 100 years since the Titanic
On April 15, 2012 it will be exactly 100 years since the Titanic collided with an iceberg and sank. It is
not necessary to tell you the whole story once again; others did this at length, even with a movie.
You
should also know that there were Flemish passengers on board and some of them did not survive this
disaster.
As radio amateurs we pay special tribute to wireless operator Jack Philips who
acquitted himself of his task until the very last gasp and continued broadcasting the
distress signal “CQD” (predecessor of SOS) as long as he could. 704 people
(including 7 Flemings) were rescued. 1504 people lost their life (including 14
Flemings). Jack Philips himself went down with the ship.
In the logbook of wireless operator Cottam of the ‘Carpatia’, which was in the area at
that time, we read the following:
April 14, 1912:
23:20 PM – CQD SOS TITANIC – collided on iceberg
23:30 Carpatia changes direction
April 15, 1912:
00:10 Titanic calls CQD, transmitting power weakens
00:20 Titanic sends series of V’s, signals irregular
00:25 Calling Titanic, no answer
00:28 Titanic calls CQD, broken signals, stops suddenly
00:30 Repeated calling Titanic, no answer
01:25 Calling Titanic, flares fired, no answer.
To honor this brave wireless operator and to commemorate this disaster, V.R.A.vzw (Vlaamse
RadioAmateurs, which means Flemish Radio Amateurs) will put special callsigns on the air from April 1,
2012 until April 30, 2012.:
OO100MGY by our section RACD in Deurne (Antwerp)
OR100MGY by our section KUST in Knokke-Heist
OT100MGY by our section PRAC in Londerzeel
During the weekend of Saturday April 14 until Sunday April 15, all three stations will be active
during a marathon transmission, from Saturday 14:00 local time until Sunday 18:00 local time
(UTC from 12:00 Saturday until 16:00 Sunday)
Each of these stations has a special and unique QSL-card available. So, 3 (three) different qsl-cards
can be acquired, one for each participating station
Whoever succeeds in getting these 3 different
qsl-cards may request a special award (see above).
This can be done by means of a signed GRClist,
co-signed by 2 (TWO) other licensed radio
amateurs and by paying the amount of €15,00
(in Europe), or €20,00 (outside Europe),
postage included, on the account number:
IBAN code = BE 9795 2518 6192
BIC code = ARS PBE 22
Of: V.R.A. vzw,
Brusselsesteenweg 113,
B-2800 Mechelen (Belgium)
Mention your call + “Titanic Award”.
|
