A BLIND man is making waves in with his newly constructed aerial.
A radio enthusiast from a young age, Terry Robinson has constructed a 50-foot radio aerial in his garden, allowing him to communicate with other radio heads across the world.
The 69-year-old sends dots and dashes to other Morse code radio operators - amateur and professionals - on five continents from his back garden in Crosshill.
His previous best aerial was wrecked when Storm Dennis battered Britian in February.
“Storm Dennis a few months ago ruined my best aerial, leaving me with a very small, low pole which contacted few other stations,” he said. “Then, all of a sudden, we have a biological disaster which has virtually locked us in our homes.
“”So, I began to dream of the old days when I had an aerial which could be raised 50 feet into the air. Surveying the contents of my garage-workshop, I realised that, if I ordered the wires in time, I could get to work on a replacement structure.
“I’m an amateur Morse Code operator who likes to communicate with people all over the world. Suffice to say that the beast is up and has already got me in touch with five continents. Yes, only Oceania and Antarctica to go.”
Keeping himself busy during lockdown has proved no challenge for Terry, with a VHF aerial and a wire loop to replace the smaller system destroyed in the storm still to be built.
It’s keeping him fit, too. He has to winch the transmitter down and then back into the sky if he wants to change anything at the top of the mast, still only reaching this with the help of a step ladder.
Blind since childhood, Terry developed a long-lasting passion for radio and enjoyed a career as an engineer before his retirement.
He hasn’t slowed down and is now adjusting to life in lockdown.
“I still seem to be very busy, grappling with shopping sites that offer no delivery slots, etc,” he said, “so I don’t get as much time on the air as I thought I might.
“But radio, Talking Books, Audible and the chores of everyday life are keeping me fit and well so far. So, yes, there is life, if not necessarily as we knew it.”
An active member and campaigner with the Royal National Institute for the Blind Scotland, Terry helped to mark RNIB’s 150th anniversary in 2018 by creating a special call sign which attracted thousands of calls of support from across the globe.
Terry is encouraging people looking to beat isolation blues to contact him for pointers or a chat on amateur radio. You can email him on gm3wux@gmail.com
- Got a story? Email: hamish.morrison@newsquest.co.uk
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