[UK-CONTEST] Cluster Spot

[Frank Hunt]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the email, nice to hear from you.

Yes, it certainly can be tough contesting from the S Pacific. No 
matter what grade of station you have, it's very difficult to be 
competitive with the northern hemisphere stations. There are just not 
that many keen VK/ZL contesters around, so I reckon spotting each 
other is mutually beneficial. Obviously the more VK/ZL spots that are 
posted the more likely the northern hemisphere guys will turn their 
beams and attention to us.

Of course when the SFI index improves as hopefully it eventually 
will, it will become a whole lot easier to work the Eu's etc. I can 
recall just a few years ago that often 20, 15 & even 10m would be 
wide open to Eu throughout the night.

Thanks for the compliments re my signal. The set-up here is quite 
modest, a TS-2000 with a AL-80B amp. Antennas are a 3el tribander at 
40ft, a 40m GP at 20ft plus a 80m dipole. With the SFI like it is at 
the moment 40m seems to my best band and the GP out performs all the 
other antennas I've tried. I would like to put a 40m yagi and another 
mast/tower but just don't have the room!

Okay on NF6V call, sounds familiar, we must have worked quite a few 
times. My operating these days is nearly 100% contests, CW and RTTY, 
don't bother with SSB. Age here is 67 and been contesting for around 
35 years. Since retiring have been able to spend a lot more time 
contesting than I did when I was working. Intend playing in the All 
Asian CW contest this coming weekend, but am not expecting much 
excitement with conditions the way they are.

Okay on the move from W6 to VK3, a big move! We visited our son in 
Oregon five years ago and drove a rental from SF up the coastal 
highway. Returned the rental 5,000 miles later in Las Vegas. We also 
did a drive around trip in 2006 when my son was in Madison, WI and 
last year I went to Dayton. My son is moving to back to Oregon in a 
couple of months and we planning another trip over there next year. 

Good luck with your antenna improvements, look forward to working you 
many more times in future contests.

73 Frank ZL2BR/ZM2B

On 17 Jun 2009 at 3:19, VK3TDX at aol.com wrote:

> Frank
> I just looked up my call on the DX Summit and I see you spotted me
> last  weekend.  Thank you!
> 
> I hear your loud signal in every contest and I'm sure you must be
> doing  very well.  Since we're technically competing in Oceania it's
> really nice  of you to give me a spot.  A very nice gesture and I
> thank you.
> 
> I'm fairly new to operating in VK and I'm now learning what you must 
> already know - how difficult it is for us in the South Pacific to be
> really  competitive when all the EU, JA and NA stations are pointing
> their antennas  anywhere but our direction.  I came from W6 land (home
> call is NF6V) where  QSO's are easy but I'm having a heck of a time
> breaking into EU on just about  every band.  I'm sure they have big
> time QRM and our sigs are probably far  lower than the other stations
> calling them.  I'm really tired of having to  send my call over and
> over along with the exchange du juour.  I was pleased  to hear you
> calling EU over and over having some trouble at times so you gave me 
> some comfort as I know you have a big signal on the bands.
> 
> I'm working hard to try to improve my antenna farm but, as you know,
> it's  an endless pursuit. I hope to give you some serious competition
> in the years to come but for  now you are way ahead of me.
> 
> I'm also impressed with your physical endurance. I hear you pretty
> much  around the clock operating in the 48 hour contests.  I don't
> know how you  do it.  I'm 63 and need some sleep so you'll probably
> beat me in most of  these but look out when I get my antennas improved
> and hopefully my XYL will  understand.  Hi.  We seem to have weekend
> guests during many of the  contests so I have limited operating time. 
> I told her to leave me alone on  the "big" weekends like the CQ WW's. 
>  I hope to be QRV for all the  big ones but I've never been a big fan
> of the SSB events.  I hate to keep  having to spell out my callsign
> over and over.  I particularly enjoy RTTY  and CW as I think you do so
> you should hear me later in the year on these  weekends.
> 
> Again, thank you for spotting me and I wish you good luck.  I hope we 
> can meet someday when I can visit Plymouth.  I have friends in NZ in 
> Auckland so I'll likely be on your island some time in the future.
> 
> Thanks again and best wishes from across the pond.
> 
> 73
> Steve
> 
> 
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