G8RIW

The Callsign is G8RIW and name Barry. QTH is Grimsby, on the south side of the River Humber estuary which is situated halfway down the eastern side of the UK.

I passed my RAE in 1978 and have been mainly interested in Construction, Direction Finding Hunts, Computing and Digital Radio modes including Packet Radio and Hellschreiber. I am now looking at PSK31 with a view to working this mode.

A long time ago together with Brian G4KAL I introduced Packet Radio (and digital communications) to this area when we demonstrated its potential using two BBC B computers, and radio’s using dummy aerials. It had to be done this way as the two stations were only 20 foot away from each other, the size of the clubroom we use to this day. Today of course things have progressed. We have our own repeater in town GB7GBY and our own ATV repeater GB3GG.

I have an interest in the Hellschreiber system and RTTY for no other reason than both are outmoded but still of interest. I have started to play around with these two methods of passing information using P.C.s and a couple of the free software packages that are now available.

We live in an age where there are so many things freely available to use via the internet that we can spend many happy hours just playing and trying things out and all for the cost of a couple of old computers and one or two transmitters and receivers.

I have also managed whilst working to obtain a Science Honours Degree at the Open University studying Mechatronics, Renewable energy and computing.

Today I use the Internet far more than I ever use radio. That is progress I suppose.

I also have an interest in art and recently completed five years of study, mainly life drawing and painting.

As I have now retired I hope to have more time available to devote to my hobbies. I Also draw the occasional cartoon and have been lucky to have my work on the front page of the "Radcom" and "Sprat", the magazine of the GQRP club of which I have been a member for longer than I would like to admit.

The cartoon was drawn as a spoof entry into a competition to build a "Naturally powered radio" needless to say it did not win, but many people enjoyed the joke as the cartoon made the front cover of edition 132 of Sprat Magazine and the front of the Sprat Magazine CD.

I take part in the occasional Direction Finding Hunt (ARDF). We still use the Top Band (1.8 Mhz) and Two Metres (144 Mhz) in this area and use our DF hunts more as an enjoyable pastime rather than take it too seriously (most of us are well past running and some past jogging even).Post Mortem's are always carried out afterwards in a convenient public house, (known as a Bar to the rest of the world).

Best 73’s Barry.

I can be contacted via

"clockwork@ntlworld.com"