# Information On Fort Perch Rock



## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

To advise members, particularly the ex R/O community on SN that a Transatlantic contact QSO took place on FRIDAY night/SATURDAY morning
between the Guys at Fort Perch Rock Marine Radio Museum and St.John's
Newfoundland we transmitted on 502 khz on the MF using a 600 foot long wire aerial between the Fort and Rock Lighthouse using a power output of 1 watt ERP.We were using our permanent special event callsign of GB4FPR while using MARCONI Marine Equipment, using our newly obtained notice of licence variation on the 501 to 504 khz band using morse code CW transmission on a cross band qso with us receiving on 3566khz.
Thanks to all members involved.
Also a QSO on the same frequency 502khz was made with an SN member
Finbarr O'Connor in the very far North of EIRE, thanks Finbarr!
Best regards to all. 73's de ftf

PS who said Morse code is dead?---not here it isn't!! CW FOREVER!!!!!!!


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## ChasD (Mar 27, 2008)

Great Stuff ftf ! Keep up the work ! Regards to all ...

ChasD


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

To ChasD.
Wish you had been there with us Chas, call in again when over that way.
Take care, cheers 73's de ftf


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## Mimcoman (May 18, 2008)

"...Fort Perch Rock Marine Radio Museum and St.John's
Newfoundland we transmitted on 502 khz on the MF using a 600 foot long wire aerial between the Fort and Rock Lighthouse using a power output of 1 watt ERP..."

That is truly impressive. Out of interest, what MIMCO gear did you use?

And yet I've sat off Broadstairs and been unable to raise GNF on 5 ton...


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## NoMoss (Mar 14, 2007)

Mimcoman said:


> "...Fort Perch Rock Marine Radio Museum and St.John's
> Newfoundland we transmitted on 502 khz on the MF using a 600 foot long wire aerial between the Fort and Rock Lighthouse using a power output of 1 watt ERP..."
> 
> That is truly impressive. Out of interest, what MIMCO gear did you use?
> ...


From an ex GNI member I am not surprised. (I'll duck quick)


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

Hyer Mimcoman
We used a Salvor Em Tx and an Apollo RX and a 600 foot long aerial
over water when tide was in and a Marconi brass key. You probably could not raise gnf as he was probably on his tea break! ha-ha LOL!
Cheers ftf


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## Mimcoman (May 18, 2008)

Oh - a BRASS key.... I should have known.

(was it a Salvor 4?)


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## Oz. (Sep 6, 2005)

Dont forget us who were not radio people please. What is a QSO please?


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

QSO = Can you communicate with? when followed by a question mark or I can communicate with when not.
Normally used to say that I had a chat with or contacted so and so.
Radio "Q" codes. (Thumb)


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

Hyer Mimcoman
Your right a Salvor 4 Em TX.
A BRASS Key--one thats had the grey paint scraped off the cover and polished up---posh or what?? LOL! Selling for nearly £200 on ebay these days!
cheers ftf


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Price has come down, ftf.
They were between 3 and 4 hundred last year. Now they're down to under 150. 365Bs are now about on a par with 365EZs.
My collection is now complete. [=P]


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

Marconi Sahib
Did not know they had fallen that low---must be credit crunch.
keep em well polished and in good nick!
cheers ftf


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## Tai Pan (Mar 24, 2006)

Some years ago I wrote to the Manging Director of Marconi and told him I was an ex R/O ( all 18 months) and suffered from Arthritis, I was having difficulty with morse sending (tounge in cheek) which would be helped if I had a 365 key, which was reckoned to be the best ever. Low and behold he sent me one free of charge. Made up for never getting any leave. still use it today.


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

There may be one of these at Fort Perch. Generally regarded as the 'bees knees'

David
+


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

freddythefrog said:


> Marconi Sahib
> Did not know they had fallen that low---must be credit crunch.
> keep em well polished and in good nick!
> cheers ftf


I'll probably keep them in their unpolished, battered grey state, ftf.
There's nothing quite like the sound of a 365B. Must be something to do with the brass cover echoing.
Brings back memories of endless hours of wrist ache. [=P]

Kris


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

David
Unless its a 365B without its cover I do not recognise it--sorry, so therefore will not have one of these keysat the fort.

Marconi Sahib,
Yes plenty of wrist ache calling GKA with about 80 watts on Oceanspan
and all the foreign ships with at least a 1kw or more, always qry27 or some ridiculous number behind a passy boat with bucketfuls of slts and msgs etc.
Ah!! the good old days eh! cheers ftf


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

FtF

Standard Post Office issue !

David
+


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## freddythefrog (Dec 15, 2007)

Thanks David
I never worked for them---although I was offered a job at Portishead Radio
I did not take it up as wife would not move down there!!
Maybe I would have used one if we had moved there!!
cheers ftf


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## Mimcoman (May 18, 2008)

That's the type of key that worked the last SOS from UK coast radio stations, at GND using GLD transmitters and receivers. I've got the actual key - and the W/T logbook.
Like the 365B, it's an excellent key when properly set up.


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Hello Mimcoman

This is an ex-GKZ key. I hear they fetch a lot of dosh. Mine is a 213A srl 338497 that I used when we did Amateur morse tests. I cheated when still at sea......I was on a Safmarine fruit reefer c/s ZSHI - felt the need for a bug key !

David
+


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## Mimcoman (May 18, 2008)

Hi, David:

I did like those keys. The other type - Ericsson? - was good but I always came back to this one. Never liked the Katsumi bug that BT supplied, though.

Rgds/Bill


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## NoMoss (Mar 14, 2007)

david.hopcroft said:


> There may be one of these at Fort Perch. Generally regarded as the 'bees knees'
> 
> David
> +


I think I mentioned I have a key like that which I aquired when I worked at GNI. 
It has the black bakelite cover with it and it is screwed to a piece of brass.
There is no type no but P.S. No 213 Inst No 422704.
The key was not a type in use at the station but it was swapped from a GPO engineer that was working on the station changing over to the new one.


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