# UK Coast Stations, favourites?



## Paul Braxton

What was your favourite UK coast station to work I wonder? Mine was undoubtedly GNI/Niton for various reasons. He always seemed to have a friendly manner and was easy to work with, unlike one or two of the others perhaps. 

It was always really nice, coming up the Channel, through the Dover Straits after being on some far flung run, working dubious stations in 'less developed' parts of the world, hearing the crisp, no nonsense tones of the UK stations again. Quite a buzz, all that traffic and ships everywhere, lots to do, getting ready to pay off, get the paperwork done, fix the radar...

As for overseas stations, I always rated ZLB/Awarua (NZ) highly. His HF service was superb. As was KMI/Point Reyes in or near Seattle/Tacoma. Loading corn on the "Benhope" at the grain terminal and doing endless VHF link calls to and from the UK via KMI was a real pleasure. Got to know one of their female operators over time on the VHF. She told me I had "a nice voice", which made me feel quite pleased with myself. Told me she would come down to the ship and she did, only problem was we were just leaving the berth. But we waved to each other, she on her bike and me standing up on the bridge with a big smile on my face. Those were fun days.

Always loved that part of the world, at anchor in Elliot Bay at Seattle, waiting on a berth, looking up at that Sky Needle, or whatever it was called and looking forward to a few nights up the road. Lovely city, that. Very friendly people.

Once worked the station on Rapa Nui/Easter Island, whose callsign may have been CBY or something like that. We weren't going there, and I had no reason to do it, but I called up oneday, in the hope of getting a QSO as I'd always been really fascinated by the place. Had quite a lengthy QSO if I remember rightly, stllted English/Spanish but got the gist. Went there many years later, in 2001 and mentioned to one of the locals about that time in the '70's. Maria told me that (incredibly) she remembered the radio operator and the station they had there in those days and went off to make some enquiries among the locals about it all. Unfortunately she couldn't find out what had happened to the bloke but it wasn't for lack of effort. Nice of her to try. 

9VG/Singapore was nice to work, especially on VHF when out at anchor awaiting a berth. Nice to be having an anchor watch yarn with the 3/0 and watching all those ships crammed in, waiting for their berths. Come to think of it, those long anchorages and the different routines were a very welcome change to the normal seagoing or alongside times. Time to catch up on some work, paperwork or maintenance, time to dismantle hard to fix items like the synthesiser unit on the "Commandant" TX, get to grips with a bunch of circuit diagrams and an AVO with a diode probe! Nice to wander out on the bridge, have a yarn with the 2/O while he did his intricate chart corrections. Make a cup of coffee with the third mate and share your life stories. Yep, those were good days.

Oh, and on the other end of the scale, one of the very worst coast stations that come to mind was Lagos/5OW, or Monrovia/ELC. Total nightmare to work.


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## Troppo

The japs were very good....


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## Troppo

Oh, and GKA was alright, I suppose...

(Jester)


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## bfraser47

Troppo said:


> Oh, and GKA was alright, I suppose...
> 
> (Jester)


Stonehaven (GND ?) and Wick/Norwick (GKR). Used to run ISB on 3mhz, vft telex on one dedicated sideband and common channel voice on the other from NorthSea drilling rigs and barges.

I lived in Stonehaven at the time, so often went up to the station for various reasons, great bunch of blokes, and at Christmas took OIC Ken Foster and a couple of blokes out for lunch as a thank you for their help.


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## Dartskipper

Hi Paul,

Reference your post mentioning Seattle. I agree, a lovely part of the World. That "Sky Needle" was the Space Needle, constructed for the Seattle World Trade Fair of 1962 (I think). The architect involved was a Mr John Graham, who was well known in Seattle for various office blocks, hotels and shopping malls, as well as doing work for the US Navy department. He was paid royalties on every ticket sold for the lift to the top viewing platform, as well as the restaurant. He owned the World Patent for Revolving Restaurants, and I think the one on the Space Needle was the first.
In 1974 I accepted a job as Skipper/Engineer on his newly built yacht Orcella (images in my Gallery), and stayed with the vessel in Seattle for a short time before moving on.

Regards,
Roy.


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## trotterdotpom

I thought all the UK Coast Stations were pretty reasonable - never really had any complaints (except one time when North Foreland didn't know how to work his own SSB receiver).

Not Seattle, but I got chatting on VHF to a Maersk Line Sparklette when we were both at anchor. We arranged to meet up when we were alongside - they went in first and we took their berth a couple of days later. Bummer - I too watched her wave as they steamed past. Ships that pass in the night - still, as Bogie said: "We'll always have Takoradi."

Easter Island's call sign is CBY, Paul, I just looked it up. Old Rapa Nui has a special relationship with Australia, that's why they made all those statues of the recently late, former PM, Malcolm Fraser. Note there are none of that phoney sleazebag, Bob Hawke.

As you say, Paul, Monrovia/ELC was a fairly useless station - you just had to figure out when he would come on the air (wasn't always as per the book). Often his HF skeds were the best ones to use. The Mission in Monrovia was like none other on earth as far as I know and, as Old Bogie said: "We'll always have Lower Buchanan."

John T


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## Varley

Rarely near enough to use any UK station but GKA.

Seattle the place - Lovely? Dear me how things must have changed in the 40 years since I was there. A dump second only to Dampier.


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## trotterdotpom

You never got to Thevenard then, David?

John T


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## lakercapt

My vote was for Port Patrick as they were always helpful and even when the signal was week it was a non commercial call.
Worst was VKT Nauru .
I don't think anyone listened there!!!


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## Varley

trotterdotpom said:


> You never got to Thevenard then, David?
> 
> John T


No but a quick Google proves Dampier to be worse. There is much more of it!


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## Dartskipper

Varley said:


> Rarely near enough to use any UK station but GKA.
> 
> Seattle the place - Lovely? Dear me how things must have changed in the 40 years since I was there. A dump second only to Dampier.


 I was there in '75. I was on Bainbridge Island, only went into town a couple of times. The scenery of Mt Rainier and Puget Sound and out to the Straits was OK. Had a nice trip through the islands to Victoria BC as well. Enjoyed Dungeness crab too.
So I guess I missed out on the worst bits. Also been to Perth Amboy, Newark NJ, the Bronx, and South Philadelphia. Now they really are dumps of the first order.


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## Troppo

trotterdotpom said:


> You never got to Thevenard then, David?
> 
> John T


Port Pirie.....

B\)


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## ernhelenbarrett

When I was on Tauloto2/A3BB trying to get hold of ApiaRadio/5?? in Samoa was
impossible, even when I went up to the Station they didn't seem to think it was important that I had an MSG for them, Aggies was okay for a beer though.
and Nuka/A3A was okay to work. Nauru/VKT was always busy with his aircoms
and inter Island tfc, the station was alongside the airstrip. Used to work him and Norfolk point 2 point when at VIS. When Nauru became C2N he got worse
Ern Barrett


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## Troppo

I remember visiting C2N when I was in Barron Murray/GWES.

I there was a handwritten notice on the wall that said "always maintain the integrity of Nauru Radio!".

I laughed....a lot...


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## bluemoon

Troppo said:


> Port Pirie.....
> 
> B\)


Port Pirie was and I'm sure still is a great little place to visit.

It also had one of the best pie carts Oz, down on the wharf and ideal for a quick supper on the way back on board from the pub.


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## bluemoon

Thevenard was fun also John - in its own sweet way.

It also meant a quick trip to Port Lincoln to "top off".


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## sparks69

GLD - or rather Start Point VHF - they were very helpful whilst anchored in Lyme Bay waiting for number one son to be born.
...... and of course GKA (don't want to upset Hawkeye)

Must mention EPY8 as theeeee most helpful and polite radio station EVER


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## trotterdotpom

bluemoon said:


> Thevenard was fun also John - in its own sweet way.
> 
> It also meant a quick trip to Port Lincoln to "top off".


I'm guessing you met the Purple Patch - Bluemoon. Easy to catch crabs at Thevenard - blue swimmers that is. Still thought it was a dump

Port Lincoln and Port Pirie - fine.

John T


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## randcmackenzie

trotterdotpom said:


> I'm guessing you met the Purple Patch - Bluemoon. Easy to catch crabs at Thevenard - blue swimmers that is. Still thought it was a dump
> 
> Port Lincoln and Port Pirie - fine.
> 
> John T


How about Wallaroo?

My first Aussie port 1963.


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## Paul Braxton

Yes... forgot GKA of course. Given how much traffic they had to handle I would say they were undoubtedly the best of the bunch and usually a pleasure to work, even when I was only just copyable from NZ with the Oceanspan VII.


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## trotterdotpom

randcmackenzie said:


> How about Wallaroo?
> 
> My first Aussie port 1963.


There are a couple of ladies from Wallaroo who visit the site .... be nice, RandC. Ha Ha.

Whatever you thought about the Spencer Gulf, if you'd come from the east, it was a blessed relief after the "Horror Stretch" from Cape Nelson up to Kangaroo Island.

John T


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## Troppo

Ahhh! The horror stretch....I haven't heard that terms for years.


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## Peter Eccleson

Anglesy Radio/GLV - knew I was close to home en-route to Liverpool Seaforth when with Blue Star and ACT!


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## holland25

Peter Eccleson said:


> Anglesy Radio/GLV - knew I was close to home en-route to Liverpool Seaforth when with Blue Star and ACT!


Even better when it was at Seaforth. Fitting end to most Blue Funnel voyages.


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## trotterdotpom

I always wondered why Anglesey was designated GLV and not GLL.

John T


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## Paul Braxton

I think I probably worked every one of the UK stations, except GIL/Ilfracombe for some reason. Worked them all but never saw one of them. Come to that, never seen any radio station anywhere in the world though I've driven pretty near to where ZLB/Awarua must have been, down near Bluff on the south coast of NZ.

As far as I was concerned, at least, it was always really nice to get away from some of the 'cowboy' stations, get some real action approaching Europe/UK. There was nothing like that for a buzz, for me, anyway, 5OO khz jampacked with calls, dawn to dusk, the odd distress or XXX most 24 hours, usually a long way off and the autoalarm ringing away in the middle of the night for a distress down near ZDK or somewhere up north. 

All that and the 'channels' too! Always used to get a double set of 'channels', one in the UK and the other down under. Don't know which was the most severe case, probably the latter. 

Doing a long Kiwi/Aussie coastal was always the best reminder I ever had that I really did have the best job onboard. And the 'film star' wages too! Well I have to say (naively perhaps) that it felt like it sometimes, especially paying off in the UK and going in to the Marconi depot at East Ham, getting all those expenses paid over in cash...

Yep, phoning home via GNI channel 26, standing out on the bridge, nattering away, phone line clear as a bell, watching all those ships sliding past, Straits of Dover, remembering times when it was damn near impossible to get hold of the UK at all on HF, some dead spot in the South Pacific, maybe. Then I'd recall the palaver of making an HF R/T call, way back when I started, long QRY to send an ATEL MSG via GKB to Baldock, arranging an HF link call, all that stuff, long gone now of course.

Happy days.


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## trotterdotpom

Thanks for that info, R65. I never knew the station was originally at Seaforth.

John T


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## johnvvc

Peter Eccleson said:


> Anglesy Radio/GLV - knew I was close to home en-route to Liverpool Seaforth when with Blue Star and ACT!


Anglesey Radio/GLV - my favourite too - but then I'm biassed - I worked there !!!

A good friend of mine who also worked there wrote a book about GLV - well more of a booklet really. He died a while back and I have it here. Some years ago I had my own web pages but with a change of ISP they all went pear-shaped, I may set up some new pages in which case I'd upload the GLV information. Seems a pity for it all to go down the tubes.


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## hawkey01

John,

Maybe some of it would be interesting to members on here. 
I am still waiting for Larry to get our GKA site back on line.

A long time ago since I was at GLV - not working but visiting, when Mark Morgan was there.

Neville - Hawkey01.


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## Barrie Youde

#31

Would be very interested to learn more about Anglesey Radio. I remember it well, from 1960 onwards. Always very civil & helpful.


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## Naytikos

posted by Paul Braxton


> _And the 'film star' wages too! Well I have to say (naively perhaps) that it felt like it sometimes, especially paying off in the UK and going in to the Marconi depot at East Ham, getting all those expenses paid over in cash...
> _


I can't tell if this was sarcasm; I hope so, otherwise I must ask 'which Marconi company did you work for?'


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## trotterdotpom

R651400 said:


> If your lucky and browse deep enough there was somewhere on the net complete with photgraph the original Seaforth/GLV was operated from a railway waggon.


Now that you mention it - I've seen something like that when Humber Radio/ GKZ was operated from Grimsby Docks or somewhere. Maybe during WW2, or am I kidding myself?

John T


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## trotterdotpom

Naytikos said:


> posted by Paul Braxton
> 
> 
> I can't tell if this was sarcasm; I hope so, otherwise I must ask 'which Marconi company did you work for?'


The Marconis that I worked for didn't pay much but there was a lot of love.

John T


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## randcmackenzie

trotterdotpom said:


> There are a couple of ladies from Wallaroo who visit the site .... be nice, RandC. Ha Ha.
> 
> Whatever you thought about the Spencer Gulf, if you'd come from the east, it was a blessed relief after the "Horror Stretch" from Cape Nelson up to Kangaroo Island.
> 
> John T


I thought it was great John T, transparent water up to the dock, never seen that before, 6 o'clock closing, hadn't seen that before either, and friendly people all along the dock on Saturday and Sunday.

I seem to remember the evening shift of dockers started about 6, and guess where THEY had all spent the afternoon.


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## Paul Braxton

Hi Naytikos (35).

Nope, no sarcasm intended there. It was a common jibe from others onboard: all that free time and film star wages! Tiny bit of envy creeping in there. Mind you, I wasn't exactly flush all the time, it was just such a change to me, having lots of dosh, especially when I came on leave. It had been a hell of a struggle for me, financially, for many years before I got to sea. Starting pay with Marconi wasn't good by any means, not at 61 quid a month and a loan to pay back to them for uniform, but it did start creeping up and up. 

I wish I still had my final payslip from '82 though. I earned more in that one month than some of my friends were earning in a year. So yes, I did feel like I was on filmstar wages by then. 

Wanted to buy a house in '79, in Sussex. Asking price was 17,450 quid and I had nearly ten grand sitting quietly in a local building society, just sitting there, making even more money. Paid out over half the cost or so in cash (imagine doing that now!) (after a bit of argy bargy with the building society manager bloke. He wouldn't advance the money for some reason, so I went to the bank, saw the manager there in his plush suited office. He heard my tale, lifted the phone, spoke to the building soc. bloke and announced that I had my money for the house. Just like that. Crikey, but I was so naive in the ways of the financial world back then.)

Just seemed to have so much money to play with in those days. No car to run helped, probably. Never needed one as I was always going off back to sea. You just couldn't spend all that on booze and women, no matter how hard you tried. At least that was the way it was for me. Others will have a different story. Maybe.

Getting back to Marconis; they always seemed right for me. I worked for them for over 12 years and looking back, I'm really pleased about that. It meant I got to cover so much ground on trips, never knowing where the next one would take me. Saw so much that I might not have seen, working for a shipping company. Oh I know there'll be lots of blokes extolling the virtues of working for some 'freelance' outfit, or supposedly much higher paying employers. The tales I heard from QSO's with suchlike R/O's. Somehow that scene never appealed to me at all. I guess I could have been labelled unadventurous but I had a ball, doing it the way I did.

It's weird, the way things go. I had a few rubbishy jobs after I left the sea, earned a few bob doing jobs I either hated or which weren't very interesting in comparison with the sea. Then I left all that and worked for Airwork at Bournemouth Airport for a few years. That at least was a worthwhile job and I got to really use my tech skills (and learned a lot more on the job). Trouble was, it was all a teeny bit stressful, so I decided to hang up the AVO probes, set aside the soldering iron for a bit and went back to doing the artwork I'd tentatively begun while at sea; set myself up as something of an artist. Then I really found out what the other side was like, no income at all, some years. A few sales, here and there and the occasional real big one. Just enough to keep me keen, I suppose Going back to what it was like before the sea. Zilch in the way of readies. 

So I've kind of come full circle, in a way. It's nice to think back on those halcyon days when I really was wandering around with cash falling out of my back pocket and no worries at all.

The thread's diverged a bit from the UK coast station likes/dislikes. Nice that this forum is so dynamic.


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## hawkey01

Some very sad looking photos there. Having worked at GND for some time its a sad sight. Great view if they had built it looking seaward. 
Also spent over two years at GIL. At least they did use the station there for some art/music classes or similar. Have no idea if it is still being used as such but at least the museum has an area dedicated to GIL.
BT made no effort to save any of the old buildings or even their existence by way of plaques. Very sad. Nothing exists of GKA except some names on a few roads on the housing estate. The plaque never materialised. Don't know why I am surprised as history is not important.

Neville - Hawkey01


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## les.edgecumbe

*Marconi ****ging:::*



Paul Braxton said:


> Hi Naytikos (35).
> 
> Nope, no sarcasm intended there. It was a common jibe from others onboard: all that free time and film star wages! Tiny bit of envy creeping in there. Mind you, I wasn't exactly flush all the time, it was just such a change to me, having lots of dosh, especially when I came on leave. It had been a hell of a struggle for me, financially, for many years before I got to sea. Starting pay with Marconi wasn't good by any means, not at 61 quid a month and a loan to pay back to them for uniform, but it did start creeping up and up.
> 
> What a refreshing change to hear a GTZM story like this. Well spoken Paul. It seems its all too easy to justify the other side of the fence (freelance etc.), by ****ging off another scenario. There were many many other R/Os/REOs etc within Marconi that stayed a long while and content with their lot. Of course it wasn't perfect~~ WTH is??(Thumb)


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## Paul Braxton

Hi Les. Yes, poor old Marconi did seem to take a bit of a bashing in those days it seems. It was a fashionable thing to do, it always appeared to me. I never 'took their court', so to speak; never tried to justify my staying loyal to them. I was just so glad to be doing it all, never thought much, if at all about the other companies/employers. 

When I left college I tried to get into the then NZS Co. Desperate to get on the NZ/Aussie run, I worked hard in my final days at college to get a radar ticket, as I'd heard I would have a much better chance of getting in with them if I had one. Went up for an interview and they smilingly advised me that they weren't taking on any juniors at that time, and that if I got a year's experience they might reconsider. 

The rest is, of course, history. Instead of starting off in one of the smart NZSCO ships I found myself, virtually the next day, signing on to the articles of the mighty Shell tanker, Serenia. That was a bit of a baptism of fire, but a wonderful training experience for a very young lad in full charge of a nicely kitted out radio room with an alcoholic senior who relinquished the job to me after his first shakey handshake with the immortal words to a terrified 18 yr old: "Welcome aboard, Paul. This'll be your radio room. You won't see much of me..." 

Crikey, but I was scared witless. Best sort of training you could have had, of course, though that didn't really hit me until a lot later. I probably hated Marconi's about that time.

Funny how things which, at the time, seem to be not what you want to happen often turn out to be the best possible outcome, at least with the benefit of hindsight.

Marconi's always seemed to treat me quite well, at least as far as I was concerned, though in the early days there wasn't much chance to take your full leave entitlement, they were that desperate to get ships manned I suppose. 

Even that side of it didn't bother me particularly. I was always glad to get back to sea, despite having a pull to stay home for a while, get my feet on solid ground for a breather. It always seemed to kindle a sort of fresh appreciation for being on land, the changing seasons, novelty of not having to turn-to at 0800 for a GKA tfc list! 

All that.

That aspect became more and more important to me as I grew older. Waiting for that 'phone to ring, hearing the dulcet tones of that girl (whose name is now forgotten) at East Ham Depot: "Good morning. Marconi Marine, I have Mr. Padfield for you..."

Good old Stan. He always seemed to have the knack of making me feel vaguely guilty about the time I had on leave, on full pay, no less! He would look straight at me, it seemed to me accusingly, over the top of his glasses and make some comment about how hard he and his oppo, Cliff worked, doing everything they could for the sake of the R/O, etc, etc. Obviously trying to influence me to get ashore, get off their books, get a proper job with the shore staff of Marconi Marine! 

But I never did. Life took me down different routes.

Took a trip up to do a course at Chelmsford once. It was for a two week course and once, during that time we were all feted for lunch at the Marconi Head Office, Elettra House. That was a really interesting affair. Only time I ever had any contact with the HO. I'll never forget the famous portrait of the Marchese Marconi, glaring down at us as we tucked in to the surprisingly sumptuous lunch while all the employees had to get in line, queue up for their pie and chips. It felt like we were being treated like visiting VIP's. Don't know if anyone else had a similar experience but it was a unique one for me.

They charted my course well, did Marconi Marine. Took me to some places I never, ever would have seen in any other way, no matter what company I'd worked for. Some of those places were amazing, like the tiny Peruvian ports where all the cargo (milk powder) was unloaded by hand labour, or Shanghai, for four weeks in 1971 at the tail end of the cultural revolution. Even some of the bigger places, like Houston, Tx, or New Orleans, not to mention the Windies, of course.

Getting me serendipitously to the Manned Space Centre in 1975 when the Apollo/Soyuz mission was in progress; for a space buff like me a real nirvana, especially since it only cost us $2 to get there, courtesy of the Flying Angel.

Yes indeed, Marconi did it for me, even if they did stuff up my only chance to watch the mission of Apollo 12 and 14 on BBC2, inconsiderately flying me out to join ships in Trinidad!

So three cheers for the old firm!


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## IAN M

My former colleague, Dick Molland, corresponded with me long after I left the sea, and until his death in a nursing home. It may be the case that Dick sailed with more companies than any other R/O and I put all his letters into my Kindle book, Letters from a Radio Officer, which is available on Amazon.


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## Varley

Indeed. Hip, Hip, Hip..................

(But the bastards that wrecked it, 'though after my time, need not join in!)


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## 5TT

I found 9VG/Singapore very frustrating to work on H/F. I think ships with more powerful gear and synthesizers had a better experience but if you were stuck with older gear you were quickly through your two working frequencies and they were quick to QSR you, and then you were always at the back of the queue again. This would have been around 1982 I guess, it was always difficult and frustrating working them.

= Adrian +


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## Troppo

Good old VIS was pretty good...


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## david.hopcroft

Neville #41

GKZ was sold at auction for a hugely inflated price by Telereal - in the shareholders interest of course. After a couple of planning refusals, it is now up for sale again, and more derelict looking than ever.

I did salvage one small part of it though !

David
+


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## hawkey01

David,

Unfortunately when GKA closed, I had been retired for a couple of years. Prior to leaving I had requested some of the photos etc around the station, one of which I had donated. Even so I received not a one. 
Most seem to have been spirited away to unknown places. 

Worked at GKZ during the DOC training and change over era. 

Neville - Hawkey01


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## david.hopcroft

This thumbnail was taken in 2006, but it looks pretty much the same today, except there is a for sale sign at the gate.

This and others from around the world can be found at

www.coastalradio.org.uk

David
+


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## expats

Paul Braxton said:


> . Then I left all that and worked for Airwork at Bournemouth Airport for a few years. That at least was a worthwhile job and I got to really use my tech skills (and learned a lot more on the job). .


Did you ever come across a Clive Gibbs at Airwork?


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## Paul Braxton

Hi Expats. Nope, no memory of anyone by the name of Clive Gibbs. What was his position?

I didn't know all that many people in Airwork. We were fairly sequestered over in the tower building, doing our own thing with what the boss termed "ground radio", so the only contact I had with Airwork employees, other than Lou Curl, the boss, was at lunchtimes when we zipped over to the Airwork canteen for fish and chips!


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## Larry Bennett

hawkey01 said:


> John,
> 
> Maybe some of it would be interesting to members on here.
> I am still waiting for Larry to get our GKA site back on line.
> 
> A long time ago since I was at GLV - not working but visiting, when Mark Morgan was there.
> 
> Neville - Hawkey01.


Just a small update - I am hoping to get the GKA site back on line too! A combination of many issues (mostly personal involving house moves etc) have meant that I simply had not had the time to redesign/upload a new site following BT's decision to withdraw from web hosting.

However there is work in progress and when things settle down I will get something sorted. Keep the faith!

Larry +


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## hawkey01

Larry,

never lost the faith. Just having withdrawal symptoms. 

Neville


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## Larry Bennett

hawkey01 said:


> David,
> 
> Unfortunately when GKA closed, I had been retired for a couple of years. Prior to leaving I had requested some of the photos etc around the station, one of which I had donated. Even so I received not a one.
> Most seem to have been spirited away to unknown places.
> 
> Worked at GKZ during the DOC training and change over era.
> 
> Neville - Hawkey01


Sadly all the memorabilia was dispersed amongst the staff who were on duty one afternoon I think. There were a couple of pictures which were donated to me (on behalf of the station) which I would have liked but alas I was not given the opportunity. However I did manage to purloin a morse key which I intend to keep for posterity. Seems sad that not even a console was kept - would have been nice to keep one in a local museum or similar. In fact there is nothing whatsoever left in Highbridge to indicate that GKA even existed, despite efforts by myself and others to put some sort of 'blue plaque' or statue/obelisk in the area. 

Larry +


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## Trevorw

NBA The US Navy Station for the Panama Canal - you could call for hours and never get through!


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## holland25

From memory when I went through in 1957 you had to call NBA with an ETA to arrange the canal passage. It was a hard station to raise mainly because of the static.


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## jimg0nxx

I went through the canal dozens of times (sixties/early seventies) and one had to use NBA for passage arrangements and messages to the agents ref bunkers and cargo. It may have been a naval station but acted as a commercial one.


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## holland25

Was NBA Navy or Coast Guard?


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## trotterdotpom

All the "N" word coast stations were run by the USCG as far as I know. I always found them to be pretty efficient stations.

John T


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## holland25

Just looked it up on he internet and it says it was a Naval Station. You are right about he Coast Guard Stations they were all pretty good. I just think the atmospherics around the canal area were against them.


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## madbob

Cullercoats Radio. Then the neighbour who worked there could tell my Dad where I was, over the back fence. Highly illegal but useful at the time. Different world then.


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## trotterdotpom

holland25 said:


> Just looked it up on he internet and it says it was a Naval Station. You are right about he Coast Guard Stations they were all pretty good. I just think the atmospherics around the canal area were against them.


I think the Coastguard is a branch of the US Navy but not sure.

John T


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## Varley

John T. Perhaps theoretically but not culturally. My ex USN Submariner friend suggests that the best use of the grey Fleet (USN) is to sink the White fleet (USCG).


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## trotterdotpom

That must have been a pretty slow ship!

John T


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## Varley

R651400 said:


> I transited the Panama 61/62 and don't recall ever having to send a pilot msg ever...
> Complete radio silence in transit due to all the supposed dynamite lying around was a nice feet up compared with Suez..


No feet up on Tilapa - sent for meal relief for 3/O on the back end. (A year or so more "in the bottle" and it would have been the treat the old man intended it to be).


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## holland25

In my 1957 transit there was no radio work to do, in fact I think the pilots had VHF. The contact with NBA was with the ETA after leaving Curacao, there must have been a similar requirement when approaching from the Pacific. The Admiralty Book of Signals had a chapter on radio procedures to be followed but I think they had fallen into disuse by the time I went through, probably the corrections were not up to date.


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## Ron Stringer

Went through only once - Westbound in December 1962 - and had to send ETA in advance to NBA. During transit W/T neither required nor permitted so a day off for me. The pilots used walkie-talkies; unknown whether CB or VHF.


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## chadburn

david.hopcroft said:


> This thumbnail was taken in 2006, but it looks pretty much the same today, except there is a for sale sign at the gate.
> 
> This and others from around the world can be found at
> 
> www.coastalradio.org.uk
> 
> David
> +


David, did the building have an underground reserve? Curious to know how many Radio Stations in GB had this facility.


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## lakercapt

When you transit the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific you travel in a SEly heading.!!!!!
It was a surprise and a good trivia question.


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## hawkey01

Chadburn,

presume you mean a secure underground operating area - in case of war?

I can tell you that none of the stations I worked at had any such area. The only thing we had was an atomic 4 minute warning device. Not a lot of use but maybe we could have hidden under something!

Hawkey01


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## Gareth Jones

There was one of those 4 minute warning things at GNF while I was there.There was a volume control on it - which - if you turned it right up produced a bleeping sound which presumably showed it was working.

It went off one evening - a long loud blaring alarm type sound lasted about a minute. Nobody had ever heard anything out of it before, so we gathered around very interested to see what would happen next, --- Nothing!--- 

So the next day I asked the O/C about it - he said it was a 4 minute warning device but didn't know what would happen in the event of the warning being declared. So, he phoned HQ london to ask - nobody there knew anything either.

About 2 weeks later we got a message from HQ advising us that it had been set off by mistake and not to worry ! ! ! !


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## chadburn

Thanks Hawkeye.


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## david.hopcroft

Hello Chadburn

No there was no underground operating area. The sea is on the other side of the grass bank you see in the photo, so would have tended to 'leak' a bit. 

This was 'reserve power' in December 1927 when the station opened. I still have the 'Tangeye' brass label that adorned the tools rack, and the hooks the tools were hung on !! 

Regards

David
+


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## chadburn

Many thanks for the information and the photographs David(Thumb)
First time I have seen Crossley engines of that size. I have had hands on experience on the larger size of Crossley power plant which were a doddle as long as they had a regular De-coke.


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## Charley George

Each CG station had one of those 4 minute boxes. Occasionally we had signal to switch it on and record the transmitted message - never picked up a message. Also, if I recall correctly, we were only supposed to switch it on when the appropriate order came through. One day someone turned up to remove the little grey box - no explanation was given


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## david.hopcroft

The Crossley was still there in 1968 when I arrived at GKZ, but was replaced shortly after that by a standard Dorman 426 set that was widely used by BT for standby power. I think it was 95kw or something like that. We used to hate it starting when the mains failed as the volts were inevitably higher than the incoming mains, and tripped everything out. It took several minutes running round resetting everything, and again when the mains came back. During the power cuts during the strikes of many moons ago, we offered to run the engine if it would save the locals from a power cut. 

David
+


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## chadburn

The only problem with the smaller engines was when you dropped the bottom half of the big end to lift the piston out it was like decorating the Hall through the letterbox!!!


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## david.hopcroft

You have me there Chief !! We Sparkies are not up to that level !!!

All I remember about it was that it only had 635 hours on it 1970 - 1995 !


David
+


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## chadburn

Although a different sort of Radio Station many years ago I visited the ex Wartime BBC Radio Station on the road (South side ) from Hull to Spurn Point. One of the stations functions was to transmit the Secret code messages to Europe during the War for the Resistance. Although the place was no longer a Radio Station the quite large Undergound Reserve was still accessible. The Company that owned the place had some photographs displayed of the Transmitting equipment that had been fitted, one of the photographs was of a radio valve which was about the size of your average man and the whole set up looked like something out of a Frankenstein film.


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## EimbTrader

5TT said:


> I found 9VG/Singapore very frustrating to work on H/F. I think ships with more powerful gear and synthesizers had a better experience but if you were stuck with older gear you were quickly through your two working frequencies and they were quick to QSR you, and then you were always at the back of the queue again. This would have been around 1982 I guess, it was always difficult and frustrating working them.
> 
> = Adrian +


Fully agreed Adrian


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## trotterdotpom

lakercapt said:


> When you transit the Panama Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific you travel in a SEly heading.!!!!!
> It was a surprise and a good trivia question.


That must have been why the made us take a pilot.

John T


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## david.hopcroft

Hello Chief...

This was a valve we used at Humber Radio in the older transmitters.

Humber Radio was actually at Trusthorpe, in between Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea. If you have google earth, search on LN12 2PH and you will find it. Sadly abandoned now and up for sale again.

David
+


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## chadburn

david.hopcroft said:


> Hello Chief...
> 
> This was a valve we used at Humber Radio in the older transmitters.
> 
> Humber Radio was actually at Trusthorpe, in between Mablethorpe and Sutton on Sea. If you have google earth, search on LN12 2PH and you will find it. Sadly abandoned now and up for sale again.
> 
> David
> +


I wonder if there is a problem with the access road and who owns the land it runs across.
Normally the property/land is handed back to the person/farmer who was the last to own land before the build, I know of an Arms Dealer who was very keen on buying a surface/ underground facility for storage and a testing range. Unfortunatly the Farmer would not let him have access even though the road was/is still there and the place was just locked up and left by the appropriate Government Department as it could not be sold.


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## Naytikos

posted by david.hopcroft:


> _The Crossley was still there in 1968 when I arrived at GKZ, but was replaced shortly after that by a standard Dorman 426 set that was widely used by BT for standby power. I think it was 95kw or something like that. We used to hate it starting when the mains failed as the volts were inevitably higher than the incoming mains, and tripped everything out. It took several minutes running round resetting everything, and again when the mains came back. During the power cuts during the strikes of many moons ago, we offered to run the engine if it would save the locals from a power cut.
> _




This may be a silly question, but why did not one of the staff simply turn the voltage down? Whatever means of exitation the generator used there must have been a way to adjust the output voltage.


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## TABNAB

R651400 said:


> Until the end of the Area Control Scheme GKA was the call-sign for the Area 1A broadcasts and in the 50/60's HF Portishead was then known collectively as GKL operating A2 (mcw) until it was curbed internationally late 50's I think.
> There wasn't any HF station anywhere in the world at this time that could hold a candle to GKL in terms of operating/traffic-handling.


I'll go along with that but then I was using the very latest gear, Oceanspan Mk1 and CR300/2 !!!!


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## Trevor Clements

I was always glad to send my TR to GPK QTP Glasgow at the end of every voyage. Hardly had to send his call sign twice before hearing DE.

CFH was never a problem either. I came over all nostalgic on a preserved corvette in Halifax about four years ago because they were running a tape with CFH transmitting.


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## expats

hawkey01 said:


> Chadburn,
> 
> presume you mean a secure underground operating area - in case of war?
> 
> I can tell you that none of the stations I worked at had any such area. The only thing we had was an atomic 4 minute warning device. Not a lot of use but maybe we could have hidden under something!
> 
> Hawkey01



These always amused me...


www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJfVcxMC9I0


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## hawkey01

Oh how little we knew. Just imagine diving into a nice pile of manure off the tractor. Cant imagine a newspaper doing much good. It made me chuckle a few times, all these kids throwing themselves at walls.

Hawkey01


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## bbyrne98

GLD was always miserable, officious. Fortunately, whilst not a great maintainer, I could play some sweet tunes on the key, if I may say so. So, evens there. 

HEB always good for a chat when in a complete blind spot to GKA in the Madagascar Channel. ZSD in its first days of RTT routed you through to the Durban PO where you could have good chat (for test purposes) with the PO girls (I was naive). Fat lot of good that did when passing Durban on a VLCC. PPL Belem worked like a dervish for 5 minutes of every hour so if you didn't get him then you had it ... 


.. but it was Walvis Bay radio (ZSA / ZSL?) when I got my QTPs and QTOs mixed up .. of dear ... I'm convinced I heard 'FO' ..


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## chadburn

A different sort of Radio Station, anybody like to make a guess as to its function?


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## trotterdotpom

Landsend Radio could be a bit stroppy - it depended on which way the ship was pointed whether you took any notice or not. I suppose it was a busy station and things got hectic at times.

Whereabouts was GLD located? I was down that way last year and never thought to look for it. Mind you, I don't know what I'd have done if I'd found it.

John T


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## Naytikos

chadburn (post 96):

The buildings look like a nuclear power station, so could the antennæ be for telemetry?


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## Varley

I can't see any connections to a grid/network.


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## chadburn

Naytikos said:


> chadburn (post 96):
> 
> The buildings look like a nuclear power station, so could the antennæ be for telemetry?


It is not a Power Station, but thanks for the try, however telemetry is involved as this is a Reserve in the system rather than the Main.
Clue----It is an MOD site.


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## Naytikos

OK. Now I've blown up the photograph I can see: 

1.A long fence topped with barbed-wire enclosing a large grassy area on a hill-top;
2. A lattice tower around 32-40 feet high with a microwave antenna (at a guess, pointing South or Southwest);
3. Two monopoles with 'crank-up' bases carrying brackets supporting several VHF/UHF antennæ;
4. A small cabinet near the lattice tower, presumably containing the supporting electronics for the parabolic antenna;
5. Two structures with airconditioning units atop presumably containing the supporting electronics for the VHF/UHF antennæ;
6. At the extreme right, part of another structure insufficiently visible to hazard a guess as to it's purpose;
7. In way of a corner of one of the main structures a small object which may be a barbecue grill.

Conclusions:

The microwave parabolic could be carrying control/backhaul signals. If the other antennæ are used for terrestrial purposes they would only provide a short-range service, however they could be used for aviation communications over a much greater distance particularly given the open countryside and hill-top site. 

Therefore, if I may make a second guess: is it a relay system for the RAF?


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## chadburn

Naytikos said:


> OK. Now I've blown up the photograph I can see:
> 
> 1.A long fence topped with barbed-wire enclosing a large grassy area on a hill-top;
> 2. A lattice tower around 32-40 feet high with a microwave antenna (at a guess, pointing South or Southwest);
> 3. Two monopoles with 'crank-up' bases carrying brackets supporting several VHF/UHF antennæ;
> 4. A small cabinet near the lattice tower, presumably containing the supporting electronics for the parabolic antenna;
> 5. Two structures with airconditioning units atop presumably containing the supporting electronics for the VHF/UHF antennæ;
> 6. At the extreme right, part of another structure insufficiently visible to hazard a guess as to it's purpose;
> 7. In way of a corner of one of the main structures a small object which may be a barbecue grill.
> 
> Conclusions:
> 
> The microwave parabolic could be carrying control/backhaul signals. If the other antennæ are used for terrestrial purposes they would only provide a short-range service, however they could be used for aviation communications over a much greater distance particularly given the open countryside and hill-top site.
> 
> Therefore, if I may make a second guess: is it a relay system for the RAF?


It is indeed a relay system for the RAF(Thumb). The Site is a Reserve downloader for A.W.A.C. to U.K.A.D.S. and connects to the oldest working RADAR Station in the World. 
The set up replaces the attached which was our main RADAR, the last working Scanner of this Type 80 being at Buchan.
If you look at today's RN vessels you will notice they have a similiar sort of Mast/Aerial for the same purpose.


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## G4UMW

Is that not a Type 264 scanner rather than a Type 80?


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