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 (UTC) Time (UTC) Station Worked Band or Frequency Mode RST Operators Name QTH Notes
Sent Rec'd
09/05/15 10:12 PA6MK 7.1220 LSB 59 59 Elmar (PD3EM) Wisboomgemaal Kinderdijk Mill on List: Unesco World Heritage Site
09/05/15 10:21 GB2EM 7.1254 LSB 59 59 Farnborough and District RS   Mill on List: Elstead Mill
09/05/15 10:31 GB1VE 7.1320 LSB 59 59 Dave (Milton Keynes ARS) Bletchley Park T S Invincible
09/05/15 10:50 GB0JAJ 7.1400 LSB 59 59 Sue (Mid Sussex ARS)   Mill on List: Jill Post Windmill
09/05/15 10:58 GB0BWM 7.1440 LSB 58 59 Jeremy (Chesham and District ARS)   Mill on List: Brill Windmill
09/05/15 11:10 EI100MFA 7.1490 LSB 59 59 Declan   Commemerative station for the Lusitania torpedoed by a German U-Boat off Ireland on 7 May 1915
09/05/15 11:35 GB6AC 7.1380 LSB 59 59   Abergelly Castle Abergelly Castle
09/05/15 11:49 PA6DYCK 7.0800 LSB 54 55 Fred (PA3GDG)   Mill on List: Stagemill Kyck over den Dyck
09/05/15 12:00 GB0HPM 7.0710 LSB 59 59 James (Lowestoft District and Pye ARC)   Mill on List: Holton Post Mill
operating TS2000 into Doublet
09/05/15 12:04 PH15MILL 7.0680 LSB 59 59 Jan   Mill on List: De Hoop
09/05/15 12:24 GB1GSM 7.1180 LSB 59 59 Linda (Bittern DX Group)   Mill on List: Gunton Sawmill
09/05/15 12:34 GB2RAF 7.1200 LSB 58 59 Terry Norfolk Radar Museum
09/05/15 12:42 GB4WMM 7.1430 LSB 59 59 Robert (Denby Dale ARC) Barnsley Mill on List: Worsborough Mill
09/05/15 12:47 GB2UW 7.1500 LSB 59 59 Dave (Havering ARC)   Mill on List: Upminster Windmill
running 400W
09/05/15 13:09 GB0BM 7.1630 LSB 59 59 David (Mid Somerset ARC)   Mill on List: Burcott Mill
09/05/15 13:24 OR4D/P 7.1440 LSB 59 59 Dominique (ON7NZ)   Club Station
09/05/15 13:33 GB4VED 7.1380 LSB 59 55 Terry Burnham on Crouch  
09/05/15 13:44 GX4CW/P 7.1350 LSB 59 59 Kevin (North Kent RS)    
09/05/15 14:04 GB2AWM 7.1300 LSB 59 59 Melvin   Mill not on List: Alderford Watermill
09/05/15 14:12 GB2RM 7.1330 LSB 59 59 Dave (Dudley and District ARS)   Mill not on List: Ruiton Windmill
10/05/15 09:17 GB0LKM 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Ian (Bishop Aukland RAC)   Mill on List: Alston Killhope Lead Mine
10/05/15 09:24 GB5EM 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Andy Lincoln Mill not on List: Ellis Mill
10/05/15 09:26 M0HEM 7.1140 LSB 59 59 John Dagenahm Essex  
10/05/15 09:28 2E1AVX 7.1140 LSB 58 59 James    
10/05/15 09:31 2E0CSO 7.1140 LSB 57 55 Colin Plymouth  
10/05/15 09:33 GB0WWM 7.1140 LSB 57 59 Colin (G4GBP)   Mill on List: Wilton Windmill
10/05/15 09:40 G7LSR 7.1140 LSB     Ken   Poor Contact
10/05/15 09:53 GB2MOP 7.1140 LSB 57/59 57 Lloyd   “Internal Fire Museum of Power (see QRZ.com)”
10/05/15 09:58 2E1TAF 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Dave Norwich  
10/05/15 10:02 G8GRS 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Richard Dundry Highridge Common Bristol  
10/05/15 10:03 G7LSR 7.1140 LSB     Ken   Duplicate contact
10/05/15 10:04 GW1FKY 7.1140 LSB 57 59 Ken Bridgend  
10/05/15 10:06 PB7JOS 7.1140 LSB   57 Jos Netherlands Mill not on List: Windmill
10/05/15 10:11 M0VUE 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Chris    
10/05/15 10:14 GW6STK 7.1140 LSB 59 58 Robert North Wales  
10/05/15 10:17 GB4BM 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Laura (South Cheshire ARS)   Mill on List: Bunbury Mill
10/05/15 10:20 2E0EDL 7.1140 LSB 59 59 David West Yorkshire  
10/05/15 10:22 M0ZEB 7.1140 LSB 59 59 David Ely  
10/05/15 10:26 M0BAW 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Don Bremtwood  
10/05/15 10:28 M0GLP 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Garry Nottingham  
10/05/15 10:30 G8JUT 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Steve Downend Bristol  
10/05/15 10:34 PA3EMN 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Roel Amsterdam  
10/05/15 10:37 GM7KXZ/P 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Kevin    
10/05/15 10:41 M0TRJ/P 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Simon Acle  
10/05/15 10:44 GX0BRA/P 7.1140 LSB 57/58 57 Simon (Banbury ARS)   Mill on List: Balscote Mill
10/05/15 10:50 GB4NHM 7.1140 LSB   59 Jamie (Sutton Coldfield RS)   Mill on List: New Hall Mill
10/05/15 10:52 G3WBB 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Ted Blackpool  
10/05/15 10:57 GI4DYE 7.1140 LSB 59 58 Eamon North West Ireland  
10/05/15 11:01 GB2CW 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Harry   Mill on List: Chesterton Windmill
10/05/15 11:06 GB2WBM 7.1140 LSB 59 57 Keith East Sussex Mill not on List: East Sussex
10/05/15 11:07 G4ACS 7.1140 LSB 59 58 Geoff Kinver South Staffordshire  
10/05/15 11:09 GI0ZAK 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Fred 1 mile north of Bedford  
10/05/15 11:13 G8CKK 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Tony    
10/05/15 11:16 M0DFW 7.1140 LSB 57/58 58 Dave Cambridge  
10/05/15 11:20 2E0XFF 7.1140 LSB 58 58 Mark North of Luton  
10/05/15 11:24 F5NPS 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Dennis Verron  
10/05/15 11:26 G6INU 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Doug Sidcup  
10/05/15 11:29 G0NKZ 7.1140 LSB 59 58 Ken Quantock Hills  
10/05/15 11:32 GB0CHW 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Bob (Downland Radio Group)   Mill on List: Chailey Heritage Windmill
10/05/15 11:40 PH7GIS 7.1140 LSB 56   Jeffrey Rotterdam  
10/05/15 11:45 PB15?LL 7.1140 LSB         Technical Difficulties – Station Lost
10/05/15 11:51 ON4DN 7.1140 LSB 59 57 David 30km east of Brussels  
10/05/15 11:54 M0LJT 7.1140 LSB 47 59 Eddie Bristol  
10/05/15 11:56 M1DUC 7.1140 LSB 58 59 John Tilbury London  
10/05/15 12:01 2E0ZXW 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Mike Eastbourne  
10/05/15 12:07 G4HAP 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Fred Wigan  
10/05/15 12:27 G4CHD 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Terry Westward Ho! North Devon  
10/05/15 12:37 GB2PW 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Henry   Mill not on List: Polegate Windmill
10/05/15 12:39 M0HEM 7.1140 LSB 59 59 John Dagenham Duplicate contact
10/05/15 12:41 M6NBJ 7.1140 LSB 59 57 Paul   5W QRP – QSL Requested
10/05/15 12:46 G0NGE 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Bill Leyland near Preston Lancashire  
10/05/15 12:53 G4DUL 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Martin Doddington south Bedfordshire  
10/05/15 12:56 2E0AYQ 7.1140 LSB 57/58 59 Martin Orpington Kent  
10/05/15 13:00 2E0HPI/P 7.1140 LSB 59 58 Carl Hartlepool Lighthouse – 2.5W QRP
10/05/15 13:05 GB2LM 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Rich (Cwmbran and District ARS)   Mill on List: Llanyravon Mill
10/05/15 13:09 G8HBS 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Peter Great Yarmouth  
10/05/15 13:12 GB2RWM 7.1140 LSB   57     Lost reception with station
10/05/15 13:15 GB2GG 7.1140 LSB 59 59 David (South Nottinghamshire ARC)   Mill on List: Greens Windmill
10/05/15 13:18 G3YZY 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Howard Portsmouth  
10/05/15 13:21 GB0BWM 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Phil (Chesham and District ARS) Buckinghamshire Mill on List: Brill Windmill Buckinghamshire
Duplicate mill with different operator
10/05/15 13:24 G4RAC 7.1140 LSB 59 59 John Burton on Trent Staffordshire  
10/05/15 13:40 M3WRB 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Robert    
10/05/15 13:42 DJ1BWH 7.1140 LSB 59 59 Bridgette Hemer