12:43 G7PNF 40m SSB 59   59   Mark Newcastle-Under-Lyme      
25/09/2022 12:43 M0ABG 40m SSB 59   59   Andy Sizewell Suffolk      
25/09/2022 12:45 GM4MTI 40m SSB 59   59   Stuart Oban      
25/09/2022 12:48 G0TXY 40m SSB 59   59   John York      
25/09/2022 12:50 PD1JN 40m SSB 58   59   Jur Netherlands      
25/09/2022 12:52 2E0PCL 40m SSB 59   59   Garry Bridlington      
25/09/2022 12:54 MM0KBT 40m SSB 59   58   Davy Dumfries And Galloway      
25/09/2022 12:57 PD0CQ 40m SSB 58   59   Pierre Rotterdam      
25/09/2022 12:59 2E0PBJ 40m SSB 58   59   Paul Grimsby      
25/09/2022 13:01 MW0IDT 40m SSB 58   59   Ian Bridgend      
25/09/2022 13:04 M6OXN/P 40m SSB 54   57   Les Grantham     Operating /p from Lincolnshire Wolds home QTH is Grantham. ATAS-120 antenna.
25/09/2022 13:09 G0BPK 40m SSB 59   59   Nigel Pontefract      
25/09/2022 13:12 M0ELS 40m SSB 54   57   John Canterbury      
25/09/2022 13:14 G4CYI 40m SSB 57   58   John Newquay      
25/09/2022 13:20 G0RDH 40m SSB 57   57   Brian Morecombe      
25/09/2022 13:22 G0KZH 40m SSB 59   59   Elaine Rochdale      
25/09/2022 13:23 G7ENA 40m SSB 59   59   Daphne Louth      
25/09/2022 13:28 EI3HQB/P 40m SSB 59   59   John Tramore     Strap Valley Railway? Operated by South East Amateur Radio Group.
25/09/2022 13:31 GM4OMG/P 40m SSB 57   57   Clive Timsbury     /p from 60 miles south of Ullapool on mainland opposite Isle of Lewis.
25/09/2022 13:36 M3TZX/P 40m SSB 54   59   Dave Bromley     /p from New Romney Kent
25/09/2022 13:38 PE1ISP/P 40m SSB 53   59   Ron        
25/09/2022 13:43 G4CLN 40m SSB 59   59   Phillip Devon      
25/09/2022 13:45 2E0HHT 40m SSB 58   59   Bob        
25/09/2022 13:48 G7TYP 40m SSB 59   57   Brian Alfreton      
25/09/2022 13:51 EI8JK 40m SSB 55   59   Tony Ireland      

Those “Pesky” RSL’s

The Regional Secondary Locators are letters altered or added to an individual or club amateur radio callsign to denote which part of the United Kingdom the station is operating from, the map and table below indicate the principles:

Location Foundation Callsigns Intermediate Callsigns Full Callsigns Club Callsigns Special Event Callsigns
England M#☐☐☐ 2E#☐☐☐ G#☐☐☐
M#☐☐☐		 GX#☐☐☐
MX#☐☐☐		 GB#☐☐☐

Typically Special Event Callsigns are of the form GB + 1 Number (0-9) and 3 letters.
However, Special Special Event Callsigns can have 1, 2, 3 or even 4 letters after 1, 2 or even 3 digits following the “GB” prefix depending on:
1. Ofcoms disposition,
2. Who you ask,
3. Who you know, and
4. How much “clout” you can bring to bear.
Guernsey MU#☐☐☐ 2U#☐☐☐ GU#☐☐☐
MU#☐☐☐		 GP#☐☐☐
MP#☐☐☐
Isle of Man MD#☐☐☐ 2D#☐☐☐ GD#☐☐☐
MD#☐☐☐		 GT#☐☐☐
MT#☐☐☐
Jersey MJ#☐☐☐ 2J#☐☐☐ GJ#☐☐☐
MJ#☐☐☐		 GH#☐☐☐
MH#☐☐☐
Northern Ireland MI#☐☐☐ 2I#☐☐☐ GI#☐☐☐
MI#☐☐☐		 GN#☐☐☐
MN#☐☐☐
Scotland MM#☐☐☐ 2M#☐☐☐ GM#☐☐☐
MM#☐☐☐		 GS#☐☐☐
MS#☐☐☐
Wales MW#☐☐☐ 2W#☐☐☐ GW#☐☐☐
MW#☐☐☐		 GC#☐☐☐
MC#☐☐☐

Map of RSL's

We have long harboured the ambition to work all RSL’s on a single Special Event or contest but have yet to manage this (although we have come close on a few occasions). We didn’t manage it again this time either, but we live in hope!

    2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
 
M
o
t
A
 		 England       ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑     ☑
Guernsey       ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐     ☑
Isle of Man       ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐     ☑
Jersey       ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☑ ☐ ☑ ☐     ☐
N. Ireland       ☐ ☑ ☐ ☑ ☑ ☐ ☐ ☐     ☑
Scotland       ☑ ☑ ☐ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☐     ☑
Wales       ☐ ☐ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑     ☑
 
 
V
H
F
 
F
D
 		 England ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑  
Guernsey ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑ ☐ ☑ ☑ ☐ ☑ ☑   ☐  
Isle of Man ☐ ☐ ☐   ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☑ ☐   ☐  
Jersey ☐ ☑ ☐   ☐ ☐ ☑ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐   ☑  
N. Ireland ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑ ☑ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☑ ☐   ☐  
Scotland ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☐ ☑ ☑   ☑  
Wales ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑  
 
 
I
L
L
W
 		 England         ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑ ☑
Guernsey         ☐ ☑ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐   ☐ ☑
Isle of Man         ☐ ☐ ☑ ☑ ☐ ☐ ☐   ☑ ☑
Jersey         ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐   ☐ ☐
N. Ireland         ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑ ☑
Scotland         ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑ ☑
Wales         ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑   ☑ ☑
 
 
R
o
t
A
 		 England     ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑
Guernsey     ☐ ☑ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Isle of Man     ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☑ ☐ ☐ ☐
Jersey     ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
N. Ireland     ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☑ ☑
Scotland     ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☐ ☑ ☑ ☐ ☑ ☑
Wales     ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑