Radios silent as we honour the fallen

By Richard Blandford, M0RBG

At 11am on Remembrance Day, our radios fell silent as members of the club paused to honour those who gave their lives in two world wars and more recent conflicts.

This moment of reflection was a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made for our freedom.

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Before and after the silence, our special event station GB6RD was active on HF and 2m bands, with nine dedicated club members braving wet and windy conditions at Farnley Tyas.

Despite the challenging weather, spirits were high as we showcased amateur radio to mark this important day.​ A highlight of the event was the first outing of our Aerial 51 OCF dipole, which delivered excellent performance across the bands.

This lightweight, robust antenna impressed  everyone and is sure to become a staple for future special event stations. Forty metres was particularly lively, even with a mid-morning solar flare briefly affecting propagation.

Conditions improved later, leading to exciting pileups from across the UK and Europe. We were delighted to welcome visitors, including John Torley from the David Brown Tractor Club, who has now joined our ranks, and Paul M0AIA, adding to the camaraderie of the day.