# SPE and LGQ



## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LErBzLx8ouE

Now you can see how the inside of Rogaland radio station ben27...
Fine selection of radios.. Collins, Racal RA17, Eddystone and Redifon R50M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KUsq_hj960


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## R719220 (Oct 5, 2011)

Nice one R651400 - enjoyed that, thanks.


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## Graham P Powell (Jun 2, 2007)

Nice one. I was amazed how similar it was to GKA in lots of respects. We had conveyor belts to carry from ship traffic. To ship traffic was brought out to us by messengers. They were local postmen and part of their duties was work in GKA. Some of them liked it during the winter because it was nice and warm etc!. I never worked Rogaland myself but I did ring them up a couple of times and they were always very helpful. We of course didn't do DF or distress and transmitters were miles away. Very interesting bit of film.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

With all due respect GP a far cry from GKA!
Norwegian flag no area scheme?


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## R58484956 (Apr 19, 2004)

If you see a film of a R/O using a morse key can you decipher what he is sending ?


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

The answer is yes..yet I can't explain why but it almost seems like second nature.


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## Ian Beattie (Mar 28, 2013)

Just like reading a book no pencil needed - really enjoyed that one thanks - its very like the message when Capetown shut for good.


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## BobDixon (Oct 17, 2008)

LGQ never seemed to be under pressure. Even at the height of the oil boom stations which called LGQ got served quickly while we at GKR were serving out QRY's leading into hours of waiting time.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Doesn't LGQ equate to the HF biggies like DAN PCH and GKA? I counted 10 slots on the telegram conveyor belt where I remember GKA 1962 had only one each for the double row of operating bays. 
Interesting also that LGQ staff co-ordinated the distress where GB coast stations passed everything over to the nearest HM Coastguard generally by phone!


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## Graham P Powell (Jun 2, 2007)

Area scheme had finished by time I got there. The RN had gone as well. By this time of the year we would be starting to get hundreds of Interflora SLT's for Christmas. Shipping companies making arrangements for special delivery over the Christmas period and our contribution to the decorations i.e. Father Christmas hanging by a noose from a ceiling fan!. Even the boss would come down and route a few messages. 
Traffic list of 750 call signs ( each sent twice).One wing full of teleprinters all chuntering away. The guys were great and I loved it. I would be there now if it was still going....!
rgds to one and all .
Graham Powell ( Ex GKA).(Thumb)


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

My sentiments entirely GP... 
To be able to take you're chosen seagoing metier ashore must surely be unique..


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

R651400 said:


> My sentiments entirely GP...
> To be able to take you're chosen seagoing metier ashore must surely be unique..


The Tape Relay Room FOSNI down the hole at Pitreavie was a very noisy place (with the CW in a sound proof room in the corner) during the Christmas and Exercise period


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Talking tapes... 
Took this still from the LGQ video. Looks like some form of magnetic tape. Anybody any ideas?


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## jimg0nxx (Sep 1, 2005)

Looks like a loop tape recorder. It records over itself after a certain time depending on the length of the tape.


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## Ian Beattie (Mar 28, 2013)

Thats exactly what it is -- usually around 7-10 mins thats when you find out you ain't as good as you thought you was -- must be about 70 -75 time when we got people who didn't read morse like a language

________________

useeimbutunoseeim Bass


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

jimg0nxx said:


> Looks like a loop tape recorder. It records over itself after a certain time depending on the length of the tape.


But what exactly would it be used for? 
LGQ video shows ITA2 (Baudot-Murray) tape for traffic lists and 2 unit tape for calling CQ. 
If it is recording and then re-recording over itself possibly a distress frequency monitor back-up?


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## stein (Nov 4, 2006)

R651400 said:


> Talking tapes...
> Took this still from the LGQ video. Looks like some form of magnetic tape. Anybody any ideas?


The words accompanying that is as follows: "Telex messages is sent with an automatic error correcting equipment, the messages is kept temporarily on this tape until it is known that the message has been correctly received."


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## Graham P Powell (Jun 2, 2007)

I agree with the previous postings. I think the looped tape is part of the Sitor radio telex gear. We had similar ones at GKA. I also purchased off the Post Office a Ferrograph tape recorder which I was told was used to send the call bands which was presumably a loop of tape again. Later on the call bands were produced by a machine reading a wide sort of plastic loop. Possibly derived from early CNC machine tools. GKA was also fitted with a magnificent Rolls Royce diesel emergency generator set. When it went it had about 100 hours of running on the clock. I often wonder where it went to. It was a huge piece of kit which was wheeled into place by two men. Very interesting all this. Happy days!
rgds
Graham Powell


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## ben27 (Dec 27, 2012)

good day r 651400,sm,29th nov 2013,15:57.#1.re:spe and lgq,thank you for the visit inside of rogaland radio station.i have just noted this post.regards ben27


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

chadburn said:


> The Tape Relay Room FOSNI down the hole at Pitreavie was a very noisy place (with the CW in a sound proof room in the corner) during the Christmas and Exercise period



That was an advantage of the Grey Funnel Line - you would be posted ashore into the station you were working. Made for very good corporate knowledge.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

stein said:


> The words accompanying that is as follows: "Telex messages is sent with an automatic error correcting equipment, the messages is kept temporarily on this tape until it is known that the message has been correctly received."


Thanks for the translation Stein and of course with GP's posting it clarifies my question.
The last sitor station I heard was Niton Radio/GNI chirping away on the shared amateur band 80m/3.5mhz. 
For fun I tried to see if I could access GNI from here using amtor which was the amateur protocol of sitor but had no success.


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