Radio amateurs Perugia youth section Vatican activation
Saturday 27 April 2024, in the context of the celebrations for the 150 years of Guglielmo Marconi, during the International Marconi Day the Italian Radio Amateur Association Perugia Section was called to operate, with its young radio amateurs, the HV9TVM amateur radio station (Hotel Victor 9 Trasmittente Vaticana Marconi) from the Palazzina Marconi inside the Vatican gardens. A historic place, where in 1931 Guglielmo Marconi himself inaugurated Vatican Radio with Pius
Young radio amateurs, Marco Dottori, Nevet Persolja, Tsuf Persolja, Edoardo Ragni and Chiara Alberati, with the aspiring radio amateur in tow Alma Peruzzi, all from the Italian Radio Amateur Association Perugia Section, transmitted both in short waves and using the QO-100 amateur radio satellite which covers a vast area including Europe, Africa, part of Asia and the Antarctic peninsula. To accompany and guide them under 25 Perugians there were the President of ARI Perugia, Francesco Fucelli with Iari Del Pulito and Cristiano Peruzzi of the board of directors and others Marco Zucconi expert in the design and construction of emergency antennas.
The Perugian team, together with colleagues from ARI Civitavecchia, installed three complete radio stations in just over an hour, creating and installing the antennas on the spot. In just over two hours of radio activity the boys contacted over 600 amateur radio stations around the world, using the radio stations created at the time.
The radio activation was part of the inauguration of the Vatican Radio Museum in the presence of important Vatican authorities: Bishop Gallagher secretary for relations with states and international organisations, the Prefect for Communication Paolo Ruffini, the Secretary of the Dicastery of Communication mgr. Lucio Adrian Ruizthe presence of was expected Elettra Marconi (94 years old) but a sudden indisposition due to his age prevented his presence, which was replaced by his participation in the ceremony of his nephew on prof. Guglielmo Giovanelli Marconi who proceeded to cut the ribbon.
The young people from Perugia have been at the center of attention of all the personalities as they testify that, after over 100 years, the radio is still current and young and that many boys and girls are ready to take up the baton to keep history alive and the passion that animated Guglielmo Marconi in his innovative and futuristic discoveries.
A personalized shirt, the same worn by all the radio amateurs present, was donated to the Princess of Elettra Marconi through her son, prof. Guglielmo Giovanelli Marconi, precisely to remind us that radio amateurs are committed to passing on to future generations the story of the first radio amateur who allowed the world to make an unimaginable leap forward.
To conclude the “mission” the children had the opportunity to visit the “heart” of Vatican Radio FM/DAB in the basement of the Museum, guided by the Radio technicians who answered all the curiosities of those present.
Another important experience for radio amateurs from Perugia, in particular for young people, always in the field to increase their knowledge and share it with those who want to approach the world of amateur radio communications (more than 25 are taking the course to obtain the license radio amateur in order to obtain authorization to transmit, among these 11 children under 25 years of age).
To celebrate Marconi’s 150th birthday, other events are planned.
