A 24 hour `Morse Marathon` Amateur Radio operation at Sennen Cove RNLI Lifeboat Station on 28th and 29th January 2012.

This operation is being held in conjunction with the national RNLI `SOS` Fundraising Event.

The Station and Lifeboats at Sennen Cove will be open to the public on the afternoon of Sunday 29th January 2012.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution runs the Lifeboat Service around the coast of the UK and Republic of Ireland, operating from 235 strategically placed lifeboat stations.
The Institution is supported entirely by voluntary contributions.
Lifeboat crews are usually volunteers who give up their time to maintain this rescue service.

 
Sennen Cove`s Tamar Class Lifeboat `City of London III`    (image Jack Lancaster)
 
GB4SEN has taken place - we had a lot of fun and hopefully contributed positively towards the `SOS Open Day` at Sennen Cove Lifeboat Station.

Our particular thanks to Sennen Cove Harbour Commissioners for permission to establish the antenna systems on their property.

GB4SEN used an Elecraft K3 transceiver with a TL922 amplifier.
Logging with WinTest


GB4SEN antennas - a 45ft pole served as a hoist for the complex 160m vertical; a sloper for 30m; and quad loops for 20 and 15... hoisted as required.

The 160m antenna comprised at 40ft vertical wire with top-loading coil and 3 top loading wires - fed against 3 elevated 128ft radials, one of which was running over water to the breakwater. Image looking roughly 290 degrees.
29th January 1700
GB4SEN went QRT at 1600z after 24 hours operation.
Full report to follow on this page - in order of 800 QSOs - around 350 on 160m.
Thank you to all who bothered to work us - including VP6T twice, ZL, VK7, YN, CO, lots of NA and of course also lots of EU.
G3XRJ completing the last QSOs this afternoon.

I`ve been wondering all day what caption to put with this image !

`G3XRJ - perhaps it was just after the VP6T QSO on 30m !! `

Our log is currently on ClubLog and we hope also to have it on LoTW in due course.

If you would like a QSL card, please QSL either through the Buro or direct - in either case
via G4AMT


40m quarter wave vertical - the feedpoint is about 2 metres above the top of the breakwater, with three elevated radials.
This simple antenna performed extremely well.
Image looking roughly 290 degrees.

GB4SEN Operators

GB4SEN Location

The RNLI`s SOS Day is the charity`s biggest single fundraising event of the year.

All Stations and Branches throughout the organisation will be coming up with novel ways of raising money for saving lives at sea - the service nationally costs around £350,000 PER DAY to run.

In the South Division. the target this year is to raise £220,000 over the SOS event to equip all stations in the division with new lifejackets.
G3XRJ John Chappell
Lifeboat Operations Manager at Sennen Cove.
Licensed in 1966.
Former sea-going and Lands End Coast Radio Station
radio operator; John can be found most mornings on the `grey line` path to New Zealand on 160m and 80m.
GB4SEN will operate from the Lifeboat Station at Sennen Cove (extreme right building) with antennas mounted either on the wharf or on the breakwater at the Cove, depending on wind and sea conditions.
Lat:50`04.915; 05`42.10W
QRA IO70db
WAB SW32
There are several Amateur
Radio operations taking
place in support of SOS
Day - with various awards
available to stations contacting a specific number of `SOS` stations.This Link
takes you to the
`SOS Radio Week` site .

QSL GB4SEN
via G4AMT
G4AMT Terry George
Full-time Lifeboat Coxswain at Sennen Cove since 1990
Licensed in 1971
Main interests are low frequency intercontinental
working and contest operating.


GB4SEN will be a CW-only operation.
Operation will be mainly on 160m during hours
of darkness to coincide with the CQWW 160m contest.
Daylight operation will probably be limited to 20, 15 and 10m. Our shedule is subject to change depending on conditions.