VO1MRC
Incorporated 7 November 2001: the centenary year of Marconi's first transatlantic wireless experiment.
Objective: to promote science, engineering, technology and traditional
amateur radio through the Marconi communications legacy.
60 metre project using the Arduino/AD9850 DDS as described in the May/June 2013 issue TCA link
International 2.71, United States: 1.30, Canada: 1.07 (Sep 2020 PLUS 15%HST).
(total 3.12, 1.50, 1.23$ respectively)
domestic 1.15 *1.15 = 1.32$ (2024)
1.32$ (2024)
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QSL to MRCN, Box 1033, Torbay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, A1K 1K8.
Keith Mathew G0WYS At the Marconi centre in Poldhu. Keith at VON , St John's coast guard radio.
Carolyn Rule M0ADA (Left) with M,J and J Craig.
David Edwards (Left) with Kerry Edwards. Photos taken by Courtwood Photographic Services, Penzance.
Mr Bob Lewis, VO1BL, Honorary Founding Member. Photo: Frank Davis VO1HP. It is with deep regret that we report the passing of Mr Lewis on 28 Jan 2005.
Steve G0YKA, "GB3SSS - Marconi's Transatlantic Leap Revisited" p.40, QST Dec 2007
2200m July 2006 QST Article
Honorary MRCN Member Dr Jack Belrose VE2CV wrote a paper on Prof. Aubrey
Fessenden's Christmas Eve 2006 Broadcast that was published by the
"Historical Corner" of the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine:
Fessenden
Beacons and the VHF repeater operated by MRCN, including VO1ZA-6 one of the most easterly 6 metre beacon on the North American continent and VO1ZA-2 the high power 2 metre beacon on 144.400 MHz.
8 Dec 2023. We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dr Bob Lawton, VO1BP a long time member of our club at the age of 99.
25-26 June 2022: Annual ARRL Field Day exercise at the shed behind the Bauline Community Centre, 2 Memorial Park Place, from 3.30 pm Saturday to 3.30 pm Sunday.
30 May 2022 Note from ISEDC: Newfoundland and Labrador amateurs may use the special Jubilee prefix XJ until 14 July 2022.
12 December 2021 120th Anniversary event on Signal Hill
26-27 June 2021 ARRL Field Day in Whitbourne
April 2021 IMD on signal Hill
Nov 2020 FD2020 Results on the ARRL web page
June 2020 Field Day. Results submitted to ARRL.
January 2019. Attempted activation of CNPOTA from Signal Hill on the 01 Jan. A 40m Q early in the morning and a few more the following day on 20. VO1MRC active for Straight Key Night.
We are very saddened to learn of the passing of Keith G0WYS who had been a key orchestrator of the 12 December event for almost 20 years. A tribute for Keith appears on the PARC web page. Keith G0@YS
December 2018. Results in QST: VO1MRC is the hightest scoring A/B VO Field Day station. Only one contact from Signal Hill on the 12th but it wasn't GB2GM. Conditions were very unfavourable.
November 2018. Tour of VOAR.
23-24 June 2018. ARRL Field Day operation. VENUE: Town of Bauline.
13 April 2018. ISEDC releases its latest table of allocations: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf10759.html The recommendation of RAC, MRCN and others to ease the power restriction on the new band 5.3515-5.3665 MHz was adopted. The relevant footnote is:
Feb 2018 VO1ZA repeater (147.00 MHz - ) is QRV in test mode with 10 min ID.
3 July 2017 The C150GO group and MRCN convey a brick from Signal Hill across the Atlantic. It arrived at Newquay airport 18 July and brought to Poldhu by Kieth. Thanks to Parks Canada for the assistance and brick. A 2 way radio link was made between Poldhu and Signal Hill to exchange greetings and to announce the brick is on the way. The brick was from the site of the fever hospital where Marconi used his receiver in 1901. The Global Odyssey circumnavigation was completed 17 Aug.
7 March 2017 VO1HP VO1NA help fill the log for the VIMY 100 portable operation in VO1 along with several other clubs in the province. Here's the log. Thanks to RAC NL Section Manager VO1DI for coordinating the event, Frank for taking the lead and making almost all the contacts including DXCC also to VO1FB for support though he could not take part, operators VO1NC VO1EGH and VO1DI. Thanks to the VIMY100 event organisers and RAC for announcing the event at the Hearts Content Cable Station AGM last summer.
23 April 2016 VO1MRC is on the air with a 30 year old Marconi transceiver
during International Marconi Day.
12 December 2015. Another good link between GB2GM and VO1MRC
thanks to VO1FB
18 November 2015. The Plenary Meeting of the 2015 World Radiocommunication
Conference (WRC-15) in Geneva has approved an allocation of 5351.5-5366.5 kHz
to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis with a power limit of 15 W
effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP).
1 May 2014: The 472-479 kHz band is now available to Canadian amateurs. Please see the RAC web page for additional information.
26 April: Sked with GB2GM, but poor conditions.
14-15 December 2013: VX9MRC QRV on 478 kHz to commemorate the proposed new band for Canadian amateurs on 630 metres. A telegram from our mayor will be sent on CW. If you copy it, please forward to your respective mayor to highlight amateur radio and emergency communications service.
23-24 June 2013 Field Day. Once again, we will be returning to the parking lot atop Signal Hill for this event. Hope to see you there.
May 2013: The 6 metre beacon VO1ZA had been having antenna problems. This been corrected.
25-28 April 2013: We join our sister club PARC and colleagues in Italy (ARI) to commemorate Marconi's birthday. Please check this web page for updates on how you can be involved. GB2GM, IY4MKD and VO1MRC will be on the air.
21 Apr 2013: IMD - VO1MRC took to the airwaves to exchange greetings to other Marconi sites. We were delighted to chat with Cliff and Ivan in Poldhu.
15 December 2012: To commemorate the First transatlantic 2 way (between Poldhu and Glace Bay on 15 December 1902) GB2GM,II1M,IY4FGM,KM1CC,VE1VAS and VO1MRC participated in an on the air ceremony with Keith as MC, radio operator and radiotelegrapher
.
12 December 2012: Our annual linkup with Keith and David in Poldhu. MRCN's Ken and Joe took part.
16 Oct 2012. Honorary member Dr J. Belrose VE2CV sends us a copy of a paper he wrote for the IEEE about Fessenden's famous broadcast in 1906. Please see the "Publications" section.
23-24 June 2012. ARRL Field Day Exercise. We to returned to Signal Hill to operate a portable station.
April 2012: To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster, the Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland will be transmitting a special bulletin near 500 kHz, the distress frequency used by the radio officers of the Titanic to send their CQD call to Cape, Race Newfoundland. Please listen on 507.77 kHz CW for VX9MRC between 0001 and 0400 UTC on 15 April 2012. Please note this corresponds to Saturday night, 14 April, for listeners in the western hemisphere. (thanks to NL Section Manager Charlie VO1VZ for his help in publicising this event)
14 February 2012. The new amateur band 472 to 479 kHz is approved at WRC12. The Canadian delegation used information provided by Canadian 600 metre experimenters including VX9ZZZ VX9BDQ and MRCN's VX9MRC operation.
9 January 2012. Digital Signals are sent from VO1MRC to G4WGT on 137.771 kHz using OPERA:
12 December 2011: The Poldhu Amateur Club calls its sister club MRCN via wireless atop Signal Hill. We are most grateful to CBC Radio and Television, Newfoundland Broadcasting Company and The Telegram for their media coverage and to our colleagues in Poldhu who braved fierce winds to keep their aerials operational for the event. More information will be published on our Reenactments web page soon.
29 November: CBC's Christine Davis finds a rare recording of Marconi and his experiment 110 years ago.
17 November: MRNC honorary member and recent RAC Hall of Fame recipient VE2CV(right) and VO1HP enjoy lunch in Stittsville, Ont
7 November: The Board of Trustees of the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame has appointed John S. Belrose VE2CV to the Hall of Fame.
October 2011: The ARRL Field Day results are in and once again MRCN is victorious with the top score in the province. Thanks to all who assisted and the ARRL.
July: The 600m experiment continues with the aim to determine the reliability of 500 kHz reception up to several hundred km during the summer. We are saddened to learn that Jeff Gilhooly will be retiring from CBC. We enjoyed several interviews with Jeff over the years and he will be sadly missed. He was a pleasure to talk with and encouraged us to be enthusiastic while relaxed. Congrats Jeff and enjoy your retirement.
June 2011. Field Day: A low power station with 2 transmitters is set up
and operated in Whitbourne. We had a contact with the ARRL station W1AW.
FD11 on the ARRL web page
January 2011 : Another operation on Signal Hill. We contact Poldhu again.
12 and 19 December 2010: The 109th anniversary of Marconi's first transatlantic wireless experiment is commemorated in collaboration with the Poldhu ARC including an operation from Signal Hill, thanks to Parks Canada for their permission to set up a portable station at Signal Hill National Historic Site.
24 April International Marconi Day: Despite very poor conditions,
persistence brought success as the 600/80m crossband contact
with GB4FPR from Wireless Hill and, thanks to the powerful station at VO1FB,
GB2GM and stations of the esteemed members of the Poldhu Amateur Radio Club.
16 April: VO1HP earns 160m WAZ award.
April 2010: Experimental 500 kHz station VX9MRC licence is renewed.
17 December 2009. MRCN is authorised by Parks Canada to operate from Signal Hill again, but we are prevented by a snow storm from going there to make contact with Poldhu.
12 December 2009: MRCN commemorates the Centenary of Marconi and Braun's Nobel Prize in Physics by sending a telegram to Poldhu from the Physics Department of Memorial University. See Marconi's Nobel Address
9 December 2011 2344 UTC. MRCN receives a ceremonial message from DDH47 on 147.3 kHz to mark the Centenary of the receipt of the Nobel Prize by Braun and Marconi in 1909. Details may be found in the January 2012 issue of QST (Vol 96, No. 1) p. 20. 15 October 2009: MRCN proposal for experimentation on 600 metres is moving forward.
27 June 2009: ARRL Field Day. MRCN takes to the airwaves to defend its 2008 victory and claim to the Field Day Trophy.
20 May 2009: VLF transmitter in Grimeton Sweeden SAQ received on 17.2 kHz. Audio Clip
25 Apr 2009: International Mareconi Day: 600 metre signals from GB4FPR are answered on 80 metres by VO1MRC. Many thanks to several MRCN members who contributed to this historic event.
Feb 2009: VHF repeater testing continues. We are planning operations for the year including using some antique apparatus.
January 2009: On the 31st, MRCN members attended a delightful strings performance by prominent and highly talented local musicians. The show was hosted by CBC Radio's Musicraft Francesca Swann.
December 2008: We are honoured to be congratulated by the NL Section Manager, Charlie, VO1VZ on "being the top club in NL for the 2008 Field day". Many thanks Charlie, and to all the groups who took part. Everyone who participates in Field Day is a winner.
12th. We complete our annual contact with sister club GB2GM in Poldhu and exchange formal telegrams including one from Parks Canada marking 50 years of service at Signal Hill.
Bart Lee has copied his Marconi Experiment paper on line. Please see the California Historical radio site to read it.
November: Click here for the CBC audio clip. 10 November: Jeff Gilhooley welcomes Len and Joe at the CBC Radio studio for an interview (to air tomorrow morning) on the results of the Joint PARC/MRCN 'Marconi Experiment'.
October: 17th: Radio contact between GB2GM and VO1MRC.
October: A joint event with the Poldhu ARC will be held on Signal Hill.
September: Honorary member Jack Belrose will be presenting at an IEEE event. to honour the first voice transmission by Fessenden in 1906.
August 2008. Bart Lee KV6LEE reports that his article on the Marconi experiment has been published in the Antique Wireless Association Review, Vol. 21, 2008.
June 2008. Several Newfoundland and Labrador radio clubs including MRCN take to the airwaves for the annual ARRL field day on the 28-29th.
March 2007. The Poldhu ARC/MRCN joint experiment on 3597 kHz concludes.
30 March 2008 A report including contributions from VY1JA VE7TIL VE7SL and MRCN is submitted to Jim Dean and Ken Pulfer who attended the WRC07 where a new amateur band was approved. This report was an important step in securing an allocation in Canada, which could take place in 2009.
November 2007: Honorary member Jack Belrose is awarded the prestigious Armstrong Medal by the Radio Club of America. Here we see Jack receiving the award from Martin Cooper, the vice president on the left.
Commemorating the first commercial transatlantic wireless message from Clifden to Glace Bay by Marconi in 1907 atop Signal Hill
17 Oct 2007. VO1XP, Len and VO1NA take part in the Clifden-Glace Bay centenary commemorations. We contact Glace Bay then go to Signal Hill to complete radio contacts with Poldhu, Cape Cod and had several other transatlantic locations. We also heard Glace Bay and Australia while on Signal Hill. Our mobile station with the plaque marking the spot in the background. Before we left the site, Roy took this shot of Alida, Len and Joe. Many thanks to the people of Parks Canada at Signal Hill National Historic Site.
Oct 2007. MRCN prepares to assist sister club PARC in the commemoration of the first transatlantic commercial message from Clifden to Glace Bay. Bart KV6LEE, who visited MRCN and proposed the 2006 Marconi Experiment arrives in Ireland. Keith G0WYS advises us of progress.
August 2007 VO1RL and VO1NA return to FP land for some LF experimentation. A hill in St Pierre is (unofficially) named Mont Zedel (after the MRCN director) when it became the venue of the reception of the first amateur LF signals (189.81 kHz) on the French Islands.
July 2007. Thanks to the efforts of Frank VO1HP, the ceremonial VLF transmission from SAQ was received on 17.2 kHz. SAQ is an Alexenderson alternator transmitter in Sweden.
23-24 June 2007. Its Field Day. This year we will be in Pippy Park.
25 May 2007. MRCN Guest of Honour, Rick N1RL, is inducted to the CQ Hall of Fame. Rick did outstanding work as ARRL Sr News editor and gave much PR to MRCN activities. Sadly he retires next month. Congrats Rick!
12 Feb 2007: Yet another transatlantic LF contact -- with Mike G3XDV.
18 January 2007. MRCN is invited by the Poldhu ARC to participate in an event with MRC in Cape Cod. We chose an appropriate site for our operation -- Signal Hill , sending a formal telegram to Cape Cod, site of the first transatlantic radio message from USA by Marconi 104 years ago. We are grateful to Parks Canada for granting approval for this and the 17 December operation in the park.
29-30 December 2006. Using the special CH1 prefix in honour of R. A. Fessenden's pioneering work in radio, we took to the airwaves again, making contact with Brant Rock, the site of Fessendens famous transmitter
17 December 2006: MRCN members operate CH1MRC from Signal Hill National Historic Site.
12 December. Once again we commemorated Marconi's first transatlantic experiment and had a 2-way wireless exchange with our sister club in Poldhu. We are most grateful to Tracy, Brian Jody and Nancy of the NL Science Centre for their assistance. We sported the CH1MRC call sign to commemorate 100 years of voice over radio thanks to Fessenden.
03 November. Len and Joe are invited to CBC to be interviewed by Jeff Gilhooly live at 8:15 AM on 640 kHz.
01 November 2006. The Poldhu Amateur Radio Club has started the transmitter on 1960 kHz. Signals from this transmitter were received today by MRCN members on Signal Hill on very spot Marconi was almost 105 years ago. See the link below for details on the experiment.
17 October 2006. Henry Bradford expresses interest in our project and provided links (see above) to a recent paper he published on the 1901 experiment.
15 October 2006 1600UTC : The MRCN MF beacon is on the air - 1961.438 kHz with reception reports from VO1HP,MP,SO,UG,YR,TA and others with several stations listening.
13 October 2006. Our project with PARC is featured on the front page of "The Telegram".
25 September - A joint project with the Poldhu ARC has been announced. See this press release from Keith G0WYS and Bart KV6LEE.
01 September 2006. VE2CV has a Technical Correspondence published in this month's QST on the Reversible L network.
30 Aug 2006. Preparations are underway for the 'ionospheric' centenary.
18 Aug 2006. Frank VO1HP earns his 160m DXCC. Congrats Frank from all in the club!
16 July 2006: Our official letter, "The Marconigram" is in press and will be available soon.
11 Jul 06 As part of the centenary commemorations of the first wireless link between Tasmania and Victoria in 1906, SAARA and MRCN relay a Marconi telegram to the opposite end of the globe. A copy of the official brochure is placed in the MRCN 'library'. Many thanks to VK7RN and VO1UL.
24-25 June 2006. MRCN takes to the airwaves for the annual ARRL Field Day operation.
22 January 2006. Longwaves span the Atlantic during yet another two-way crossing. More details will appear later.
10-12 December 2005. As part of International Physics Year, MRCN set up and operated a radio station from the Newfoundland Science Centre. More details will be posted on the Re-enactment page, above.
We are planning another 5 MHz operation. Please see the 5 megex page for updates.
1 October 2005. Annual general meeting. This month's QST announces Jack Belrose as a recipient of the W1FB award.
August 2005. MRCN welcomes PARC member Bart Lee KV6LEE to Newfoundland for a brief visit. Bart is also a member of the Antique Wireless Association and an authority on Marconi's first transatlantic experiment. We discussed his very interesting proposal as outlined in a recent issues of the Poldhu ARC Newsletter.
18 August 2005. Honorary member Carolyn Rule and husband John become grandparents!
June 2005: Field Day: MRCN returns to Freshwater, Conception Bay, near the site of its first Field Day, on the invitation of the Baccalieu ARK.
23 April. MRCN members take to the airwaves on International Marconi Day to make contact with places of significance to the Marconi history including Cape Cod, Villa Griffone and of course Poldhu,thanks to the efforts of Carolyn, Keith and Peter. We were pleased to also contact WA1WCC and also K6KPH in California.
20 April 2005. Honorary member David Edwards and wife Kerry become grandparents!
9 April 2005: VO1HP completes first 60 metre contact between Canada and Finland using VO1MRC and his FT1000/160m inverted L as part of Activity Day. Frank made several more contacts on 5.290 MHz.
30 March 2005: MRCN is invited to participate in the 60 Metre Activity Day. The first Norway to Canada amateur radio contact on 60 metres was completed on 31 March between LA1V and VO1MRC on 5.405 and 5.260 MHz.
4 January 2005: The Transatlantic 2 metre beacon is temporarily reactivated.
28 Jan 2005: We are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and honorary founding member, Mr Bob Lewis VO1BL.
10-12 December: Events marking the 103rd anniversary of Marconi's first transatlantic wireless experiment. Long wave signals transmitted from Newfoundland are received in the UK and Germany. Our friends in Hobart and Poldhu celebrate over a decade of participation by completing 2-way contacts with us. We welcomed participation of all our honorary members.
24 November 2004: MRCN and PARC participate in events marking the 100th anniversary of the invention on the Flemming Valve.
November 2004: MRCN Honorary Member Dr Jack Belrose VE2CV wins the October QST Cover Plaque Award for his article "On the quest for the ideal antenna tuner" Congrats Jack!
9-12 September. We host the Secretary of our sister club,
Keith Matthew G0WYS of the Poldhu ARC and his wife Vicki.
MRCN on Longwaves: The first amateur LF QSO in Newfoundland. For more
information, see this
excerpt from the news published in "The Canadian
Amateur."
August 2004. Honorary MRCN member David Edwards visits us from the Hobart, Tasmania.
27 July 2004. The transatlantic 2 metre beacon is reactivated by VO1HP and VO1CBS
19-20 June. Phase 5b of the 60 metre experiment.
24 April 2004: Continuing our tradition and in spite of some setbacks and poor conditions, we succeeded in contacting our sister station GB2GM at the Poldhu ARC on International Marconi Day.
07 Mar 2004 Mr Bob Lewis, VO1BL, invited to become an honorary member
20 Feb 2004 Authorisation to resume the 60 metre experiment is received from Industry Canada. A certificate will be issued by MRCN and RAC for stations in the province who participate.
17 January 2004. Annual General Meeting. INCA Laboratory, Memorial University.
20-21 December. 60 metre experiment. Beacon on 5269 kHz. Contacts after 0000 UTC 20-21 December. TX 5260.6 CW, 5327.5 USB RX 5346.5 USB 3807.5 LSB
12 December 2003: VO1MRC at Signal Hill. MRCN returned again to Signal Hill for the annual Commemoration of Marconi's first transatlantic experiment. Once Len established the internet connection at the site, we received email that our Low Frequency transmitter had been copied across the Atlantic this morning by Alan G3NYK who sent this confirmation:
5 November 2003: A special banquet was held in honour of ARRL Senior News Editor Rick N1RL. We toasted the first USA-Canada 60 metre contact between Rick and VO1MRC, our VHF Transatlantic beacon crew and the other fine projects we have completed. Pictured above are (seated) VO1BP VO1BL N1MJC, Dr Zedel, VO1CBS (BARK) (standing) VO1NP VO1HP VO1XP VO1HD VO1NA and N1RL.
19 October 1330UTC. The Transatlantic Beacon is on the air, presently as VO1ZA on 144.400 MHz and running about 2.5 kW ERP. Thanks to the efforts of Frank VO1HP and Boyd VO1CBS and the collaboration between the MRCN and BARK groups and of course VE1WPL and VE1IF, Bill and Bob at St Mary's University . For more information, please see the DF5AI site. Reception reports will be published here.
12 October: 2200 metres- The Atlantic is spanned again as M0BMU and VO1NA complete a second contact.
27 Sept VO1MRC completes the first USA-Canada contact on 60 metres. Please see the ARRL report.
2 metre transatlantic beacon to resume operation on 144.400 MHz soon.
The 60 Metre experiment continues. VO1MRC is on 5 MHz. Please see link below. (Sept 2003)
Please listen for GB3SSS on 144.407 MHz in Poldhu. (April 2003)
28-29 June ARRL Field Day. Baccalieu and Marconi groups join forces in memory of the fine gentleman Maurice VO1FG.
20-23 June 2003 Phase 3 of the 5MegEx.
MRCN LF Experiment Progress Report.
5MEGEX The 5 MHz Experiment by the MRCN group.
Our first Annual General Meeting was held back in
the INCA lab
at MUN where we had many meetings before. Although many were prevented
from being in attendance, a very lively meeting was had. Here we see
VO1TK VO1HD Dr O'Young and VO1HP, holding the Cornish Flag, a present
from John Rule of our sister club in Poldhu, PARC. The meeting marked
the anniversary of our incorporation.
December 2002. On the 15th, we participated with the Glace Bay and Poldhu Clubs
in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Marconi's first transmission from
Glace Bay to Poldhu.
