GB2TT (Townhill Telegraph) is a Special Event Station held at Townhill, Southampton, England. The Special Event was held in the grounds of The Rose Bowl (Hampshire County Cricket Ground). This location is very close to the original site of the telegraph.

The exact site was in Southern Road and this is just inside grid square IO90hw. I operated this event from grid square IO90iw.

This site was last activated: Tuesday 13th April until Friday 16th April 2010.

This event commemorates the fact that it is over 200yrs since the shutter telegraph first operated at this site. [Please also see details for GB2CT, GB1WT, GB1TT, GB2BST,GB1DCT,GB5SCT, GB5RST, GB5GHT, GB1SKT, GB1MT, GB2LST, GB1ST and GB2MWT which relate to other shutter telegraph stations] -Have you got your set?

QSL CARD DETAILS:

The front of the card shows a model of a shutter telegraph made by Nigel Wood (West End Museum)and on the right side the map overlay produced by Ray Niblett (West End Museum) used to identify the shutter telegraph's exact location. In the centre is the signature of John Craske who was at one time in charge of the telegraph station as a Royal Navy Lt. The signature is from a document in the National Archives London dated April 1816 (with permission).

During the Napoleonic wars theTownhill Shutter Telegraph was one of a number that operated as arelay station to pass messages between the Admiralty in London and the Naval port of Plymouth.

There was already a system in place between London and Portsmouth and in 1805a line was started to connect with Plymouth. The exact date of when the work as completed isn't known, but is believed to be soon after 4th May 1806, as there is a report on this date stating the line was almost ready. There is more information on the shutter telegraph at the Royal Signals Museum in Blandford, Dorset and the West End Museum and Heritage Centre in Southampton SO30 3FB.

The Grid / Locator for this station is IO90iw ITU Zone:27 CQ Zone:14

WAB: SU41 Southampton, Hampshire

The operator for this event is John Wakefield M0XIG

If you wish to QSL direct please enclose a SASE or return postage costs in the form of IRC or green stamp, otherwise QSL's will go via the Buro.

John Wakefield M0XIG

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