IARU HF Championship -- 1997
Call: ZL6A Country: New Zealand
Category: HQ
(multi op, -band, -mode, QRO)
BAND QSO QSO-PTS PTS/Q ZONES HQ STNS
160 0 0 0.00 0 0
80 11 45 4.09 8 0
40 559 2649 4.74 37 16
20 172 782 4.55 22 6
15 36 164 4.56 11 3
10 0 0 0.00 0 0
---------------------------------------------------
Totals 778 3640 4.68 78 25
Score: 374,920 points
All reports sent were 59(9)NZART , unless otherwise noted.
Operator List: ZL2AGY ZL2IN ZL2BHS ZL2BA ZL2BSJ
Club Affiliation: Kiwi Contest Group, NZ Association of Radio
Transmitters Inc.
Comment:
NZART kindly allowed us to activate their HQ callsign. Contesting in
the middle of winter during a solar minimum proved to be a different
ball game as can be seen below.
10 never opened, with the exception of a couple of VKs who popped up
in the middle of the beacon band for a few minutes, probably via
meteor scatter. Rob ZL2IN, our 10 m op, deserves a pat on the back
for carting all his stuff in, placing endless CQ calls, and making
not a single QSO on that band.
15 was not much better. Normally our main band, even bread & butter
contacts into the US and JA were few and far between. Interestingly,
9A0HQ was heard for hours and hours around local midday, coming
across the Pacific and the US, standing out on an empty band like a
sore thumb. Also worked across the States were CT and SV. Other Eu
were worked on the short path late (local) afternoon and early
evening.
20 and 40 (our top scoring band first time ever) were best into the
US, with some Eu as well. Tony ZL2AGY was smoking on 40, wrapped up
like Father Christmas, headphones over the top of his woolly hat.
The low bands were nice and quiet but we had trouble being heard, no
doubt due to northern hemisphere QRN.
The slatted floor of the woolshed radio shack didn't do much to
keep the cold out. On Sa night the outside temperture dropped well
below 0 and in spite of 6 layers of clothing (amongst other things 2
jerseys, overalls, a bush shirt and a balaclava) I still got
chilled to the bone. At 3AM we both agreed we were nuts, so I tossed
it in and shot off for a nap (having scraped the ice off the car
windscreen with a milk bottle top). Tony carried on on 40, braving
a horrible death by hypothermia.
In the end the result was somewhat less than impressive, prompting
some quick thinking for excuses. It was pointed out that our Team was
severely weakened by the absence of our top SSB ops, bed ridden with
the dreaded flu. Those that weren't actually sick probably decided to
develop the symptoms upon learning of the brass monkey stuff forcast
for the weekend. Also, our 20 m beam had decided to go round the
clock a few times, ripping out the coax feeder, which didn't improve
transmission line losses.
Nevertheless, we still managed to have a good time. The 'work
anything you hear' format is a winner, considering that there is
not much to be heard during a solar low. Hope we helped you to the
NZART multiplier. See you next year.
Wilbert, ZL2BSJ.
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