It has been announced that there will be another DXpedition to Heard Island sometime in 2014. Heard Island is a territory of Australia and is halfway between Africa and the Antarctic, in fact it's probably closer to Antarctic. I remember the was an expedition to Heard Island back in 1997, unfortunately I didn't even hear them back then, I don't think the provocation was particularly good in 1997. Even though we will have probably pass the sunspot peak, 2014 should still be quite good so hopefully I will be up to work them on several bands, they will certainly be welcome in my log but anyway.
You can find more information on their website
http://www.cordell.org/HD/
Saturday, March 3, 2012 and the bands are alive with contest stations taking part in the ARRL SSB DX contest. Contests are really not everyone's cup of tea and many people dread the weekends when they are taking place. It's basically because all but the WARC bands are taken up by guys taking part in the contest and believe me when the conditions are good there is very little space anywhere on the bands. There's nothing stopping you from going on the band when the contest is taking place, but you've got to put up with people constantly asking you for a number, or whatever details they need for the contest, so really it's just not worth bothering, if you got antennas for the 17 and 12 m band then most people just stay on there over the weekend.
I've never really been one for contests, I have nothing against them personally but like other people, I'm really not interested in just exchanging a signal and number. However, I thought I would give this weekend contest a bash and see what it's all about. I'm certainly not taking it seriously and I won't submit my logbook because it's just not worth it, not when you've got guys out there who are sitting behind the radio for nearly 48 hours without any sleep. No, I'll do an hour here and there, give a few points away and maybe do some calling myself, but I'm really not overexcited about the whole thing.
So in the last few days I decided that I should set myself up with a proper contest logging program. Unfortunately Ham Radio Deluxe hasn't got a dedicated contest log included. So after some advice I decided to download N1MM's free software which includes a very good contest log. It took me a couple of days to set it up as it is quite complicated, believe me you will need to read the instructions properly as there are various files that need to be downloaded. You also need to create both a database for your log, and also make sure that you install the correct contest log. Thankfully, nearly everything has been done for you, it's just basically a case of downloading files and making sure that you put them in the right place. However, once you've done it the first time, you should be able to set everything up perfectly okay without any problems the next time. After I set the N1MM program up, I must say I was rather impressed, I can't say I've delved into all that it does, but the basic stuff which I have been using works extremely well. If you have got an interface or means of connecting the computer to your PC then the logging program will track your radio, which is quite important if you are taking part in the contest. There probably is a way of adding things manually, but if you are constantly changing frequency you don't really want to be doing that, you want the computer and software to do it for you automatically. Ironically, N1MM was one of the contesters who I managed to work.
Anyway, I haven't done any calling myself today, I just floating around the bands listening and giving a few points to various guys calling. I made a quick video of me operating on the 15 m band this afternoon, the signals were extremely strong although there was quite a lot of QRM. Believe me, contesting isn't exactly exciting, is nothing like putting a callout on hearing that exotic station coming back to you, contesting is hard work if you take it seriously, if you want to win any trophies then you've got to put a lot of work into it and you'll probably suffer from sleep deprivation at the end of the contest, especially if it's a long one. But hey, some guys like having that trophy or plaque on the wall. Most people who aren't serious contesters take part because quite often a lot of rare stations can be heard calling, it's a good time to get these calls in your logbook.
So, check my little video out, try not to fall asleep whilst you're watching it, I promise you it's far from exciting.
For those of you who don't receive the RADCOM magazine sent to members of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) I have reproduced an article which appeared in the February 2012 issue. This article addresses special call signs that will be offered to UK radio amateurs to use on various occasions during 2012. This includes the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympic Games
The article reads:
The Radio Society of Great Britain and Ofcom have reached agreement on the optional use of special call signs for two significant events during 2012.
For the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, all UK amateur radio stations will have the option of applying for a variation of their licence., If they wish, to use a special prefix for a five-week period. This will add or substitute the letter "Q" in place of the regional identifier in the callsign.
For the period of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, a similar facility will exist for a seven-week period, using the letter "O".
Both the above facilities will also be available to amateur club licences.
Furthermore, calls in the series GB2012aaa will be available for special event stations relating to the Olympics and licences will be issued for four "flagship" stations using the prefix 2012a where'O' is the letter O and a is a single letter relating to the location of the station.
Further details of these arrangements are on the summary, and administrator details will be issued by Ofcom and the RSGB shortly.
The following facilities will be available to holders of the following licences: amateur Foundation, Intermediate and Full; amateur Full (club), amateur full (reciprocal) and amateur Full (temporary reciprocal).
Queen's Diamond Jubilee:
Period: 0000 BST May 5, 2012 to 2359 BST June 10, 2012
Authorisation: To Conform to the Requirements of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, each licensee must obtain a Notice of Variation. This is an online process and will be available from March 1, 2012.
Callsign: the letter Q will be added to calls, or replace the regional identifier. For example (where 'aaa' represents the final alpha block of the callsign):
M3aaa becomes MQ3aaa
G3aaa becomes GQ3aaa
GM3aaa becomes GQ3aaa
2E0aaa becomes 2Q0aaa
2M0aaa becomes 2Q0aaa
GX3aaa becomes GQ3aaa
London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games:
Period: 000 BST July 21, 2012, to 2359 BST September 9, 2012.
Authorisation: To conform to the requirements of the Wireless telegraphy act 2006, each licensee must obtain a Notice of Variation. This is an online process and will be available from March 1, 2012
Callsign: the letter O will be added to the calls, or replace the regional identifier. For example (where 'aaa' represents the final alpha block of the callsign);
M3aaa becomes MO3aaa
G3aaa becomes GO3aaa
GM3aaa becomes GO3aaa
2E0aaa becomes 2O0aaa
2M0aaa becomes 2O0aaa
GX3aaa becomes GO3aaa
I think that the Olympic special event callsign may cause a little confusion for some foreigners as when those of us who have a zero in our call will be calling Golf Oscar Zero Victor Quebec Yankee. I've lost count of the times that foreigners confuse a zero with an Oscar (O), I really hope that it doesn't cause too much confusion.
