Special Event Stations
Cray Valley Radio Society has organised many special event amateur radio stations throughout its history.
These range from small events like GB2CM for Railyways on the Air or Museums on the Air at Crossness Museum, to big stations like GB23C for the coronation of King Charles III, GB70E and GB50 for the platinum and diamond jubilees of Queen Elizabeth II, and 2O12L for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Radio amateurs or short-wave listeners working towards the Cray Valley Award certificate can clock up additional points by contacting Cray Valley RS special event stations. There’s a full list of applicable eligible special event callsigns on the Cray Valley Award page.
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GB6MW Special Event Station for Mills on the Air 2026
Following the success of last year’s visit, Cray Valley Radio Society returned to the historic Meopham Windmill on the weekend of May 9th and 10th for the 2026 “Mills on the Air” event. Operating under the special event callsign GB6MW, our club members enjoyed a highly successful two days of operation. Built circa 1820, Meopham Windmill is a beautifully preserved Grade II listed building and one…
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KW Weekend 2026: Celebrating 70 Years of British Radio History with GB8KW
Adapted from QUA newsletter article by Guy G0UKN What a way to kick off 2026! The weekend of January 3rd and 4th saw the return of the KW Weekend and the special event callsign GB8KW. This year was particularly significant as we celebrated the 70th Anniversary of KW Electronics—and we certainly celebrated in style. Organized by Guy G0UKN, the event transformed the hall into a living…
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Non-contest Field Day 2025
The third weekend of July saw around 25 members participate in our second annual field day, a chance to do some operating and play with antennas (oh, and drink some beer). Emma 2E0LEH and Paul M0WPG again excelled, supplying the catering tent and all the cooking gear, and also their own gala tent which ‘mated’ closely with the Club’s tent. Shown above is Dave M7IPY dealing…
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GB2CM at Crossness 2025
What a difference a location makes! On a glorious Sunday, 22nd June, the Cray Valley Radio Society brought the magic of amateur radio to the public at the magnificent Crossness Pumping Station for International Museums Weekend. Operating as GB2CM, this year’s event was a resounding success, thanks to a great new operating spot, perfect weather, and the fantastic support of our members. This was a “steaming…
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Special Event Stations Cookbook
Planning a Special Event Station? The RSGB’s New SES Cookbook is Your Essential Guide Ever thought about getting a station on the air from a local festival, a historic site, or a major national celebration? Running a Special Event Station (SES) is one of the most exciting and rewarding activities in amateur radio. It’s a chance to share our fantastic hobby with the public, create unforgettable…
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GB6MW Special Event Station for Mills on the Air 2025
At least 20 club members were in attendance at Meopham Windmill forpart or all of the day for Cray Valley RS’ Mills On The Air event on 10th May. This was a good turnout, and several more members worked the station on 2m or HF. We were blessed with lovely sunny weather and blue skies throughout the day. The station got on the air just before…
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KW Weekend 2025
KW Weekend is a celebration of KW electronics – a local manufacturer of amateur radio equipment in the 50’s to 70’s. This year’s event took place on the weekend of 4th and 5th of January. As in previous years, Guy G0UKN organised the GB8KW station at the Cray Valley RS clubhouse assisted by members of the club. This year, the event was again a huge success with…
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GB2RE Jamboree On The Air 2024
Cray Valley Radio Society took part in Jamboree On the Air (JOTA) – the annual collaboration between Scout groups and radio amateurs – at Severndroog Castle on 19th October. Set-up took place on Friday evening, with everything put together and tested in under two hours. Last year, there were a few equipment problems, and this year Guy G0UKN gave the club’s triband rotatable dipole a complete…
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GM2CM At Crossness 2024
Blessed with good weather towards the end of June, there was a good turnout from members for the GB2CM operation from Crossness on Sunday 23 June. A VHF antenna and the centre of an HF doublet were mounted at 50ft on a cherry picker. Operation started just before 10am with a QSO on 2m FM with Frank G0FDP, and several other club members were worked. A…
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GB8KW 2024
KW Weekend, which is an annual celebration of KW electronics – a local manufacturer of amateur radio equipment in the 50’s to 70’s – took place on the weekend of 6th and 7th of January 2024. Over the years, the event has grown, and this year there were no less than eight special event stations on the air for the KW weekend. Guy G0UKN organised the…