Amateur Radio H.O.T.A Activation: 1. 500 year old Post Office Tree 2. Dias Museum, Mossel Bay - 19 November 2022 14h00

 Ancient trees are precious. There is little else on Earth that plays host to such a rich community of life within a single living organism.

—Sir David Attenborough

 

What does a 500 year old Milkwood tree and Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) have in common?  Read on and you will find out how Amateur Radio keep history alive by activating historical sites in South Africa  using amateur radio.  The activation is called H.O.T.A which stands for Heritage on the Air. 

Now what is H.O.T.A?

H.O.T.A (Heritage on the air) is an amateur radio group that strives to motivate radio amateurs to learn more about history, and to keep history alive by activating a multitude of historical sites by using SSB, AM, FM, CW and even with Heliographs.  Radio amateurs have great fun going out in the field and visiting places and areas where once history was made. Even if you do not like history there is places that were visited that might be of interest to you.  You can even combine your other hobbies with H.O.T.A.  Now that you have a faint idea of H.O.T.A it is time to learn more about H.O.T.A and the fun radio amateurs have and  can have in activating historical sites.

If you want to learn more about H.O.T.A you can visit the Heritage on the Air website by clicking HERE.

Corne Conradie ZS1COR and Thys Louw ZS1TBP activated two historical sites in Mossel Bay with moral support from members of the Eden Radio Club  ZS1ERZ this past Saturday, 19 November 2022.  The following historical sites in Mossel Bay were activated on the grounds of the Bartolomeu Diaz Museum Complex in the CBD of Mossel Bay between 14h00 - 16h00 using Amateur Radio.  The two sites were: 

• The Post Office Tree ( dated 1500)  HOTA Registration Number:  TO 0002
  
• Bartolomeu Dias Museum Complex/Site ( dated 1488)  HOTA Registration Number: MS 0006
  

• Historical Background of the Dias Museum (Must read!) 
• Historical Background of the Dias Museum PDF ( Must read!)

More information on these two historical sites are available at:  (Click on the links for more information)

• The Post Office Tree    Link 1,   Link 2
  
• Dias Museum Complex including the Maritime Museum   Link 1,  Link 2   Link 3
  
• The Post Office Tree Video (Great Historical Information - Must Watch!) 
• The Bartolomeu Dias Museum Video (Great Historical Information - Must Watch!)
• The 500 year old Milkwood Tree Video  (Must Watch!)

Both sites were successfully activated in accordance with the rules stipulated by the Management Board of H.O.T.A (Bo Karoo Amateur Radio Club)

Video and Images of the Event :  (Click on images for larger view.)

 

Above Images:  Corne ZS1COR and Diaz Museum Mossel Bay

Above Images (except QSL cards) :  Johan ZS1I (Click on images for larger view)

Article compiled by Johan ZS1I

Place: Mossel Bay

Date: 21 November 2022

PLEASE NOTE:

The author of this article is not affiliated to any amateur radio club in South Africa.  The information published is to promote amateur radio and activities by any means available.  Any amateur radio club in South Africa is welcome to send me information for publication about their activities and I will gladly publish it on the GRHub Network Blog.

Recognition:

1. H.O.T.A
2. All those radio amateurs that made contacts with the activation group on the day
   
3. Eden Radio Club ZS1ERZ
4. Corne ZS1COR
5. Thys ZS1TBP
6. Mare ZS1MEH
   
7. Dias Museum Complex
8. All linked parties above
9. Amateur Radio
10. Staff and CEO of the Dias Museum Complex