On Sunday the 21st of June 2015, the Purfleet Heritage Centre and the Thurrock Acorns Amateur Radio Club joined forces and took part in the UK event ‘Museums on the Air’. Thanks to the team at Thurrock Acorns for sending through this report:
The object of the day was to establish contact with museums situated within the UK over the air and at the same time to raise the profile of a museum, in this case, the Purfleet Heritage Centre.
One of the first challenges the members of TAARC had to overcome was how to get the cables from the antennas located in the car park inside the building, which has walls which are close to three feet thick. The building was constructed in 1759, and was used to test, store and supply gunpowder to the army and navy, being exceptionally busy during the Napoleonic wars. The magazine remained in use throughout the 19th and 20th century until 1962, In 1992, local resident Alan Gosling became interested in the history of the building and of its military and social significance to the area. Along with other local volunteers a plan was put into effect to save the building and to use it as a Heritage Centre. In 1994, the Purfleet Heritage & Military Centre took charge of the building as an independent organisation. Run entirely by volunteers, the centre is now a registered charity and principally self-funding. The building now contains a considerable number of old items relating to past times.
Once the challenge of getting the cables from the car park into the building had been overcome, the radio station was activated and during the day the special event station GB2PHC (Purfleet Heritage Centre) was operated contacting many of the other special event stations running during the day. Nick G4HCK, Chairman of Thurrock Acorns said that he hoped that all the work the club members had completed during the day had helped to raise the profile of the museum and would encourage people to visit this excellent location.
The following picture shows three members of the TAARC Ricky M6DII, Stella M0EKP and Simon M1GGY operating the radio equipment with some of the exhibits of the museum in the background.
The next event being run at the centre is on Sunday 28th June Armed Forces Day. If you wish to know more please visit www.purfleet-heritage.com
For more information on TAARC, go to www.taarc.co.uk
Thanks to the team at Thurrock Acorns for submitting this story.
Want to promote your club’s activities on Essex Ham? Get in touch
