School!

I spent eleven months at Diss Grammar School...
actually, the months were more agreeable than the past! War Years are over, Air Raids were a figment of my imagination, and I wished that we could stay there - My mother had other ideas...

King Edward VI Grammar School, Bury St Edmunds....

I spent nearly four years as student in King Edward VI School, with one year in the First Form (which I joined the Scouts) and three in the third, fourth and fifth forms - Which I joined the CCF! I was a Border - amongst 50 - I imagine the day boys were about 150 in number.
The CCF, Combined Cadet Forces, was mainly Army! We dressed up in Army uniforms every Tuesday afternoons, and practised Marching - and other things!

An occurence with me in the fourth form was a wake up call!
I already had a crystal set, since the first form. I discovered 40m in the holidays - and Amateurs for the first time. Returning to school, I discovered the Wireless that were used in the CCF (WS 18) were capable of 40m coverage! We were listening to amateurs, instead of net control...

The procedure is:- Select the net control in the Receiver Control, and net the Transmiiter to it. Lock the transmitter. Establish communication.
As soon as possible, receive the Amateurs.
The transmitter is locked, and the return to the allocated channels is simple! All you've got to do is to is to net the receiver, and rely on the other stations on the net haven't missed you!

The Technician gave the Radios to the Sixth formers one weekend. They were going to "practice radiocommunication" :--


18 Set
38 Set

Having got hold of an 18 set, early on Saturday morning before school ended, we arranged with the day boys to receive a test transmission. The test would take place Sunday evening at 8-o-clock, and frequency below 7.00Mhz! Think - the pirate activities around 6.9Mhz probably originated around that time, using the War Department radios, just as we have done!
We got reports the whole way round Bury St Edmunds, despite using the whip aerial! The operating mode AM and power output 0,5 W!

I passed my exams with flying colours...

and looked forward to university, but Mother had other ideas.

I was apprenticed to the Marconi W T Co in Cambridge, England....

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