[UK-CONTEST] Commonwealth Contest.

[Mike Harris]

G'day,

| As one of the "little pistols" who participated for the first time last
| year, what was in it for me was many fold. In no particular order - the
| attraction of being able to operate CW at a sensible speed (no machine 
guns). Being
| able to operate without the wall of euro-QRM. Being able to get a  lot 
of new
| areas/entities on an S&P basis. Being able to get some nice 
VE/Caribbean QSOs
| on the lower bands (7 and 3.5). Being able to work most of  the VE call 
areas
| (including the far west) with ease - some areas I  hadn't even heard 
before.
| And all on a simple doublet antenna.
|
| So I'll certainly be on again this weekend. Yes I wont win. Yes I may 
not
| even get the 69 certificate, although I was only 8 short last year and 
I've
| recently upgraded to a much better rig. Yes I'll be giving points to the 
bigger
| stations. Yes I'll stay up a bit later to get some more low band QSOs. 
And,
| most  importantly, I'll enjoy every minute of it!!

Well said.  I entered for the first time last year, only 40 QSO's worth of 
S&P so naturally near the bottom of the list.  100W (K2) to a 5el 18-30MHz 
log fixed on Carrib/Canada (no rotator) and a 10MHz vert pressed into 
service with horrible SWR on 7 & 14MHz.  Mainly dabbled with the 
propagation.  This year the log is on a 12 metre tower with rotator and I 
have just made and installed a 20m dipole element just over two metres 
above it.  The vertical has been tweaked to 40M.  If you think you have it 
tough my nearest commonwealth country (8R) is just over 6000km away if you 
exclude Antarctica.  It only starts getting interesting in the 
7000-10000km range.  Target, 69 band-call areas.  SDC for logging only, no 
rig control, the K2 will do it but I haven't bothered.

Peter, 'LET, I see you were at Signy '62/'63. I was at Adelaide Is. 
'74/'75 same job, another sunspot min!

Regards,

Mike VP8NO (G3VUI)