GB2RN

RNARS London (HMS "Belfast") Group
(Affiliated)

Easter Activity Week 2008

Belfast-Plakette

HMS "Belfast"

Friday, 21/03/2008 till Sunday, 30/03/2008 inclusive

The RNARS London (HMS "Belfast") Group held their usual yearly activity on board HMS Belfast. For this special occasion members travelled from many countries to be heard all across the bands worldwide with the call sign GB2RN. This is the amateur station which is situated in the bridge wireless office (BWO) on board the cruiser HMS Belfast.

EAW invitation 2008

Navigator of EAW08:

Fri 21/03/08 Arrival

Sat 22/03/08 till

Son 23/03/08 Relaxing, free of choise or BWO 1

Mon 24/03/08 till

Tue 25/03/08 Relaxing, free of choise or BWO 2

Wed 26/03/08 Bletchley Park Tower of London

Thu 27/03/08 Annual general meeting (AGM) Inspection by VIP Social

Fri 28/03/08 Stratford-upon-Avon

Sat 29/03/08 Relaxing, free of choise or BWO

Son 30/03/08 Last meal or BWO

Mon 31/03/08 Departure

Some members of the group arrived on Good Friday. We had a lot to talk about since our last meeting and soon formed into little groups for some chit chat. We also met in the Wardroom for our welcoming drinks.

Friends

In the Wardroom

A lot of action in our amateur radio club station GB2RN was announced, it was the Easter activity week. As famously, the radio room is aboard in the BWO (bridge wireless office). In the following some insights which show the small exhibition, the radio communication systems as well as the action at the stations.

Activities at Bridge Wireless Office

Wednesday was earmarked for a first excursion to all viewable sights of the country. Tom, Bob, Peter and myself had chosen Bletchley. Our destination was Bletchley Park, the national cypher centre of UK, where among other things also the Enigma is displayed. Using underground and train to the north of London, we reached our destination safely.

The exebition left nice impression and fullfilled again some gaps in one's knowledges.

Our trip to Bletchley

Club station GB2BP

Visit of national cypher centre, a lot of halls were to visit.

Rebuild of "The Tuning Bombe"

Enigma and more

The Project in the future and today

On time to the Tower visit we were back again.

The Wednesday evening was crowned with the now traditional visit to the Tower of London and the highlight of the evening was the Ceremony of the Keys. This special parade has been performed without fail every night for the last 600 years and marks the ceremonial locking up and handing over of the keys to the resident governor of the Tower.
The Tower has many fabulous sights to offer and the Crown Jewels of the Royal Family is just one of the many items.

The Tower of London

Preparing for the visit

After visiting the area our group in front of the Tower Wardroom

The evening concluded with a little refreshment in the Tower Wardroom which was strictly by invitation only.

London Group members visiting the Yeoman Warders� wardroom
- Tower of London - and surprises

London Group members visiting the Yeoman Warders� wardroom
- Tower of London

Ceremony of the keys

Annual general meeting (AGM)

This year on Thuersday the AGM was held first before the VIP arrived and the social followed in the Officers-Mess. Guests attending were Mick G3LIK MF334 RNARS Chairman and many others from Scotland, Canada, America, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland and of course Germany not to forget our veterans.

(from left) Terry GØTBD - last speech as chairman -
Marc GØTOC - our new QSL manager - and Mick G3LIK chairman of RNARS
The board of the London Group

This year's AGM the chairman and the QSL manager were to be elected, the rest of the board was re-elected. Terry now stayed in the committee.
Instead of the unexpected stand down of our Roger G�HNU RN3435, LG516 a new QSL manager was needed. Roger was gone but never forgotten.

Rod 2EØRPS - our new chairman

AGM with surprises

The VIP Captain M. C. Wouters RNLN, stationed as a navy attachè in the Dutch embassy in London, arrived at 12.30 precisely. He proceeded to inspect the assembled RNARS members.

VIP on board

Inspection by VIP Captain M. C. Wouters RNLN

Finally at 1300 all participants with a valid social ticket were able to participate in a well prepared lunch and of course plenty of liquid refreshments.
The new committee was celebrated in style. Angelika with a few helpers had again helped to make the party a big success. Everyone had a good time. A big thank you goes out to her.

Raffle

One of the highlights of the raffle (front and back of the medal)

Impression of the social

Captain M. C. Wouters RNLN with his present for Rod 2EØRPS

Impression of the social
Our american friends (in the middle)

After the "stressful" day with inspection, AGM and social was again action at our club station GB2RN, we were still in the Easter activity week. The visitors were amazed over and over again that moves, nevertheless, a little bit here aboard. "Look there, they really move" we ever heard this. On all other stations aboard were only dummies (wax dolls).

BWO

Impression of the BWO

Friday was earmarked for an excursion to all viewable sights of the country. Chuck, Harm and myself had chosen Stratford-upon-Avon. Our destination was the famous working place where the writer Shakespeare lived. Running by underground, train and bus we reached our destination safely. The visit to the four museums of Shakespeare (birthplace, garden and more) including the city was worthwhile and left us with a lasting impression of this attraction.

One should harm also once for the culture just again.

Impression of Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare's birthplace and garden

Shakespeare's garden

A little refreshment was hiring necessary

Last impression

Back again savety to London, the appetite tormented us a little. We could satisfy this in next highlight, to the visit in Chinatown at night and their much-creased places, suitably in a China bar.

In a good mood we came again back aboard.

The last stay on board and impression around the ship. A successfull activity week drew the end.