Harry at his 90th Birthday in 2007.
Photo by Murray, G6JYB

Harry Heap, G5HF passed away on 27 August 2012 at a nursing home in Chelmsford, aged 95.   He was the very active President of the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society from October 2000 until October 2010.

He was first Licenced as 2BZZ in 1932 at the age of 16 and was issued the call sign G5HF in 1933.

He joined the RSGB in 1938.   Harry was especially interested in the then new 56MHz band.

Following the outbreak of World War II he moved to Chelmsford to join Crompton Parkinson, where he worked on devices to neutralise magnetic mines.   The evenings he spent as a Voluntary Radio Interceptor. Harry was a great lifelong friend and colleague of Louis Varney, G5RV, famous worldwide for his aerial design.   Both Harry and Louis were part of the very elite group of secret listeners providing received ‘off-air’ coded material to ‘Box 25’, which we now know was Arkley View near Barnett where it was vetted before being passed to Bletchley Park.   Their names are on the Roll of Honour at the site. Harry regularly attended the reunions of the Box 25 RSS group to keep in touch with those still surviving.

Extract of the Obituary from December's RadCom submitted by Trevor, M5AKA.

At the Meeting on Friday, Chairman John G8DET welcomed CARS Members and visitors and encouraged them to purchase a Raffle Ticket, or two.

G5HF Meeting in Great Baddow Parish Hall.   Note the Audio and Visual electronis on the tables.
Tony Gilbey G4YTG telling the life story of Harry.
Photos by John G8DET.

Firstly there was a vote as to whether CARS Meeting should stay in Great Baddow Parish Hall for 2013 and meet on the only night thought to be available, namely Fridays. 5 persons showed that Friday was not ideal while over 35 showed they were happy with the suggestion. Brian, G3CVI will try and secure a booking for 2013 with a request to see if another night is available for 2014.

(Left) Brian and his wife Pam were on the door while Martyn G1EFL and his wife Val were at the Merchandize Table.

John said that the Meeting was a Tribute to CARS Past President, Harry Heap, G5HF who died in August 2012 aged 95 years.   Contributions were acknowledged from Harry’s Son, Peter Heap and from Ethel Chinnery; Tony Gibley G4YTG; Trevor M5AKA; Dr Brian Styles G3NSD; Bob King G3ASE; Colin Page G0TRM; Gwyn Williams G4FKH; Carl Thomson G3PEM; Tony Manson and Peter Foreman both from the Chelmsford Engineering Society.   Vice Presidents Geoff Mills G3EDM and Charles Shelton G0GJS, also contributed.   His daughter Celia and husband Brian were also present as was Sylvia, YL of Geoff G3EDM and Margaret, widow of Geoff G2AMQ SK who featured on later in Falcon.

Tony told the audience of the life story of Harry up to the creation of CARS with Louis Varney G5RV and Mr Fuller G6LB.   At appropriate points Colin played tapes of Harry telling "how he was interviewed by the Chief Constable of Manchester before being enrolled as a Volunteer Interceptor (VI).

Arkley View was PO Box 25 Barnett where the 1,500 VIs sent their data to be vetted before being
passed to Bletchley Park for Decryption.
Photo and details provided by Bob King G3ASE who actually worked there for 4 years.

Harry then described how "later he had to join the Home Guard and guard their rundown headquarters in Chelmsford with a rifle but no ammunition – this was to be obtained when needed by cycling to the Brigadier’s house where 3 rounds were held."

John read out a tribute by Dr Stephen Castell “who in 1973 had joined RHP as a Senior Mathematician and Harry assisted him with telling him Chelmsford past illustrious engineering history, its then current scene, and the quirks/nuances of those people and companies in it”. He said “He was a solid professional, thoroughly nice guy – altogether a fine human”.
Harry was at this time President of the Chelmsford Engineering Society.

Andy Tyler, G1GKN managed to get the computer to show slides of Harry’s early life, followed by a selection of the 28 foot sailing boat, Falcon with Gwyn crewing and explained each photograph.   Harry sailed to Belgian, France and Holland.   On one occasion Harry spotted a dinghy overturn and with great skill manoeuvred his boat so that 2 men could be rescued – the dinghy sinking - never to be seen again.

Gwyn telling of his crewing experice with Harry on Falcon in 1997.

Harry on Falcon in 1997.

A series of slides of CARS events starting with Meetings at the Marconi Training College in Arbour Lane in 1995 and 1996.

(Left photo) Geoff Cockerill G2AMQ SK; Geoff Mills G3EDM; Roy Martyr G3PMX SK; Harry Heap G5HF SK;
Louis Varney G5RV SK; Harry Lowe G2GPF SK at Marconi College, Arbour Lane in 1995.
(Right photo, front row) Gwyn Williams G4FKH; Harry Heap G5HF SK; Louis Varney G5RV SK;
Martin Final G4TOO and Tony Gilbey G4YTG standing at a meeting in Marconi College, Arbour Lane in 1996.

(Left photo 2004)Les Sayer, a Telegraphist And rear Gunner (TAG) from a Swordfish whose torpedoe jammed the rudder of the Bismark in WWII.
(Right photo 2004), Harry showing a range of DF Aerials built into loops.

(Left photo 2005)Sandford Mill IMD.   Harry G5HF SK; YL of Geoff G7KLV; Sylvia YL of Geoff G3EDM; Tony G4YTG; Ethel; Geoff G3EDM; Denis M0FHA and John G8DET.
(Right photo 2007), Harry's 90th Birthday Party at MASC, Beehive Lane - 400 houses are now built where this photograph was taken.
Right photo taken by Murray G6JYB.

Slides of Harry’s 90 Birthday Party in 2007 and passing the badge of the President to the current holder, Carl G3PEM in 2010 were shown and then Colin played a video he took in 2002 of Harry reciting the monologue of “Three Halfpence a Foot” – a story about a modern day Noah at a CARS Christmas Dinner at Pleshey.

The Clock presented to Harry in 2010 when he retired from being CARS President and passed the Badge to Cal Thomsom G3PEM.
The Badge photo was taken by Murray G6JYB

Tony Manson (CES) told how “Harry had a number of Riley racing cars which were raced at Silverstone, Boreham and at Prescott Hill Climb near Cheltenham.   The tasks of rebuilding the car after racing was helped by Pippa, Harry’s Wife who was a trained Engine Fitter.   Harry even encouraged me to race in his car”.

Tony Manson (Member of the Chelmsford Engineering Society) telling of his experiences with Harry racing cars in the late 1950s.

A good number of Raffle prizes were organised by Carl and James 2E1GUA and drawn by Luke.

Thanks to the Bar Tender for attending to the thirsts of those there.   Thanks to Dave Bolwell ex G3JCM for setting out the projector and solving many of the troubles encountered at the start of the evening – was Harry’s ghost involved?

Brian, G3CVI logged everyone in and Martyn, G1EFL and Val provided the CARS merchandising table.

(Left) Brian, G3CVI and Martyn, G1EFL with Val.

The audience in Great Baddow Parish Hall.

Chairman John G8DET starting off the Meeting with a few announcements and then introduce President Carl, G3PEM for the first of the evening’s two talks: -

Electronic Logging.

Carl G3PEM explained to Members that CARS will be taking part in operations to celebrate the Centenary of the RSGB and CARS will be operating G100RSGB on the 21st and 22nd of July.   To support the RSGB challenge, all clubs are required to supply electronic logs in ADIF format each day of operation.

Carl has been using computer logging since 1998.   He pointed out that with over 50 logging packages out there, everyone thinks the one they use I’d best.   CARS has decided to use Logger32 for the RSGB event.

To help members new to Logger32, Carl then walked through the process of entering details of a QSO and adding it to the computer’s electronic log.   Carl also talked briefly about the World map for Greyline Propagation, the RTTY interface, and the Gridsquare Calculator.

Logger32 is a powerful application, but to keep operations simple, only the basic logging features will be used.   Based on our experiences of Logger32, it comes into it’s own when connected to a radio, as the application can control the rig.   For the RSGB event, CARS will be keeping it simple and running the program as a stand-alone logger.