2M0GUI / MM6EIO - The website of Michael Topple

Greetings and welcome to my simple webpage.

This site deals mainly with my radio activity, but please click here to view my profile on Academia, here for my Twitter feed, or click here to view my YouTube channel.

Married to Jackie, I am training for Church Ministry and studying for a BD with University of Glasgow. My degree includes studies in Divinity and History, and I am a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (FSAScot).

In my spare time, I enjoy amateur radio, volunteer as a Guide for a local museum and am an Officer in the Boys' Brigade.

I began Amateur Radio when I was fifteen, after a visit to the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes, England. After having a go on the radio there, I was hooked and took my Foundation exam about two months later, gaining the callsign M6EIO with the Colchester Radio Amateurs (CRA). My first radio was a borrowed Icom IC-706 Mk1. In November 2013 I sat and passed my Intermediate Exam and took the callsign 2E0GUI. I am trying to juggle my various studies and responsibilities with studying for my Full licence!

My XYL and I moved from Colchester to Glasgow in January 2022 as I took up my studies at the University of Glasgow. While in Scotland, I operate as 2M0GUI. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

In my spare time, I enjoy researching vintage or antique Amateur Radio ephemera, a selection of which may be viewed in the File Store. I often update this so do check back every now and then. Those interested in Amateur Radio history may find this link of interest, while this link goes to a fascinating BBC documentary about the early days of broadcasting and this link to a BBC Radio 4 documentary about amateur radio.

I continue to learn, get pleasure, have fun, and relax in the Amateur Radio hobby, enjoying working on HF, VHF and UHF, primarily CW but also occasionally enjoying voice modes. Maybe we'll work each other some day, if not already. My QRZ page is not especially interesting as it just links back here, but I do keep this page largely up to date. Another good place to check is my Twitter page.

Please QSL either directly or via the Bureau. QSL cards happily sent on request.


Have I been on air in the last 24hrs??

See a few photos below:

2E0GUI operating at WoSARS shack Station Morse key 2E0GUI operating CW on 40m
Key & Plug Assy. No. 8 Antenna at my QTH Running a dipole while /P
TL photo shows me (2M0GUI) operating in the RSGB AFS SSB Contest with Ernie GM0EZP at the WoSARS Cochno Shack. TR shows yours truly operating CW on HF. My home shack rig is an Icom IC-7100, running through an LDG IT-100 Auto-Tuner. Owing to space restriction, my antenna is an end-fed wire with a 9:1 balun (photo centre bottom). My key (pictured top centre) is an LTA Key, made by S/K EA6YG - more information can be found here.
Out and about in my car I run a 2m/70cm Kenwood TM-D710 with a 2/70 mag mount whip, but for any long or interesting journey take the Icom, along with the other key pictured above (bottom left): an ex Royal Signals' 'Key & Plug Assembly No. 8'. I can't find much information about this key, but this link gives a little information, and this eBook (see pp. 14 and 15) offer some further information. Also above you'll see an example of my /P operating (bottom right).

Michael first encountering Amateur Radio Michael first encountering Amateur Radio From the February 2013 RadCom
This is where it all began: Michael first encountering Amateur Radio at the National Radio Centre, Bletchley Park in August 2012. Note my parents looking on in first photo - little did they know what it would lead to!
In January 2013 an article appeared in RadCom, mentioning my visit to the NRC and reporting I was the first person known to have gained their licence as a result of a visit to the NRC.
I will be forever grateful to the gentlemen on duty at GB3RS that day for introducing me to this world.

SWL on Ron's radio Silly radio GIF
Combining my love of radio and antiques, I enjoy SWL-ing on this Eddystone Kilodyne Four receiver, dating from 1934 (further information can be found here or here).
Designed for the SW/Ham bands, I've also wound coils for MW and LW broadcast radio. The radio was built by my dear (now S/K) friend Ron G4AUG and his father, back in the mid-1930s, and still works perfectly today.
You can listen to some sample recordings here: The Queen's address for VE Day 75 (8th May 2020) or The Funeral of HRH the Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh

My AvoMeter The original manual The original leather case Formerly belonging to G4AUG
Loving vintage or antique equipment, my meter of choice is this Model 40 Universal Avometer, dating from September 1953, which belonged to G4AUG (whose radio is seen above). The instrument has proved itself on many occasions and, unlike various other multimeters which have been and gone, is reliable and accurate. With the meter came the original manual and case, the latter still bearing Ron's initials and callsign. I have found a very similar (albeit not identical) copy of the user's manual and uploaded it to the File Store (see the top of the page).

2E0GUI operating on 23cms
2E0GUI (l) operating 23cms with Colchester Contest Group

M6EIO operating on 20m M6EIO operating on 23cms
M6EIO (r) operating 20m with Colchester Contest Group with G0DVJ looking on, and on another occasion operating 23cms.
Jonathan G0DVJ really encouraged me in the hobby, and his support and friendship really helped me as I began to learn more about amateur radio.

G6MB making the first GB2RS News Broadcast Times of Broadcast
Since moving to Scotland, I have become a Volunteer Newsreader for a new, evening, broadcast of the RSGB's GB2RS News for the Greater Glasgow area. The first GB2RS broadcast was made on the morning of September 25th 1955, from the station of Mr Frank Hicks-Arnold G6MB (pictured). This came after many years of negotiations with the GPO. Until this point, only the BBC had been allowed to broadcast, with Radio Amateurs being required to communicate with other stations individually. I broadcast the GB2RS news on 145.525MHz FM at 1830hrs local time for the Glasgow area. Further information about GB2RS can be found here and here.
LH photograph copyright © RSGB, and RH reproduced from WoSARS website.

2E0GUI being awarded the G4OAD Memorial Trophy 2E0GUI being awarded the G4OAD Memorial Trophy
A very young Michael being awarded the ECWARC 'G4OAD Memorial Trophy' by Stephen Cocks G4ZUL. "The award is made each year by the ECWARC committee to the nominated person that they deem the most improved CW learner/practitioner in the previous 12 months. Michael was awarded the trophy as he had joined the regular practice sessions run for CRA by Jonathan G0DVJ and others on Sunday and Monday evenings on air, and quickly caught up the progress of the others on those sessions. Michael is the second CRA member to be a recipient of the trophy. Jeff G7TAT won the award two years previously." (Taken from the June 2014 CRA Newsletter)

M6EIO/P with 2E0WMG/P
M6EIO pictured /P on HF at East Mersea, Essex, out with 2E0WMG

Jackie and Michael's wedding 2M0GUI/P on 80m
Jackie and Michael's wedding as featured on the front page of the WACRAL Members' Newsletter (note the handheld superimposed by the Editor!), and operating as 2E0GUI/P on 80m in the Northumberland hills

2M0GUI/P 2M0GUI/P operating CW 2M0GUI/P
2M0GUI operating CW while /P in his 1988 Fiat Uno Selecta (one of only three remaining on the road!)

Click below to watch the now famous Hancock's Half Hour sketch, 'The Radio Ham'

Anthony Hancock The Radio Ham from G8ASO on Vimeo.

Club memberships:
WACRAL logo RSGB logo CRA logo HARIG logo ECWARC logo RAYNET logo G-QRP logo WoSARS logo
I'm a member of WACRAL and also a member of the RSGB, Colchester Radio Amateurs, Harwich Amateur Radio Interest Group, ECWARC (Essex CW ARC), Glasgow and Clyde RAYNET, G-QRP and West of Scotland ARS

This page, and all its content unless otherwise labelled, is copyright © Michael Topple 2M0GUI. All rights reserved.