South Eastern Amateur Radio Group

EI2GEO Special Event

For the fourth successive year, we operated the special event station EI2GEO from Tankardstown (Bonmahon), Co. Waterford (IO62hd) over the weekend of the 28th and 29th of of May 2011 as one of the events surrounding the Copper Coast Geopark celebrations during Geoparks Week 2011.

Thanks to everyone that contacted or participated in EI2GEO over the weekend. It's been a very successful Geoparks Communications Weekend despite the bad band conditions on HF. It was an added bonus that the ATV link worked so well. Special thanks to Jim Farrell (EI8IG) who provided the camper van (and the home-brew beer) and of course Paula McCarthy from the Copper Coast Geopark management for facilitating and supporting us over the past few years.

We look forward to next years event!

The annual Geopark communications weekend is co-ordinated from GB6GEO at Kents Cavern in Torquay, in the heart of the English Riviera Global Geopark and numerous stations operated from various Geoparks throughout the world.

The Copper Coast Geopark in Waterford will be activated by us and the Marble Arch Caves Geopark in Fermanagh will be activated by Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club.

South Eastern Amateur Radio Group and the Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club will ensure that Ireland again has its say in the 2011 International Geopark Communication weekend on 28 & 29 May, with special event stations QRV from both of Ireland's Geoparks. We will be using the callsign EI2GEO again (subject to approval) from the old copper mine at Tankardstown (Bonmahon), Co. Waterford on the Copper Coast Geopark. Lough Erne Amateur Radio Club will use the callsign GB2MAC (Marble Arch Caves) again this year, and will be QRV from the Marble Arch Caves International Geopark in Fermanagh which straddles the border into Co. Cavan.

Stations & Frequencies

There were a number of other Geopark stations operating around the UK, Ireland, Australia, Malaysia, Croatia, Romania, and Germany.

Awards

For radio amateurs and SWLs around the world who contact or hear Geopark stations, the English Riviera Geopark is offering a special commemorative European Geoparks Network radio amateur certificate for contacts with GB6GEO (instant qualifier), or two Geopark stations excluding GB6GEO. (this award will also apply to SWL's on a heard basis). This certificate, is endorsed by H.R.H The Duke of Edinburgh, with his own words congratulating the holder. Certificates will cost UK £4 each, Europe (Euro) 5 and Rest of the world USD 7. For awards please contact G3VOF.

Geoparks are areas recognised by UNESCO to have exceptional geological heritage. There are 42 in 16 European countries, but only these two in Ireland.

Some Information about the Copper Coast Geopark

The Copper Coast European Geopark is located on the South East coast of Ireland. It extends from Fenor in the east to Stradbally in the west and as far north as Dunhill.

The Copper Coast gets its name from the 19th Century copper mines that were once predominant in the area.

The Copper Coast consists of 25 kilometres of spectacular coastline. Oceans, volcanoes, deserts and ice sheets all combined to create the rocks, which provide the physical foundation of the natural and cultural landscapes of the Copper Coast.

The Copper Coast is an outdoor geology museum with geological heritage that reflects a variety of environments under which the area has evolved over the last 460 million years. Sedimentary and volcanic rocks illustrate the closure of the Iapetus Ocean, the resulting volcanic activity, evidence of the collision of two continents leading to the creation of Ireland and finally the effects of glaciation from the Ice Age. Cross-sections of these are exposed on the many spectacular cliffs along the Co. Waterford coastline.

Geopark Communications Weekend 2010

In addition to the excellent weather conditions, the band conditions were favourable throughout the weekend with many QSOs worked on various HF bands. Those on site were; Francis EI5GOB, Declan EI5GRB, Jim EI8IG, John EI7IG, John EI8JA and Mark EI7IS.

Saturday, saw a number of visitiors to the station, most notable were a group of scouts some of whom had particular interest in radio. Martin EI8FFB also called along on the Saturday night for some late night 40 and 20 metre operation.

South Eastern Amateur Radio Group would like to thanks all those who helped out, provided equipment, operated or visited over the weekend. Special thanks to the Coppercoast management who as always are very supportive and helpful to us in setting up the special event station and special thanks also to Jim EI8IG for providing the camper van and for providing a full Irish breakfast on the Sunday morning.

Geopark '09 Photographs (EI2GEO) - Click an image below to enlarge!