A WARM WELCOME TO MY WEBSITE!

{Site last updated  on 1st June 2008 @ 1253utc}

LATEST  2008 UPDATES TO THE SITE

1... New Lifeboat Week 2008 page added [Page 9] with link to this year's  Event  Programme. This page displays as it should in Internet Explorer, but the header and footers don't when viewed in Firefox or Opera, for some reason!

2... Portpatrick Tidal predictions [Page 11] now show next  28 day's predictions. [Previously it was just a week.]

3...  Local Links..... Page 11 updated to include Promech Stranraer Ltd... motor vehicle servicing and repairs.

4...  Local Links..... Page 11 updated to include Smugglers Cove, the village's Household Accessories [Interior, Exterior & Garden] with active email link.

{A valued supporter of this Website!}

5... Additional link  Page 6 (Synoptic Charts) allowing you to view still or animated synoptic information up to 180 hours ahead in still or animated format... User controlled!

6... Local Link page updated to include Dunskey Golf  Club...

{A valued supporter of this Website!}

7... Yet another replacement humidity sensor fitted and working normally!

Humble apologies for the recent short absence of the following data from my site: Humidity: Dewpoint: THW Index & Heat Index. {YET AGAIN!}

This was due to another [3rd!] failure of my humidity sensor [Since 2005!]

 I have since learnt from the Sole Importer of Davis Weather Stations, that DAVIS are aware of a problem with this sensor. and are currently developing a suitable replacement! [These 'BEASTIES'  have cost me up to £120 to replace each time they fail!!]   Thankfully, the latest one was free!

7... Lightning Strike information updated. The old source [German] seems to have closed down operations!  Incidentally I hope to set up my own lightning sensor here in Portpatrick, whenever funds permit! [Watch this space!]

8... New Page added with information on Scottish Road Conditions. [AND a link to English road conditions for Local & Irish Travellers!]

9... New USB/UART Bridge drivers downloaded and upgraded Weatherlink software with new driver. I am cautiously optimistic that the weather station will now be a lot more stable. Prior to this upgrade, the system would lose communication with the dedicated PC, and uploads to the Internet would cease. This was cured by re-booting the Weather station PC, but this invariably happened when I was away from the house. The updated driver has been running for about 2 weeks now, and so far, the system has been ticking over perfectly without  human intervention!

10... Additional updated photograph of REDLEY, MORGAN & BAILEY the 'Show Stars!'

Incidentally, Morgan and Redley appeared at CRUFTS on 6th March 2008, but did not win any prizes! [Bailey did not appear this year as she was 'in season' [TYPICAL WOMAN!]

11... Icons re-arranged on CURRENT PORTPATRICK Weather Conditions page, so that WIND SPEED / DIRECTION, BAROMETRIC PRESSURE and TREND Graphs are visible without scrolling , to speed up relevant information that might be useful to the P&O Cairnryan to Larne Ferry Service.

PLEASE Feel free to navigate through the pages on the left!

At present, this site is primarily focused on providing 'near' real time Weather Information for the village of PORTPATRICK, in Southwest Scotland, and suggesting useful links to DECENT local services!

Other interests are:

THE RNLI

AMATEUR RADIO

My CV is a little varied!

When I left school, I got involved in hotel work during the summer holidays before I started at Radio College.

After qualifying as a Ships' Radio Officer, I continued  with my work in Hotel Management, becoming Assistant Manager initially of the Beach Hotel in Trearddur Bay, Anglesey, then after a break involving Yacht Deliveries in Europe  & the Caribbean,  I  became Assistant Manager of the Northern Hotel in Aberdeen, and later, 'Relief Manager' for Usher/Vaux hotels in the NE of Scotland, including the Palace Hotel in Peterhead, the Station Hotel in Fraserburgh, The Staging Post in Bucksburn, and others in the City of Aberdeen.

In 1967, shortly after meeting Patricia, [now my wife for the last 40 years!] I moved from Aberdeen to London [and Bournemouth], to train in Air T rafic Control.

After several courses in College at Hurn Airport, I worked at both London's Heathrow Airport and the London Air Traffic Control Centre [Then at West Drayton in Middlesex]

I married PAT in October 1968 up in Aberdeen , and  later in 1969 moved from ATC to a career in the British Coast Radio Station Service.

After induction training at Portishead Radio/GKA, I was posted to Portpatrick/GPK, where I served  primarily as a Radio Officer  from  1969 - 1999.

I was privileged to have visited [and worked] at several of the other UK Coast Radio Stations during my time with BT's  'Aeronautical & Maritime Services', including GNF/North Foreland in Kent, GNI /Niton on the Isle of Wight, GLV / Anglesey, N. Wales, GND / Stonehaven and GCC/ Cullercoats, Near Newcastle on Tyne, and the Long Range Station GKA [Portishead Radio] in Highbridge, Somerset.

In 1972 I attended College in Southampton, for a 'Crash Course' to upgrade my  Maritime Radio/Radar Qualifications.

Then from 1980-1999,  I was the Acting Station Manager, at Portpatrick/GPK, until the closure of this station on 31st March 1999.

Since then, after some months working voluntarily in our local Citizen's Advice Bureau in Stranraer, I have been employed by P&O Irish Sea Ferries in Cairnryan in the busy Freight Department

 In 1970, my wife Pat produced 'DEBBIE' albeit in a Snow Storm!