Lincoln Shortwave Club will be joining amateur radio clubs and individual operators world wide in commemorating 80 years since the iconic plane of WW2 the Lancaster was first used in operations and the heroism of all those who served in them next month.

To start the month on the 1st of March Steve M5ZZZ our Chairman will contact the other main groups in the Canada and Australia as well as the three RAF Stations taking part in GB80LAN as part of the opening of the Months activities. He will do this in a Sked run by the Canadians on their conference server operating from his car in the International Bomber command Memorial car park. The callsign of the Australian Group is VK80LAN and the Canadians have VE80LAN.

On Saturday the 5th of March 10.30 am – 3.30 pm we have our Special event station at the International Bomber Command Centre Lincoln GB6IBC this will not just be an ordinary special event station but also a family day. In conjunction with the learning team at the centre we will have activities for families to take part in.

As well as sending greeting messages by radio, activities planned for visitors are Crafting ( making morse code bracelets and such ) Try your hand at morse code on an original bathtub key (visitors sending morse to a computer.) We have certificates, morse code notebooks, pens and stickers for children who take part in activities.

Demonstrations will take place on WW2 and current amateur radio. We will have a working R1155 radio receiver ( a Lancaster radio ) on display many thanks to Roger Hunt G3PVU of Lincoln Shortwave Club. We will also have an original R1155 and T1154 (the Lancaster Bomber Receiver and Transmitter ) on site for visitors to view thanks to the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre.

We hope to make contact from the memorial with many amateurs the world over, many of whom may have relatives names on the walls of remembrance. Its outside in tents in March so best to dress warmly ( if the weather is very bad the event will be indoors ). If you have an interest in radio a good chance to get some radio in combined with a day out for the whole family.

Our family day at the international Bomber Command Centre

The Canadian Website for VE80LAN

The RAFARS page for the GB80LAN SSES

On Friday 11th and Saturday the 12th of March 10am – 4pm we will be operating the UK GB80LAN SSES callsign from the Lincolnshire aviation heritage centre East kirkby as part of the International event. We hope to use the original R1155 T1154 Lancaster radio for as many contacts as possible.

The GB80LAN callsign is being passed around the three RAF amateur radio clubs as well as the home of Just Jane at East Kirkby be sure to listen for the other Stations their dates of operation are below.

There is loads to see at the Lincolnshire aviation heritage centre so why not make this a day out for the whole family.

The Schedule for the GB80LAN SSES is:

RAF Waddington 2nd to 8th of March ( The Lancaster first flew a sortie from here and our sister club just down the road )

RAF East Kirkby 11th to the 12th of March.

RAF Cosford 15th to 21st of March.

RAF Halton 1st and the 22nd to 28th of March.

There has been an amazing amount of work done to get this event off the ground world wide and in the UK involving dozens of people. Lincoln Shortwave club are proud to take part and extend our thanks to all the organisers especially David Bloomfield G0KUC.

Check out the GB80LAN, VK80LAN, and VE80LAN Pages on QRZ.com.

Check back here on the days of operation. Times modes and frequencies will be updated here as often as possible.

GB6IBC from the International Bomber Command Memorial March the 5th 10.30 to 15.30 utc

EDIT:

Many thanks for all the QSOs sorry for those who did not make it through the pile up. A great job from Andy M0KED and Stephen M5SJM working it in the bitter cold and heavy QRM.

GB80LAN from the Lincolnshire aviation heritage centre March the 11th and 12th 10.00 to 16.00 utc

Operating on 7.166 MHz