Party in the Park

This is the occasion of the 90th birthday of the RSGB and promptly renamed by the tribe of WARG as “THE LARK IN THE PARK”. The tribe was asked to host the part at their venue of The Whitton Community Center. A meeting of the Elders was promptly called and it was decided it was too good a chance to miss even though we had only about three weeks notice.

The RSGB loaded us with all sorts of goodies for the show and plans were made as to what we could do ….ambition was the word whispered amongst the tribe and ambition it was going to be and the following stories from the many members is proof enough.

Two HF stations, one two metre, a satellite station and an Echolink output and what looked like an antenna farm 80m and 40m long wires, invertedV, four element 2mtr, a multi-array for satellite working and a talking point for linking into G4SNT-L echolink. Plus a pumped up 80 foot mast, complete with buntings supplied by our latest member Ted – G0JQQ.

Party In The Park stories

From our Chairman Garo G0PZA:
The WARG was the only London club with an event, although there were twenty-four special event stations throughout the UK, using the special RSGB Call Sign series during the 26 & 27 July 2003. We managed to put together and operate no less than 5 stations as follows: HF (10,15,20M) IC756PRO 400W with 80ft tower and 3el beam, (Thanks to JJ G6VZM) ,LF (40,80M) IC746PRO 400W with Long wire and G5RV, VHF (2m) FT817 with vertical 60ft up, Echcolink (VHF link to G4SNT) , and Oscar 40, FT756 with 50W into 19 el plus 60cm dish with 10M converter.

Band conditions on HF were quite poor, and the IOTA contest was on, but despite this we made over 300 QSO’s on the day, using GB90RSGB/91, (what a mouthful, pant pant tongue hanging out), (GET THE RSGB BREW PDQ). Our request for the 100th anniversary is a shorter callsign!! Our visitors ranged from Hampshire to Croatia and Spain. Pancakes, tea and coffee complemented the day, and Albert’s (G4VBH) interview given to the RSGB camera crew, will I am sure be a memorable one. Finally, Paul Berkeley’s (RSGB Regional Manager) demonstration of Operating procedure on HF was particularly inspiring! I enjoyed my first Oscar 40 contact, thanks to Dave Bowman, G0MRF.” Garo, G0PZA.

There was also an abundance of photos being taken at the Party In The Park, both in the old film and digital image format, and we’ve got quite a goodly number of them. However, if there are any others of this event floating around that we aint not got (or that we’ve not got no knowledge of) then let us have them.