The local club I usually op in this contest for due to a number of reasons not least a group has just got back from operating on Isle of Arran (Click Here for info). So I shall be doing the contest from my own QTH probably with my uncles old callsign.

Talking of which, about 2 weeks ago I sent a form, 2 letters (from my Granddad & myself) & a £20 cheque requesting my Uncles old UK callsign to Ofcom. He passed away in February and my family were happy for me to get the call.

So I now have G1ZQN as a callsign as well as MØTZO, 2EØTZO. M3TZO has currently lapsed, but shall attempt to get back soon. Why, because I can.

73 for now, and see you in the Test.

a

Contest         : IARU HF World Championships
Callsign        : M2W
Mode            : PHONE
Category        : Single Operator (SO)
Band(s)         : All bands (AB)
Class           : Low Power (LP)
Zone/State/…  : 27
Locator         : IO91VJ
Operating time  : 7h45

BAND   QSO DUP ITU  HQ  POINTS   AVG
————————————–
160     0   0   0   0       0  0.00
80     3   0   1   2       5  1.67
40    21   0   4  13      33  1.57
20    79   0  10  23     201  2.54
15    27   0   4  10      55  2.04
10    14   0   3   6      28  2.00
————————————–
TOTAL   144   0  22  54     322  2.24
======================================
TOTAL SCORE : 24 472

Dupes are not included in QSO counts neither avg calculations

Operators       : M0TZO

Powered by Win-Test 3.21.0       http://www.win-test.com

Was active in the IARU HF World Championships as M2W from Midday (UTC) Saturday 12th July – about 8am (UTC) Sunday 13th July, by which time I was knackered.

I could have probably done as little better, but was also looking after my 9 year old nephew.

Was my first big scale HF contest on my own, although I was going to do with Peter M3PHP, but he had a medical emergency (he is better now).

Equipment used:-

• Icom IC-756ProIII
  • Yaesu FT-897 for a few contacts on 80m as had better ATU
• Icom SM-20 Desk Mic
• WinTest Logging Software (but RigExpert S/D wouldn’t work, so manual band changes)
• Laptop to keep Nephew amused for hours quietly

OK, wasn’t the best entry, and will not win any awards, but I did better than my CQ WPX entry were I got Zero entries.

a

Well, a couple of weeks ago my granddad said was some stuff in car & could I help him with it. I was expecting him to bring up a UPS unit. Was I wrong.

There was boxes with a complete setup for an Icom IC-756PROIII HF Transceiver (the ProIII, matching Speaker, PSU, & Microphone). The IC-737 was swiftly replaced in the shack, and by end of that Saturday evening, James M0BOV had helped me sort audio levels, & I took part in the 10m Saturday Home Counties net.

It’s a fantastic radio. Should be as new would cost £1,800. For me the Scope is and the filtering are it’s best features, but it has so much more. Anyway this it not a review, but merely to inform readers of the latest shack additions.

Also if all goes well (lets not think of CQ WPX earlier this year), then Peter M3PHP & myself should be operating in the IARU Contest on 12th/13th July 2008.

a

My uncle who got me into Amateur Radio and who I was going to visit for a week at end of March this year died 1 month before I was due to leave.

So my grandparentswent to France to sort out the usual things, and I have had to re-think my holiday time.

I have decided in a kind of memorial to still continue with the contest. But this means quickly moving my shack plans forward.

The main bits to paint are the gloss on the doors and skirting boards, and a few bits to touch up here and there.

Then antenna needs to go up. Finally flooring needs to be laid then Desk, computer and of course Radios moved in.

There is also a strong possibility that I will have access to a contest callsign, but will post full details nearer the time.

a

This would be in the UK, unlike WPX. This is to give me a target to complete my conversion of the old dining room to my new Shack.

It will also be that each of us will have different plans to acheive operating in that contest.

Mine include finishing the painting of room, building desk(s), carpeting the floor, finally putting up my Hustler 6-BT, getting the coax into the room, as well as moving all the computer stuff from bedroom.

Peter’s on the other hand will be arranging travel bringing things he has promised to bring for the contest.

Early indications are that we will put in a Multi-Single entry as MØTZO, using my Yaesu FT-897 and logging with Win-Test software. If this changes, will post on here first.

a

So near end of March I shall be flying down to Nice, France to visit my Uncle who is also a Radio Amaetur.

I will be taking part using his equipment and my callsign as F/MØTZO (first time in a foreign country as a Ham as well) as a Single Operator. This means I can operate upto 36 hours during the 48 hour contest. Wonder how much I can actually do??

This will not be a go all out to win entry, but more to operate from different location and practise my contesting skills.

My uncle has an Icom IC-737. (www.rigpix.com/icom/ic737.htm)

I will of course do some casual non-contest operating whilst there and may also build a SoftRock TxRx 20m kit.

As internet will be available I will be updating this blog, my other blog with non-amateur radio stuff, and my gallery with photos.

a

Operated for about 40 minutes and worked 6 stations. Not mega numbers, but I gave a few points away and as I only ran 20w and that was into a vertical I am not upset with results.

Was more to give me something to do than watch TV all evening.

QSOs = 6
Mults = 2
Longest distance = 44km
Total Score = 202 points

More info on RSGB VHF/UHF contests available at www.vhfcc.org

Plan for future:-
Buy 70cm Beam & Rotator. Install in Loft with 2m ZL Beam.

a

This contest we had a more organised feel and early on we could see that we were doing better than we did in 2006. But this could also be due to running as a Multi-2 station when in 2006 we operated as Multi-Single.

We still had 2 radios, but the 2nd station could operate anything, not just multipliers and could call CQ as well.

We had a set schedule for operators and this was filled out more than 2006.

Like 2006 we had some guest operators. Vlad UA9FAR did a remarkably well. So how did the club do???

Bold equals Best score in that category

a