Tag Archives: VHF

RSGB Christmas Cumulative Contest

The RSGB have a series of Christmas Cumulative contests covering 50/70/144 and 433 MHz. The contest is a chance to put down that turkey sandwich and head out to play some radio in the winter sun. The contest run for 2 hrs, and activity is over 4 days. You can read the rules online, and activity is typically quite high.

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This year I joined George M1GEO at our contest site the Secret Nuclear Bunker

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The setup included.

Icom 7100, 9e Portable Tona and RF power was provided by a Linear Amp 300w solid state amplifier. The mast was a Racal PU 12 at 5m as the band was wide open with tropo propagation, this provided some interested DX. Mains power was provided by a silent running 2KW Honda generator.
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We managed to work 51 stations, with our best DX into Spain, EA1FDI in IN53 at 1143 KM.

The QSO map showed some great openings to the South and East.

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The temperature dropped quickly once the sun set, providing a spectacular sunset and the motivation to pack away quickly. Altogether a great afternoon playing radio, with some great propagation for a change.

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Thanks to everyone we worked, and all the best in 2017.

50/70/144/432MHz Christmas Cumulatives

The RSGB 50/70/144/432MHz Christmas Cumulatives Contest series run from the 26th to the 29th of December each year and are intended as a bit of fun in the contester’s calendar.  The contest exchange is the usual RS(T), Serial Number and 6 character locator (e.g. JO01DQ).  These contests are really easy to become involved in, and often provide a good excuse to escape the house after Christmas.

This year, Dave M0TAZ, Dave M0YOL and George M1GEO decided to operate alfresco from the Bunker for the final two days (George having put in token entries on the 26th and 27th for 144 MHz from Home).  We operated on 50 MHz, 70 MHz and 144 MHz for the full 2 hours on a picnic table, in large overcoats on cold winter afternoons, packing up in the dark!

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144 MHz was to be our main band. For that we used an Icom IC7100 transceiver, DG-8 masthead-preamplifier (GM3SEK design/M1GEO construction), and 9-element tonna (10m AGL), powered from a large 60 Ah sealed lead acid battery.

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50 MHz and 70 MHz were run as a sub station. Again, using an Icom IC7100 transceiver and an InnovAntennas 6-element dual band (50/70MHz) yagi (7m AGL), with an 85 Ah leisure battery. The battery also provided mains power via a small inverter, which charged the logging laptops.

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The table below shows the number of QSOs made per band on each day, as well as the best DX station callsign, locator and distance. In order of fairness, we switched callsigns on the second day, all points awarded to the SNBCG.

Band  Info 28 Dec 2015 (M0TAZ/p) 29 Dec 2015 (M1GEO/p)
144 MHz # QSOs 30 40
DX MI0SMK
(IO64XL 525km)		 GD8EXI
(IO74PC 430km)
70 MHz # QSOs 7 10
DX G4ASR
(IO81MX 226km)		 G4YHF
(IO92XW 141km)
50 MHz # QSOs 8 13
DX GW5NF
(IO81KQ 236km)		 GD8EXI
(IO74PC 430km)

The map below (click to zoom) shows the worked locators for the Contest. Almost all of the DX was worked on 144 MHz. Produced by OpenContest’s EDI Visualiser.

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A very enjoyable activation.  Even if it was a little cold! Lots more photographs here.

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Casual Operating in the Shack

This weekend a few of us decided to head down in to the Shack at GB0SNB to do some operating.  The HF bands were full of stations in the Worked All Germany and BARTG RTTY contest, as well as JOTA activation stations.

In between working a few on HF, we managed to pull around 20 contacts on 2 metres, and had a nice pileup on 145.400 MHz.

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Above Chis G8OCV and Dave M0TAZ operate on HF.

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Here we see Dave M0TAZ operating on 145 MHz FM.

RSGB 2nd 70MHz Contest

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We had some great September weather today for the 2nd 70MHz contest. We setup a station at the Kelvedon Hatch ‘Secret Nuclear Bunker’ as seen above, using a new 70MHz amplifier and a 4 element DK7ZB 12.5Ω Yagi as M0UKD/P.

QSO Map - 2nd 70MHz RSGB Contest

QSO Map – 2nd 70MHz RSGB Contest

Conditions seemed quite normal, we worked no Scotland or Ireland but our best DX (as many others) was PA4VHF at 449km. Other highlights were GJ3YHU in Jersey and M1CJN/P in the North York Moors.

A very enjoyable day of operating and testing the new amplifier. Next week, it’s the Practical Wireless 70MHz contest, so lets hope for the same weather and some band openings perhaps? Maybe thats asking too much 🙂

The Claimed Scores are available. Thanks to Dave M0TAZ, George M1GEO, Dave M0YOL and Chris G8OCV for help & company! 73 de M0UKD – John.

RSGB 2nd 70MHz Contest at Kelvedon Hatch

RSGB 2nd 70MHz Contest at Kelvedon Hatch