Move of GB3VHF beacon

After 50 years at Wrotham, the GB3VHF 144 MHz beacon will be moving to a new site at Fairseat in Kent (JO01EH).

After fifty years of near continuous operation, GB3VHF has now closed permanently from the site at Wrotham, and the beacon was switched off by the beacon keeper Monday morning (15th February).

Funding for the Wrotham beacon site rental from the RSGB comes to an end on March 30th, and the site would have had to have been cleared and vacated by then. Access to the site has proven to be very difficult over the last year or so, and an opportunity arose to gain access to the site to remove the beacon and all its associated equipment at an early stage and with no cost, hence the service ceasing today. This site access problem is another reason for quitting the present site.

However, the ‘phoenix will rise from the ashes’, as I can now announce that after nearly a year of negotiations and planning, I have reached an agreement for a site sharing agreement at a new site only 4kms ENE of Wrotham.

The beacon will be relocated to Fairseat in Kent (JO01EH) and will employ an antenna system that will be identical to that used at Wrotham, with the beam directions exactly the same and the antennas of a similar height above ground level. This will mean that coverage will be nominally the same as that enjoyed in the past from Wrotham.

Also, I have obtained suitable coaxial cable for the feeder, which will enable me to maintain the existing ERP. With the new site at Fairseat being of a similar height to Wrotham and with a good take off, I am hoping that you will notice little change in signal strength.

The Ofcom license for the beacon at the new site has already been obtained, so once the antennas at Fairseat are rigged, the beacon will appear on the air just a few days later.

Obviously I am now dependent on suitable weather and the work availability of the riggers, to install the antennas and feeder at Fairseat. This may take some time so please be patient.

As you can imagine, the relocation of the beacon has come at a price, and rigging and other costs are high. I have been fortunate in that a number of items required have been kindly donated or supplied at a greatly reduced price by friends and colleagues, including the brand new Jaybeam commercial grade yagis and the Andrews LDF550 feeder and fittings.

The relocated beacon will be independently run and maintained, and will receive no regular funding from any organisation. If you would like to make a financial donation towards relocation and ongoing costs then I would be extremely grateful.

Donations can be made by PayPal to my e-mail address chris at g0fdz dot com, and all donations will be acknowledged. Please mark your PayPal donation as “GB3VHF donation”.

I still have much work to do on the project, but rest assured I am working to commission the beacon at the new site as soon as practically possible.

I will give you further news on developments at the earliest opportunity.

Many thanks for your support and good DX

Chris Whitmarsh G0FDZ
Beacon Keeper GB3VHF