A GROUP of amateur radio enthusiasts from Largs have managed to make contact with a team of adventurers aiming to break a survival record on one a remote and challenging outpost in the North Atlantic.
James Bertram, of Largs, was among the 'radio ham' enthusiasts who visited Kip Marina last Friday to see a group of three adventurers heading off on their brave mission to Rockall with a record in their sights.
Rockall is renowned in amateur radio circles as one of the most difficult places to broadcast from in the whole world.
The trio plan to live for up to 60 days on the craggy rock in the North Atlantic and have made camp after a dramatic arrival and ascent in which one of their team was washed off the islet twice by waves.
The intrepid adventurers are led by Cam Cameron, a Scottish teacher who hopes to overcome the record of 45 days staying on Rockall, and landed on the islet on Tuesday following a 420-mile voyage from Kip.
Rockall is an uninhabited, and generally seen as uninhabitable, granite islet' 240 miles from Orkney - and is so rarely visited that until 25 years ago, humans had set foot on the Moon more often than they'd visited Rockall.
James cheered on the trio as they left Kip Marina - and has managed to make radio connection with the trio after eventually landing safely in Rockall.
But James said the contact wasn't without its obstacles.
"It's a very dangerous trip which will operate amateur radio for one week," he said, "and then one of the guys is staying on Rockall for two months to try and get the world record.
" I headed up last Friday morning to the marina along with another couple of members of the Largs Amateur Radio Society to see them off. We have now managed to make contact with then via the radio.
"I was listening out for them and making contact with Rockall was a first for me."
Cam Cameron and his colleagues Adrian 'Nobby' Styles, a radio operator, and Emil Bergmann, a mountaineer, will be broadcasting from Rockall for the next week to raise funds for British military charities.
But their ascent up the granite rock was tougher than expected because the waves were so challenging.
An expert mountaineer from Bulgaria, Emil was the first to officially land on the rock to fix the lines needed in order for Cam and Adrian to join him.
But the swell was so great that he was twice washed into the sea before he was able to make it up on the third attempt.
James says he's delighted to hear that the trio have overcome the adversity to begin broadcasting from the summit in the historic visit.
"I made contact with the expedition for the first time and was able to let the guys' families know they are on the rock and are OK," he added.
"When they were leaving Kip Marina, the Largs Amateur Radio Society also presented them with a bottle of single malt that could be opened once on the rock to celebrate in traditional Scottish fashion.
"I hope they're now enjoying the tipple!"
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