Biography

WAB = TL22 QRA= IO91VV



I have been a member of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) for more than 40 years.

At more than 100 years old, (G)2YT is one of the earliest UK radio callsigns, issued within the first few years of the 20th century. The original holder was Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company Limited, used at the historic Poldhu Radio Station in Cornwall, SW England. It is widely accepted that in 1901 Poldhu was involved in reception of the first successful transatlantic radio signal.

The previous holder of G2YT was Mr Crispin (Cris) Redshaw. Cris was a radio pioneer, using the call 'XZT' in 1912. He was later to become 'Engineer in Charge' of the Marconi Beam Station at Dorchester in southern England which was built by The Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company (later to become part of Cable and Wireless). The Dorchester radio station was used for transmitting commercial and personal telegrams to the USA, S. America and the Far East. Cris Redshaw worked with Marconi at Poldhu, and his daughter Anne, now in her 90's can remember sitting on Mr Marconi's knee as a child. Cris became silent key in 1974 and his relatives asked me if I would like to resurrect the old call. Having done this I discovered its significant history. I am the fourth custodian of G2YT, it having been reissued twice previously. I have twice worked 'old timers' who knew Cris. G2YT was also used by Mr Frederick Rumary from Portishead, Somerset in the 1930's.

(G)2YT Poldhu was recorded as being used for HF communication tests in 1924 with the AWA [Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Limited] station at Willoughby near Sydney. For further information please see www.qsl.net/vk2dym/radio/Marconi.htm

Present day station is usually an Icom IC7851, often driving an SPE 2K linear amplifier or a Flex Radio 6400M driving into a Flex Power Genius XL solid state linear amplifier. Main antenna is a BOLPA 10... (Band Optimised Log Periodic Array) 10 element from Innovantennas of Canvey Island UK on a (27 metre guyed tower is on a hill overlooking marsh) and the source of the River Purwell. Also G5RV from top of tower.

Hobbies & interests other than amateur radio include; Motorcycle track and road-racing. I am team principal of Fox Classic Racing, involved with track and road racing classic motorcycles at the highest level. Also interested in; Wine, cooking, photography, music, target shooting (1988,89,90,92,94 & 2001 British Champion in 100m moving target centrefire rifle), control-line speed aeromodelling (holder of 4 x National speed records), deer stalking/hunting (qualified deer stalking instructor), game fishing (holder of unofficial African record for rod/line caught fish with a Tiger Shark at 1,631 lbs - (740Kg).

I was the last engineering apprentice of the Wilkinson Sword Company in West London, working in all areas of their business but mainly on the manufacturing of razor blade making machinery. For a couple of years I worked on the building and renovation of vintage aircraft. Later I designed Halon gaseous fire suppression equipment for some years and after that I developed the UK and European market for VESDA, a very sensitive ‘aspirating’ smoke detection system which was developed in Australia, initially by British Aerospace in Adelaide. In 1992 I had an acrimonious parting with the UK VESDA business which I had founded with a criminally unscrupulous Australian business partner and started my own business as a competitor in the same field called AirSense Technology Ltd. We designed and manufactured a better version of 'Vesda' called Stratos-HSSD (High Sensitivity Smoke Detection). This product remains the world’s most intelligent and sensitive smoke detection/early warning fire detection system. It incorporates a unique system of Perceptive Artificial Intelligence which ensured that it would work at optimum performance, irrelevant of operating conditions. I was hugely honoured when, in 1999 Queen Elizabeth II awarded my business with an award for Technological Achievement and in 2002 the Queen's Award for Enterprise for Export Achievement. In 2008 I sold the business to what is now Raytheon/United Technologies Corp. of USA.

see also :

http://sites.google.com/site/southdorsethamradio/history/2yt