As recently reported, members of the Quantum Technology Club recently travelled south to Shell Island to be part of the team that ran the GB8SOS SOS Radio Week amateur radio special event station. The station was established to celebrate the work of the volunteers of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) and other independent lifeboat stations and coastal rescue teams around our coastlines.
The GB8SOS station was operated with the Wales Digital Radio Group (WDRG) with the campsite’s owners sponsoring it by providing free accommodation and electricity. The weather was very good indeed, with not a cloud to be seen for all but a few hours, and the contacts just kept on coming. Between the start of the event on the Thursday (15th May) and close of play on the Sunday (18th May) our own Derek (G7LFC) made 450 contacts, a quarter on the special event station’s total.
In addition to the operating, members of the team enjoyed star-gazing using a tracking telescope and several overhead passes of the International Space Station (ISS). They also had a ring-side-seat for the Crane that stalked a shoal of fish followed by a couple of dolphins feeding. The views in all directions from the station were spectacular and the sunsets amazing.
This year was the nineteenth running of SOS Radio Week. It was founded by Derek (G7LFC) and his son, David (M3LFC) in 2007. Originally, the event supported the volunteers of the RNLI, but it has since been expanded to support all lifeboat stations, coastal watch and rescue teams. Next year will see the running of the 20th SOS Radio Week – something Derek and David never thought they’d see.
If you, or your club, would be interested in taking part in 2026, keep an eye out on the SOS Radio Week website as registrations will open in the new year.