Good Morning,
I have a spare moment in ARRL SSB (using G6XX) as 40m has dried up and 20m not yet open, so before I take Oscar out for his constitutional, here is a quick update on next weekend’s Commonwealth Contest (81st Contest 10 and 11 March 2018).
If you are not normally active in this historic contest then please consider taking part. The Commonwealth Contest (where “CQ Beru” is used to solicit QSOs) is a great opportunity to work Commonwealth DX stations without the normal EU wall of contesters to contend with. Often the DX stations can be worked at marginal signal levels which would be quite impossible in the big international contests. For stacks of background information see Bob G3PJT’s excellent website.
UK HQ stations
This year we will have seven RSGB HQ stations using the regional variations of G6XX – the RSGB Contest Club callsign. This is following clarification from Ofcom that a Club Callsign can be active from multiple UK regions simultaneously. See QRZ.com for the history of G6XX.
Chris is also using GB5CC under the new rule that “other HQ stations may be active to celebrate or commemorate events of significance to the Commonwealth”. This will be to recognise the forthcoming marriage of Prince Harry and Megan Markle in May, unless Chris can suggest an alternative justification.
The full list of calls and stations is below.
G6XX G4FNL
GM6XX GM0GAV
GW6XX GW0ETF, GW0GEI
GI6XX GI4DOH
GD6XX G4XUM, G3NKC
GJ6XX MJ0ASP
GU6XX GU4YOX, GU4CHY, GU4EON, RL5D
GB5CC GM3WOJ
I am sure that they will be geared up to operate on 10m and will try to QSY there if asked as it is probably unlikely that there will many other QSOs available on 10m this year – but I will be pleased if I am wrong. Just send them “QSY 28?” and they will probably have a QRG to suggest.
The HQ stations will accumulate QSO points and bonuses for working UK stations and there will some competition between the eight stations listed. Thanks to those who are putting significant effort into making these stations QRV – particularly the GD6XX team who are not resident on IOM.
Teams
We have eleven teams notified and wish them all success. We have passed the deadline for team submission now but John G4CZB will accept late team applications providing he receives them before the end of the day prior to the contest. The link for emailing John can be found in the rules.
If you have any queries about the contest then please send them to me.
Kind Regards,
Nick Totterdell G4FAL,
RSGB HF Contest Committee Chair
HFCC.Chair@rsgbcc.org
