Contest Calendar Updates

The club events calendar has been updated with a number of relevant contests to the end of 2016.  These are those relevant to Australian contesters (eg Spring VHF/UHF Field Day, VK QRP 40m Sprint) or those that are relatively easy with modest stations.

03-04 SEP  All Asian DX Phone Contest .  80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, 10m. Contact Asian stations only.  An easy introduction to DX contesting for the VK (even with only modest station equipment)  and a good preparation for larger DX contests such as CQWW. http://www.jarl.org/English/4_Library/A-4-3_Contests/2016AA_rule.htm

24-25 SEP CQ WW RTTY Contest.  3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz.  The first of three of the world’s premier international HF contests, the CQ WW series.   A great contest for the digital mode fans and the mic shy! http://www.cqwwrtty.com/rules.htm

01-02 OCT Oceania DX Phone Contest.  1.8, 3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz.  The ideal international contest for Australian stations, even with modest stations.  All DX stations are looking for Oceania contacts (that’s us!).  Take the opportunity to build up your DXCC count of new countries for the DXCC Award, or the Worked All Continents Award. http://www.oceaniadxcontest.com/index.htm

08-09 OCT Oceania DX CW Contest. 1.8, 3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz.  The companion to the phone contest the previous weekend. http://www.oceaniadxcontest.com/index.htm

23 OCT VK QRP 40m contest/sprint.  0500 UTC (1600 local) – 0659 UTC.  A short QRP contest of 1 hour CW/PSK followed by 1 hour SSB.  Ideal for the QRP, SOTA and WWFF operators. http://vkqrpclub.org/qrp_new/qrp1_contest_page.php

29-30 OCT CQ WW SSB Contest. 1.8, 3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz. The world’s largest international DX contest, with some 35,000 participants.  Watch the ‘dead bands’ come alive! An opportunity to work some new DXCC countries and work towards some operating awards such as DXCC, Worked All Continents, grid squares etc. http://www.cqww.com/

26-27 OCT CQ WW CW Contest.  1.8, 3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz. 1.8, 3.5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 MHz. The companion to the CQ WW SSB contest. http://www.cqww.com/

26-27 OCT Spring VH/UHF Field Day.  50MHz and up.  As the seasons change, so too does VHF and UHF propagation.   Find a hill top and operate portable, or operate from home. http://www.wia.org.au/members/contests/vhfuhf/

 

Guide to operating digital modes on the remote station

Recently some trials have been conducted using the remote station on digital modes and a report on the trials in PSK, RTTY and JT65 has been published.  This is a set up and operating guide to operating digital modes on the remote, and it can be used as basis for further trials using other AFSK data modes.

The guide is in the member’s section, on the remote station page.  You must be logged in to the site and a current financial club member in order to access this page.

Remembrance Day Contest at the club shack

Remembrance Day Contest 0300 UTC Saturday till 0300 UTC Sunday (1pm Saturday to 1pm Sunday)

The club will be activating the club shack from 4pm to 10pm local on Saturday 13 August.

  • Members welcome to come and operate the multi-mode station.  We will be operating 160-70cm on phone, CW and RTTY.
  • Members are also welcome to operate the remote station in the contest when the shack is closed.

Remembrance Day Contest

New DMR Repeater on line

There is a new WICEN sponsored 70cm DMR repeater on air connected to the global DMARC system.  The current QTH is Dural (but not ARNSW). Callsign is VK2RRW

To program your radio:

RX 438.1000  / TX 433.100

Color Code 1

The same Talk Groups (TG) and Time Slot (TS) allocations as VK2RCG with the exception that  TG5 is now on TS1

Enjoy.

ACMA has problems with payments for Ham licences

The ACMA has issued the following:

We are currently experiencing problems with our systems that are affecting the issue and renewal of radiocommunications apparatus licences. The Register of Radiocommunications Licences (RRL) has not been accurately showing some licences as current after a renewal or new licence payment. This is occurring when an invoice was issued last financial year but paid this financial year

See the full announcement HERE: