Salcombe Lifeboat Disaster, 100 Years On - NOT amateur radio

See http://salcombelifeboat.co.uk/lifeboat-disaster-centenary/ .

One hundred years ago today the small Devon town where I came from suffered a tragedy when the lifeboat overturned with the loss of life of most of the crew. Only two men survived. It was a tragedy in a small community.

There will be a special service to mark this 100 year anniversary.

One of my aunties witnessed the tragedy when she was a young girl.  Most of the crew were not young men as most of these were fighting in WW1.

To this day the RNLI crews go out in any weather to save lives. They are brave men and women.

See https://www.periscope.tv/w/1gqxvRAQEjgxB?q=salcombe for live coverage of the service.

UPDATE 1115z:  I watched the service live on the internet. It was a dignified affair with a packed church.  Sad to think that all the generation that remember this sad event are now long gone, but good that so many wished to remember them.

Salcombe Lifeboat Disaster 1916 - NOT amateur radio

See http://salcombelifeboat.co.uk/lifeboat-disaster-centenary/ .

One hundred years ago this month the small Devon town where I came from suffered a tragedy when the lifeboat overturned with the loss of life of most of the crew. It was a tragedy in a small community. There will be a special service to mark the 100 year anniversary. One of my aunties witnessed the tragedy when she was a young girl.  Most of the crew were not young men as most of these were fighting in WW1. Only 2 people survived.

Salcombe - NOT amateur radio

Salcombe - I used to live in Coronation Rd which is central in this shot

This morning we went for a walk at Snapes Point, overlooking Salcombe (where I used to live as a child) and the Kingsbridge Estuary.

Kingsbridge Estuary, S. Devon

This is our last full day in Devon. I have been pleasantly surprised that I have been able to do so much. We'll be back.

Crab sandwiches - NOT amateur radio

Salcombe crab sandwiches

This evening we did another walk ending with a pub meal. Lis had a crab salad and I had crab sandwiches and Tinners beer.

Salcombe, Devon - NOT amateur radio

Many years ago, I was brought up in Salcombe, Devon. At the time I had no idea how lucky I was. This week we returned. During my illness over the last 3 years there had been times when I thought I would never ever see Salcombe again. Thankfully I have been back now and there is every likelihood we'll visit again in the future. The area is very beautiful.

The photo show the main street. Sadly, Salcombe has many second homes that are empty much of the time. Locals are priced out and many of the local shops are replaced by clothes shops catering for the well heeled. Will Salcombe follow St Ives and stop new second homes?

Salcombe Lifeboat Disaster - NOT amateur radio

100 years ago next October, there was a disaster when 13 of the crew of the Salcombe lifeboat were lost at sea. Salcombe is in south Devon, UK.  One of my aunties remembered this when she was a child.  In those days these brave men rowed out in very rough seas.  The RLNI has a book out soon about the disaster. At the time, the event was devastating on Salcombe.

A video to enjoy (Salcombe, Devon) - not amateur radio

As a child, I was brought up in Salcombe, Devon. This remains a most beautiful area and I am still drawn to it. I know of no better place on the planet and I have been to many countries for work and pleasure. This splendid video was created using drones by Birds Eye View Productions.

Not ham radio......

See http://qss2.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/spre-2m-anyone.html .

http://search.savills.com/content/assets/properties/gbetrsexs140087/EXS140087_02_gal.JPG

There is a house on the market (Landmark) in Salcombe, Devon, the seaside town where I was brought up as a child, that is likely to be sold to the highest bidder and the site redeveloped purely for greed and a quick profit.

The house was the home of author Paul Gallico and is in the "Arts and Crafts" style. It is a rare gem. Ideally, it should be a listed building. Locals are being priced out of their own town by those with "loads of money" but very little sense.  The lovely home is on the market for £1.95M - far too much for me!

Please, write to English Heritage to see if the building can be listed to stop redevelopment of the home and site.   Write to customers@english-heritage.org.uk .

Spoiling the natural environment, or not?

The beautiful Kingsbridge Estuary

The petition to NOT allow water skiing in the Kingsbridge Estuary is gathering momentum. The last time I looked there were 851 supporters of the "no" vote. If you want to support the campaign, then go to the link and vote. The more people who support the "no" campaign, the better chances we have of preventing this precious habitat and SSSI being ruined forever.

UPDATE 2015z:  856 votes now.  Keep voting!

Widegates, Kingsbridge Estuary, South Devon, UK

I'm sorry for putting this on my amateur radio blog but this is a matter dear to my heart. I come from this area and love it dearly.  Because of  my poor health, I have been unable to get to Devon at all this year.  

There is a proposal to allow water skiing in part of the Widegates area of the Kingsbridge Estuary.  This is an area of special scientific interest and at low tide a place where waders congregate. It is an area that is peaceful and quiet and of international importance.

If you know the area and want to comment, write to the Salcombe Harbour Master adam.parnell@southhams.gov.uk.

Personally, I am against the proposal. I fear the area will be adversely changed for ever. 

Water-skiers are pulled by fast boats which create lots of wake and lots of noise. I may be wrong, but I fear the area will never be quite the same again if the plans are approved. The "for it" campaign people have got lots of  publicity on the TV and in the press. There is a need to counter this. For democracy to work, the voices of both sides need to be heard.

South Sands - Salcombe (in danger)

See http://qss2.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/salcombe-south-sands.html.

Not amateur radio, but a concern of mine. Salcombe, Devon is where I originally came from.  It is still dear to my heart as it is a seaside town in grave danger of being ruined by profiteering developers and rich playboys with far too much money and in many cases very little brains. Salcombe is losing its heart and soul. Prices are such that locals are being priced out by second home owners, with many homes empty much of the year.

The development linked above is just one such development. Planners are playing their hands very close to their chests, suggesting they may want to over-develop the site and ruin the sea end of a beautiful valley.

If you have an interest in ensuring the long-term well being of this pleasant seaside town please check the plans next week and use your democratic right to influence the plans.

Salcombe was the home of my mentor and CW instructor Les G4PJ.  I could copy him on 160m 4 miles away on a crystal set.

Back home again

Well, the week long holiday in South Devon is over and we are back home in Burwell again. The portable HF operation was very successful and enjoyable, operating from a mix of locations, mainly clifftop sites with excellent take-offs across the sea to the USA, Africa and S.America.  Average QSO distance with 2.5W SSB was over 3000km, with several QSOs with the USA and Canada on the higher HF bands using just 2W and a short base loaded whip.

In all, not that many hours of actual operation in between just relaxing and enjoying the very best part of England. I say this as this is my "promised land", where I was born and brought up. Out of season, when there are few tourists around and in weather like we had last week - perfect wall-to-wall sunshine - there is honestly no better place on this planet, but then I am biased.

My video, taken yesterday, shows the town of Salcombe in South Devon where I lived until I was 10 years old. In those far off days I took all this for granted: I knew nowhere else really. The view from my junior school window was up the beautiful estuary and the sunlight playing on the water would reflect on the classroom wall. Sunny days indeed, long before ham radio and the worries of adulthood.

Now I'm back home my challenge is that £20 (all new) portable backpack transceiver with decent performance that I've been challenged to design. In between cutting grass, weeding and paying the bills!

All for the want of an SMA-BNC adaptor

This week my wife and I are on holiday at my brother's home in South Devon. I don't bring much ham gear with me these days, but I packed my VX2 dual bander and a small mag-mount to erect when static on the car roof.  Packed the rig, charger, several whips, mag mount  ......but I forgot to put in the essential SMA-BNC adapter.

Never mind, there are plenty of things to do instead of amateur radio including seeing the house in Island Street, Salcombe where my dad used to live in back in the 1920s now on sale as a second home for rich bankers at £325k. The house has no views, is tiny, has nowhere to park the Rolls and floods when there is a very high Spring tide.