Note from G2JF Amateur Radio Station, Burghfield
Date Added: 04 June 2009
Year: 1936
Institution Name: dnhhl
Cat No: ◀ | 2006_142_02 | ▶
Picture No: 7654
Copy of note on paper headed G2GF Amateur Radio Station, Burghfield, Dornoch from James Foster acknowledging a radio conversation. Dated 1936 on the back.
Foster was Lord Rothermere's chauffeur. He had an amateur radio station at the back of the Burghfield. On one occasion when a plane crashed in the Arctic he was the first person to pick up the signal from the survivors.
This a b/w laser copy on a sheet with 2006.142.1 & 3-4.
Dimensions: Width 138mm - Height 80mm
6 Comments
Bonjour. J'ai contacté a de nombreuses fois G2JF quand j'étais a Boulogne-sur-Mer en 1964 65. J'étais F1GU et apres F5HO. J'ai perdu sa qsl. 73
Comment left on 01 January 2010 at 21:36 by F5HO Paul
I knew Jim Foster, G2JF in the 1970s, when he was chief maintenance engineer at Wye College, University of London, near Ashford, Kent. After the second World War he established a VHF station on the North Downs at Hastingleigh and achieved record breaking results. His melodious Lancashire voice was a pleasure to listen to, he was a true gentleman and an inspiration to many.
That he was Lord Rothermere's chauffeur in younger life is something I did not know.
Regards, Alwyn Seeds G8DOH
Comment left on 10 August 2013 at 15:26 by Alwyn Seeds Many thanks for your comment with more information on the life of James Foster Administrator
That he was Lord Rothermere's chauffeur in younger life is something I did not know.
Regards, Alwyn Seeds G8DOH
Comment left on 10 August 2013 at 15:26 by Alwyn Seeds Many thanks for your comment with more information on the life of James Foster Administrator
As a young radio ham, 16 years old, I was first licenced in 1968 as ON5FF, and interested in VHF, it was the first British station I heard on 2m. At that time we where using X-tal controlled TX´s with FT243 crystals in AM. Everybody had their own frequency because these crystals where inaccurate and resulted in a different frequency after multiplying. We used to call CQ and indicating where we would be tuning after the cq call. Like "CQ CQ, G2JF john fox calling, will be tuning high to low" because there were no VFO´s on transmit and you had to scan the band to find somebody answering you. I am now licenced as EA8FF, but still remember his voice and kindness to help other people in difficult contacts. Mark, EA8FF.
Comment left on 13 April 2014 at 03:36 by Mark De Munck
Comment left on 13 April 2014 at 03:36 by Mark De Munck
Talking of VFOs on 2m, Jim was proud of his very stable 72MHz temperature controlled kallitron oscillator which apparently ran 24x7. This, plus his high power and excellent VHF location meant he could nab the DX before anyone else! In addition to his wonderful voice and calm, professional style, another characteristic feature of his signal was its slow rise and decay at start and end of transmission. He was very helpful and encouraging to new licencees like me back in the late '60s.
Comment left on 20 March 2015 at 15:35 by Nigel G4AKU
Nice to read ... Jim was my 1st 2 meter G station in the mid of 1965, so more than 50 years ago. Afterwards I worked him several times as PA0MJK/P and once from the car (PA0MJK/M) at the roundway from Eindhoven. Station was home brew all transistor (output 3.5W) and a halo. Is it true, he moved to the South of Africa ? I heard him never again ... see on a page before Mark ON5FF. I still have his card too, mentioning our 70 cm SSB QSO from 1974 with rather high output power of 1 KW from his side, but I got only 52 .... It was a nice time, all home brew. I am 80 now and still active ... this evening QSO's on 160m (1.838 MHz) in JT65hf. Hope to meet you again. Best 73 de Martin PA0MJK in JO21ut (near Nijmegen).
Comment left on 08 December 2015 at 21:12 by Martin J. Köppen PA0MJK
I knew Jim Foster when he was on the committee of the RSGB and also on 2 metres when we used AM in the 1950s and early 60s
In the early 1980s at Howick in KZN, South Africa, I heard a voice on 2 metre FM that I recognised immediately as Jim Foster, who now had the call sign of ZS5JF. I called him and we became good friends and had a daily sked on 144.300 every morning from Howick to Durban. Comment left on 25 August 2024 at 13:23 by Roger Davis
In the early 1980s at Howick in KZN, South Africa, I heard a voice on 2 metre FM that I recognised immediately as Jim Foster, who now had the call sign of ZS5JF. I called him and we became good friends and had a daily sked on 144.300 every morning from Howick to Durban. Comment left on 25 August 2024 at 13:23 by Roger Davis
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