Mills 2015

Location

Saltford Brass Mill is situated on the banks of the River Avon in the village of Saltford, 5 miles west of the City of Bath in the South West of England. Its postal address is Saltford Brassmill, The Shallows, Saltford, BS31 3EY. However, there are some specific details that will be of interest to radio hams:

  • Lat/Long (Brassmill): 51.401219°,-2.451116°
  • IARU: IO81sj
  • IOTA: EU005 (UK Mainland)
  • WAB: ST66 – England

Introduction

The 9th and 10th of May saw the stalwart members of the club returning once again to Saltford Brass Mill to set up and operate GB0SBM as part of the Annual Mills on the Air event.

Saltford Brass MillNarrow Boats at Saltford Brass MillSaltford Brass Mill

The Mill is tucked away in a side street of Saltford and not perhaps the most obvious place to get to. If you are interested in visiting please use this link to jump to a "live" Google Map which will assist you with route planning.

Saltford Brass Mill ChimneyBrass Mill InteriorMuseum Artifacts

This year the Mill was to reopen to the public following nearly 2 years of closure whilst volunteers and Bath and North East Somerset Council restored and repaired the Mill following damage caused by a falling tree. The £50k repairs resolved the damage caused by the tree and addressed problems with the buildings wiring and structural repairs to attend to timber members that had lost strength over the years.

Site SetupIcom IC-706ATU

The station comprised: Icom IC-706Mk1 HF Multimode transceiver fed to a 70' doublet antenna at about 20' above ground fed with ladder line via an SGC auto ATU. Power was supplied from a 12V leisure battery. The antenna was supported by 2 aluminium flag poles, one strapped to the mills fence and other guyed into a freestanding position on the open ground adjacent to the mill. This choice of equipment has been the result of year on year evolution of our operation at this location. In particular the choice of a balanced horizontal antenna close to the ground has proven to be most effective in radiating a signal beyond the confines of our river valley using NVIS type propagation as one of the downsides of supporting a watermill is that it is, by definition, situated alongside a waterway which in turn is usually at the bottom of a valley.

David G7BYN"Shack" and AntennaThe "Shack"

Saturdays operation was undertaken by David G7BYN, Andy G7KNA, Julian M0JCE and Eddie M0LJT and we initially set out to bag the 10 mills required to qualify for the events certificate and so operated more in "hunt and pounce" mode. In our first hour we managed to work 4 other mills special event stations along with a couple of other non mills special event stations. We stuck to 40m SSB and successfully worked all over the country and into near European countries, the Dutch are usually particularly active for this event having a significant number of windmills at their disposal. Although there were many good and interesting contacts one that sticks in the mind is with Declan who was operating EI100MFA a commemorative station for the Cunard Line Lusitania; the Blue Ribbon liner sunk off the coast of Ireland on 7 May 1915. EI100MFA had been operational from Monday 4 May and had logged over 3,500 QSOs by the time we worked them.

Antenna ArrangementsMark M6FKV with Julian M0JCE LoggingMark M6FKV

On Sunday Eddie M0LJT was replaced by Mark M6FKV who had only passed his Foundation exam with the club less than a fortnight before the event. Despite this he happily took over the microphone and proceeded to work 20 or so stations on Sunday afternoon.

Logbook

GB0SBM – South Bristol ARC (Operating from Saltford Brassmill)

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.
09/05/2015 10:12 PA6MK 7.122 SSB 59   59   Elmar Wisboomgemaal Kinderdijk     Unesco World Heritage Site. Home Call PD3EM
09/05/2015 10:21 GB2EM 7.1254 SSB 59   59     Elstead Mill     Farnborough and District RS
09/05/2015 10:31 GB1VE 7.132 SSB 59   59   Dave Bletchley Park     T S Invincible. Milton Keynes ARS
09/05/2015 10:50 GB0JAJ 7.14 SSB 59   59   Sue Jill Post Windmill     Mid Sussex ARS
09/05/2015 10:58 GB0BWM 7.144 SSB 58   59   Jeremy Brill Windmill     Chesham and District ARS
09/05/2015 11:10 EI100MFA 7.149 SSB 59   59   Declan       Commemerative station for the Lusitania torpedoed by a German U-Boat off Ireland on 7 May 1915
09/05/2015 11:35 GB6AC 7.138 SSB 59   59     Abergelly Castle      
09/05/2015 11:49 PA6DYCK 7.08 SSB 54   55   Fred Stagemill Kyck over den Dyck     Home Call PA3GDG
09/05/2015 12:00 GB0HPM 7.071 SSB 59   59   James Holton Post Mill     Lowestoft District and Pye ARC. Operating TS2000 into Doublet
09/05/2015 12:04 PH15MILL 7.068 SSB 59   59   Jan De Hoop Mill      
09/05/2015 12:24 GB1GSM 7.118 SSB 59   59   Linda Gunton Sawmill     Bittern DX Group
09/05/2015 12:34 GB2RAF 7.12 SSB 58   59   Terry Norfolk     Radar Museum
09/05/2015 12:42 GB4WMM 7.143 SSB 59   59   Robert Worsborough Mill Barnsley     Denby Dale ARC
09/05/2015 12:47 GB2UW 7.15 SSB 59   59   Dave Upminster Windmill     Havering ARC running 400W
09/05/2015 13:09 GB0BM 7.163 SSB 59   59   David Burcott Mill     Mid Somerset ARC
09/05/2015 13:24 OR4D/P 7.144 SSB 59   59   Dominique       Club Station. Home Call ON7NZ
09/05/2015 13:33 GB4VED 7.138 SSB 59   55   Terry Burnham on Crouch      
09/05/2015 13:44 GX4CW/P 7.135 SSB 59   59   Kevin       North Kent RS
09/05/2015 14:04 GB2AWM 7.13 SSB 59   59   Melvin Alderford Watermill     Mill not on List
09/05/2015 14:12 GB2RM 7.133 SSB 59   59   Dave Ruiton Windmill     Mill not on List. Dudley and District ARS
10/05/2015 09:17 GB0LKM 7.114 SSB 59   59   Ian Alston Killhope Lead Mine     Bishop Aukland RAC
10/05/2015 09:24 GB5EM 7.114 SSB 59   59   Andy Ellis Mill Lincoln     Mill not on List
10/05/2015 09:26 M0HEM 7.114 SSB 59   59   John Dagenahm Essex      
10/05/2015 09:28 2E1AVX 7.114 SSB 58   59   James        
10/05/2015 09:31 2E0CSO 7.114 SSB 57   55   Colin Plymouth      
10/05/2015 09:33 GB0WWM 7.114 SSB 57   59   Colin Wilton Windmill     Home Call: G4GBP
10/05/2015 09:40 G7LSR 7.114 SSB         Ken       Poor Contact
10/05/2015 09:53 GB2MOP 7.114 SSB 58   57   Lloyd       Internal Fire Museum of Power (see QRZ.com)
10/05/2015 09:58 2E1TAF 7.114 SSB 59   59   Dave Norwich      
10/05/2015 10:02 G8GRS 7.114 SSB 59   59   Richard Dundry Highridge Common Bristol      
10/05/2015 10:03 G7LSR 7.114 SSB         Ken       Duplicate contact
10/05/2015 10:04 GW1FKY 7.114 SSB 57   59   Ken Bridgend      
10/05/2015 10:06 PB7JOS 7.114 SSB     57   Jos Netherlands     Mill not on List
10/05/2015 10:11 M0VUE 7.114 SSB 59   59   Chris        
10/05/2015 10:14 GW6STK 7.114 SSB 59   58   Robert North Wales      
10/05/2015 10:17 GB4BM 7.114 SSB 59   59   Laura Bunbury Mill     South Cheshire ARS
10/05/2015 10:20 2E0EDL 7.114 SSB 59   59   David West Yorkshire      
10/05/2015 10:22 M0ZEB 7.114 SSB 59   59   David Ely      
10/05/2015 10:26 M0BAW 7.114 SSB 59   59   Don Bremtwood      
10/05/2015 10:28 M0GLP 7.114 SSB 59   59   Garry Nottingham      
10/05/2015 10:30 G8JUT 7.114 SSB 59   59   Steve Downend Bristol      
10/05/2015 10:34 PA3EMN 7.114 SSB 59   59   Roel Amsterdam      
10/05/2015 10:37 GM7KXZ/P 7.114 SSB 59   59   Kevin        
10/05/2015 10:41 M0TRJ/P 7.114 SSB 59   59   Simon Acle      
10/05/2015 10:44 GX0BRA/P 7.114 SSB 57   57   Simon Balscote Mill     Banbury ARS
10/05/2015 10:50 GB4NHM 7.114 SSB     59   Jamie New Hall Mill     Sutton Coldfield RS
10/05/2015 10:52 G3WBB 7.114 SSB 59   59   Ted Blackpool      
10/05/2015 10:57 GI4DYE 7.114 SSB 59   58   Eamon North West Ireland      
10/05/2015 11:01 GB2CW 7.114 SSB 59   59   Harry Chesterton Windmill      
10/05/2015 11:06 GB2WBM 7.114 SSB 59   57   Keith East Sussex     Mill not on List
10/05/2015 11:07 G4ACS 7.114 SSB 59   58   Geoff Kinver South Staffordshire      
10/05/2015 11:09 GI0ZAK 7.114 SSB 59   59   Fred 1 mile north of Bedford      
10/05/2015 11:13 G8CKK 7.114 SSB 59   59   Tony        
10/05/2015 11:16 M0DFW 7.114 SSB 57   58   Dave Cambridge      
10/05/2015 11:20 2E0XFF 7.114 SSB 58   58   Mark North of Luton      
10/05/2015 11:24 F5NPS 7.114 SSB 59   59   Dennis Verron      
10/05/2015 11:26 G6INU 7.114 SSB 59   59   Doug Sidcup      
10/05/2015 11:29 G0NKZ 7.114 SSB 59   58   Ken Quantock Hills      
10/05/2015 11:32 GB0CHW 7.114 SSB 59   59   Bob Chailey Heritage Windmill     Downland Radio Group
10/05/2015 11:40 PH7GIS 7.114 SSB 56       Jeffrey Rotterdam      
10/05/2015 11:45 PB15?LL 7.114 SSB                 Technical Difficulties – Station Lost
10/05/2015 11:51 ON4DN 7.114 SSB 59   57   David 30km east of Brussels      
10/05/2015 11:54 M0LJT 7.114 SSB 47   59   Eddie Bristol      
10/05/2015 11:56 M1DUC 7.114 SSB 58   59   John Tilbury London      
10/05/2015 12:01 2E0ZXW 7.114 SSB 59   59   Mike Eastbourne      
10/05/2015 12:07 G4HAP 7.114 SSB 59   59   Fred Wigan      
10/05/2015 12:27 G4CHD 7.114 SSB 59   59   Terry Westward Ho! North Devon      
10/05/2015 12:37 GB2PW 7.114 SSB 59   59   Henry Polegate Windmill     Mill not on List
10/05/2015 12:39 M0HEM 7.114 SSB 59   59   John Dagenham     Duplicate contact
10/05/2015 12:41 M6NBJ 7.114 SSB 59   57   Paul       5W QRP – QSL Requested
10/05/2015 12:46 G0NGE 7.114 SSB 59   59   Bill Leyland near Preston Lancashire      
10/05/2015 12:53 G4DUL 7.114 SSB 59   59   Martin Doddington south Bedfordshire      
10/05/2015 12:56 2E0AYQ 7.114 SSB 57   59   Martin Orpington Kent      
10/05/2015 13:00 2E0HPI/P 7.114 SSB 59   58   Carl Hartlepool     Lighthouse – 2.5W QRP
10/05/2015 13:05 GB2LM 7.114 SSB 59   59   Rich Llanyravon Mill     Cwmbran and District ARS
10/05/2015 13:09 G8HBS 7.114 SSB 59   59   Peter Great Yarmouth      
10/05/2015 13:12 GB2RWM 7.114 SSB     57           Lost reception with station
10/05/2015 13:15 GB2GG 7.114 SSB 59   59   David Greens Windmill     South Nottinghamshire ARC
10/05/2015 13:18 G3YZY 7.114 SSB 59   59   Howard Portsmouth      
10/05/2015 13:21 GB0BWM 7.114 SSB 59   59   Phil Brill Windmill Buckinghamshire     Chesham and District ARS. Duplicate mill with different operator
10/05/2015 13:24 G4RAC 7.114 SSB 59   59   John Burton on Trent Staffordshire      
10/05/2015 13:40 M3WRB 7.114 SSB 59   59   Robert        
10/05/2015 13:42 DJ1BWH 7.114 SSB 59   59   Bridgette Hemer