# Every dih every dah



## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

*Every dih every dah /--. -.- .-../-.. ./--. -- -... --../*

Just another demolition? Not quite! 
This is where every dot and dash sent by R/O's world wide to Portishead Radio ended up. 
Originally known as Burnham on Sea Radio/GRL or Portishead Radio/GKL latterly GKA the receiving station above was located at Highbridge Somerset. 
The land will be privately developed but certain characteristics cannot be changed including the original garden/flowerbeds. 
I believe street names will also have a maritime theme possibly the name of UK coast stations. Landsend, Niton etc...
GKL RIP


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

It's still like some vandal knocking down the marker on a loved one's grave.


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

For me it is an especially sad to see the destruction of GKA having spent 28 years in the service, mostly at Highbridge. 
For any other RO's on the forum and others who may be interested, there is a very good site with lots of information about the station. The link is www.portisheadradio.co.uk.
Hawkey01


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## Bearwood (Oct 13, 2005)

*Cullercoats Radio Station*

I hope those who choose the street names will include Cullercoats as one of them. The old radio station there closed quite a long time ago and, after lying empty for a number of years, was bought for conversion into a private residence. During the 'empty' period, the local amateur radio club periodically held field days there. I have often heard it referred to as 'Marconi Point' - it's a wild and windy site.



hawkey01 said:


> For me it is an especially sad to see the destruction of GKA having spent 28 years in the service, mostly at Highbridge.
> For any other RO's on the forum and others who may be interested, there is a very good site with lots of information about the station. The link is www.portisheadradio.co.uk.
> Hawkey01


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Bearwood said:


> I hope those who choose the street names will include Cullercoats as one of them. I have often heard it referred to as 'Marconi Point' - it's a wild and windy site.


I had the good fortune to work at Cullercoats/GCC in 1964. It was always referred to locally as "Marconi Point." Anglesey/GLV similarly was converted to a private residence which is better than the sorry state of Stonehaven/GND today where I moved to after Cullercoats in '65.

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=144451

There will be a commemorative plaque for the Highbridge site and the choice of street names will obviously be in the hands of the developers who I understand are Wimpey. At least they have been liaising with ex GKA principal Don Mullholland and some of the GKA staff .


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## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

R651400 said:


> I had the good fortune to work at Cullercoats/GCC in 1964. It was always referred to locally as "Marconi Point." Anglesey/GLV similarly was converted to a private residence which is better than the sorry state of Stonehaven/GND today where I moved to after Cullercoats in '65.
> 
> http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=144451


I guess thats what happens with progress but it's sad to see those pictures after all the times I'd worked GND, but happily the memories remain.
It does seem to me that the whole W/T heritage now obsolete has been thrown on the scrapheap - it would have been good to have at least one UK Coast Station kept as a heritage site so future generations can see for themselves the early development of maritime communications.
Just my 2p's worth

Mike


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

A heritage site has been mooted through the ROA but no one has come up with anything viable, the cash to buy and continuing upkeep. 
Much the same as lack of interest in the purchase of a suitable ship as an everlasting museum to our MN. 
Compared with the Germans and "Cap San Diego," we fail miserably.

http://www.capsandiego.de/

ps The HF receiver in the San Diego R/O pic is the Siemens E310 and I think image is back to front. Superb equipment and I recall the band change buttons
were on the left side of the RX.


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## mikeg (Aug 24, 2006)

Yes we have failed miserably, the Cap San Diego does I'm sure attracts many visitors. 
Perhaps it's now too late to save any of the stations but I would have thought an application to the National Lottery would secure funding for such a project, thereafter relying on visitor donations to cover ongoing expenses. A good volunteer hobby for retired R/O's perhaps?

Mike


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

The basic problem with coast station's for this type of commemoration is they are far-flung and generally off the beaten track. 
The ROA is bulging at the seams with archives, even equipment and year by year it is becoming bigger, with storage a problem.
Something similar to "Cap San Diego" would be the answer.
"Glenfalloch" would have been ideal but has now obviously gone for razor blades.
There are few if any vessels of this era left and of course more to the point no real incentive from any quarter to realise a British "Cap San Diego." or something as bold and grand as "Rotterdam." 
Let us not detract from other individual British maritime museums, good luck to them all and the people who run them.
Malcolm


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Development of the Highbridge site will be 190 houses and a nursing home.
Memorial to the site's marine radio origins will be in the form of an obelisk with appropriate plaque.
The development will be named Mullholland Park after Don Mullholland, GKA's longest serving principal and whose father worked there before him. 
The choice has not gone down too well with some of the ex-staff!
No further news on individual street names.

Those of you who still want to pump the key may be interested in this superb and nostalgic site 

http://www.morsemad.com/

n.b. Powers that be, have requested above to link to SN.


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