It is now 8 years since we started developing our “radio playground” at Quartz Hill. The project continues to be a source of challenge and enjoyment for everyone involved - whether it be an interest in contesting, working DX, LF experiments, antenna design, maintenance activities or just being out in the rugged coastal environment.
Meridian Energy is still interested in building a wind farm at Quartz Hill. The timing of Meridian's project is not clear but it looks we will be able to continue using the property for another year or so. If a wind farm is built then it is still possible that we may be able to continue our activities on the property, depending on the level of HF noise produced by the wind farm and the availability of suitable space for antenna infrastructure.
Items of note over the past 12 months are as follows.
· The number of financial supporters has climbed to a new high of 34, up from 30 in 2004. Our international reputation is also growing, reflected by the increasing number of overseas amateurs making visits to the station. The visitors in 2004 included ON5AU, KA7KUZ, OE1KTS and HB9AHD. We also bid farewell to one of our keen QHUG members, Franz ZL2III (DK1II), who returned to Germany.
· Quartz Hill continued to produce leading scores in international HF DX contests. ZL6QH claimed new records in the 2004 CQWPX, 2004 CQWW CW, and 2005 CQ 160M CW contests. Bob ZL2AMI also continues to dominate the Oceania RTTY contest scene from Quartz Hill.
· Bob ZL2CA and Andrew ZL2BBJ continue to use Quartz Hill for their pioneering low frequency DX tests. A two-way QSO on 137 kHz with UA0LE (near Vladivostok) established a new world record.
· The severe storms that hit the Wellington region in February and August caused significant damage to parts of our antenna farm. Consequently, much of our time in 2005 was spent on maintenance work, rather than working on new projects.
· A GEC BTR400 receiver, donated by Bill ZL2OH and restored by George ZL2AG, has been installed at Quartz Hill. A "new old stock" Drake L7 amplifier has also been purchased for use at Quartz Hill. We are grateful to Brian KA7KUZ for arranging the purchase and delivery of the L7.
· We held a very successful BBQ and open day in January 2005, with a turnout of 37 people, including first time visitors from as far away as Rotorua.
· The total number of QSOs logged by ZL6QH is now 126,000 and the number of QSL cards dispatched is 24,000. We continue to be very grateful to Ralph ZL2AOH for managing the processing of QSL requests, and to Vertex Standard (Yaesu) for supplying the colour QSL cards.
· The ZL6QH web site (www.zl6qh.com) continues to attract a growing number of visitors, with the on-line log information being a popular draw card. We are grateful to Mike ZL1AXG for the ongoing provision of the web site.
· Expenditure exceeded income by $554 for the 12-month period ending 31 December 2004 . The over-expenditure is mainly a reflection of the additional maintenance work that had to be undertaken to repair the storm damage to our antenna farm. The income for the period was $2,174 and expenditure was $2,728. The balance brought forward is $2,123.
Thank you to everyone involved for your support over the past year - in particular Meridian Energy for access to the property, Vertex Standard (for the supply of QSL cards), the Quartz Hill supporters group, and the Quartz Hill management committee (Mike ZL2BCW, Doug ZL2AOV, Andrew ZL2BBJ, Bob ZL2CA, Wilbert ZL2BSJ, Bob ZL2AMI, and Ralph ZL2AOH).
Brian Miller ZL1AZE
Chair Quartz Hill Management Committee, 11 February, 2005