GB2NM – Norris Museum
Thanks to those who joined me at the Norris Museum on 20 June 2015 for the first “Museum on the Air” from the Norris Museum, St Ives, Cambridgeshire.
We arrived at the Museum at 08:30 and were up and ready by 09:03 with our first contact at 09:10 (GB0WCT – RAF Wainfleet Control Tower, Friskney, Lincs) 59 – a good start!!
We had a total of 60 contacts throughout the day (57 SSB AND 3 CW), quite a few G stations, including 15 other Museums ( + Flag Fen (Peterborough), the Royal Signals Museum, Blandford), stations from GI, GW, GU plus DK, DL & PA. Closing at 15:45 as the Museum closed at 16:00.
I think we made a very good impression with the Museum curator who wants us to put the station on again next year, although it may be during the Museum restoration period (but they will find us a place). Also, it was so nice to have her father (Ian – M0OCN) who come all the way from Kings Lynn to see us and may come and play a little longer next year.
There was a Picture and Photograph exhibition taking place at the same time in our room, so we had a large number of visitors who just popped in to see the exhibition and were very interested in our activity. We even had two Ham Operators from Canada who just decided to visit the museum and were doubly impressed that not only did they see this hidden gem of St Ives, but were able to see GB2NM in operation. We had the current St Ives Lady Mayoress, Mrs Gilly Jackson, visit us in the afternoon to give us support.
My little KX3 with KXPA100 worked extremely well (on 60 watts output) and I was so please that the SOTABeam Band Hopper IV, supported in the center with a 6m Prowhip, worked extremely well and was giving us mostly reports of 57 to 59 and also quite a few 59+10 & 20dbs throughout the day even though the band was not great.
So, My very big thanks you Dave (M0VTG) Nigel (G6LSB) and Steve (G1KWF) for being there and I look forward to next year,…..
BIG Thanks and Best 73’s.
Mervyn S Foster - G4KLE 