Tag Archives: Blur

Jul 26 2016

Satellite Talk at EMF 2016 Guildford

David Rowntree 2E0DVR communicating via Amateur Radio Satellite

David Rowntree 2E0DVR communicating via Amateur Radio Satellite

Radio amateur Dave Rowntree 2E0DVR, drummer in the rock-band Blur, will be giving a presentation and demonstration of amateur radio satellite communications at the Electromagnetic Field event EMF 2016 near Guildford which takes place August 5-7.

There will be an Amateur Radio Village at the 3-day event aimed at makers, scientists, engineers and radio enthusiasts. The London Hackspace Amateur Radio Club are planning to erect at least one of their Clark masts in the village. London Hackspace will be showcasing Amateur Radio on bands from 3.5 MHz (80m) to 430 MHz (70cm) and maybe higher using the call sign GB4EMF.

Dave Rowntree’s presentation is titled “The Hackers Guide To Satellites” and according to the schedule is planned for 2pm on Saturday, August 6.

On July 25-26, 2016 Dave tested out the equipment he will use for his satellite demonstrations. One of his contacts was with Peter Goodhall 2E0SQL in Oxford via the FM satellite SO-50. Peter will be giving a presentation titled “Satellite Operations in the Field” to the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium on July 30.

EMF Amateur Radio Village https://wiki.emfcamp.org/wiki/Village:Amateur_Radio

Electromagnetic Field EMF 2016
https://twitter.com/emfcamp
https://www.emfcamp.org/schedule

London Hackspace ARC
https://twitter.com/m0hsl
https://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/Group:Amateur_Radio

Previous EMF events have generated BBC News coverage
https://amsat-uk.org/2014/09/02/bbc-reports-emf-2014/

The book Getting Started with Amateur Satellites 2016 is available from the AMSAT-UK online shop
https://amsat-uk.org/2016/06/27/getting-started-with-amateur-satellites-2016/

Jan 19 2015

Radio ham interviewed on TV about Beagle 2

Illustration of the UK Beagle 2 lander on Mars - Credit ESA

Illustration of the UK Beagle 2 lander on Mars – Credit ESA

Essex-born radio amateur Dave Rowntree M6DRQ was interviewed on Channel 5 TV news about the Beagle 2 Mars mission.

Dave, formerly drummer in the band Blur, is currently a DJ on London radio station XFM 104.9 MHz.

On December 25, 2003 the pioneering UK spacecraft Beagle 2, developed by a team led by Professor Colin Pillinger, landed on Mars, however, communications with it could not be established. This meant it was not known if the landing had been successful or where on the planet it was.

On July 30, 2004 Professor Pillinger gave a presentation about Beagle 2 to the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Guildford, he received a standing ovation from the audience.

On January 15, 2015 it was announced that Beagle 2 had been located in images taken of Mars. These confirmed it had made a successful soft landing on the planet. Sadly Professor Pillinger had passed away a few months earlier on May 7, 2014.

Watch Dave talking about Beagle 2

Radio ham becomes XFM 104.9 DJ
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2014/february/radio_ham_becomes_xfm_dj.htm

Dave Rowntree M6DRQ on Twitter https://twitter.com/DaveRowntree

2011 BBC interview with Professor Colin Pillinger
http://www.southgatearc.org/news/december2011/bbc_interview_with_colin_pillinger.htm