Orkney Wireless Museum
Encyclopedia
The Orkney Wireless Museum in Kirkwall
, Orkney houses a collection of domestic and military wireless equipment. It developed from the private collection of the late Jim MacDonald from St Margaret's Hope and marks the importance of wireless communications in Orkney during World War II.
in Orkney and is run on an entirely voluntary basis. It is registered as a Charitable Company. The Friends of the museum, from all over the world, help raise funds for the museum. The local branch of the society organises volunteers to man the Museum every day of the season, from April to September.
The displays and photographic archive bear testament to the strategic and military importance of Orkney during World War II
. In the collection there is much reference to the Home Fleet in Scapa Flow
, Orkney. The museum demonstrates the importance of wireless communications and Radar to the civilian and military populations.
The Amateur Radio call sign GB2OWM is frequently activated at the museum. During the Orkney Science Festival every September, worldwide contacts are made and QSL
cards are subsequently exchanged with the stations contacted.
which were built primarily as naval defences to protect the anchorage at Scapa Flow
.
Some examples of exhibits:
, South Ronaldsay
. After he died of cancer in 1988, his family carried out his wishes to develop the museum.
In June 1990 a registered family Trust was set up to run the museum. In 1994, the Museum was admitted as a member of the Museums and Galleries Commission of Great Britain. The Museum was awarded a Certificate from the Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society
"For work in collecting, preserving and displaying the radio and electronic heritage of Scapa Flow and the Orkney Isles"
In 1997, the collection moved to Kiln Corner, Kirkwall
which allowed a greater number of exhibits to be displayed. The Museum has received many financial donations.
With the outbreak of war in 1939, he was listed as in a reserved occupation, and worked for the War Office as a civilian in the great Naval Base at Lyness
. He was also employed at other RAF sites such as Netherbutton, with one of the world's first active operational Radar
installations. (This was actually the prototype, modified, which was shipped from England
, as the one being built for Orkney was not nearly ready. When Orkney's was finished, it was sent to Dover
where it was to play such a vital role in the Battle of Britain
).
After the war, Jim collected as many examples of relevant equipment as he could; many operations were still classified as Top Secret. Another problem to collection was that equipment was deliberately destroyed in order to prevent flooding the market with surplus goods (as had happened after the First World War). The collected equipment had played a vital part in the Battle of the North Atlantic and North Sea, and has all seen active service.
Kirkwall
Kirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
, Orkney houses a collection of domestic and military wireless equipment. It developed from the private collection of the late Jim MacDonald from St Margaret's Hope and marks the importance of wireless communications in Orkney during World War II.
Museum
The Orkney Wireless Museum is located at Kiln Corner, KirkwallKirkwall
Kirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
in Orkney and is run on an entirely voluntary basis. It is registered as a Charitable Company. The Friends of the museum, from all over the world, help raise funds for the museum. The local branch of the society organises volunteers to man the Museum every day of the season, from April to September.
The displays and photographic archive bear testament to the strategic and military importance of Orkney during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the collection there is much reference to the Home Fleet in Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
, Orkney. The museum demonstrates the importance of wireless communications and Radar to the civilian and military populations.
The Amateur Radio call sign GB2OWM is frequently activated at the museum. During the Orkney Science Festival every September, worldwide contacts are made and QSL
QSL
QSL is one of the Q codes used in radiocommunication and radio broadcasting. A Q code message can stand for a statement or a question . In this case, QSL? means "do you confirm receipt of my transmission?" while QSL means "I confirm receipt of your transmission". Some also take it to mean "Query...
cards are subsequently exchanged with the stations contacted.
Exhibits
The museum has an extensive collection of early domestic radio and wartime communications equipment. Most of the equipment was built in the UK and USA. The museum also houses early advertising and posters. An archive of photographs depicts wartime forces and includes coverage of the building of the Churchill BarriersChurchill Barriers
The Churchill Barriers are a series of four causeways in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, with a total length of 1.5 miles . They link the Orkney Mainland in the north to the island of South Ronaldsay via Burray and the two smaller islands of Lamb Holm and Glimps Holm.The barriers were built in the...
which were built primarily as naval defences to protect the anchorage at Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
.
Some examples of exhibits:
- No. 19 Tank Set
- early recording equipment e.g. The Recordon dictating machine made by Thermionic Products Ltd of England - features a flat, magnetically-coated paper disk.
- example of 1930s Ardent hearing aid
- a working crystal set (made about 1912) with the crystal/cat's whisker detector clearly visible. Visitors may put the headphones on and listen to BBC Radio Scotland.
- original Scapa Flow boom defence chart
- U boat radio
- spy Suitcase Radio
- radios used as Y-stationsY-stationsY-stations were British Signals Intelligence collection sites initially established during World War I and later used during World War II. These sites were operated by a range of agencies including the Army, Navy and RAF plus the Foreign Office , General Post Office and Marconi Company receiving...
by Y-service operators - photographic archive of life in "Fortress Orkney"
- domestic wireless receivers made in the USA by companies such as Emerson RadioEmerson RadioEmerson Radio Corporation was founded in 1948. It is one of the United States’ largest volume consumer electronics distributors and has a recognized trademark in continuous use since 1912...
, WestonWestonThere are many places called Weston:-Australia:* Weston, Australian Capital Territory* Weston Creek, Canberra* Weston Park, Canberra* Weston, New South Wales, a suburb of the City of Cessnock-Canada:* Weston, Nova Scotia* Weston, Ontario...
, PhilcoPhilcoPhilco, the Philadelphia Storage Battery Company , was a pioneer in early battery, radio, and television production as well as former employer of Philo Farnsworth, inventor of cathode ray tube television... - wireless receivers made in the UK by companies such as EKCOEKCOEKCO from Eric Kirkham Cole Limited was a British electronics company producing radio and television sets from 1924.Expanding into plastic production for its own use, Ekco Plastics produced both radio cases and later domestic plastic products; the plastics company became Lin Pac Mouldings...
.
Museum History
Jim MacDonald had a love of wireless sets and gathered an extensive and varied collection of domestic and military wireless equipment. The Museum was founded in 1983 when he was persuaded to display his collection in what he called "An Orkney Wireless Museum" in the family home in St Margaret's HopeSt Margaret's Hope
St Margaret's Hope, known locally as The Hope , is a village in the Orkney Islands, situated off the north-east coast of Scotland. It has a population of about 550, making it Orkney's third largest settlement after Kirkwall and Stromness....
, South Ronaldsay
South Ronaldsay
South Ronaldsay is one of the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland. It is linked to the Orkney Mainland by the Churchill Barriers, running via Burray, Glimps Holm and Lamb Holm.-Geography and geology:...
. After he died of cancer in 1988, his family carried out his wishes to develop the museum.
In June 1990 a registered family Trust was set up to run the museum. In 1994, the Museum was admitted as a member of the Museums and Galleries Commission of Great Britain. The Museum was awarded a Certificate from the Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society
Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society
The Royal Naval Amateur Radio Society is a specialised group or club for amateur radio operators who have a link with maritime employment, such as members of a navy, merchant marine, or similar employment. As such, RNARS has become a de facto international group for such people.RNARS is well known...
"For work in collecting, preserving and displaying the radio and electronic heritage of Scapa Flow and the Orkney Isles"
In 1997, the collection moved to Kiln Corner, Kirkwall
Kirkwall
Kirkwall is the biggest town and capital of Orkney, off the coast of northern mainland Scotland. The town is first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046 when it is recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty...
which allowed a greater number of exhibits to be displayed. The Museum has received many financial donations.
Founder
James "Jim" MacDonald (1927 - 1988) was born and brought up on South Ronaldsay. He was locally educated and served his apprenticeship as an electrician and radio repairman. During his boyhood, wireless was rapidly developing and he started to gather old, interesting sets which were becoming redundant. This became the nucleus for his collection which includes such rare and interesting examples as "Kit Sets" and the very, very expensive models by such famous names as Marconi, Cossor, MacMichael, K.B., Lowe and Amplion.With the outbreak of war in 1939, he was listed as in a reserved occupation, and worked for the War Office as a civilian in the great Naval Base at Lyness
Lyness
Lyness is a village on the east coast of the island of Hoy, Orkney.During the 1920's Lyness was briefly the headquarters of the metal salvage firm of Cox and Danks's raising of the German High Seas Fleet, scuttled by the Germans on June 21st 1919 during the Armistice.During the Second World War it...
. He was also employed at other RAF sites such as Netherbutton, with one of the world's first active operational Radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
installations. (This was actually the prototype, modified, which was shipped from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, as the one being built for Orkney was not nearly ready. When Orkney's was finished, it was sent to Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
where it was to play such a vital role in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
).
After the war, Jim collected as many examples of relevant equipment as he could; many operations were still classified as Top Secret. Another problem to collection was that equipment was deliberately destroyed in order to prevent flooding the market with surplus goods (as had happened after the First World War). The collected equipment had played a vital part in the Battle of the North Atlantic and North Sea, and has all seen active service.