The ZL6QH ops (left to right): Andrei ZL1TM, Wilbert ZL2BSJ, Brian ZL1AZE
Class: M/2 HP
Operating Time (hrs): 48
Band QSOs
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160: 0
80: 67
40: 1244
20: 1466
15: 697
10: 80
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Total: 3554 Prefixes = 965 Total Score = 13,744,495
This turned out to be a fun contest with both stations being kept busy for most of the 48 hours. It looks like we may even beat our earlier M/2 Oceania record score of 12,029,472 in 2003.
Conditions were generally better than anticipated with 20m remaining open all night and a 15m opening to Europe on Saturday evening. There was also a reasonable but brief 10m opening to North America around midday on Sunday.
We finished erecting a new 5-element beam for the 20m long path to Europe on the Friday evening before the contest. As usual, the project was completed in darkness using torch light! The yagi was noticeably better then our existing long path vee beam and allowed us to hold a 20m run frequency throughout the day.
Equipment used
Station A: FT1000MP Field + Drake L7
Station B: FT1000MP + Emtron DX2
Antennas:
80m - Quarter wave vertical plus sloping dipoles aimed at North America and Asia/Europe
40m - Vee beams to North America and Europe
20m - Vee beams to North America and Europe plus 5 el yagi for long path to Europe.
15m - Vee beams to North America and Europe
10m - 6 el yagis aimed at North America and Europe
Gale force winds on Saturday night caused some damage to the antenna farm. We wondered why some stations could not hear us on 80m - an inspection the following morning showed that one of the sloping 80m dipole antennas was on the ground!
Thanks to everyone for the QSOs, the Wellington Amateur Radio Club for use of the ZL6QH facilities, ZL1CT, ZL2BSJ and ZL1AZE for the loan of equipment, and the CQ team for one of the best events on the international contest calendar.