Whitton Amateur Radio Group - News

The talk we had on the last DXpedition to Africa the VooDoo Contest Group we had the privilege of not one, but two VooDudes:-

• Roger Western, G3SXW
• John Warburton, G4IRN

The talk was on how the group travels to Africa, how the setup was acheived, and of course operating in the contest.

The 7 man team used Elecraft K2/100 radios and Alpha linear rigs. There was stations setup on 160m (doubled as 10m during day), 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, & a multiplier station.

Antennas consisted of Verticals on 160m & 80m, an 80m sloper antenna, HF yagis on 40m, 20m, 15m & 10m. There was also 2 flag antennas for the LF bands.

By the end on the contest the team had a claimed score of 39million points and had worked every zone except Alaska.

A few even stayed on a few days after the contest ended to work 125 stations on EME.

Logging for the team was done by the Win-Test contest logging software

It was a great talk by the two speakers and it was just shy of 1am by the time I got home, but I didn't care, by Paul MØTZO.

Even though the clubs call sign M2W is a very small RF footprint within the Contest world the actual result we achieved during the 2007 CQ WW contest is quite remarkable.

The club call M2W has been listed within the section of ‘Multi- operator two transmitter ‘Europe’ CQ Amateur Radio January 2008. Taking into account that we had a considerable number of first time/newly licence operators taking part our achievement as a club is fantastic. The results show us listed as 3rd in the UK (2nd if you do not count Scotland!!) and 12th overall in the subdivision we entered.

Just to verify M2W has had 1,326,274 points confirmed and the station just above us was G4IIY.

G4IIY managed to achieve 1,391,190 points. Only having, 64,916 points between us is a target for us next year.

So what are we going to do then to go up the point’s ranking and to beat Ian G4IIY? I have a suggestion for the next AGM we must agree to sign up ‘2 Vlad’s,. CQ CQ de UA9FAR x2 can we be heard in Asiatic Russia!

A big ‘well done’ to all who took part to make this club event such a success, above all the team work and fun we all had taking part made it all worthwhile. We have quite a few QSL cards to complete any volunteers?

I bet no other contest station taking part around the world had two disco parties of 100+ people taking place on two separate nights/mornings in the room next to the shack in there building! That must be worth some extra points?

We have been invited to take part in the 2nd ‘International Pumping Stations on the Air' weekend.

This will take place on the Bank Holiday weekend in August 2008 - Sunday 24th & Monday 25th - 10am - 5pm (Official times but you can do whatever times you want). The intention of the event is to set up amateur radio special event stations at as many of the pumping stations as possible throughout the whole of the world. HF, VHF, the scope of our station is entirely up to you.

We need to register for the 2008 event therefore; your commitment to the club event/station is need ASAP. Members please see Club Forum to respond or contact Mike G1WIA.

Further information about Claymills Pumping Engines Trust can be found on http://www.claymills.org.uk/

The club being a modest contest group it was surprising to read on the web page ‘Contesting From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia’ web page en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contesting#Typical_contest_exchange a reference to our club contest call M2W.

The web page explains to the reader the following;
a ‘Typical contest exchange’

Contacts between stations in a contest are often brief. A typical exchange between two stations on voice — in this case between a station in England and one in New Zealand in the CQ World Wide DX Contest — might proceed as follows:

Station 1: CQ contest Mike Two Whiskey, Mike Two Whiskey, contest.

(Station M2W is soliciting a contact in the contest)

Station 2: Zulu Lima Six Quebec Hotel

(The station calling, ZL6QH, gives only his callsign. No more information is needed.)

Station 1: ZL6QH 59 14 (said as "five nine one four").

(M2W confirms the ZL6QH call sign, sends a signal report of 59, and is in Zone 14 (Western Europe).)

Station 2: Thanks 59 32 (said as "five nine three two").

(ZL6QH confirms reception of M2W's exchange, sends a signal report of 59, and is in Zone 32 (South Pacific).)

Station 1: Thanks Mike Two Whiskey

(M2W confirms ZL6QH's exchange, is now listening for new stations.)

So which club member is going to own up to working ZL6QH? As you will see from below the contact was not only DX for M2W but another radio club. Do find time to vist there web page which is www.zl6qh.com as it explains their CW entry in the 2006 CQWW DX SSB and CW contests.

ZL6QH
Quartz Hill Amateur Radio Station Operated By Wellington Amateur Radio Club
12c/186 The Terrace (ZL2AOH Call Sign Trustee)
Wellington 6011
New Zealand

TO all

Whitton Amateur Radio Group
M2W CQWW SSB 27th - 28th October 2007 Operating Rota

Just to remind you that CQ Contest is just around the corner and those wishing to take part need to Advise Garo G0PZA garo.molozian@ntlworld.com and Paul M0TZO gadget17@gmail.com as soon as possble (by email remove NOSPAM from addresses) or by leaving a message on the Forum. Direct email is preferred.

In line with past contests a timetable has been arranged so now go to the forum to get the link. To be added to this timetable please also advise Paul when emailing Garo so that you can be booked in.

If you are not able to participate can you also advise Garo and Paul?

If are planning to visit the station to generally help or would like to operate ‘as and when’ – please also tell Garo and Paul.

This message will also be on the club web page Forum & Yahoo Group.

73 Ian