News of the Nos Galan Races will hit radio airwaves around the World
this year - thanks to a group of radio enthusiasts from the Cynon
Valley.

The amateur radio station GB5ONG will be active between December 22,
2008 and January 4, 2009 to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Nos Galan
Races held every New Year's Eve each year in Mountain Ash near
Aberdare. The callsign is a special one issued especially for this
event by Ofcom.

Cynon Valley residents Dean Willis, Paul ap Dafydd, Peter Sage, Dean
Rosser and other radio enthusiasts will be running the radio station
for Nos Galan, which can be picked up by 'radio amateurs' around the
world.

"The reason we are setting up the signal is to commemorate the Nos
Galan Races on their 50th anniversary and also to promote the Cynon
Valley and Rhondda Cynon Taf around the World," said Dean.

"The station involves one to one contact with other licensed amateur
radio operators all over the World. We will be telling them why we are
having the special event callsign GB5ONG and directing them to the Nos
Galan website for more information. We will put out calls on different
frequencies and then anyone hearing us will come back to our call."

If conditions are good, the Cynon Valley group can expect radio contact as far away as the USA.

The Nos Galan Station will be active on all 160/80/40/20m SSB. There
will also be a talk-in frequency of 145.400FM available for any amateur
radio visitors in the area. For operating times/schedules go to
www.qrz.com or via email GB5ONG@HOTMAIL.COM or by telephone on 01685
378779

Local residents are welcome to visit the station while it is up and
running at ATC 254 Squadron HQ, at Gadlys Pit car park behind Aberdare
Library.