25 Jan 2012

SBRS WINS G6ZR MEMORIAL TROPHY

The first weekend in October is when the 24 hour 432 MHz to 248 GHz IARU contest is held along with two trophy events, co-timed for first 8 hours. With reduced numbers for the weekend, it was decided that the club should only enter the two trophy events and operate from Shenlow Hill, IO92GB.

The stations for both bands are competitive, using SSPAs able to produce 400w, Bob, G8GDZ, is to be applauded for the work put in to make both these amplifiers work so well. On 23cm, a dual antenna system was used, the main antenna array consisted of 8 x 23 elements, while a secondary antenna system was 4 x 23 elements, both using mast mounted pre-amplifiers. On 13cm, a 1.3m grid pack antenna was used, with a mast mounted pre-amplifier, again thanks to Bob.

The two stations were set up without too many problems, however, these days microwave operating depends on having broadband access, so that the ON4KST website can be used to set up contacts, in addition to, old school activity calling CQ.

The clubs wireless router was set up in the 13cm station, with some initial problems getting this to work, due to the multiple cell sites which can be received on a hill top, but a position for the broadband dongle was found inside the trailer which provided a good 3G connection.

The 13cm station was operated by Ian, G8IFT, with Gemma, M6GKG, logging. Things seemed to be going well, during exchanges with four of the previous winners of the event, we were ahead in QSO numbers, but distance per QSO is always lower operating from the Midlands, so we need extra QSOs. The evening produced some good DX including Keld, OZ1FF, at 741km thanks to ON4KST, boosting the average distance per QSO to 297km, not a bad figure for 13cm.

Our log was the first to be completed and uploaded to the VHF Contest Website for 13cm on the Sunday; it was then a case of waiting to see the other claims. As each claim was made, we stayed on the top, the Five Bells group, G5B, did not reveal their score, so we had to wait for the results to be published on 10th December to see that we had won the Open Section of the 13cm Trophy and the G6ZR Memorial Trophy for the second time, 2007 being the previous occasion from Brown Clee Hill.