The Transatlantic Centenary Tests.

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G1PIE
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The Transatlantic Centenary Tests.

Post by G1PIE »

The Transatlantic Centenary Tests.

The RSGB are hosting an International Amateur Radio Activation, The Transatlantic Centenary Tests, on the HF bands, for the entire month of December 2022, to commemorate the centenary of the achievement of Amateur Transatlantic communication, during the Transatlantic Tests that were held between 1921 and 1923.

24 December 1922 was when the very first amateur radio signal from Europe was heard in North America; this was from the RSGB station (G)5WS which was established at Wandsworth in South London, as part of the Third Transatlantic Tests.

Unlike the tests of the 1920s, which consisted of one-way communication, the 2022 tests will encourage world-wide two-way communication with UK & Crown Dependency based stations by having a series of awards available for making QSOs with those who are activating special call signs. The Club Log team have kindly agreed to provide the supporting infrastructure for the Tests.

In anticipation of this centenary celebration, with the assistance of Ofcom (the UK licensing authority), the RSGB have renewed five call signs which they held in the 1920s:
• G5WS, used for the 1922 tests – “the first to get across”
• G5AT, used for the 1923 tests
• G6XX, used for the 1923 tests
• G6ZZ, used for the first amateur tests on a moving railway train in 1924
• G3DR, Scottish Highlands Call - GM3DR.
These historic call signs will be activated by RSGB members and Clubs, using G5WS, G5AT, G6XX, G6ZZ and G3DR (England), GM5WS (Scotland), GW5WS (Wales), GU5WS (Guernsey), GD5WS (Isle of Man), GJ5WS (Jersey) and GI5WS (Northern Ireland).

Full details of how to participate will be published on the RSGB website at https://rsgb.org/transatlantic-tests/. These will be added over the next few weeks, so please bookmark the page.





This massive chimney at Wandsworth Power Station became the aerial support for the (G)5WS aerial in 1922 - possibly the only time that the RSGB has employed a firm of Steeplejacks!

How will the event operate?
We are expecting plenty of UK and international interest in the "Tests" and will need a large team to activate the call signs. Please be prepared to join in with this.

We are making the booking system more flexible than for previous events, with the facility for activators to book their own slots to operate, should they wish. Each call sign will have a coordinator who will be able to book slots or to enable activators to book slots themselves. Individual band/modes will be available for booking with a limit to the number available to each individual or club in each time-slot. This means that we should have each call sign QRV on multiple bands and modes simultaneously.

Currently, we are looking for a volunteer to coordinate each callsign - which will include managing the booking list and uploading logs to Club Log each day; please get in touch if you can help with this.

You have been sent this mail because you have previously engaged in RSGB Contest Club activities. For the Transatlantic Centenary Tests we will use the RSGB Contest Club discussion group to keep activators posted with the latest news and plans for the event. If you are not currently enrolled in the discussion group, please send an email to RSGBcontestclub+subscribe@groups.io.

73 Nick G4FAL
ContestClub@rsgbcc.org
RSGB,RAOTA,WAB, DMC, EPC.
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