VK9LA 2009

Mar 23 to Apr 3, 2009

16 seasoned DX'ers going to Lord Howe Island

Tony IZ3ESV, San K5YY, Bob N2OO, Lance N2OZ, Stan SQ8X, Peter SQ9DIE, Victoria SV2KBS, Tex VK1TX, Luke VK3HJ, Chris VK3QB, John VK4IO, Catherine VK4VCH, Chris VK5CP, Jay W5SL, John VK5PO and Bill VK4FW will be active on all bands 160m – 6m on SSB, CW and RTTY including the CQ WPX SSB Contest.

We intend to have 7 stations on air utilizing a massive antennae system which includes 3 and 5 element monoband yagis, quarter wave verticals, top loaded verticals as well as wires slung from the huge pine trees in a 2 acre area.

ZL7T 2009

A team of nine ZL DXers will be activating Chatham Island in the South Pacific during March 2009.

The operation will commence on Thursday March 5th 2009 and end on Wednesday March 10th 2009 (both GMT).

ZL7T Website

Getting the Story Straight

If you are a regular reader of my blogs you would have been aware that a couple of months ago I had the misfortune of having the tower fall over in a freak storm.

I would like to get the story straight in that the only reason that the tower fell over was of my own stupidity and should in no way reflect badly on the manufacturer.

When the tower was first erected on my property I was informed that I would need to get some tie-down straps for each corner of the trailer. The trailer is manufactured with hooks for this very purpose. I would then need to concrete four hooks into the ground so that the tie-down straps could attach too. Conclusion: I never got around to doing this.

The manufacturer also told me that whenever I wasn't operating, to wind down the antenna to lower the wind load. Conclusion: I had been operating earlier in the day and had to go out for a couple of hours thinking "it'll be alright, I won't be long" I'll do some more operating when I get back....... I didn't wind down the antenna even though it only takes 60 seconds.

Too much trust in mother nature and it will never happen to me. Conclusion: Given that it was a very severe storm, Brisbane & surrounds have had some bad storms this summer...... I should always expect the worst and prepare accordingly.

If I had listened to the manufacturer and installed the tie-downs and hooks and also wound down the antenna, this would have never happened. I'd still be getting plenty of use out of the 4ele delta loop.

I would also like to say that the tower and trailer came out of this unscathed except for a few sheared bolts which are easily replaced. This tower will be going up again in the next couple of weeks.

Would I buy another? You bet, if the XYL let's me.

Basically, follow the manufacturers instructions and you won't have any problems.

My Contest Calendar for 2009

As it looks like my work roster may change sometime during the year, here is my list of SSB contests that I hope to partake in even for only a few hours.

ARRL Inter. DX Contest, SSB - 0000Z, Mar 7 to 2400Z, Mar 8
John Moyle Memorial Field Day - 0100Z, Mar 14 to 0059, Mar 15
CQ WW WPX Contest, SSB - 0000Z, Mar 28 to 2400Z, Mar 29
(NEW) VK Shires Contest - 0600Z, Jun 6 to 0600, June 7
IARU HF World Championship - 1200Z, Jul 11 to 1200Z, Jul 12
Remembrance Day Contest - 0800Z, Aug 15 to 0759, Aug 16
All Asian DX Contest, SSB - 0000Z, Sep 5 to 2400Z, Sep 6
WAE DX Contest, SSB - 0000Z, Sep 12 to 2359Z, Sep 13
Oceania DX Contest, SSB - 0800Z, Oct 3 to 0800Z, Oct 4
CQ Worldwide DX Contest, SSB - 0000Z, Oct 24 to 2400Z, Oct 25
JIDX Phone Contest - 0700Z, Nov 14 to 1300Z, Nov 15
ARRL 10-Meter Contest - 0000Z, Dec 12 to 2359Z, Dec 13

My daughter should have her foundation licence sometime in February so I am guessing that we will be participating in quite a few of the contests as multi-two.

Tower and new antenna should hopefully be up before the ARRL Int'l DX Contest in March.

New Year resolution: to upgrade to Advanced licence before the end of the year.

2009 Australian Shires Contest

Announcing the VK Shires Contest:

The 2009 Australian Shires Contest

Held the weekend prior to the second Monday of June every year.

Starts: 06.00 UTC Saturday, June 6, 2009
Ends: 06.00 UTC Sunday, June 7, 2009

Objectives: The objectives of this contest are for amateurs around the world to contact as many VK shires as possible in the contest period. ie VK amateurs are to work the world including VK, whilst the rest of the world can only work VK

A) Bands:. 80 Metres 3.500 - 3.700 MHz, 40 Metres 7.000 - 7.250 MHz, 20 Metres 14.000 - 14.300 MHz, 15 Metres 21.000 - 21.350 MHz, 10 Metres 28.000 - 28.600 MHz. Please note there is no 75m dx window permitted.

B) Modes: SSB and CW only

For more information please go the VK Shires Group

Many thanks to Trent VK4TI and Bill VK4FW for getting this new contest off the ground.

Chelsea Has Passed Her Foundation Licence Exams

My first harmonic Chelsea, at the age of 10, has just completed and passed her theory and practical exams for the amateur radio foundation licence in Australia (VK).

I'd like to thank both Ron VK4RH and Roy VK4IG of the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Club (VK4WIG) for their hard work in assisting Chelsea to pass her exams on the first go. I'd also like to thank Peter VK4KTX for being the nice, polite and patient person that was on the other end of Chelsea's QSO's.

Chelsea's first option for her callsign is VK4FWCC. I don't expect to see her licence come through until mid February due to the WIA still being closed and then the papers need to be sent to ACMA.

Well done Chelsea. Now if we can get your mum to study for the exam would be great.