Shipping Forecast Region Names

Shipping Forecast Map linked from Wikipedia, please click on the map for full details.

Location

If you mention "Lundy" most peoples thoughts extend to the shipping forecast. The sea area covered by "Lundy" in the shipping forecast represents a triangular expanse of ocean bounded by Lands End, Rosslare in Eire and Fishguard on the Welsh coast.

Lundy Island, which gives its name to that expanse of ocean is, in fact, a granite outcrop, three and a half miles long and half a mile wide some 12 miles off the coast of North Devon, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel with nothing between it and America. In the hubbub of the modern world it is a place apart, peaceful and unspoilt.

In the map above, Lundy is indicated by the red marker. The MS Oldenburg usually departs from Bideford or Ilfracombe and the Heliport which is used for Winter trips to the island is at Hartland Point, these places are indicated by the blue markers.

From a radio perspective Lundy is of considerable interest. Its location makes it more or less unaffected by much of the QRM (man made interference) that plagues our individual day to day activities. Also the use of a special event callsign gives us greater value when calling on the bands. However, one of the greatest assets is the location itself. Lundy is situated at the intersection of 4 IARU Locator Squares: IO71pe, IO71qe, IO71pd and IO71qd. We usually operate from IO71qd although occasional forays to the top of the 'Old Light' allow us to operate from IO71pe.

The markers in the map above represent:

  • Government House
  • Landing Jetty (NATS/ALLRN A5619)
  • Trinity House North Light (NATS/ALLRN A5616)
  • The Old Light (NATS/ALLRN A5617 – Not Operational)
  • Trinity House South Light (NATS/ALLRN A5618)

Notes:

  • NATS = Worked all Britain (WAB) Navigational Aid to Shipping
  • ALLRN = Admiralty List of Lights Reference Number

Clicking on each “pin” will display a label naming the represented location.

Lundy is part of the IOTA Group EU120 (English Coastal Islands) which includes: Coquet, Hilbre Islands, Holy (aka Lindisfarne), Isle of Wight, Looe, Lundy, Steep Holm and The Brisons.

For WAB (Worked all Britain) Lundy is the only piece of land to be situated in SS14 England making it quite valuable for those chasing this particular square.

More or less since 1990 a group from SBARC has travelled to Lundy Island and established an Amateur Radio Station for a week. We take over equipment to operate on air from Top Band to 70cm. Throughout our stay we experiment with a variety of antenna arrangements, we have had very good results operating with simple long wires.

During our our stay we operate the special event station GB2BLE (Bristol Lundy Expedition). These pages detail some of our exploits and is dedicated to those who have tirelessly organised the occasion over the years. More recently we even have video footage of our time.

GB2BLE Through the Ages

Year Dates Accommodation The Team
2022 No Lundy DXpedition
2021 COVID-19 Pandemic – No visitation on Lundy
2020 COVID-19 Pandemic – No visitation on Lundy
2019 No Lundy DXpedition
2018 No Lundy DXpedition, Clytha Castle Activation although Andy G7KNA took Ken (now M7MYU) to the island and operated a bit of radio using an FT817 and SOTABeams Linked Dipole
2017 No Lundy DXpedition, Clytha Castle Activation
2016 25 June – 2 July Government House Peter G0DRX, Matt G0ECM, Julia SWL, Steve G0UQT, Lisa SWL, Henryk M0HTB
2015 No Operation
2014 14 June – 21 June Government House Peter G0DRX, Matt G0ECM, Julia SWL, Mike G0MEM, Steve G0UQT, Henryk M0HTB
2013 14 Sept – 21 Sept Government House Peter G0DRX, Matt G0ECM, Julia SWL, Steve G0UQT, Kirsty SWL, Andy G7KNA
2012 14 July – 21 July Government House Peter G0DRX, Matt G0ECM, Julia SWL, Steve G0UQT, Andy G7KNA, Henryk M0HTB
2011 3 Sept – 10 Sept Government House Peter G0DRX, Matt G0ECM, Julia SWL, Steve G0UQT, Andy G7KNA
2010 11 Sept – 18 Sept Government House
Old House North
Peter G0DRX, Matt G0ECM, Julia SWL, Mike G0MEM, Steve G0UQT, Norman G4NFS, Andy G7KNA
2009 18 July – 25 July Government House
Old House South
Peter G0DRX, Matt G0ECM, Julia SWL, Mike G0MEM, Steve G0UQT, Andy G7KNA, Tom M3TWJ
2008      
2007      
2006      
2005      
2004   Government House  
2003   Government House
Old House South
 
2002   Government House  
2001   Government House
Brambles West
 
2000   Government House  
1999   Government House
Old House South
 
1998   Old House South
Blue Bungalow
 
1997   Government House  
1996   Government House  
1995   The Barn  
1994   The Quarters  
1993      
1992      
1991   The Quarters  
1990   The Barn  

Please see the subsidiary pages for more information on each year