The
present Group dates back to
1931, but its predecessor goes
back to 1913 when it was
called the Bristol Wireless
Association. Apart from brief
interruptions for war, it has
remained in being until the
present day. It has met at
various venues the Half Moon
in Stoke's Croft, Carwardine's
restaurant, the Royal Fort and
the Small Lecture Theatre at
the University of Bristol, and
the Lawn Tennis Club in
Redland - to name but a few
Currently meetings are held at
BAWA in Filton.
The fortunes of the Group
have waxed and waned, as is
the case with all
organisations - the most
memorable happenings being the
winning of NFD three times in
a row in the early Fifties and
the still talked about
National Convention, which was
held here in Bristol.
However,
probably the most enduring
event for which the Bristol
RSGB Group is known is the
Longleat Rally. For 45 years
the Group organised and ran
this very popular rally at
Longleat House. In 1997 the
Group helped in a small way
with special event station
GB5JC celebrating John Cabot
and the Matthew. As a spin-off
from this it provided some of
the equipment used for the
historic first amateur radio
transmission by HM the Queen
in 1997.
To help encourage new blood
into the hobby the Group
continues to fund amateur
radio licence courses
currently held in Bath under
the expert guidance of Steve
Hartley, G0FUW. So the Bristol
RSGB Group has a long history,
of which it can justifiably be
proud.