Bere Island as EJ2MT 2004 - 2006
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At the start of 2004 we began thinking about how to make an impact on the IOTA contest results. The location used in past years on the Isle of Wight was good, but the G prefix is not rare enough and the island is generally shared with other stations. So Neil EI3JE suggested we put together a joint expedition to Bere Island with the East Cork Radio Group (EI7M). The association between the Bristol and East Cork groups goes back a few years. We joined up in 2001 for the CQ WW SSB contest in 2001, when EI7M broke the Irish CQ WW record that had stood for 21 years. In 2002 some of the G6YB group operated in the IOTA Contest with EI7M near Cork, while others from the Bristol group were competing as PJ2Y from Curaçao. Jim EI8GS and Alan G3XSV took a scouting trip to Bere Island. They found that one of the Martello Towers on the Island had recently been restored and that we might be able to use it for the contest weekend. This turned out to be a dream radio site... at the top of a hill with excellent take-off in all directions. Our QSL card shows the Martello Tower which gave rise to the MT in the call. This was our operating base for the contest thanks to the Bere Island Projects Group, which had just finished restoring the historic building that dates back to the 18th century. |
Martello Tower on Ardagh Hill
The EJ2MT QSL Card
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The EJ2MT Team - 2004
Back Row: Chris G0HFX, Wilf M0WLF, Alan G3XSV, Cormac EI4HQ, Stuart G0KDS, Geoff G4FKA, Neil EI3JE/M0AXF, Roger G4WBV, Steve EI9HC, Mannix EI5HB Front Row: Robin G3TKF, Jerry EI6BT, Matt M0MAT, Jim EI8GS, Colin G3YHV, Pete G4CLA, Billy EI7FJ, Andy M1EBV |
