BATC Forum

So sad to report that Brian G3SMU fell silent key on Thursday after being admitted to hospital. Brian was first licensed in 1963 and was active on one band or another (top band to 10 GHz) almost every day until he passed.

Brian's professional broadcast TV background naturally led to an avid interest in ATV; an opportunity for early retirement in the 90s saw his transition to "professional radio amateur", giving him more time to assist local and DX stations with technical ATV issues. Living in a QTH located 850 feet ASL, on the side of Winter Hill Lancashire, provided a wonderful take off for the higher bands, even yielding a 3 cm FM ATV link to EI2DJ in Dublin somewhat earlier than recorded by the official list of "firsts". Brian's video signals were received across the UK and parts of Europe with an early adoption of DATV too. Only a slight enhancement was required for Brian to receive GB3HV (DATV in very early 2008) and the IoW repeater and his transmissions were also seen via many popular repeaters around the country.

Here's a quick clip of GB3HV, as received by G3SMU in May 2008, with deep QSB and some radar interference:
http://www.g7lwt.com/documents/datv/g3s ... v_datv.wmv

More recently Brian's eyesight failed which cruelly prevented him pursuing his passion for all forms of ATV. Local ATVers G1LWX and 2E0SAF kindly spent many visits implementing HF antenna systems, which rekindled Brian's interest in top band and 40 metres - eliminating QRM was the new challenge. The vertical that Mike and Sean installed all but silenced the local QRM much to Brian's delight.

RIP Brian - here's hoping for GD DX up there!

73 de Darren
G7LWT

Sad News indeed, Brian was always active on 144.750, a true Gentleman indeed. Rip Brian

Indeed, a sad loss.

I was concerned about Brian when I was last up there in August when I did not hear him on the air. For those that don't know, Brian was LOS from my family home about 500m away along the same road and consequently, a strong signal. I had known him since the 1980s. I could also regularly hear him here in Harwell on 144.750. I always looked forward to our regular 2m and 70cm chats which ranged from pretty technical to local issues, like which local Chinese takeaway was the best to order from and what incoming weather (rain) we could see from our vantage point looking over the Cheshire plain.

Its going to be very quiet up on Winter Hill from now on.

Mike

Brian's funeral will be held at 14.00 on Friday 10th of November at Overdale Crematorium, Bolton, BL1 5BU, with drinks at the Old Links Golf Course, Chorley Old Road at 15.00. Dress code is informal, as Brian would have wished. Brian's family have asked for numbers who might be attending.

I was saddened to hear about the passing of Brian. I always enjoyed a chat with him, he was such a clever man and always there to give a report or advice.
He will be missed by all who knew him.

73 & RIP Brian - G3SMU.

Brian's funeral was very well attended with mixture of family, friends and OM from across the North West, Wales, Shropshire and The Potteries.

It was definitely a first to see PM5544 adorning a coffin but Brian's test card brought a smile of recognition and delight to friends and ATV aficionados alike.



RIP Brian

73 de Darren
G7LWT