Long Range
Maritime
Communications
in th UK

Early History

Portishead Radio
-
1927 to war
-
1940-1960
-
in the 70's
-
in the 80's
-
GKA today
-
Transmitter Sites

Wick/GKR

Oban/GNE

Last page update
25 April 1998

Content researched by
Terry Slack
and
Bob Dixon

PORTISHEAD RADIO
GKA

The UK's Long Range Maritime Radio Station

 

Portishead Radio currently provides employment for 25 radio officers, and is the last of the UK's maritime stations to provide a Morse Code service. The use of Morse is declining, although there remains a good number of third world ships for which this mode of transmission remains essential. By 1st February 1999 event these ships will be required by law to carry modern digital radio equipment (although there is some doubt as to whether this date can be met) and closure of the UK's morse service is inevitable.

Although radiotelex and radiotelephone services still maintain a level of traffic, satellite services have now taken their toll, with the Portishead service becoming very expensive relative to the equivalent keenly priced satellite services.

Portishead Radio remains the most famous maritime radio station in the world, and the mere mention of its name is likely to provoke fond memories by those radio officers who used the service in its heyday. Whilst the days of receiving weak radio signals from a passenger liner from the South African coast are long since gone, Portishead Radio continues to provide a valuable service to the world's maritime community.

The highly-qualified and experienced staff continue to handle calls and messages from all types of craft, ranging from the large Royal Naval aircraft carriers to the smallest yacht. In fact, ever since the early days of yacht racing in the 1960's, Portishead Radio has been providing a valuable service to the leisure market, and despite the numerous technological advances of recent years, is still in demand.

Portishead Radio offers numerous facilities for the leisure market. In addition to the messaging and voice communication services described above, the following facilities are on offer;

  • Radio telex communications and fax delivery of messages;

  • One-day radiotelephone familiarisation courses for yachtsmen/women with General R/T certificates;

  • Free information sheets and radio propagation charts;

  • Full customer service back-up

Portishead Radio was the recipient of the 1995 RYA Service to industry award, in recognition of its services to the leisure market, so you may be assured that your communications requirements will be in the best possible hands.

A full 24-hour message delivery service is provided, including an 'Emergency Contact Service' for urgent communications.

Full information on the facilities provided by Portishead Radio is available by contacting the customer service office.

USEFUL CONTACT INFORMATION FOR GKA:-

Phonetex/Radiotelephone bookings: 0800 378389 (24 hours)

Main Switchboard: 01278 772200 (24 hours)

The address for GKA is:-

BT Radio Station, Portishead Radio, Highbridge, Somerset, TA9 3JY

The Future for GKA
As with all of the UK's maritime services, the future for Portishead Radio/GKA looks very limited. Although it has outlasted some of its competitors (Scheveningen/PCH - Norddeich/DAN) the high cost of providing the facility of a high power HF radio station make such services unviable in today's world. Although nothing has been announced by BT as yet, 1st February 1999 is a watershed in teh history of maritime communications, with the official changeover to the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. It is doubtful if GKA will continue very much beyond that date.