TWINNING LATEST NEWS
The Association's ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING was held on Thursday 25th March 2004 - 7 persons attended. Mr. David Morris was returned as Chairman, Mr. Ben Abbott became the Vice-Chairman in place of Mr. Martin Burton who resigned from the post and Mr. Richard Winters resigned as Treasurer.
- Distance is no object was the clarion call used by some suppliers years ago but slightly changed to "Distance is no objection" we can report that whilst Clarksville and Melton Mowbray may seem distant from each other geographically, persons living in each of these towns are but the length of a microphone lead attached to a computer apart from each other. Using the techniques of EchoLink or IRLP (and we have a DEDICATED PAGE explaining these here on site) "instant twinning" is now taking place.
On 5th July 2003 the inaugural contact was made between John McCrory of Clarksville (NM9A) and Peter Treadwell of Melton Mowbray (M3PCT) - a member of Melton Mowbray Amateur Radio Society.
This achievement realises an ambition held by MMARS since twinning began in 1973 with Dieppe, France and is the result of the marriage between Amateur Radio and the Internet and technological progress during the last 30 years although there still remains the goal for MMARS to establish actual radio contact with fellow amateurs in Kapelle, Sochaczew or Clarksville itself.
EchoLink is not confined to radio amateurs and moves are afoot for other members of the public in both locations to make contact in this novel and very simple way.
John tells us that the picture was made on the LST 325. "It is the one that was sold to Greece at the end of the last war and they gave it back to us . A crew of LST sailors went over and brought it back home. They had it up here on the OHIO river this week. Back during the second world war I was in the communications group that went to the shipyards where they were built and was communications on them while taking them out to the pacific...Also submarines I did the same way." In connection with his contacts with Peter Treadwell of Melton Mowbray, John adds " I was real surprised last Thursday noon to hear Peter's voice on my hand-held radio while having lunch with a group of
hams from our local club. You should have seen their faces when they asked me who I was talking to and I said "Peter(G7PCT)..from the UK. He seems to be a real worker and loves to help other people. The world needs more people like him."
John was born in November 1922 and his current activity in worldwide communication using modern techniques proves the adage that "You're never too old to learn". He will shortly be contacting another twinning-oriented amateur in Bewdley, our friendship town.
- The "Latest News" ARCHIVE - items originally appearing here but retained on site for historical record and continued pictorial interest and reference.
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