Martin Maynard, G8CIX is to promote Amateur radio and raise awareness of the hobby from the so-called 'Fourth Plinth'. Martin will spend one hour, as part of a “major living monument” created by sculptor Antony Gormley. The project has been choosing people from all over the UK to occupy the empty Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in London, a space normally reserved for statues of Kings and Generals.Martin has been allocated a slot on the plinth between 4-5pm on Friday 25th September during which he will operate with the special events callsign GB1AO.Asked why he applied to take part, Martin said 'I thought the 'One and Other' project was a brilliant idea as informative art. I wanted to do something to promote Amateur radio.'
Sorry Martin, but I am not sure who you are going to persuade that radio amateurs are anything other than strange nerds by doing this. Although I wish him every success with the event an hour playing radio from Trafalgar Square is not even going to be long enough even to work everyone who wants to make a contact never mind persuade the world that Amateur Radio is better than sex. He will unfortunately go down in the annuls of the hobby as probably the most embarrassing ham since the plonker on Big Brother. I cannot say what I think of the so called artist he might sue.
Thank you for your words of encouragement....
ReplyDeleteWatch for yourself at www.GB1AO.co.uk
Hi Martin, I hope you are not offended by my comments, but I find the whole idea slightly whacked and I don't mean you and the radio. Art is in the eye of the beholder and what I see is neither art nor performance art. I see a prat trying to make a name for him self. I am sure if he was not doing this he would be locked in a padded cell somewhere or be selling Snake oil to suckers.
ReplyDeleteI admire your courage for getting up there and doing what you did, but if you put yourself on a pedestal someone is going to throw things. Hopefully no one threw fruit at you as I hear has happened to some plinth sitters. If you have read what I write here you will see I set out to provoke a reaction and therefore discussion. We all need something to discuss on air and if it is to disagree with me that is fine.
I hope it went well and my worst fears were not met, that your peers still respect you and no one crosses the street to avoid you. I will watch the video when I am not at work. If you decide to do anything else to promote amateur radio please let me know and I will try my very best to be much more positive.
I hope to speak to you at sometime on the air and give you the opportunity to tell me what you really thing. Thanks for being so restrained.
The video at www.GB1AO.co.uk is almost impossible to watch. Jerky and slow to load after 10 minutes I had seen 1m 24s and gave up.
ReplyDelete