QSL Cards no longer being sent for ZL6QH
Please note that QSL Cards sent to us now will no longer be processed. It is 11 years since operations ceased at Quartz Hill, and our QSL Manager, Ralph ZL2AOH,...
Quartz Hill User Group comes to an end!
The Quartz Hill User Group is being disestablished. As we indicated a year ago, the resources of QHUG (ZL6QH) are being devoted to the establishment of remote sites. On Thursday...
New Remote Project Website
The Quartz Hill User Group is moving into a new phase, with the Remote HF DX/Contesting Project getting funding approval! Get information on the Remote Project and check out progress...
Kordia donates equipment
Kordia NZ has donated equipment to the Quartz Hill User Group that will be able to be used at our planned remote site. Considerable work has already been completed in...
Report from the Quake Contesters DXpedition
The first group to receive a grant from the Quartz Hill User Group DX and Contesting Fund has completed their DXpedition and reported back. You will find their report...
Quartz Hill Funding Application Approved
The Quartz Hill User Group Committee is pleased to announce that an application for funds from the Quake Contesters Group (ZL3X) based in Christchurch, New Zealand has been approved as...
A Reconsideration of DX and Contesting Antennas for the Low Bands
The Quartz Hill User Group has been searching for some time for a suitable location for re-establishing an HF DX and Contesting site in the bottom half of the North...
Apply for funding now
Apply for funding for your group! Get that HF DX or HF Contest activity going! Details here...
2012 Annual Report
Over the last few years the QHUG Committee has explored a range of potential sites for a new HF DX Contest station. At the beginning of 2011, we were hopeful...
The search for a new DX site
The search for a new DX site for ZL6QH is over . . . and the news is not quite what you might be expecting!
QUARTZ HILL IN THE WORLD
Quartz Hill in its short life from 1997 to 2007made a big impression in international amateur radio operations. Many radio amateurs from overseas made efforts to visit the station, http://www.zl6qh.com/000163.html....
QUARTZ HILL IN THE WORLD
Quartz Hill in its short life from 1997 to 2007made a big impression in international amateur radio operations. Many radio amateurs from overseas made efforts to visit the station, http://www.zl6qh.com/000163.html....
PRESENTATION TO VK3 RADIOFEST
Brian ZL1AZE (now also VK3MI) delivered a presentation about the ZL6QH Super Station Story at the Victoria Centre RadioFest at Kyneton Racecourse (near Melbourne) on Sunday 12 February 2012. The...
Investigation of a new site
The Quartz Hill Committee has been investigating a possible new radio site at Pukerua Bay, just north of Wellington. There are a number of potential challenges with this site, which...
MORE COMMITTEE CHANGES
There have been some further changes to the membership of the Quartz Hill Committee over the past couple of months. Mike Kerr ZL2BCW has recently stepped down to focus on...
2011 QUARTZ HILL ANNUAL REPORT
Our annual report for the 2010/11 year was tabled at the AGM of the Wellington Amateur Radio Club on 15 February 2011. Click here to view the report.......
COMMITTEE CHANGES
Bob Vernall ZL2CA has recently resigned from the Quartz Hill Committee. Bob had been a member of the Committee since it was first formed in 1997. We are very grateful...
REPORT ON 19 JUNE ACTIVITIES
We held one final working bee at Quartz Hill on Saturday 19 June 2010. The main task was to clean up the area where the crane had got bogged down...
THE BIG MOVE
We moved our two 20 foot containers from Quartz Hill to the Titahi Bay RNZ premises on Saturday 12 June. Two large container trucks were used to move the containers....
MAY 2010 UPDATE
Radio NZ has kindly agreed to the short term storage of our assets at its Titahi Bay premises, while we are still working on plans to move to a new...
WORKING BEE - 6 MARCH 2010
We had an excellent turnout to the working bee on 6 March, with 16 cheerful volunteers showing up. In particular, we were very pleased to have Bill McMillan ZL2OH join...
2009 QUARTZ HILL ANNUAL REPORT
The Quartz Hill Annual Report for the 2009 year was tabled at the AGM of the Wellington Amateur Radio Club on 16 February 2010. Click here to view the report....
RESULTS OF RF NOISE MEASUREMENTS
Members of the Wellington Amateur Radio Club visited the West Wind project site on 10 May and 15 August 2009 to measure the level of HF radio frequency noise radiated...
DELIVERY OF MAST AND ANTENNA MATERIALS TO QUARTZ HILL
Further mast and antenna assets were moved to our Quartz Hill storage area on 22 August 2009, for potential use in building a new station. The items included the 10M...
RECOVERY OF ZM2K 10M YAGI AND MAST
On 6 June a working party consisting of ZL2AMI. ZL2TTS, ZL2IFB, ZL2AOH, ZL2ACG, ZL2UDF , ZL1AZE and Barry Laing (the local farmer) visited the former ZM2K contest station (near Martinborough)...
FIRST POWER CELEBRATION
On Wednesday 29 April 2009, Brian ZL1AZE and Mike ZL2BCW attended a ceremony to celebrate the connection of the first group of wind turbines to the national grid at Project...
EARLY DAYS AT QUARTZ HILL
Vic Stagpoole, ZL2ACF, has provided us with a history of his Early Days at Quartz Hill....
2008 QUARTZ HILL ANNUAL REPORT
The 2008 annual report on our activities at Quartz Hill was tabled at the Wellington Amateur Radio Club AGM on 17 February 2009. Click here to view a PDF copy...
QUARTZ HILL BREAK IN ARTICLE
An article on Quartz Hill from the NZART Break In magazine. Download here (PDF 664KB)...
ZL6QH QUARTZ HILL IS OFF AIR
The Quartz Hill station is now closed for major amateur radio activity while Meridian Energy Ltd is building a wind farm for electricity generation. Our antenna farm has been dismantled...
2007 QUARTZ HILL ANNUAL REPORT
The 2007 annual report on our activities at Quartz Hill was tabled at the Wellington Amateur Radio Club AGM on 19 February 2008. Click here to view a PDF copy...
COMMITTEE CHANGES
The Quartz Hill Committee is responsible to the Wellington Amateur Radio Club for the development and operation of the club's amateur radio station facility at Quartz Hill. Wilbert Knol ZL2BSJ...
FAREWELL TO WILBERT ZL2BSJ
Wilbert Knol ZL2BSJ is leaving Wellington and moving back to his home country (The Netherlands) for work reasons at the end of December 2007. Wilbert has made an outstanding contribution...
SPECIAL AWARD TO ZL2AOH FOR PROCESSING 34,000 QSLS!
In November 2007 The Quartz Hill Management Committee awarded a certificate to the ZL6QH QSL Manager, Ralph Sutton ZL2AOH, for his outstanding achievement in processing 34,000 QSL requests. This has...
ZM2E LF TESTS AT QUARTZ HILL ON 22/23 SEPTEMBER 2007
Thanks to all who tried to receive ZM2E. It seems that VK6 is our furthest reception report so far. We had fairly good LF DX on Sunday night, receiving something...
Visitors to Quartz Hill
News of Quartz Hill has spread far and wide. Visiting radio amateurs from outside Wellington and overseas have planned their itineraries to include a visit to Quartz Hill. Some have...
REPORT ON ZL6QH ACTIVITY IN 2007 CQ WPX CW CONTEST
Above: The ZL6QH team; back row - ZL2AMI, ZL1TM, ZL2BSJ, ZL2AGY, HA3LN and XYL Kriszta; front row - W2ID, ZL1CT/GM3WOJ and ZL1AZE Band QSOs ------------ 160: 26 80: 283...
REPORT ON 7 APRIL 2007 ACTIVITY DAY
It turned out to be a brilliant day for Quartz Hill activities - plenty of sunshine and no wind. The attendees were ZL2AOH, ZL2BSJ, ZL2AOV, ZL1AZE and David Ricquish (from...
QUARTZ HILL ANNUAL REPORT - FEBRUARY 2007
Link to Quartz Hill Annual Report - February 2007...
REPORT ON ZL6QH ACTIVITY IN 2007 CQ WPX SSB CONTEST
On Sunday 25 March 2007, a cast of operators converged on Quartz Hill for a dabble in the World-Wide Prefix Contest. Attending were: Frank ZL2TTS, David ZL4TAC, Chris ZL1CMB, Andrew...
ZL6QH LEADS OCEANIA IN 2006 CQ WPX CW CONTEST
We are pleased to note that ZL6QH achieved a score of 12,000,720 in the Multi-Two category of the 2006 CQ WPX CW Contest. This was the highest score in Oceania...
REPORT ON ZL6QH ACTIVITY IN 2007 COMMONWEALTH CONTEST
RSGB Commonwealth Contest, CW Call: ZL6QH Operator(s): ZL1AZE Class: Open HP Operating Time (hrs): 22 Band QSOs ------------ 80: 83 40: 212 20: 177 15: 30 10: 5 ------------ Total:...
MARCH ACTIVITY DAY CANCELLED
Because of intensive farming operations, it has been necessary to cancel this weekend's activity day on Saturday 3 March. The day will be re-scheduled after reviewing forthcoming bookings. Please contact...
OPEN DAY - 4 FEBRUARY 2007
It was a perfect day for the open day and BBQ at Quartz Hill on 4 February. It was a magic day with sunshine, blue skies and no wind! A...
REPORT ON ZL6QH ACTIVITY IN 2007 CW CQWW 160M DX CONTEST
Operator(s): ZL1AZE ZL2BSJ Station: ZL6QH Class: Multi-Op HP QTH: Wellington Operating Time (hrs): 30 Summary: Total: QSOs = 329 State/Prov = 51 Countries = 21 Total Score = 225,792 We...
MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY AT QUARTZ HILL ON 21 JAN 2007
ZL2AOV, ZL2AYQ, ZL2BCW and ZL1AZE spent the day at Quartz Hill on Sunday 21 January, working on various antenna maintenace tasks. The team is pleased to report that the Europe...
PLAQUE AWARDED TO ZL6QH FOR 2005 CW CQ WW DX CONTEST
ZL6QH has received the above plaque from CQ Magazine for acheving the top score from Oceania in the Multi-op Multi-transmitter category of the 2005 CW CQ WW DX contest....
ZL2BSJ ACTIVITY IN 2006 STEW PERRY TPD CONTEST
Wilbert ZL2BSJ operated from Quartz Hill in the Stew Perry Topband Distance Challenge on 30/31 December. Participants get points according to distance worked: one point for each QSO and an...
REPORT ON ZL6QH ACTIVITY IN 2006 ARRL 10M CONTEST
Operator(s): ZL2AOV ZL2BSJ Class: M/S HP Operating Time (hrs): 36 Band QSOs Mults ------------------- CW: 880 92 SSB: 624 71 ------------------- Total: 1504 163 Total Score = 777,184 Comments: Surprisingly...
REPORT ON ZL6QH ACTIVITY IN 2006 ARRL 160M CONTEST
Operator(s): ZL2BSJ Class: M/S HP Operating Time (hrs): 4 Summary: Total: QSOs = 15 Sections = 14 Countries = 1 Total Score = 420 Comments: No Eu heard at local...
ACTIVITY DAY REPORT: 2 DECEMBER 2006
ABOVE: View of the ZL6QH station building and compound from the top of the pole that supports the 20M yagi antennas. Note the brand new colour steel roof which...
REPORT ON ZL6QH ACTIVITY IN 2006 CQWW CW DX CONTEST
ABOVE: The ZL6QH team in the 2006 CQWW CW DX contest. Left to right: Brian ZL1AZE, Andrei ZL1TM, Wilbert ZL2BSJ and John ZL1BYZ. Class: M/M HP Operating Time (hrs):...
REPORT ON ZL6QH ACTIVITY IN 2006 CQWW SSB DX CONTEST
ABOVE: The ZL6QH team for the CQWW DX SSB contest. Back row (left to right) - Bob ZL2CA, Ralph K9ZO, Bob ZL2AMI, Doug ZL2AOH and Phil VK2BAA. Front row...
ZL6FF AT QUARTZ HILL
ZL6FF is the New Zealand flagship of the Fists Club, a world-wide bunch of radio amateurs who are into morse telegraphy (CW). On the agenda was the Coast to Coast...
20M NA YAGI BACK IN SERVICE
Our 20M North America yagi was damaged after a supporting wire broke in the severe gale force winds on the weekend of 10/11 June 2006. The repair work on the...
WIND DAMAGE TO 20M NA YAGI
Wellington was battered by a wild storm with severe northerly winds on Sunday night 11 June 2006. Bob ZL2AMI was at Quartz Hill during the storm, participating in the ANARTS...
UPDATE TO ANTENNA FARM LAYOUT
The diagram of the ZL6QH antenna farm has been updated to reflect the recent addition of a new 20M 5 element yagi for the short path to USA and North...
ZL6QH ACTIVITY IN 2006 CQWW WPX CW CONTEST
ABOVE: The ZL6QH rhombic antenna, looking towards the short path to Asia and Europe Operator(s): ZL1AZE ZL2AGY ZL1TM ZL1BYZ Class: M/2 HP Operating Time (hrs): 47.5 Band QSOs ------------...
THE COUNTRY COMES TO TOWN
A trio of Hawkes Bay radio amateurs visited Wellington recently to attend the 2006 Radio Expo and to spend time operating from Quartz Hill. Extracts from the April 2006 edition...
Article about Quartz Hill from NZ Heritage - Summer 2005
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holders - NZ Historic Places Trust Radio Waves by Michael Lawrence "Sowewhere between pigeons and satellites, there was the Quartz Hill Receiving Station."...
QUARTZ HILL ANNUAL REPORT - FEBRUARY 2006
Here is the latest Quartz Hill annual report that was tabled at the February 2006 AGM of the Wellington Amateur Radio Club Incorporated. Download file...
ACTIVITY DAY ON 4 MARCH 2006
A reminder that the next Quartz Hill Activity Day is on Saturday 4 March 2006, starting at 9:00 am. As usual, the object will be to catch up on project...
REPORT ON ACTIVITY DAY - 4 FEB 2006
It was another great day in the sun at Quartz Hill, and with light winds. John ZL2TCN thought is was so good that he even brought out food for a...
ZL6QH IN 2006 CQWW 160M CW CONTEST - POST CONTEST REPORT
Class: Multi-Op HP Operating Time (hrs): 24 Total: QSOs = 2666 State/Prov = 41 Countries = 15 Total Score = 149,296 ABOVE: Sunset at ZL6QH, looking towards the short path...
ZL6QH IN 2006 CQWW 160M CW CONTEST - UPDATE
Conditions were only average on Saturday night. We entered around 150 QSOs in the log, mainly from North America and Japan. We could hear a number of weaker European signals...
2006 SUMMER OPEN DAY AND BBQ
The 2006 annual summer open day and BBQ was held on 15 January. Quartz Hill lived up to its reputation and turned on a brisk and cool northerly wind, so...
NOT SUCH A HAPPY NEW YEAR - WIND DAMAGE TO ANTENNA FARM
Mike ZL2BCW, Brian ZL1AZE and Doug ZL2AOV visited Quartz Hill today (7 January 2006) to find that severe gales over the New Year holiday period had caused significant damage to...
FAREWELL TO MIKE WOODS ZL1AXG
Mike Woods (ZL1AXG) moved to the USA in December 2005 and expects to be away for several years. We met up with Mike and his family for a farewell meal...
ANDREW CORNEY ZL2BBJ SK
Andrew Corney ZL2BBJ, born 18 March 1942, died 23 May 2005 Above: Andrew ZL2BBJ and Bob ZL2CA proudly demonstrate their invention for spooling antenna wire at Quartz Hill. Andrew had...
How to Make a Booking
We welcome requests to visit or operate from Quartz Hill. However, it is necessary to check that your request does not clash with other activities. To make a booking, first...
INTERNATIONAL REPLY COUPONS
The older small International Reply Coupon (IRC) has been devalued in New Zealand. So, if sending IRCs when requesting a direct QSL, please ensure that only the larger newer style...
2005 QUARTZ HILL ANNUAL REPORT
The 2005 annual report on our Quartz Hill activities, as presented to the Annual General Meeting of the Wellington Amateur Radio Club Inc on 15 February 2005, is now available...
ZL6QH reaches a milestone
At 08:25 UTC 19 December 2003 Brian ZL1AZE had a QSO with KL7J on 3.503 MHz. This was the 100,000th QSO made from Quartz Hill using the ZL6QH call sign....
The return of ZL6QH.com!
ZL6QH.com is finally back in action!
Note for Japanese Viewers
A Japanese description of the station is available