The G5BY Trophy
G5BY
Hilton O'Heffernan G5BY, received his amateur radio licence in 1925 when he was a young BBC engineer living in Croydon, within commuting distance of Broadcasting House, London. Over the years to come, Hilton proved to be a key player in exploring the possibilities of communications at frequencies above 50 MHz. He was an accomplished engineer, who designed and built all his own equipment, finished to a very high standard.
The picture below left, is the general slew of the VHF beam installations at G5BY. Bolt Tail, S. Devon. Two wide-spaced 4-element 58 MHz beams on left; the close-spaced 51 MHz 4-element rotary at centre; an all-metal wide-spaced 50 MHz beam on right; and the OM himself at the gate.
Hilton O'Heffernan, G5BY
Picture from the Short Wave magazine VOL. V No. 12 FEBRUARY 1948
By 1946 Hilton was spending a great deal of time in pursuit of his fascination with VHF, from a location at Bolt Tail in South Devon - a most impressively equipped station high up on a cliff-top looking southwards over the sea. With such a highly desirable station, situated in one of the best possible locations, together with a regular spot in the Short Wave Magazine, one can fully understand how G5BY become an international celebrity among the VHF ham community both here and abroad.
Picture from the Short Wave magazine VOL. V No. 12 FEBRUARY 1948
In the picture above, sat on the window sill of his operating position at Croydon in 1930, a trophy can be seen. This he received from the ARRL as an award for the world's best amateur station. In view of his passion for all bands above 50 MHz it is fitting that this trophy is now the annual award given by the RSGB, for the winners of the Mix and Match section of the VHF National Field Day.
Past & Present Awards of the G5BY Trophy to TDARC
2018 Mix & Match Section
Trowbridge & DARC (IO81) were again for the second year running and the fourth time in total, Overall Winner in the Mix and Match Section, of the 2018 VHF National Field Day. Taking the G5BY Trophy, gain with 2867 normalised points.
2017 Mix & Match Section
Trowbridge & DARC (IO81) Were the Overall Winner in the Mix & Match section with 3208 points and receive the G5BY Trophy.
2015 Mix & Match Section
For the second time our club VHFNFD team win silver.
This year a change of tactics saw our team enter the Mix & Match section of VHF NFD. Operating from IO81RF as in previous years they topped 9 other entrants in this section. Bands used by G2BQY/p were 50/70/144 & 1296MHz, with 2969 points and take over the G5BY Trophy from Telford & DARS, who find themselves in 3rd place this year with 2087 points.
M1BQY/p submitted a check log on 70cm.
2008 Mix & Match Section.
First place is awarded to newcomers Trowbridge & DARC, achieving top band-score on 1296 MHz in Restricted Section and an overall score of 2529 points. They are congratulated for bursting upon this scene so effectively and carrying away the G5BY Trophy.