Extracted from the Chatham Rochester and Gillingham Observer

 26^th October 1934

Amateur Radio Transmitters

Search for World Contact

The " Six Naughty Uncles " Seen in Action

     DURING CONTEST FOR THE OBSERVER SILVER CHALLENGE CUP

The contest for The Observer Radio Cup which is held under the auspices of the Medway Amateur Transmitters Society concluded at 10.30 p.m. on Sunday. Competitors have been divided into two categories, low power and high-power stations, the former scoring one point for a contact anywhere in Europe and five points outside Europe, and high-power stations scoring one point for a contact anywhere in Europe and three points outside. A visit to the station operated by the president of the M.A.T.S., Mr. W. E. Nutton, during the contest is described below, Last week-end was the second of the competition, and a representative of, THE OBSERVER on Sunday morning visited Mr. W. E. Nutton at his station, G6NU, in a back room of Mr. Nutton's residence at 42, Richmond-Road, Gillingham. For the benefit of the uninitiated in these matters we would explain that Mr. Nutton, the presiding genius of the station widely known among amateur wireless transmitters as the "Six Naughty Uncles," is president of Medway Amateur Transmitters Society, and he is chairman of the Gillingham Wireless League.

A MICROPHONE FOR THREE-HA'PENCE.

One of the first objects which attracts the attention of a visitor to the station, or studio, call it what you like, is the microphone. It is doubtless a very instrument, but it does not look very elaborate—and it is 'not.'

However desirous one might naturally be not to hurt the feelings of that particular "mike" there is no gain saying the fact that it looks, well, just a trifle down-at-heel. As a matter of fact, it was constructed by Mr. Nutton for the trifling cost of 1 ½ d [1.5pence old money!- less than 1p today]. The mouthpiece is made but of an old condenser dial, and if the truth must out with reference to this' shabby genteel mike, part of its anatomy consists of a piece of cloth kept in position by a length of string. But when we leave the microphone to its embarrassed blushes we come to amazing welter of radio transmitting ' equipment which is up to date and efficient in every detail.   This includes a very impressive-looking television receiver assembled by Mr. Nutton, who if particularly keen on television.

WITH ONE EYE ON THE CLOCK.

When our reporter called Mr. Nutton was busily engaged as one of the competitors in The Observer contest. With one eye on the clock which indicated that in a few minutes he would have to " pack up " until six o'clock that evening, he was operating a  keyboard [morse key] from which he was sending out signals to goodness knows where. There was nothing for the Pressman to do but wait and allow his eyes to roam curiously around the strange apartment, the walls of which were literally papered with the official cards of the 1,400 foreign amateur stations with which G6NU has been in wireless communication from time to time.  These are called QSL cards and they have been sent from foreign countries through the medium of the Radio Society of Great Britain in confirmation of the fact that messages from G6NU have been received by the particular stations from which the cards have emanated. When the clock indicated noon Mr. Nutton removed his headphones and relaxed, after having operated his transmitting apparatus since six o'clock that morning. But he was not permitted to relax too much, because within a minute of his switching off, our reporter had produced a notebook and was very definitely "switching on." In reply to a bombardment of questions the president of the M.A.T.S. explained that his practical interest in radio transmission dated back to the Army. After the War he applied his mind to study arid research in electricity with special reference to radio activity, and he was one of the first in the Medway Towns to receive an experimental licence. He set about constructing a low- power station (Q.R.P., 10 watts), and on Sept. 1st, 1929, he transmitted from it for the first time.  He was the first lecturer to Gillingham Wireless League, and he still devotes much of his time to lecturing.   His station is licensed for wave- lengths of 5, 10, 21, 42, 84 and 160 metres. 

TAKING THE FIRST STEPS.     '

During his initial broadcast Mr. Nutton ; established communication with amateur stations in Chatham, Teynham and Broadstairs, but that, of course, was like a child making its first efforts to master the technique of walking.  Since .then G6NU has been in communication with stations in New Zealand, Australia (in communication with South Australia last Sunday evening), China, Siberia, Africa, America, Palestine and Transjordania, and other countries, making a total of 50. Referring particularly to the competition, Mr. Nutton, who was not at all sanguine as to his own chances, said he believed that most of the competitors were doing extremely well. He expressed the view that the contest was doing much to improve amateur radio technique in this locality and that amateur transmitters were achieving useful work in the direction of forging links of friendship and fellowship with nationals' of other countries. Not only that, but from the purely scientific point of view the amateur movement has clearly demonstrated that short- wave work can be made efficient. He ex- pressed most cordial thanks to THE OBSERVER for the assistance given in encouraging local amateurs through the medium of the competition.

A WORD ABOUT TELEVISION.

Reverting to the topic of television, Mr. Nutton volunteered the information that, generally speaking, he gets good reception. On his present set he has received television signals from Vienna, but his present set is a very different proposition from the first one he constructed in 1930 electric fan motor!

G6NU in action on Sunday. – Apologies -poor picture quality due to photocopy from original newspaper