The recent August Bank Holiday weekend saw the Royal Oscar Narrowboat take a trip to Bugsworth Basin, near Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire to participate in the British Inland Waterways on the Air (BIWOTA) event using the Gilmore Radio Club (GRC) callsign M0JUW. The weekend prior to the event, Station Manager, Nigel 2E0CKA, took radios, tuners and antennae from south Manchester to the boat. One of our members operating from his Stockport QTH, did some test QSO’s on 2m, 20m and 40m.
Husband and wife team Nigel 2E0CKA and Heather M6HNS, made a 6am start on the Saturday morning from New Mills to pick up Royal Oscar, before setting off for the Bugsworth Basin – only an hour away. Once moored up, Nigel prepared the vessel for two days of radio.
Heather, said: “The 2m rig (Yaesu FT7900) is semi-permanently on the boat, but the HF operation needed to be set up. With our flight cased Yaesu FT897 ‘shack in a box’ set up on rear of the boat and cabled into the batteries, no added power supply was required.”
A number of Gilmore Radio Club members had been looking forward to the weekend since the decision was taken to participate. One couple had booked into The Navigation – a local hotel and pub, and stayed overnight on Saturday so they could enjoy radio interaction on both days and also another member stayed aswell.
Nigel, added: “We were pleased to welcome club members, together with some non-members whom we hope will join our ranks. The event also saw fellow boaters come along to have a look and hear more about the joys of the Amateur Radio hobby.”
Club members attending, included: Ron M7RJL, Tracy SWL, Robert M0NVQ and his XYL Jill, Simon M7AUC, Jamie M1JSC, Chris 2E0KJC and more.
Some of our contacts from the weekend : 9AZ4XBF Croatia, YO5GDX Romania, IT9FRX Italy, YQ6A Romania, IW0HLZ Italy, R1BIG Russia and many more on HF, also M1FHM Alan on NB Pootle.
Nigel, said: “We were extremely pleased that our fellow members Ron M7RJL and his XYL Tracy, could join us to do BIWOTA with NB Little Treasure. With Gilmore Radio Club, aka the ‘friendly club”, only originating some eight months ago, we were so pleased to be involved in this event, and will definitely take part again next year.
“We would also like to thank Stefan M0OSL from Nunsfieldhouse ARG for his assistance and guidance, allowing the event to be such a great success.