28 Mar 2016

CQWW WPX Contest SSB, March 26th & 27th 2016



Call: G2F
Operator(s): M0CHK M0CKE G4MKP M0CLW EI5IX LZ2MAM
Station: G2F

Club: Wisbech amateur radio club
Class: M/S HP
QTH: WISBECH
Operating Time (hrs): 48

Summary:
Band  QSOs
------------
160:    44
80:      477
40:      977
20:      1471
15:      735
10:      48
------------
Total: 3772  Prefixes = 1320 
Total Claimed Score = 12,910,920


G2F Antenna Farm for CQWW - WPX SSB 2016


Comments:


WPX is great fun, 10m had short openings to SA both days, 15m never really got going for any length of time, 80m and 160m were very noisy.

Station improvements were mostly successful, more to complete as a few areas were troublesome or didn't work as required

Thanks to our guest op and the team

Jim M0CKE ..
Station Manager and Cook @ G2F


20 Mar 2016

IRTS - Counties Contest on 144/145MHz on 28th of March


On Easter Monday, 28th March, the 144/145MHz (2m) Counties Contest runs from 14:00h to 16:00h local time. The multipliers in this contest are the EI and GI counties, while both SSB and FM can be used in the contest. There are separate sections for portable and fixed stations, low power and high power, as well as an FM Only section for single ops and an SWL section in this contest. 
See www.irts.ie/contests for more details. 

This contest has always been well supported and we look forward to hearing as many EI and GI counties including DX on the band.

13 Mar 2016

Galway VHF Group - St Patrick's Day Activity


The Galway VHF Group will be running the Club Station EI4ALE which will count towards the St Patrick's Day Award. The station will be operating on 80m, 40m & 20m and possibly on 15m and 10m if the bands are open. Whilst the operation will predominantly be phone, operators will use Data Modes during the course of the day.

EI4ALE Station Details: 
WAI Square:  M22 Galway
Maidenhead Locator:   IO53LG
Operators: Arek, Gerry, John & Steve


For Further Information Contact: 
Steve EI5DD 
wrights1@eircom.net 
phone +353 87 245 1218

For more information about the Galway VHF Group.

Belgium gets WRC15 - 5 MHz (60m) allocation and 70 MHz (4m) extension


The Belgian telecoms regulator, IBPT, has issued a decision permitting access to the new WRC15 60m allocation for all Belgian Class A amateur licensees (also known as the HAREC licence).

The allocation is from 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz on a Secondary basis with a maximum power of 15W e.i.r.p. All modes are permitted.

Belgian radio amateurs now have a wider access on the 4m band, 70.1125 to 70.4125 MHz has now been made available with a maximum power from the transmitter output of 50W. Secondary status with all modes available.

11 Mar 2016

RSGB / IARU - March 144MHz & 432MHz Contest March 7th/8th 2015

On March 5th & 6th the RSGB & IARU R1 - 144 MHz & 432MHz International Trophy Championship Contest took place. I was out active with The BlackSheep Contest and DX Group under the callsign "G8T" from Locator square JO01KJ. There was a lot of preparations to be made for this contest so we arrived on the site Thursday Night with half the group and started put together our station for the weekend. With weather conditions against us we worked hard all day Friday and finally got all antenna systems built and working by Saturday afternoon just in time for the start of the contest at 14:00UTC.

Mike G8TIC on 144MHz

144MHz - 6 x 3ele DK7ZB Array

144MHz - 6 x 3ele DK7ZB & 4 x 10ele DK7ZB array & 2 x 14ele Array

144MHz - 4 x 10ele DK7ZB Array

144MHz - 2 x 14ele DK7ZB Array in the sunshine

432MHz - 4 x 17ele LFA Array & 21ele F9FT Tonna

432MHz setup 

As for the contest conditions they were well down compared to last year, there was no Tropospheric ducting throughout the weekend and on 144MHz our Preamp failed on our 4 x 10ele system which didn't help us and as for 432MHz contest conditions were very poor but with some surprises in the log. UK activity very poor on both bands over the weekend, it was very cold overnight but we managed to keep warm with a gas fire.

We finished up the contest with the following claimed score:

144MHz:

587 QSO's with 406 Points Per QSO - Totaling 238,175 Points, ODX - DL0HTW @ 874km

432MHz:
118 QSO's with 340 Points Per QSO - Totaling 40,064 Points, ODX - DM3F @ 869km


Once again thanks to everyone for the QSO's and Points, looking forward to working you in the next one.

73

=====================================================================
UPDATE 04/04/2016
=====================================================================

March 144/432 MHz 2016

Conditions in this event were generally described as "poor", "awful" and "dire". Together with this many entrants commented on the low levels of activity, particularly in the UK. The number of entries was 30% down on 2015, mainly in the fixed station sections. Portable entrants had to endure low temperatures, rain, sleet, snow, freezing fog and muddy ground.

On 144MHz 85 squares were worked. There were only 11 tropo QSOs greater than 800kms and a further 42 QSOs between 700 and 800kms. The best contact was between M0HRF/P and DR1H at 875kms. Six MGM contacts were completed with the best QSO between GM8IEM and OH6KTL at 1523kms.

On 432MHz 63 squares were active. There were 17 contacts over 700kms and a further 18 between 600 and 700kms. The best contact was between G3M and DM5D at 825kms.

Logging standards were relatively poor with 6.6% of QSOs being disallowed. For the first time in this contest, logs were exchanged with our European neighbours and the logs from DL, F, ON and PA were used in the adjudication. Entrants will notice that this showed high numbers of discrepancies in their longer distance contacts.

Congratulations go to:

The Blacksheep Contest Group, G8T, who won the open section for the second year running;

Roger, G3MEH, who won the single operator fixed section;


Alastair, G4RUL/P, for winning the single operator others section;


The Vecta CG, M0VCT/P, who won the six-hour open section;


Richard, GD8EXI, who won the six-hour single operator fixed section for the third year running;

All other band winners and runners up, who together with stations identified, will receive certificates.


Roger Dixon, G4BVY