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

The Operation

This year marks a departure from our normal historic operations. Whereas in previous years we have set up on the grass verge outside the Mill and operated more or less from outside the Mill, this year we had agreed with the Mill Volunteers to come inside the grounds. Whilst still an outdoor operation this dramatically increases the ease with which the operation can be undertaken as above all else it allows us access to mains power avoiding the need for generators or batteries. It also gets us more contact with the visitors to the Mill and allows us to build a stronger relationship with the volunteers at the Mill.

We also had some new equipment to deploy, which although it had been tested was seeing its first outing at this years first Special Event.

The Station

  • Yaesu FT-991 HF/VHF/UHF Multi-mode transceiver
  • Manson EP-925 25A constant 30A peak linear power supply
  • B and W Manual HF ATU with balanced connection
  • Behringer 302USB audio mixer (splits audio out from the FT-991 to operators headphones and external amplified speakers)
  • Noname headphone/boom microphone with foot operated PTT
  • Logitech USB powered amplified speakers
  • 20m 4 way mains extension lead
  • 80m doublet fed with 450Ω ladder-line
  • Fibreglass telescopic mast to support centre of doublet in an inverted vee configuration

Saturday 12 May 2018

The morning went more or less to plan, Andy G7KNA and mark M0SKV arrived on site more or less simultaneously at 09:35 only 5 minutes behind the agreed start time. They were joined in short order by Eddie M0LJT, Joe 2E0EIC, Dave 2E0GZO and Gary 2E0HCC. The station went together as planned although the antenna took a littel longer to set up than originally planned as the opportunity to replace the wire arms of the doublet with Flexweave was taken before the arms were hoisted into place.

The station equipment was set up under a gazebo kindly provided by our hosts the Saltford Brass Mill.

Andy G7KNA operating GB0SBM with Mark M0SKV Logging and Eddie M0LJT ensuring due decorumAndy G7KNA discusses operational policy with Eddie M0LJT and Joe 2E0EIC as Mark M0SKV heads for coffee

Later in the day other members joined the operation including Paul 2E0GHT, John M0JFO and Fred G7LPP.

Mark M0SKV in his natural environment with microphone in handLeft to right: Joe 2E0EIC, Garry 2E0HCC, Mark M0SKV with Dave 2E0GZO. There is no truth in the rumour that this was the template for Hear no Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil

The weather favoured us with pleasantly mild conditions. Whilst many of the stations we spoke to in the east of the country were experiencing rain to a lesser or greater degree, we in the south west were lucky enough to avoid such problems. Although by no means as hot and sunny as the bank holiday weekend that preceded the Mills weekend we nevertheless had warm temperatures, overcast with occasional sunny intervals and usefully next to no wind which made our outdoor setup particularly nice especially when these conditions were coupled with the tranquil location that the Mill is situated in.

By the end of the day we had worked 52 stations including 8 other Mills stations and one “Pubs and Clubs on the Air”

Sunday 13 May 2018

Sunday dawned fair much like the Saturday that preceded it, and truth to tell the operation started out pretty much the same way as it finished on Saturday. Mark M0SKV and Andy G7KNA, the latter accompanied by number 2 son Ken who is currently a SWL, headed to site, netting on GB3BS after listening to the GB2RS News on GB3ZB. Joe 2E0EIC had heard the conversation and also headed to the site to give a hand setting up the antenna which had been dismantled and safely stored overnight.

We were also joined by Liam 2E0LHD so although numbers were down on Saturdays attendance there were plenty of people on hand.

Having the pattern of the previous days operation we were quickly back on air, oddly starting off in the same way as we finished the previous day with a second “Pubs and Clubs on the Air” Special Event Station.

Mark M0SKV operating GB0SBM with Ken SWL loggingVisitors to the Operating Area

By the end of the weekend we had over 100 contacts in the log, in fact we had 64 on Sunday bringing the total for the weekend to 116 QSOs although there were a few duplicates in that count. Total Mills stations rose from 8 to 27 as we managed 19 Mills on the Sunday.

Left to right: Joe 2E0EIC and Liam 2E0LHD await their turn operating or loggingOur new Special event telescopic mast supporting an 80m doublet cut from flexweave

Sundays at Special Events, or certainly at our Special Events, tends to be the day we try odd things. In the past we have established second stations to experiment with other modes, which in the case of Railways on the Air resulted in an established PSK31 operation, or just mess around. This time Mark M0SKV brought a drone along and flew several flybys of our antenna; at least one of which had the correct combination of: sufficient battery, facing the correct way and available memory card with sufficient storage space to actually record the view from the feedpoint. We might even get a copy of this off him at some point to see if we can get a bit of video footage cut together!

The Log

Date (UTC) Time (UTC) Station Worked Band or Frequency Mode RST Operators Name QTH Notes
Sent Rec’d
12/05/18 10:01 M0ITN 80m SSB 59 58 Tim Malton Reported slightly muffled audio from us using headset
12/05/18 10:20 G4GFI 80m SSB 59 59 Martin Epsom Downs Surrey IC7100 into inverted V dipole
12/05/18 10:25 G7SYW 80m SSB 59 59 Roger Honiton
12/05/18 10:28 M0BAW 80m SSB 59 59 Don Warley Brentwood
12/05/18 10:30 GW1MNC 80m SSB 59 59 Alec Portcawl
12/05/18 10:32 GB0BM 80m SSB 59 59 David Burcott Mill Wookey Mid Somerset ARC
12/05/18 10:36 GB2AWM 80m SSB 59 59 John Alderford Watermill Essex
12/05/18 10:38 M1AYU 80m SSB 59 59 Richard Leverington Wisbeach
12/05/18 10:42 GB0HSM 80m SSB 59 59 Phillip High Salvington Windmill Worthing Worthing and District ARC
12/05/18 10:43 GB0LM 80m SSB 59 59 Rich Llanyrafon Water Mill Cwmbran
12/05/18 10:47 M0TWB 80m SSB 59 59 Tony Blackburn
12/05/18 10:49 G3YHN 80m SSB 59 59 Chris Walsall
12/05/18 10:52 G1BVI 80m SSB 57 59 Nick Maidenbower Crawley
12/05/18 10:57 GB50TEL 80m SSB 59 59 Graham Telford Telford and District Amateur Radio Society 50th Anniversary of Telford New Town
12/05/18 10:59 GB2TMI 80m SSB 59 59 Geoff Thwaites Water Mill Stourton Leeds
12/05/18 11:02 G3TLD 80m SSB 59 59 Mike Coleford Gloucestershire
12/05/18 11:10 M3DPQ/P 80m SSB 59 59 Bob Sevington Windmill Bedordshire WAB SP95
12/05/18 11:15 G1RAF 80m SSB 59 59 Dave RAF Halton RAF Halton Radio Society
12/05/18 11:19 GX1WOR 80m SSB 57 57 Ed Worthing Suffolk Worthing and District ARC 70th Anniversary
12/05/18 11:24 2E0JFY 80m SSB 57 47 Mark Wigan
12/05/18 11:26 GM3VAL 80m SSB 57 58 Alan Selkirk
12/05/18 11:30 G4GEW 80m SSB 59 59 Peter Coulsdon
12/05/18 11:32 G3VCG 80m SSB 58 58 Don Chelmsford
12/05/18 11:36 M1EUX 80m SSB 59 59 Chris Buckingham north Buckinghamshire
12/05/18 11:42 G3VHH 80m SSB 59 59 John Langley Berkshire
12/05/18 11:49 G4YBU 80m SSB 59 59 Tim Epsom
12/05/18 11:51 G0BIN 80m SSB 59 59 Phil Bedworth Warwickshire
12/05/18 11:57 GB2DWM 80m SSB 59 59 Duloe Windmill
12/05/18 12:46 MW0LUK 80m SSB 59 59 Chris Pontypool
12/05/18 13:04 M0OPK 80m SSB 59 59 Peter Crowthorne Berkshire
12/05/18 13:25 IZ3WUW 20m SSB 59 59 Enrico Venice
12/05/18 13:39 G0AOZ 80m SSB 58 58 Roger Southmore Abingdon Oxfordshire
12/05/18 13:41 GJ7DNI/MM 80m SSB 59 59 Steve Channel Islands Chausey
12/05/18 13:44 M0PSC 80m SSB 59 59 Philip Bicester
12/05/18 13:45 G4UHJ 80m SSB 59 59 Dave Forest of Dean
12/05/18 13:48 GW0AGZ 80m SSB 58 59 John Llanymynech Powys
12/05/18 13:51 2E0KZK 80m SSB 58 59 Andy Sevington Kent
12/05/18 13:58 G4RAC 80m SSB 36 59 John Burton-on-Trent
12/05/18 13:59 M3GJA 80m SSB 46 59 Trevor Fairgreen Middleton Kings Lynn Norfolk
12/05/18 14:00 GW0FGO 80m SSB 58 59 Bill Cwmbran 30W into long wire
12/05/18 14:03 GB4WM 80m SSB 58 59 Phil Walkington Mill
12/05/18 14:07 G0GWK 80m SSB 58 59 John Lambourn
12/05/18 14:13 G0XTA 80m SSB 47 59 Ray Leverington Wisbech Cambridgeshire
12/05/18 14:16 GB0CMW 80m SSB 58 58 Will Cattells Mill Willingham
12/05/18 14:22 G4UZE 80m SSB 59 59 Chris Ruislip
12/05/18 14:28 G0HLL 80m SSB 59 59 Ron Wigston Fields Leicester
12/05/18 14:32 G1NYN 80m SSB 59 59 Dave Dewsbury
12/05/18 14:39 G3UHN 80m SSB 59 59 Peter Harpenden
12/05/18 14:44 G0EHR 80m SSB 59 59 Mike Isle of Wight
12/05/18 14:48 M0LJT 80m SSB 59 59 Eddie Bristol
12/05/18 14:49 M0WBS 80m SSB 57 57 Bill Oldham
12/05/18 14:55 GB0TVA 80m SSB 59 59 Pete Verden Arms Crewe Pubs and Clubs on the Air
13/05/18 09:18 GB0TGI 80m SSB 59 59 Tracey Tuckers Grove Inn Pubs and Clubs on the Air
13/05/18 09:53 ON5NT 80m SSB 59 59 Ghis Maarkedal
13/05/18 09:56 M1TES 80m SSB 59 59 James Bungay Suffolk
13/05/18 09:58 M0RZS 80m SSB 59 59 Mark Rangeworthy
13/05/18 10:02 G8WBO 80m SSB 59 59 Steve Salisbury
13/05/18 10:05 GW0WWQ 80m SSB 59 59 Hugh Denbigh North Wales
13/05/18 10:08 G3OKA 80m SSB 59 59 John Meols Wirral
13/05/18 10:10 G6RGA 80m SSB 59 59 John Eastbourne
13/05/18 10:12 GB4NHM 80m SSB 59 59 Rob 2E0ZAP New Hall Mill
13/05/18 10:15 GB2DWM 80m SSB 59 59 Merv Duloe Windmill
13/05/18 10:19 M0DSZ 80m SSB 59 59 Hugh Oswestry
13/05/18 10:23 G4UUQ 80m SSB 59 59 Terry Matlock Derbyshire
13/05/18 10:28 G6RQA 80m SSB 59 59 David Heacham Norfolk
13/05/18 10:30 GB2RM 80m SSB 59 59 Dave Ruiton Windmill Dudley and District ARS HQ
13/05/18 10:32 G3OAG 80m SSB 59 59 Steve Presetwich Manchester
13/05/18 10:36 G0FEX 80m SSB 59 59 Ken Leicester
13/05/18 10:40 G0NKZ 80m SSB 59 59 Kenn West Quantoxhead Somerset
13/05/18 10:44 GB0CMW 80m SSB 59 59 John Cattells Mill Willingham
13/05/18 10:48 GB2LWM 80m SSB 59 59 Nonie Lytham Mill
13/05/18 10:52 G0SYF 80m SSB 59 59 Bob Wooton under Edge
13/05/18 10:54 GW1DTA 80m SSB 59 59 Mark Swansea
13/05/18 10:55 GB1SWM 80m SSB 59 59 Peter Sacrewell Water Mill
13/05/18 10:59 GB6CW 80m SSB 59 59 Rob Cromer Windmill
13/05/18 11:03 2W0WMW 80m SSB 59 59 Mike Dolgellau Wales
13/05/18 11:12 G0TRV 80m SSB 59 59 Coiln
13/05/18 11:18 2E0ZYL 80m SSB 59 59 Sue Pulborough West Sussex
13/05/18 11:26 G3YZY 80m SSB 59 59 Howard Waterlooville Portsmouth
13/05/18 11:29 M0JCQ 80m SSB 59 59 James Berkhamsted
13/05/18 11:35 GB0SNM 80m SSB 59 59 Chris Sturminster Newton Water Mill
13/05/18 11:42 GB2MGM 80m SSB 59 59 David Mill Green Mill and Museum
13/05/18 11:42 G3YFE 80m SSB 59 59 Peter Amesbury 100W FT840 40m doublet
13/05/18 11:47 G0AGO 80m SSB 58 59 Bob Harlow
13/05/18 11:50 GB0KLM 80m SSB 59 59 Tim Killhope Lead Mine Weardale
13/05/18 11:54 M6LWO 80m SSB 59 59 Tony Bedford
13/05/18 11:59 GB2GW 80m SSB 59 59 Ivan Gleaston Water Mill Ulverston
13/05/18 12:04 GB2NW 80m SSB 59 59 Dave Nutley Windmill East Sussex
13/05/18 12:08 G0GPH 80m SSB 59 59 Peter Bury Manchester
13/05/18 12:14 GB0BWM 80m SSB 59 59 Terry Brill Windmill Buckinghamshire
13/05/18 12:19 M0ZGB 80m SSB 59 59 Jonathan Wroughton Swindon
13/05/18 12:26 GB2TMI 80m SSB 59 59 Geoff Thwaites Water Mill Stourton Leeds
13/05/18 12:31 GB2WMS 80m SSB 59 59 Art Shepshed Water Mill
13/05/18 13:12 G3TGB 80m SSB 59 59 Brian Braintree
13/05/18 13:17 GB2ERW 80m SSB 59 59 Steve East Runton Windmill
13/05/18 13:22 M0IOK 80m SSB 59 59 Dave Hull
13/05/18 13:26 2E0GHT 80m SSB 59 59 Paul
13/05/18 13:30 G0HLL 80m SSB 59 59 Ron Wigston Fields Leicester
13/05/18 13:33 G6UBM 80m SSB 59 59 Les Tonbridge Kent
13/05/18 13:38 2J0GUR 80m SSB 59 59 George St Lawrence Jersey
13/05/18 13:48 GB0CMW 80m SSB 59 59 Richard Cattells Mill Willingham
13/05/18 13:48 G4UWW 80m SSB 59 59 Tony Lawford Manningtree Essex
13/05/18 13:54 G3VCG 80m SSB 59 59 Don Chelmsford
13/05/18 13:57 G0WGP 80m SSB 59 59 Ron Burgess Hill
13/05/18 14:03 G4AKG 80m SSB 59 59 Peter Burgess Hill
13/05/18 14:08 G7OXK 80m SSB 58 59 John Feltham Hounslow
13/05/18 14:14 G4UPE 80m SSB 59 59 Dick Lenham Kent
13/05/18 14:19 2E0PTZ 80m SSB 59 59 Paul Andover
13/05/18 14:29 G6TRD/P 80m SSB 58 59 Gerry Preston Lancashire
13/05/18 14:36 M0AVD 80m SSB 59 59 John 15 miles east of Leicester
13/05/18 14:39 M0IAA 80m SSB 58 59 Ian Wakefild
13/05/18 14:40 GW0FGO 80m SSB 59 59 Bill Cwmbran
13/05/18 14:42 G0PHR 80m SSB 59 58 Mike Solihull
13/05/18 14:44 GW4FOI 80m SSB 59 59 John Neath
13/05/18 14:47 G4MDR 80m SSB 59 59 Alan Milton Keynes
13/05/18 14:49 F5VLO 80m SSB 59 58 Gary Cotes d’Armor Brittany