GB4CWM

Calbourne Watermill on the Isle of Wight

Special event for national mills weekend

10th and 11th may 2008

WAB SZ48 * IOTA EU 120 * LOC IO90hq

A brief history of the mill……

  the iron wheel is 20ft (6m 10cm) in diameter water is fed from the stream to a feed tank set back from the point. This type of water wheel is called an "overshot" wheel.

Maximum water flow an hour via the 48 buckets is 252,000 gallons (1,060 tons)

Calbourne mill was valued in the doomsday book at six shillings and three pence.

This contact counts as a point for the I.o.W county award.

Members of the club met up on Friday to do all the setting up many thanks to Pete G4BIM for towing the caravan, .

We arrived on Saturday morning around 9.15 and with a few technical difficulties and several cups of tea we where up and running at about 11.00 o'clock , it was a grey muggy day and conditions where not great but we looked round the bands at started getting contacts into the log but again technical difficulties hampered us and with changes of mic patch leads and tuner we where back getting contacts into the log mostly inter G and some European stations we packed up at five with the log showing 61 contacts.

Sunday morning we arrived at 9.30 it was  bright and sunny and lasted all  day and well into the evening. We tried another antenna on Sunday which was a folded dipole with some good results  but the gremlins started causing trouble and again we had to change patch leads and lengths of coax things settled down and bands seemed quite good but after lunch we struggled for contacts I imagine everyone was out enjoying the sunshine the team packed at five and we had achieved a round 116 contacts. We suffered all weekend with QRM from the peacocks that roam free at the mill they also liked to peck there reflections in some of the teams cars especially Colin M0GUN bright and shiny car so there was a lot off herding them away from the cars

73 best wishes from all at BARS 

Colin M0GUN Mark M3SQG

Pete G4BIM and Dave 2E0FRB

Watching Mark M3SQG

Colin M0GUN

One of the many peacocks that attacked the cars

Dave

"the docker"

2E0FRB

        Pictures by Mark M3SQG

All stations worked that requested a QSL card will receive one through the RSGB Bureau. There is no requirement to send us a QSL card.

If you do want to send us a QSL card through the bureau please send to:  GX0BAR.

SWL's may send a report with a S.A.E. direct to: Brickfields Amateur Radio Society, Newnham Road, Binstead, Nr Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 3TH