ZL VHF Field Day Contest - this weekend

[ZL1RS]

ZL VHF Field Day Contest

All bands 6 m and up, on Saturday the 6th and Sunday the 7th of December 2014

The 12 x 1 hour operating periods are 5 pm to 11 pm on the Saturday, and 7 am to 1 pm on the Sunday, NZ local time.
(Translation - 04:00 UTC until 10:00 UTC on Saturday and 18:00 UTC to 00:00 UTC on "Sunday")

The contest rules are available on the NZART website: http://www.nzart.org.nz/activities/cont ... and-above/

Note the usual 6m band restriction: "CLAUSE 15. 6 metre band operation: No contest operation is allowed below 50.150 MHz". According to operating practice in the last couple of contests, the contest stations seem to be calling on 50.150 and 50.200.

[ZL1TPH]

Thanks Bob,
With reports in this week it appears a number of ZL field stations will be active. From ZL4 up to ZL1. Clause 15 was added a few years ago (by me) to remove a problem we had with operators (only a few) using 50.110 and the associated complaints that came afterwards. Activity on 6 metre in the last was centred on 50.150 MHz and that worked fine. To the VK's etc., if you hear contest station on 50.150 (or as Bob mentioned 50.200) spot them I am sure they would appreciate a few extra contacts.
Cheers, Steve - ZL1TPH

[ZL2FAE]

Maybe we need the min freq clauses on all bands. That would then rule out Eme?
Regards
Simon

[ZL3RC]

Lots of new calls around down here last night on 2m and nice to hear the old ones again like ZL2WA.
Haven't had time to get 432 and 1296 back on the air and won't now that the wind is up this morning, dam it.

It was a bit of a bum fight on 144.2 last night, always is, it would be nice to see people spread out a bit from any call freq,
I called a number of times off of .2 but didn't get a bite. I was going to try split, listen around .180 and call .2 Im sure that would have worked
Still with hour periods there is plenty of time to work stations and its always good fun stuff

Thanks to all those that make the effort and get out into the field.

[ZL1RS]

Maybe we need the min freq clauses on all bands. That would then rule out Eme?
Regards
Simon

A genuine question ... why rule out EME? I see a couple of points:

- my personal preference is not to limit any contest QSO 'mode'
- good luck to anyone who can make an EME QSO with full contest serial number exchange
- if EME QSOs does introduce a serious scoring disparity, introduce a separate scoring for EME QSOs e.g. a flat score for EME QSOs like 100 points

It is probably worth a serious discussion on 'zlvhfcontest' ...

73,

[ZL2FAE]

Bob

True there needs to be some rule rework or clarification for contests.
Evidently ZL2ADU made a legit eme in The Feb contest so it must be possible with the right software.

Anyway I hope all had a good time and are not suffering from exposure etc unlike me after a night of Woodstocks at The Winchester.

73's
Simon

[ZL1TWR]

I agree with you. As an home station 2 meter only operator. I heard many stations as far away as Wellington from my QTH, & there was no reply to calls, probably because not competitive power wise these days of a kilowatt. There seemed to be too much local yapping going on, & sudden ducking off after arranging contacts on higher frequencies, once a no no. 2 meters now seems more like the DXers contact band to go elsewhere.. STeve P ZL1TWR