EI2GEO Special Event
South Eastern Amatuer Radio Group operated the special event station EI2GEO from Tankardstown (Bonmahon), Co. Waterford
on Sunday the 25th of May 2008 as one of the events surrounding the
Copper Coast Geoparks
celebrations during
European Geopark Week 2008.
Download the poster here!
There are now 53 Geoparks around the world but this special radio event was
coordinated from Kents Cavern on The English Riviera where the special event station GB6GEO was run.
Read the GB6GEO press release here!
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 2009
We again operated the station EI2GEO from Tankardstown, Bonmahon on the Copper Coast Geopark in Co. Waterford over
the weekend of the 23rd and 24th of May as part of the Geopark Communications Weekend 2009.
Saturday morning saw the arrival of the camper van with Jim EI8IG. Very heavy rain, which lasted for about an hour slowed down the set-up of the station but once the sun came out, EI2GEO was basked in glorious summer weather for the rest of the weekend. Operators were, Jim EI8IG, Francis EI5GOB, Declan EI5GRB, John EI8JA, John EI7IG and Mick EI3IQ and we also had a few visitors throughout the weekend.
Although band conditions were bad, a number of very enjoyable QSOs were had and Saturday night saw some relaxed 80m QSOs and those staying on the 'night shift' enjoyeing a few beers to round off the day. Sunday saw some reasonably good operation of 80 and 20 metres, which continued throughout most of the day, and a few of the other Geopark stations were contacted before the dismantling of the station.
SEARG would like to thank everyone who participated, provided equipment, erected antennas, those who visited over the weekend, the Copper Coast Geopark management and notably Jim Farrell, EI8IG who supplied a camper van, John EI7IG who provided an FT-1000 MP, and Paula McCarthy from the Geopark office in Bonmahon, Co. Waterford for providing a very fine site and co-ordinated the event with us. A very successful Geopark weekend was enjoyed by all involved and South Eastern Amateur Radio Group are looking forward to taking part again next year.
Geopark '09 Photographs (EI2GEO) - Click an image below to enlarge!
