Category Archives: Events
Building Steve M9NSQ’s Tilt-Over Mast From Scrap Steel | Amateur Radio at its Best
Club Project
Steve M9NSQ’s Tilt-Over Mast Project
Steve, M9NSQ, built a simple mast support about a year ago using two pieces of 50 by 50 angle iron concreted into the ground, with a scaffold pole bolted between them to carry his six-metre mast.
Original mast support
The Problem
The original setup worked, but it was not ideal. Raising and lowering the mast safely on his own was becoming harder, and servicing the antenna system was not as easy as it could be.
Then Mike Wood and Andy, G7LRR, came round for a look.
Within minutes, they had a better idea: why not build a proper tilt-over system, allowing Steve to raise, lower and service the mast completely by himself?
The challenge was on.
From Spare Steel to Proper Engineering
Club chairman Pat, M0PKE, was involved from the early stages, helping with the welding and fabrication work.
Using steel already lying around Mike’s workshop, an old hand winch, and parts saved from previous projects, the fabrication began.
Soon Andy was producing showers of sparks, Mike was grinding and assembling parts, Pat was welding and fabricating, and before long the new tilt-over frame was taking shape.
Fabrication and build work
The Finished Setup
The only new parts bought for the whole project were the pulleys and the winches.
The finished structure carries Steve’s six-metre wind-up mast with a twenty-foot extension pole above it. It will eventually support a Cobweb antenna for HF and an X300 vertical for VHF and UHF.
Steve can now safely wind the mast up, lower it down, and tilt the entire assembly over whenever maintenance is needed.
The mast taking shape
Built from scrap
Designed by friends
Raised safely
Operated by one man
Designed by friends
Raised safely
Operated by one man
Four radio amateurs, a pile of spare steel, a few good ideas, and one very happy Steve.
That is amateur radio at its very best.
73 from Steve M9NSQ
Update: It’s Up
The mast system is now up and taking shape. More photos will be added once everything is fully completed and in the air.
More photos will be added once the final antenna setup is completed.
Returning to our roots for one special day – Humber Fortress DX ARC at Fort Paull
Armed Forces Festival Activation
Saturday 13th June 2026
The Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club returned to Fort Paull for the first time since 2019 to activate the special event callsign GB0FP during the Fort Paull Armed Forces Festival.
For many members, this was much more than a day of radio operation. It was a return to the place where the club first established its roots and where many of its earliest activities took place.
The club was based in a former military communications cabin situated within the historic fort. With the station established and antennas erected, GB0FP was soon on the air once again from a location that holds a special place in the club’s history.
Returning to Where It All Began
From 2010 until the fort’s closure in 2019, Fort Paull served as the original home of the Humber Fortress DX ARC. Numerous club nights, special event stations, contests, and social gatherings took place within its walls.
The return to the fort brought back many memories for long-standing members while giving newer members an opportunity to experience the location that helped shape the club we know today.
The activation was made even more meaningful by the attendance of founding members, whose commitment and enthusiasm helped establish the club during its earliest years.
GB0FP Back on the Air
Operating throughout the day under the GB0FP callsign, club members demonstrated amateur radio to festival visitors using HF and VHF equipment.
Visitors were able to watch live contacts being made and learn about the many aspects of amateur radio, including international communications, technical experimentation, contesting, emergency communications, and portable operation.
The station attracted a steady stream of visitors throughout the day, many of whom were fascinated by the equipment and keen to learn more about the hobby.
Antennas and Equipment
Despite the limited operating space available inside the cabin, the club successfully established a fully operational station for the event.
A portable HF antenna system was erected adjacent to the operating position, providing reliable coverage and allowing contacts to be made throughout the day.
Supporting the Armed Forces Festival
The Armed Forces Festival brought together military history displays, emergency services organisations, family attractions, veterans groups, and historical exhibits.
The amateur radio station provided an opportunity to demonstrate modern communications alongside the rich military history that Fort Paull represents.
The combination of radio, history, engineering, and public engagement created a successful day for both the club and the festival organisers.
Looking Back – And Forward
While the club now operates from its Millhouse HQ in Patrington, Fort Paull remains an important part of our history and identity.
The successful reactivation of GB0FP demonstrated that the connection between the Humber Fortress DX ARC and Fort Paull remains as strong as ever.
For one special day, the club returned home.
We would like to thank the Fort Paull team for their hospitality and support, together with all club members who helped set up, operate, and dismantle the station.
We hope that this will not be the last time that the callsign GB0FP is heard once again from Fort Paull.
Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club
Established 2010
Club Callsigns: MX0HFC M0HFC M6C
“Returning to our roots for one special day.”
GB#MMH Men’s Mental Health Awareness Event May Report 2026
STRONG SIGNALS — STRONGER MINDS
GB#MMH Men’s Mental Health Awareness Event Report 2026
The Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club would like to say a massive thank you to every operator, supporter, visitor, organisation, and station that helped make the 2026 GB#MMH Men’s Mental Health Awareness operating weekend such an incredible success.
How GB#MMH Started
The GB#MMH Men’s Mental Health Awareness event first began shortly after the
COVID lockdown period, when it became increasingly clear just how badly both
men and women had been affected by isolation, loneliness, anxiety, and the
long-lasting impact of lockdowns.
Within amateur radio clubs and communities, many people had struggled through
periods of isolation and reduced social contact. While the effects were felt by
everyone, it was widely recognised that many men often found it far harder to
openly talk about mental health struggles or ask for support.
Following discussions within the Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club,
Andy 2E1TAP and John G6LNV came up with the idea
of using amateur radio and a special event station to help raise awareness for
men’s mental health and encourage conversation within the hobby.
The idea was simple — create something that would help people talk, bring
members together, encourage conversation both on and off the air, and use the
worldwide reach of amateur radio to spread a positive message.
What started as a small club idea quickly gained support throughout the
Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club, with members fully getting behind the
project and helping turn it into something much bigger.
Four years later, GB#MMH has grown into a recognised nationwide amateur radio
awareness campaign involving operators, clubs, streamers, organisations,
manufacturers, retailers, and supporters from across the UK and beyond.
The continued success of GB#MMH reflects the fantastic support shown by the
amateur radio community and demonstrates how powerful friendship, communication,
and community spirit can be.
It started with a conversation.
The rest is history.
The rest is history.
Four Years Of Growth
Each year the event has continued to expand, gaining more participating stations, greater worldwide reach, increased public awareness, stronger operator involvement, and greater visibility across QRZ, YouTube, and social media.
What started with a handful of operators has now grown into a coordinated nationwide amateur radio awareness event involving clubs, streamers, manufacturers, retailers, microwave operators, digital systems, and supporters from across the UK.
RSGB Support
We are extremely grateful for the continued support shown by the Radio Society of Great Britain.
Having the support and recognition of the RSGB has helped give further visibility to the campaign and helped spread awareness of men’s mental health throughout the wider amateur radio community.
Event Overview
The 2026 GB#MMH special event stations operated during:
23rd – 24th May 2026
Stations were active across multiple amateur radio bands using:
- SSB
- FT4
- FT8
GB0MMH Headquarters Station
The Mill — Home of the Humber Fortress DX ARC
Patrington Haven
Near Hull
HU12 0PS
Throughout the weekend, operators made contacts across the UK, Europe, and around the world, helping raise awareness for men’s mental health through the global amateur radio community.
Community Spirit At The Mill
Alongside the radio operation itself, the GB0MMH headquarters station at The Mill became a fantastic meeting point for operators, supporters, visitors, and friends throughout the weekend.
The Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club hosted a BBQ and social gathering across the event weekend which helped create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for everybody attending.
Event Statistics
The response from the amateur radio community was simply outstanding.
3,901Total QSOs
2,473Unique Hunters
83Countries Worked
£680Donations Raised
2 DaysEvent Duration
These figures show just how far the message travelled in such a short period of time. More importantly, they represent thousands of conversations, interactions, and moments where awareness for men’s mental health was shared worldwide.
Most Active GB#MMH Stations
| Station | Operator | Description | QSOs |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0MMH | MX0HFC | Humber Fortress DX ARC Headquarters Station | 1,168 |
| GB5MMH | James — M0GQC | Amateur Radio YouTube Streamer | 505 |
| GB1MMH | Darren — M0DCX | Amateur Radio YouTube Streamer | 423 |
| GB26MMH | Stuart — G5STU | Station Master Radio Technology | 413 |
| GB19MMH | Clint — M0OPV | Amateur Radio YouTube Streamer | 367 |
| GB9MMH | Bob — M0RWL | Amateur Radio Operator & Event Supporter | 240 |
| GB10MMH | Sam | Martin Lynch & Sons | 227 |
| GB20MMH | Dave — M0TFP | Martin Lynch & Sons | 180 |
| GB8MMH | Troy — G7LHK | RSGB News Reader | 165 |
| GB88MMH | Callum — M0XXT | DX Commander | 144 |
| GB100MMH | Nick — G0SDI | 10GHz Microwave Operation | 69 |
Band & Mode Breakdown
Band Activity
| Band | QSOs |
|---|---|
| 40m | 2,005 |
| 20m | 1,506 |
| 15m | 154 |
| 10GHz | 69 |
| 6m | 35 |
| 17m | 32 |
| 80m | 27 |
| 30m | 10 |
Mode Activity
| Mode | QSOs |
|---|---|
| SSB | 3,258 |
| FT4 | 332 |
| FT8 | 311 |
The results clearly show that voice operation played a huge part in the event, perfectly fitting the campaign’s purpose of encouraging communication and conversation.
Worldwide Reach
The event reached operators in an incredible 83 countries worldwide.
Top participating areas included England, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, United States of America, France, Spain, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
This demonstrated the true worldwide reach of amateur radio and how powerful the hobby can be when used to support an important cause.
Supporting Organisations & Contributors
This event would not have been possible without the support and involvement of many people and organisations throughout the amateur radio community.
- The RSGB
- Humber Fortress DX Amateur Radio Club
- Martin Lynch & Sons
- Station Master Radio Logging Technology
- DX Commander
- Amateur Radio YouTube streamers
- Clint M0OPV
- Darren M0DCX
- James M0GQC
- All participating operators and volunteers
- Every station worldwide that called in and supported the event
Behind The Scenes Support
A massive thank you goes out to Stuart from Station Master and Chris G0URG this year for the enormous amount of work carried out behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly.
- Synchronising QRZ pages
- Managing logging systems
- Integrating Station Master and QSL systems
- Coordinating station information
- Ensuring operators had a smooth and reliable operating experience
The automated QSL card system proved especially popular and added a modern, professional touch to the event, receiving fantastic feedback throughout the weekend.
More Than Just Radio
While the statistics were impressive, the true success of GB#MMH cannot simply be measured in QSO totals.
This event showed how amateur radio can bring people together, reduce isolation, encourage conversation, support wellbeing, build friendships, and create community.
For many people, amateur radio is more than equipment and antennas — it is companionship, communication, and support.
Supporting Men’s Mental Health
#ItsOkayToTalk
Too many men still suffer in silence. If this event encouraged even one person to speak up, check in on a friend, or ask for help, then it achieved something truly worthwhile.
We are proud to confirm that donations raised throughout the GB#MMH event will
be supporting mental health organisations including:
Andy’s Man Club
A peer-to-peer support group helping men across the UK through conversation, support, and community.
Mind
Together, we are a strong and caring community, standing up for better mental health for everyone.
Looking Ahead
Following the incredible support received during the first weekend, we are already looking forward to the next GB#MMH operating weekend:
27th – 28th June 2026
As the event continues to grow year after year, we hope even more operators, clubs, organisations, and supporters will join us in helping spread awareness throughout the amateur radio world.
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