Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society
G0MWT, GX0MWT, GB5HF, GB70GB, GB75CH, GB90MZX, GB100MWT

Olympic Torch Event - Chelmsford 2012

Introduction

The Worked All Britain Awards Group promoted an Award based upon following the Olympic Torch Relay around UK.

The Olympic torch toured the UK over a period of seventy days taking in a total of seventy two special events in different parts of the UK, starting at Land’s End on Saturday May 19th and finishing on July 27th at the Olympic Park.

The WAB call signs moved around UK following the torch, G4WAB & G7WAB being activated as special event stations using the prefix GX-GT-GN-GH-GS-GP-GC, assigned to the appropriate country.

Chelmsford was Day-50 of the relay which the Torch visited on Saturday, 7th July 2012 and we operated using GX4WAB.

Chelmsford had one SSB station on or near 7.160MHz for WAB UK Contacts and others on higher HF frequencies for International contacts using CW and SSB. Operation was also on 2 metres.

Due to the nature of the QSOs, CARS are unable to issue a QSL Card from Chelmsford for GX4WAB - sorry - we had been loaned the Callsign for one day only. CARS earned a nice Torch Thanks Certificate as per below.


Thanks to the WAB Group for inviting CARS to participate in the Torch Award.

The Award comprised three levels: Bronze – Silver – Gold.   All that is required is a copy of YOUR log showing the days/times that you worked either of the two calls. Only the two WAB call signs counted for the Award which was open to all Radio Amateurs and SWL’s.

Requirements:

  • BRONZE - 10 Contacts at different locations
  • SILVER - 20 Contacts at different locations
  • GOLD - 30 Contacts at different locations

    CARS GX4WAB Torch Event Report

    The Torch went by less than ten metres from the CARS operating position at about 7.30am. Our first contact was at 06:15 Local on 7.160MHz and using this frequency or nearby we worked about 145 stations.

     
    The Torch Relay looped thru the Oaklands Museum grounds off Moulsham Street

    Our CW Station made 86 Contacts but was faced with difficult conditions. Our HF Station worked over fifty stations. Our 2m Station worked about 15 stations on Simplex as instructed. Many stations callsigns were familiar to our main Operator, John Yates, G1UZD who had worked 47 Torch Stations. Many stations thanked us for putting on GX4WAB.

     
    John G8DET left and CARS main operator John Yates G1UZD right

    Overall our problem was we were putting out a much stronger signal than the signals we could receive due to local qrm. We did offer periods for weak stations but we could hear few – those that we did hear really appreciated the effort to listen for them. We also were fighting a central heating boiler with a faulty Switched Mode PSU nearby we could not interfere with and shutdown.

    Thanks to all those who took part and supported CARS at Oaklands Museum. Thanks also to Tony Gilbey, G4YTG for making the 'W3DZZ Aerial' and putting it up together with the 2m Aerial.

    Torch Relay Video via Murray G6JYB - snapped in his home town of Manchester a little earlier on Day-36, June-23

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