The Telecoms Coast
A History of Sub-Sea Sea, Terrestrial and Space Communication in Cornwall
The Telecoms Coast tells the story of telecommunications in Cornwall from 1830 through to the present day, spanning the earliest days of the terrestrial telegraph network, the laying of subsea cables from 1850 onwards, high-power long-distance radio from 1900 and satellite communication from the early 1960’s.
Day 1 Friday 24th April Lizard Wireless Radio Station
Owned by the National Trust, this is the site from which Marconi proved in 1900 that over the horizon propagation was possible, with a radio link established between the Lizard and the Isle of Wight. This provided the foundation for Marconi’s maritime radio business. It is also when and where the high power radio story starts hence the logic of adding in the visit before the event in Poldhu. Space is limited. We have two tours but only 12 tickets available for each tour.
Option 1 Arrive and park in Lizard Village car park
The car park is free but there is a donation box.
At 11.00 and 2.00 a National Trust Guide will lead us on a ten minute walk from the Housel Bay Hotel car park around the South West coastal path to the Wireless Station. Stout shoes are recommended
Geoff Bate, long term volunteer at the Centre (and Committee member of the Cornish Amateur Radio Club) will be on hand to answer questions on the radio artefacts. The station equipment has been recreated from contemporary photographs.
If you have accessibility requirements please contact us and we will arrange an alternative access option.
Book here for Option 1 start at 11.00 am
Book here for Option 2 start at 2.00 pm
Day 2 Saturday 25th Marconi Centre, Poldhu, TR12 7JB
We are delighted to be launching this book at the Marconi Centre in Poldhu Cove from where, in December 1901, Marconi’s young team of engineers summoned sufficient radio power to send the letter S (three dots no dashes) to Marconi on a windy headland (Signal Hill) in Newfoundland ushering in a new age of long distance radio, an achievement that came to be known as the Atlantic Leap. April 25 is International Marconi Day.
As space in the centre is limited, we are doing the launch twice (and ticket numbers are limited so book now to get a place).
Option 1 Arrive from 10.00 for a wander round the Centre and radio site
11.00 The Author in conversation with James Woolford. After a 34-year career at Goonhilly Earth Station working on satellite and subsea cables, James is one of the volunteer team at the Poldhu Amateur Radio Club who run the Centre on behalf of the National Trust. The chat will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
12.00 Coffee and sandwiches.
Book here for Option 1: 11.00 am start
Option 2- Arrive from 12.00 (coffee and sandwiches).
1.00 The Author in conversation (again) with James Woolford.
From 2.00 to 3.00 there will be guided tours of the site.
Book here for Option 2: 2.00 pm start
Copies of the book will be for sale (signed on request at £18.99). The royalties from the book are going towards supporting curatorial work at the Centre. Alternatively you can pre order and bring a copy with you. The book will be in sent to you by the end of March. The order link is here
The Telecoms Coast – Porto Press
And Finally
Between 3.00 and 4.00, attempts will be made to send a Morse code message from Poldhu to Signal Hill using the ten metre (28 MHz), 15 metre (21 MHz) and twenty metre (14 MHz) band (5-watt CW transmission). In the spirit of the original transmission, success will be dependent on the propagation conditions on the day.
Limited parking is available close to the site so if you have accessibility requirements let us know. If you are a National Trust Member, free parking is available in the beach car park.
All of the tickets are free but both sites have donation boxes so bring some cash with you. Ironically, cell coverage is poor at the Lizard so card machines do not always work. The Marconi Centre can usually process card payments.
A big thank you to Diana and David Page of the Porto Press for supporting this event. The Porto Press now own Whittles Publishing, the publishers of The Telecoms Coast.
One of their other authors, Alan Renton, a past curator at Trinity House and PK Porthcurno (formerly the Cable and Wireless Museum) will also be joining us for the Q and A session. Copies of Alan’s resounding book about fog horns, Lost Sounds, will be available to buy or you can order a copy here.
Also thanks to the National Trust for facilitating the visit to the Lizard Wireless Station.
If you are looking for somewhere to stay, there are excellent National Trust Holiday Homes nearby, follow the link for more information.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays/cornwall/cottages/west-cornwall
And finally, thanks to the whole team at the Poldhu Amateur Radio Club who have been so supportive of this project.
We look forward to seeing you on the 24th and or 25th of April.