BBC Director General Lord Tony Hall of Birkenhead on October 18 opened the new London BBC Radio Group’s G8BBC Amateur Radio “premises” (“shack” in the US) at Broadcasting House, the headquarters of the BBC. The shack is in a small room tucked in the roof of Broadcasting House.

On opening day, Lord Hall used G8BBC to send greetings to GB2RN on HMS Belfast which is moored on the Thames River. The G8BBC call sign originally was held by the Ariel Radio Group BBC Club, under BBC engineering. The new group of radio amateurs and SWLs at the BBC are putting the finishing touches on its shack and antenna system on the roof. There are 28 current members, some of whom are BBC on-air talent.

“We are now testing on the air from our new shack in Broadcasting House,” the G8BBC team announced on its QRZ.com profile. “Please listen and report our signal.” Jonathan Kempster, M5AEO, is the G8BBC secretary and station manager. — Thanks to Southgate Amateur Radio News for some information