Station Information
Callsign: GB0DBA
IARU Locator: IO83WJ
WAB Square: SJ88
IOTA: EU-005
Email: gb0dba(at)g8srs.co.uk
Location @ Address for correspondence
Stockport Radio Society, Walthew House, 112 Shaw Heath, Stockport, SK2 6QS
GB0DBA was a special event station hosted by Stockport Radio Society (‘SRS’) to commemorate the Dambusters Anniversary: 80 years since Operation Chastise, the legendary ‘bouncing bomb’ air mission of 16th and 17th May 1943.
During the night, 19 specially adapted Avro Lancaster bombers of the elite 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force undertook a daring low-level attack that successfully breached the Eder and Möhne dams in the Ruhr Valley, the heart of Nazi Germany’s industrial production.
QRV
The station was QRV on Sunday, 14 May 2023, and, again, during the evening of Tuesday, 16 May 2023.
HF operations concentrated on 15, 20 and 40 metre bands, with SSB, CW and RTTY.
VHF and up activities included FM, both simplex and through the GB3PZ & MR Repeaters, and SSB on 2 metres and 70 centimetres, as well as SSB operation through the QO-100 geostationary satellite.
Digital Operations (included)
- C4FM: CQ-UK and the American link
- Dstar: ref 001c
- Peanut: CQ UK on the link on HB27246
QTH
This was SRS’s meeting place at Walthew House, 112 Shaw Heath, Stockport, SK2 6QS with activities taking place in the JB Room at the rear of the building.
QSL
We have produced a QSL card for the event and to check our log, obtain a card, and find out how to submit an SWL report please follow this link.
Dambusters – The Greater Manchester Connection
Lincolnshire has long been known as ‘Bomber Country,’ and the Lancasters that took part in Operation Chastise departed and returned to RAF Scampton in that county. What is less known, are the connections to Greater Manchester, of which Stockport is a part.
First of all, the aircraft that took part in the mission – Lancaster BIIIs, specially modified to carry the bouncing bomb – were manufactured at Chadderton, with final assembly being carried out at Woodford.
Secondly, training of the aircrew for the attack was undertaken over the Derwent Reservoir, lying between Stockport and Sheffield.
Thirdly, the inventor of the dambusting bomb, Barnes Wallis, has a building dedicated to him at Manchester University.
Lastly, Wing Commander Guy Gibson, who led the raid in Lancaster ‘G for George,’ was put forward as a candidate for the UK Parliament seat of Macclesfield.
Amateur Radio Links
GB80DAM – 80th anniversary station by Lincolnshire Shortwave Club
VA3CWM – Canadian War Plane Heritage Museum
Dambuster and Avro Lancaster Links
BBMF (Battle of Britain Memorial Flight)
Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
Wikipedia Links
Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson, VC, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar
The Dams