GB100 2MT marking the Centenary of British Broadcasting

On 14th February 1922 the Marconi Company began to broadcast a five-minute program of speech and music within the weekly half-hour calibration transmission. The broadcasts were made weekly on Tuesday made using the callsign 2MT from an ex-army hut in the village of Writtle near Chelmsford. Initially, the station had only 200 Watts and transmitted on 700m (428 kHz) using an inverted-L antenna.

The enthusiastic team, led by Captain Peter Eckersley, assembled their transmitter together with a gramophone player, microphone, and on occasions a piano from the local public house, to entertain listeners. The regular announcement; "This is Two Emma Toc, Writtle testing, Writtle testing", became quite well known.

This was the first regular wireless broadcast for entertainment in the UK and its success provided the foundation for the formation of the BBC later in 1922.

Members of Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society (CARS) will operate a special event station to commemorate this historic event. A special callsign, GB100-2MT, is active during February - and on 14th February will operate from Writtle, close to where the original broadcasts were made. Operating will be on HF, as well as locally on VHF/UHF.

QSOs will be confirmed on LOTW and eQSL. Sorry no QSL cards, or bureau.

Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society (CARS) - http://www.g0mwt.org.uk

Suffix /70 permitted for Platinum Jubilee Celebrations

Following a request by the RSGB, Ofcom has indicated that stations wishing to retain their usual Regional Secondary Locator to identify their DXCC entity may use the suffix /70 to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It is also permitted to use the /70 suffix with the GQ/MQ/2Q prefix if desired. The RSGB would like to thank Ofcom for its support of the Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations.

RSGB Arranges Special RSL for Queen’s Jubilee Celebrations

Ofcom has kindly agreed to an RSGB request that radio amateurs licensed by Ofcom may celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen by using the special RSL ‘Q’.

This will be available for use throughout June 2022 and will require a Notice of Variation that will be available via our website shortly. The Society is also working on other events and activities that it hopes will appeal to a wide range of people. Further details will be released over the coming weeks.