VK HQ stations and Team News

Hi Bob,

We are a little late in the team planning this year, mainly due to extreme weather events in most of the VK states.  Drought, leading to extreme and wide spread bush fires, followed by cyclones in the east and west, and heavy rainfall in the east leading to floods in some areas.

We expect to be fielding two teams again this year with 4 to 6 VK HQ stations.

I will register the teams and confirm HQ station details when we have confirmed the operators.

Regards,
Allan Mason, VK2GR

Call for UK HQ station operators

Fromm RSGB HF CC

For the Commonwealth HQ stations, we are looking for members who would normally make a serious entry and who are able to be heard by the DX stations. This is either an individual entrant who can stay awake for 24 hours or a multi-operator entry. We are conscious that having a larger number of HQ stations in the UK & CD could deplete the number of “G” stations who are QRV, so we do not intend to extend the RSGB HQ stations beyond where we currently are. Please contact Stewart GW0ETF, if you are interested in running a “Beru” HQ station in 2020. I suspect we will not find anyone for all the Crown Dependency stations.

2020 Latitude Factor

Hi Bob

Poor HF propagation in the last couple of years seems to have favoured the southern hemisphere and the Latitude Factor is now returning to its level of 10 years ago – 1.55 for 2020.

The VKs, who have been doing especially well in the team competition, will now have to work somewhat harder and opportunities have arisen for the more northerly teams.

73, Peter G3LET

SD in the Commonwealth Contest

Fri Mar 8, 2019 9:35 am (PST) . Posted by:

“Paul O’Kane”

I’ve updated SD V21.04 with the latest HQ data for BERU.

SD is free from http://www.ei5di.com.  The manual SD.PDF (17 pages) is included
in the installation.
SD supports several VK contests – if I’m missing any, let me know and
I’ll add them.

73,
Paul EI5DI

HQ stations list

The HQ stations which should be active this year are

VA2RAC (VE2FK), VA3RAC(VE3KZ), VE7RAC (VE7JKZ)

VK2WIA(VK2IR), VK3WIA(VK3GK), VK4WIA(VK4TT), VK5WIA(VK5GR),

VK6WIA(VK6RZ), VK7WIA(VK7GN)

GM3DR(GM3WOJ), GB5CC(G4FAL), G6XX(G4FNL),GI6XX (GI4DOH)

GM6XX(GM0NAI), GW6XX(GW0ETF)

They should be looking for the more distant stations calling.

73 Bob G3PJT

UK to Commonwealth Activity Charts

For UK operators here are the charts based on 2017 data so a bit optimistic?

For those using N1MM+ for the Beru:

For those using N1MM+ for the Beru:
A special Call History is available at:
http://n1mmplus.hamdocs.com/tiki-list_file_gallery.php?galleryId=27

The file will be updated till before contest and
look for the following special option.

Telnet: added option to only show calls that are
in call history. This is useful in contests like CWOPS, FOC
or BERU. Not persistent.

The above feature restricts spots shown in the bandmap and the
available window to those appearing in the current call history
you are using. This makes sense to do, because virtually all BERU
calls are in their respective CH files. You avoid jumping to spotted
stations that are most likely not operating in the contest.

Not persistent means it is not saved when you shut down the program.
Use of this option can be confusing in other contests so we wanted
it to turn off frequently to avoid that confusion.

You are assisted if you are using this feature because you are
using telnet or skimmer spots.

As VA2RAC HQ I will be SO2V using RBN

73 de Claude VE2FK

Canadian Teams updates

Hello:   This is the second correction.  The changes are in bold.

As Canadian as the Maple Leaf

————————————–

CJ3A (VE3AT op)

VE3EJ

VE3JM (change of teams)

VE9CB*

VY2/G3VYI

(Note: VE3KZ removed, as he will operate as HQ station VA3RAC)

As Canadian as Cowboys

——————————-

VE3KI

VE4EA*

VE5SF

VE6LB

VE9OA

(these guys are all from the Prairies, even though two are living away)

As Canadian as Back Bacon

———————————-

VA1MM*

VE3BR

VE3CX – added

VE3TM

VE3ZI

(Note: VE3JM removed and added to “As Canadian as the Maple Leaf”)

As Canadian as possible, under the circumstances

————————————————————–

VE5MX

VE9AA

VE9ML (multi-op by VE9BK and VE9ML)

VO2AC*

VY1AAA (op VE1RM) – added

*Captains – although I am their official spokesperson

73,

Dave VE9CB

Registered teams for this year’s BERU

Hi Bob

Here is the list of registered teams for this year’s BERU:

Quake Contesters

Itchen Valley ARC Veterans

Australia One

Australia Two

World Travellers

Essex CW

Grimsby Mariners

Great Grimsby

As Canadian as the Maple Leaf

As Canadian as Cowboys

As Canadian as Back Bacon

As Canadian as possible, under the circumstances

73

John G4CZB

Update on Australian Commonwealth Contest teams and HQ stations and VK3WIA

Hi Bob

 

One further change to the information below. Lee VK3GK has kindly agreed to activate VK3WIA as a HQ station in the contest, including the possibility of some assistance from one or more guest ops. This operation has been approved by the WIA.

 

Thanks Lee!

 

73, Brian VK3MI