SOUTH Lakeland's airwaves will be attracting attention from around the globe when a popular tourist venue becomes home to the county's only permanent amateur radio station.

The Windermere Steamboat Museum, at Rayrigg Road, Bowness, is establishing its own station facility, and will be one of only 30 public sites of its kind in the country.

The station will be using the specially-issued and unique call sign 'GB2WSM', and will be operated by local amateur enthusiasts.

It will be on air over the weekend of September 23 and 24, when a representative of the Radio Society of Great Britain is expected to attend its launch.

Operators will be communicating with enthusiasts throughout the world, and amateurs who make contact with the museum will receive commemorative cards to mark the event.

Peter Truelove, a steamboat skipper at the museum, explained that although it was possible to acquire a short-term licence for special events, it was rare for amateur radio stations to be given a permanent licence.

"This is very prestigious, and it is good for the museum and for the hobby," said the Windermere amateur radio ham, who likened the hobby to having "a box of friends", which was especially good for people who found it difficult to get out.

Mr Truelove added: "It's a hobby which appeals to all age groups and previous events at the museum have proved very popular.

When we're on air other enthusiasts in the area will just come to the station as a social thing - it will become a sort of club for radio amateurs in the North West."

Similar stations are located at well-known sites such as The Imperial War Museum, at Duxford; HMS Belfast; Bletchley Park Museum; and HMS Portsmouth.

Mr Truelove said that they attracted a lot of public attention, and promoted the hobby by communicating with amateurs all over the world while visitors were at the sites.