"GB200CLB"

Notice to all Radio Amateurs around the world, special event "GB200CLB" commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Cromer Lifeboat on 29th October - 1st November 2004.

The station is being set up to commemorate 200 years of lifeboats in Cromer and is just one of a host of activities taking place during 2004. Whilst it is primarily a chance for amateurs to show off to the public the enjoyment and extent of the hobby, it is also an opportunity to raise funds for our local lifeboat, with collecting boxes available for contributions.

We will be operating these stations from the boathouse on the end of Cromer’s famous Victorian Pier. The Cromer lifeboat was the home of probably the most famous and decorated of all the RNLI’s lifeboat men, Henry George Blogg.

His brief history taken from www.cromerlifeboats.org.uk  is below;

The outstanding figure in the history of Cromer is Henry George Blogg who became a member of the Cromer crew in 1894 at the age of 18. He was coxswain of the lifeboat from 1909 - 1947. During his 53 years as a lifeboat man, the Cromer lifeboats went out on service 387 times and rescued 873 lives. His record is without equal in the history of the Institution. No lifeboat man has received so many decorations for gallantry. He won the Gold Medal of the Institution, which is only given for conspicuous gallantry, three times. He won its Silver Medal four times. He held the George Cross and the British Empire Medal.  He died in July 1954 at the age of 78 years.

There will be two HF stations (kindly on loan from Kenwood, UK via BDXG) operated around the clock, plus VHF/UHF. We know it's the CQWW SSB that weekend, but please give us call!!

A number of local amateur radio organisations are involved in putting this event together, and providing equipment and people, the Bittern DX Group (www.bittern-dxers.org.uk) , Norfolk Amateur Radio Club (www.norfolkamateurradio.org) , Kings Lynn Amateur Radio Club (www.klarc.org.uk) , and North Norfolk Raynet (www.raynet-uk.net), and of course the RNLI Cromer Lifeboat.

QSL via David Edwards MØCNP, more details available on Bittern DX'ers website.


Hope to hear you...


73 Keith Martin GØGFQ

Secretary/Webmaster Bittern DX Group
Website: http://www.bittern-dxers.org.uk