QRP Hours contest 9th April -2016

[vk1da]

This year's QRP hours contest has come around again.

One hour on CW/PSK then one hour on ssb. 80m only. See rules for band segments.

Full rules here: http://vkqrpclub.org/qrp_new/qrp1_qrp_hours_contest.php

Hope to work u.




Andrew VK1DA VK2UH Yass

[VK2AOH]

Thanks Andrew, tried to put something up on VK SOTA but the post crashed ??? for some reason. Will try again if it does not appear.

Will be setting up a portable station on a high hill this year with both a vertical aerial and a dipole.

Unfoturnately propagation may not be the best although the lower frequencies (80M) might be ok.

http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/HF_Systems/1/2/2

Cheers an cu on 80, Nick

[VK2HRX]

I'll be there. About 80KM to the NE of Canberra near Tarago.

[VK2AOH]

For this hours contest gained access to a private property in the Upper Turon near Sofala. A steep hill on the property with excellent views of the Turon River provided a good radio site well away from any noise. A strong wind made string up of the dipole between a couple of trees a bit of an exercise. Camped overnight at the site.
Came 1000 hours, started rapping the Kent paddle only to find my camping table rocked about which made sending well nigh impossible. After a few contacts of the most dreadful morse I've ever sent so hastily dumped the KX3 and key on another small camp table hopeing it would be a bit more stronger.
Much the same dismal result so went over to my Pico paddle which has a lot lighter spring setting. Still a bit of table rocking and completed the cw section in some sort of fashion.
Quite a high level of atmospheric noise with static crashes, there must have been a distant thunderstorm somewhere.
Noticed not so many other contesters this year although the high noise might have contributed to the lack hearing more distant stations, only heard one VK5 op.
So ended my QRP hours contest which for me was a bit of non event. It appears my camping tables have become a bit worn and wobbly in the hinges after a number of years of being set up at campsites.

[VK2HRX]

By the time the start time happened the noise was S8 from my bush location, it had been quite low a few hours earlier in the evening. I had a PC glitch so wasnt able to get on PSK for the first hour. In the SSB hour I worked 4 stations and heard another 6 or so but they couldn’t hear me. I had the FT 957D at 5W and an 80m dipole suspended out of a tree (used a DJ Phantom drone to do it) approximatley N/S.

One station was using an auto voice keyer thing but wasn't leaving enough time between CQ calls for a call sign to be given in response before the auto CQ went out again.

So the noise floor for QRP was a problem at my end and I'd say for many who would have had City type noise to contend with. All the same it was good to get on air etc and give it a try.

Compton
VK2HRX

[VK4BZ]

Noticed not so many other contesters this year although the high noise might have contributed to the lack hearing more distant stations, only heard one VK5 op.
So ended my QRP hours contest which for me was a bit of non event. It appears my camping tables have become a bit worn and wobbly in the hinges after a number of years of being set up at campsites.

Nick - don't be so hard on yourself. You did work this VK4/2! Now I understand why you had so much trouble sending your letter "H" and the numbers in the RST. A dodgy camping table!

In any case - well done on the effort!