The Gambia op

Also from Southgate Amateur Radio News

Don, G3XTT, will be in The Gambia from March 5-12th.
He will mainly operate in the RSGB Commonwealth Contest over the weekend of March 9-10th.

The callsign will be C56DF, and Don hopes to do some operating before and after the contest. This will be a CW only operation, low power (IC-7300 and wires) from a rooftop apartment.

It is unlikely there will be space for 80 or 160m antennas, but Don hopes to use the trip to recce possible opportunities for a larger operation later in the year or early next year.

He will, of course, upload logs to LoTW and ClubLog, but possibly only after his return to the UK.

QSL direct to Don’s home callsign or via ClubLog’s OQRS.

Australia’s WIA News report

 

Seen on Southgate Amateur Radio News

Australia’s WIA News report that the RSGB’s Commonwealth Contest is one of the oldest radio contests in existence, having been first run back in 1931 when it was known as “British Empire Radio Week” and lasted for six days!

All those countries that were part of the British Empire – including
Australia, of course – were invited to participate. While the sun set several decades ago on the empire, strong ties still exist between the countries that once were part of it and the contest still exists, but in a much shorter format.

British Empire Radio Week metamorphosed into the 24-hour British Empire Radio Union or BERU (pronounced berroo) contest in 1935, with the objective of linking all those having an interest in the amateur radio within the empire.

Then in 1976, BERU morphed into the Commonwealth Contest.

This year the contest is 82 years old and takes place on 9th – 10th March 2019, from 10:00 to 10:00 UTC. All operation is on CW and you can find the rules at the RSGB HF contest site
https://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2019/rberu.shtml

As some will be aware, these days the Commonwealth Contest has a
team section – and Australia is the current commonwealth champion,
with our two five-person teams finishing first and third respectively
in 2018.

The team contest started in 2007, where the teams taking part reflecting those that took part in the 2007 Cricket World Cup.

The stations that form the two Australian teams taking place in 2019
are: Kevin VK6LW, John VK4CT, Barry VK2BJ, Steve VK6VZ, Allan VK2GR,
Alan VK7BO, Alan VK4SN, Patrick VK2PN, Steve VK3JA and Brian VK3MI.

In addition we should have six Wireless Institute Australia headquarters stations supporting us, consisting of VK2WIA, VK3WIA, VK4WIA, VK5WIA, VK6WIA and VK7WIA. Many thanks to Tommy VK2IR, Keith VK4TT, Grant VK5GR, Peter VK6RZ and Martin VK7GN who have volunteered to help by operating the HQ stations for as long as they can.

In order to make the best possible score it is important for each member of the Australian squad to work as many “bonus stations” as possible. Each Australian state counts as a separate call area on each band, and the first three contacts made with each Australian state other than their own on each band each earns a vital twenty bonus points, so please join in and work the Ausssie Team!

For those who would like to enter, free software logging program called SD, written by Paul EI5DI can be used.
This runs under Windows and can be downloaded from:
http://www.ei5di.com/

Hope to see you in Commonwealth Contest 2019.

Steve Ireland VK6VZ
Australian team coordinator

Dom’s call is of course C6AKT

Dom’s call will be C6AKT   ( It was incorrect in the original mail from Peter )

I have corrected the error in the earlier Team World Travellers posting.

73 Bob G3PJT

Team World Travellers

Hi Bob

We are now set up as follows:

Nigel 3B8XF (G3TXF)
Colin ZF2CA (G4CWH)
Don C56DF (G3XTT)
Iain V31GX (G4SGX)
Peter VP9I (G3LET) – Captain. G3LET/VP9 during setting up earlier in the week

Reserve: Dom C6AKT (M1KTA)

Nigel and Colin are expected to enter the Open Section, the rest of us Restricted, but we hope to give the VKs a run for their money!
Dom will be in the Open section this year, 100w but with some quite fancy antennas.

John, bearing in mind that some of us are travelling to far places, we will all do our best to get our logs in on time, but it is possible that travel disruption could intervene. I hope any issues of this kind will be viewed kindly by the HFCC!

73, Peter G3LET

Times to work Yukon from UK

Hi Bob,

In past Commonwealth Contests I have had some success working UK stations 
at around 1300 to 1400 Z (5 to 6 AM here in the Yukon).  
When I have been able to make contacts in Australia and NZ it has 
generally been later in the afternoon, my time, about 2300 Z or so.  
I just have a doublet antenna and 100 W (but a low noise level) so a 
lot depends on the antennas at the other end.  
At the best of times it is hard making many contacts from here, 
unfortunately.

73,

Allen, VY1KX

AMENDED AGAIN – Australian Commonwealth Contest teams and HQ stations

G’day Bob and CC organisers

 

Here are the amended Australian teams and HQ stations for the RSGB Commonwealth Contest 2019. Apologies to Martin VK7GN (VK7WIA) for leaving him off the HQ stations that will be active! Also, to Grant VK5GR who I listed as ‘Craig’.

VK Team 1    Kevin VK6LW John VK4CT Barry VK2BJ Steve VK6VZ Allan VK2GR

VK Team 2 Alan VK7BO Alan VK4SN Patrick VK2PN Steve VK3JA Brian VK3MI

 

In regard to HQ stations, it looks like we will have six – VK2WIA (Tommy VK2IR), VK3WIA (operator/operators to be confirmed), VK4WIA (operator to be confirmed/possibly Keith VK4TT), VK5WIA (Grant VK5GR), VK6WIA (Peter VK6RZ) and VK7WIA (Martin VK7GN). The VK teams are very grateful to these operators for volunteering to give Australia and the Wireless Institute of Australia a strong HQ presence in the Commonwealth Contest 2019.

Both VK4WIA and VK6WIA will be very much part-time entries but will do their best to give us a HQ presence in their respective states.

 

Vy 73

 

Steve, VK6VZ

VY1RAC Yukon Territory

Hi Bob,

I am planning to operate in the Commonwealth Contest as a headquarter’s 
station in the Yukon Territory using the callsign VY1RAC.

73,

Allen, VY1KX

Australian teams and HQ stations 2019

G’day Bob and CC organisers

Here are the Australian teams and HQ stations for the RSGB Commonwealth Contest 2019.

VK Team 1    Kevin VK6LW, John VK4CT, Barry VK2BJ, Steve VK6VZ. Allan VK2GR

VK Team 2    Alan VK7BO, Alan VK4SN, Patrick VK2PN, Steve VK3JA, Brian VK3MI

 

In regard to HQ stations, it looks like we will have five – VK2WIA (Tommy VK2IR), VK3WIA (operator/operators to be confirmed), VK4WIA (operator to be confirmed/possibly Keith VK4TT), VK5WIA (Craig VK5GR) and VK6WIA (Peter VK6RZ). The VK teams are very grateful to these operators for volunteering to give Australia and the Wireless Institute of Australia a strong HQ presence in the Commonwealth Contest 2019. Both VK4WIA and VK6WIA will be very much part-time entries but will do their best to give us a HQ presence in their respective states.

Vy 73

Steve, VK6VZ

Team Carib recruitment

Peter G3LET (and VP9I)  wonders who will be in the Carib region and could form the basis of a Team Carib.

Get in touch with Peter at tilgate.co.uk.

I guess a ROW Team could also be formed from other travellers?

73 Bob G3PJT

 

C56DF by Don, G3XTT

Hi Bob

Not finalised yet but expecting to be on from the Gambia this year. PURA (licensing agency) have agreed my requested callsign C56DF but have yet to actually issue the licence. However, they assure me it will happen in good time …

73 Don G3XTT