Bajansailor
Well-Known Member
Trudi\'s Transatlantic maritime mobile net
I am sure that many of you who have sailed across the Atlantic during the past 25 years have listened / talked to Trudi 8P6QM in Barbados on the Transatlantic maritime mobile net (or Trudi's net as everyone knew it by) if you had a ham or SSB transceiver (or even just an SSB receiver) on board.
Trudi (who happens to be my Mum) was initially the Assistant Net Controller for a few years helping out Sheila (VP5SL) in Grand Turk who ran the net with military efficiency (this is a compliment!). When Sheila 'retired' from the net Mum took over, and has been doing a grand job for the past 20 years.
(For those who are not familiar with this net, it starts every day at 1300 UTC on 21.400)
When Trudi started running the net they would usually have 30 or 40 (or more!) check ins each day at this time of year from yachts sailing across to the Windies - the net would often still be 'going strong' 2 hours later. And to a lesser extent in April / May from yachts heading back across the Atlantic. A good voice was a pre-requisite for this job..........
In the days before the internet came about she would copy the weather forecast (in french) on SW each morning from Radio France International for all the regions in the Atlantic where 'her' yachts were, and then translate and read out the forecast for the different regions at 1330 each morning (0930 here in Barbados).
She wore many different hats in this job - apart from taking down positions and weather conditions, relaying messages to and from family members at home and organising medical advice when required (useful having a husband who is a GP!), she would always be ready to offer encouragement, sympathy, moral support and good cheer when necessary.
Trudi had a few stalwart and loyal assistant net controllers during this time, and of these I would like to pay particular tribute to Rudi G4FTO in Flushing (opposite Falmouth), who sadly passed away a few years ago. Rudi was a legend in his time - his life revolved absolutely around the radio and helping sailors on both Mum's net and the UK maritime mobile net (which has been run most ably for many years by Bill G4FRN, with assistance from Rudi and other dedicated hams). Nothing was impossible for Rudi - he was completely unflappable, and would always find a solution.
In the same way that all ham sailors arriving in Barbados from the east would hop on the Bathsheba bus from Bridgetown to go and visit Trudi, all the hams who chose Falmouth as their first port of call in England on the return voyage to high latitudes would invariably hike up the hill in Flushing to go and see Rudi in his radio shack by the bowling green - or meet him in the Seven Stars by the waterfront for a beer or two.
In later years Rudi's arthritis restricted his ability to get about, so the sailing ham world all made efforts to come and visit Rudi in his little part of paradise looking out over Carrick Roads. Whenever I would pitch up in Flushing (invariably unannounced) while I was living in England I was always welcomed with open arms and offered a bed for the night by Rudi and his lovely wife Lillian - and this hospitality applied to all other grotty ham yotties as well, not just me.
I know that Rudi is sadly missed by everyone who knew him - he was a legend in the ham sailing world for sure.
In recent years Trudi has been ably assisted on the net by Jack (AA3GZ) in the USA and Gerard (ON6BG) in Belgium, and between them they could usually manage to pick up most check-ins out in the Atlantic. Although these days (sign of the times?) they usually only have a few check-ins each day, in stark contrast to the 30 or 40 each day twenty years ago - it would appear that everybody is now getting satellite telephones and / or email capability by marine SSB...... c'est la vie!
Partially as a result of this, and for various personal reasons, Trudi has now decided to call it a day and hand over stewardship of the Net to Jack AA3GZ who is doing a sterling job with his 2 kw of power output - although this does mean that while most yachts can hear him, he cannot often hear little yachts with 200 watts (or much less) power output through their insulated backstays or dipoles.
To anyone who is about to sail across the Atlantic, or contemplating doing so, please do check in with Jack if you have a rig and a valid ham license - he would love to hear from you! You will have to have an affinity for dogs though, in particular Jack Russells, as you will hear all about Fisher's escapades every day....
Fair winds, and fine sailing!
I am sure that many of you who have sailed across the Atlantic during the past 25 years have listened / talked to Trudi 8P6QM in Barbados on the Transatlantic maritime mobile net (or Trudi's net as everyone knew it by) if you had a ham or SSB transceiver (or even just an SSB receiver) on board.
Trudi (who happens to be my Mum) was initially the Assistant Net Controller for a few years helping out Sheila (VP5SL) in Grand Turk who ran the net with military efficiency (this is a compliment!). When Sheila 'retired' from the net Mum took over, and has been doing a grand job for the past 20 years.
(For those who are not familiar with this net, it starts every day at 1300 UTC on 21.400)
When Trudi started running the net they would usually have 30 or 40 (or more!) check ins each day at this time of year from yachts sailing across to the Windies - the net would often still be 'going strong' 2 hours later. And to a lesser extent in April / May from yachts heading back across the Atlantic. A good voice was a pre-requisite for this job..........
In the days before the internet came about she would copy the weather forecast (in french) on SW each morning from Radio France International for all the regions in the Atlantic where 'her' yachts were, and then translate and read out the forecast for the different regions at 1330 each morning (0930 here in Barbados).
She wore many different hats in this job - apart from taking down positions and weather conditions, relaying messages to and from family members at home and organising medical advice when required (useful having a husband who is a GP!), she would always be ready to offer encouragement, sympathy, moral support and good cheer when necessary.
Trudi had a few stalwart and loyal assistant net controllers during this time, and of these I would like to pay particular tribute to Rudi G4FTO in Flushing (opposite Falmouth), who sadly passed away a few years ago. Rudi was a legend in his time - his life revolved absolutely around the radio and helping sailors on both Mum's net and the UK maritime mobile net (which has been run most ably for many years by Bill G4FRN, with assistance from Rudi and other dedicated hams). Nothing was impossible for Rudi - he was completely unflappable, and would always find a solution.
In the same way that all ham sailors arriving in Barbados from the east would hop on the Bathsheba bus from Bridgetown to go and visit Trudi, all the hams who chose Falmouth as their first port of call in England on the return voyage to high latitudes would invariably hike up the hill in Flushing to go and see Rudi in his radio shack by the bowling green - or meet him in the Seven Stars by the waterfront for a beer or two.
In later years Rudi's arthritis restricted his ability to get about, so the sailing ham world all made efforts to come and visit Rudi in his little part of paradise looking out over Carrick Roads. Whenever I would pitch up in Flushing (invariably unannounced) while I was living in England I was always welcomed with open arms and offered a bed for the night by Rudi and his lovely wife Lillian - and this hospitality applied to all other grotty ham yotties as well, not just me.
I know that Rudi is sadly missed by everyone who knew him - he was a legend in the ham sailing world for sure.
In recent years Trudi has been ably assisted on the net by Jack (AA3GZ) in the USA and Gerard (ON6BG) in Belgium, and between them they could usually manage to pick up most check-ins out in the Atlantic. Although these days (sign of the times?) they usually only have a few check-ins each day, in stark contrast to the 30 or 40 each day twenty years ago - it would appear that everybody is now getting satellite telephones and / or email capability by marine SSB...... c'est la vie!
Partially as a result of this, and for various personal reasons, Trudi has now decided to call it a day and hand over stewardship of the Net to Jack AA3GZ who is doing a sterling job with his 2 kw of power output - although this does mean that while most yachts can hear him, he cannot often hear little yachts with 200 watts (or much less) power output through their insulated backstays or dipoles.
To anyone who is about to sail across the Atlantic, or contemplating doing so, please do check in with Jack if you have a rig and a valid ham license - he would love to hear from you! You will have to have an affinity for dogs though, in particular Jack Russells, as you will hear all about Fisher's escapades every day....
Fair winds, and fine sailing!
