GB5GHT is a Special Event Station held at Great Haldon Exeter England in the grounds of Exeter Racecourse, EX6 7XS. The event was last in operation from 1822hrs Saturday 2nd July until 2310 hrs Friday 9th July 2011 utc. This site is now booked for 1st July 2017 until 7th July 2017.

HopHoping to operate from this site again in or around July 2017.  Any information and progress will be reported here.

 

W2NAN G5RV erected using fibreglass telescopic masts. Centre mast 50 feet high.

 

 

Butternut HF6V Antenna with 100 Radials 10m long

 

Cover of Wilson's book: The Old Telegraphs ISBN 0900592 79 6

 

Reverse of QSL card

 

I also run the special Event stations GB2CT, GB1WT, GB2TT, GB1TT, GB2BST, GB1DCT, GB5SCT, GB5RST, GB1SKT, GB1MT, GB2LST, GB1ST and GB2MWT. Have you got your set? Please see details on QRZ.com and also under M0XIG.

Great Haldon is the 17th Shutter Telegraph on the Plymouth Line. The station burnt down on 23rd September 1806 and was rebuilt by 10th October 1806.

This event commemorates the fact that it is over 200yrs since the shutter telegraph first operated at this site. During the Napoleonic wars the Lee Shutter Telegraph was one of a number that operated as a communication link for the Admiralty between London and Plymouth. There was already a system in place between London and Portsmouth and in 1805 this 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.

QSL Card details: The image is courtesy of Luton Culture and made available to me with kind permission of Dr Adey; it is a watercolour painting by the artist George Sheppard and was painted in 1819. The painting is of Dunstable Shutter Telegraph and is believed to have been done from memory as the telegraph itself no longer existed at this time. (Image not to be reproduced without permission from Luton Culture).

The telegraphs generally had shutters that were in one piece and there is mention of dividing a single shutter into three to reduce the wind resistance and thereby make them easier to operate. However, I have not come across any evidence that this was actually put into practical use. The artist has also made an error in that the middle shutter on the left has been subdivided into four. All the others if you look carefully are divided into three!

The other interesting point here is that the artist has put a circle on each division instead of subdividing the circle into three. This was not the case from my research. If you wish to understand how the shutter telegraph worked this is not the picture to look at. It is better to look at GB1MT and GB5SCT and also some of the models of the telegraphs on other callsigns to help with your understanding.

The Grid / Locator for this station is IO80fp ITU Zone:27 CQ Zone:14

WAB: SX88 Exeter Devon

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