A WRTC CW paddle (courtesy M0RYB)
Welcome to week two hundred and fifty six of NARC’s contest news
First. Just to let you know that there will be no contest news for the next 2 weeks. I will include as much calendar content as I can to cover this.
Submissions or comments for this news to g4lpp.1@gmail.com (note new e-mail address). I particularly need any contest related photographs, you may be prepared to share, to head the news each week.
Please note the start of the Autumn series of 80m Club Contests in September. It would be great to see a good turnout once again for these tests. There are points enhancements in this series for intermediate licensees and even more for foundation licensees. Please consider entering if you haven’t done so before. It’s a great introduction to contesting, low pressure and any score gratefully received by the club! Logging and general help on 145.450 or in the contest net on Fridays at 2100hrs on 145.250.
Contesting can be great fun but I know there’s a reluctance to step into unknown waters. It’s a great way of improving many aspects of our hobby including one’s own performance and the quality of your station. If you have any interest whatsoever please call in to the contest net on Friday evening at 9pm on 145.250MHz FM or speak to any of the regular contesters on 450. Or indeed email me!
Results:-
On VHF
The results of the 432MHz FT8 AC 2h and 4h of 12th August were released on 22nd August. In the 2h section – Open section, Roger EI8KN was 6th, Restricted section, Terry G0BIX was 8th. In the 4h section – Restricted, G0BIX was 5th. – link here to 2h results
The results of the MGM contest of 8th to 9th August were released on 22nd August. In the UK low power section Terry G0BIX was 4th. link here to results
The results of the SHF UKAC of 28th July were released on 24th August. I was our only entrant and competed in the 2.3GHZ Restricted section. I’m pleased to report a first place with 1000 points. Graham G3SGC is now joining me on this band and also starting on 5.7GHz. We could really do with more stations on these microwave bands. Please give it a thought. Link here to results
The results of the 144MHz Low Power contest of 1st August were released on 26th August. Our only entrant is this one was John, G8VPE who came 26th in the Single operator fixed section. I had last minute equipment failure and in the rush to get on missed an important part of the rules so could only enter a checklog! Link here to results
The results of the 432MHz Low Power contest of 2/8/26 were released on 26th August. Our only 2 entrants were myself and John G8VPE both in the Single operator fixed section. I managed 6th place and John 25th. Link here to results
The current VHF championship placings are at this link here
In the overall UKAC we are currently 5th, but a long way behind Wirral in 4th. Interestingly Parallel lines group have a perfect 6000 score so far! Link here
On HF
The results of the RSGB FT4 contest of 17th August are out. In the 100W UK single radio section Ted G4OZG was 13th. He was the only NARC station I could spot there but please let me know if I missed anyone. Link here to results
This year’s HF championship results to date are at this link here
If people are entering other contests of whose results I am obviously unaware please e-mail me to let me know the outcome and I’ll mention it here.
Contests:-
On VHF
On Tuesday 25th August the SHF UKAC ran. Graham G3SGC and I worked 2.3GHz and Graham tried for the first time from his new QTH on 5.7GHz. Conditions on both bands were completely dire and almost every contact was a struggle. Graham managed 5 contacts on 2.3 with best DX G3SQQ and zero contacts on 5.7. Yes it was that bad! I managed 17 contacts with best DX GM4JTJ although I do expect some UBNs. Link here to claimed scores
On HF
No new RSGB HF contest this week but Bob 2E0OBO sent me a brief report of his entry into the weekend’s YODX contest:-
Hi Phil,
Contest activity this weekend 22nd August. YODX CW. Managed two and three quarter hours in two bites getting 162 qso’s. Some US and Asiatic Russe’s but the rest just the usual Euro’s. Ran for two hours. Catch you on cwt’s Wednesday
Best 73 Bob 2E0OBO
Link here to logs received in that Romanian contest
Upcoming contests in the next 2 + weeks (all times in UTC):-
On VHF / UHF / SHF
% Tue 1st Sep. 1900-2130 144MHz UKAC
% Wed 2nd Sep. 1700-2100 144MHz FT8 AC 2h and 4h sections.
% Sat 5th Sep. 1400 for 24h 144MHz Trophy contest (part of the VHF championship) – link here to rules
% Sat 5th Sep. 1400 for 24h IARU region 1 145MHz Contest – link here to rules
% Sat 5th Sep. 0000 to Sun 6th Sep. 2359 ARRL EME contest 2.3GHz and up – link here to rules
% Sun 6th Sep. 1000-1400 5th 144MHz Backpackers – link here to rules
% Sun 6th Sep. 1000-1400 WAB 2m SSB contest – link here to rules
% Tue 8th Sep 1900-2130 432MHz UKAC
% Wed 9th Sep. 1700-2100 432MHz FT8 AC 2h and 4h sections.
% Thu 10th Sep. 1900-2130 50MHz UKAC
% Sun 13th Sep. 0800-1700 UK Microwave group mm band contest 24GHz to 76GHz – link here to rules See that site for other group contests and useful information.
% Sun 13th Sep. 1300 for 30 mins IRTS (Ireland) Counties contest 70cm – link here to rules
% Sun 13th Sep. 1330 for 90 mins IRTS Counties contest 2m – link here to rules
% Sun 13th Sep. 1200-1600 Practical Wireless 4m contest – link here to rules
% Tue 15th Sep. 1900-2130 1.3GHz UKAC
% Thu 17th Sep. 1900-2130 70MHz UKAC
% Sun 20th Sep. 0900-1200 70MHz AFS contest – AFS super league – link here to rules
% Tue 22nd Sep. 1830-2130 SHF UKAC
Before each of the 2m and 70cm UKACs there is an FM leg starting 1 hour before for 55 minutes. I hear almost no activity in this from here but others may have more luck! Rules etc on RSGBCC site.
Also of interest for some on the vhf / uhf bands are the EU FT8 activity tests – see the following link more information. These are on the first (144 MHz), second (432MHz) and third (1.3GHz) Wednesdays of each month. 1700-2000 Hrs EU FT8 series website
On HF
% Fri 28th Aug. 2200 to Sat 29th Aug. 1200 and Sun 30th Aug. 1200-2359 SCRY/RTTYOps WW DX RTTY Contest (Sweden) – link here rules
% Sat 29th Aug. 0000-2359 Feld Hell Sprint – link here to rules
% Sun 30th Aug. 0600 to Mon 31st Aug. 0559 ALARA (Australia and New Zealand based) Contest. CW and Phone – link here to rules
% Sat 29th Aug. 1200 for 24h World Wide Digi contest FT4/8 – link here to rules
% Wed 2nd Sep. 2000-2100 UKEICC SSB 80m – link here to rules
% Sat 5th Sep. 1300 for 24h RSGB SSB field day – link here to rules
% Sat 5th Sep 1300 to Sun 6th Sep 1259 IARU region 1 SSB field day – link here to rules
% Sat 5th Sep. 0000for 48h All Asia DX contest Phone – link here to rules
% Sat 5th Sep 0000-0359, 1200-1559 & 2000-2359 CWOps CW open contest – link here to rules
% Sat 5th Sep. 1300-1600 AGCW Straight Key party – link here to rules
% Mon 7th Sep. 1900-2030 Autumn series SSB – link here to rules
% Mon 7th Sep. 1300-1400 ICWC Medium speed CW test (MST) – link here to rules
% Wed 16th Sep 1900-2030 Autumn series CW
% Sun 20th Sep. 1700-2059 BARTG PSK63 Sprint Contest – link here to rules
% Thu 24th Sep 1900-2030 Autumn series DATA
% Mon 28th Sep. 1900-2030 RSGB FT4 contest – link here to rules
Please note the new mention of the ICWC MST contests – Medium speed – CW – these may appeal to those needing to practice. Link to the overall site here
See Link to WA7BNM for other contests not mentioned above. There are several to choose from!
Wednesdays throughout the year, CW OPS 1 hour mini tests 13:00, 19:00, Thurs 03:00 and 07:00, exchange Name and G if not a member or CW OPS number if you are a member.
See CWOPS website for more details.
Also on Fridays 2000 to 2100 and Mondays 0000 to 0100 each week CW OPS runs the K1USN slow speed CW contests. Any speed up to 20wpm is acceptable. For rules see :- CW OPs SST page these contests are open to anyone.
All RSGB contest rules and further details plus log submission at RSGB contest site
A link to John 2E0TWQ’s site’s Narc contest history page – 2E0TWQ’s NARC contest results page
Finally a new section as there doesn’t seem to be any other NARC pages dedicated to this; here is a list forwarded by Alan G8OO of the DX activity planned courtesy the ARI DX bulletin:-
till 30/09 9A10SOTA: special callsign 1795
till 30/09 YR100RC: special callsign 1820
till 10/11 PA50JT: special callsign 1803
till 31/12 9A44FF: special callsign 1808
till 31/12 9A69AA: special callsign 1809
till 31/12 CT100REP: special callsign 1810
till 31/12 DA100LH, DL100LH, DK100LH: special callsigns 1808
till 31/12 DA100TV and DL100TV: special callsigns 1808
till 31/12 DB100FT: special callsign 1807
till 31/12 DL25WIKI: special callsign 1807
till 31/12 DQ30GDXF: special callsign 1811
till 31/12 DR170TESLA: special callsign 1826
till 31/12 EM50AR: special callsign 1811
till 31/12 GB50PUNK: special callsign 1809
till 31/12 LU1DMZ/Z and LU1ZA: South Orkney Islands (AN-008) 1818
till 31/12 LZ75HSC: special callsign 1818
till 31/12 OT26B: special callsign 1821
till 31/12 PG75HSC: special callsign 1824
till 31/12 YT170TESLA: special callsign 1814
till 31/12 ZL100AA: special callsign 1823
till December VK0TBC: Casey Station, Antarctica 1812
till ??/?? 9M2/KM9D: Rebak Island (AS-058), West Malaysia 1817
09/05-10/05 KD7WPJ: Santa Cruz Island (NA-144) 1827
09/05-15/05 HK4/PY8WW: Tutumate Islands (SA-093) 1817
10/05-16/05 VB3COPS: special callsign 1827
10/05-19/05 TF/WE9G: Iceland (EU-021) 1826
12/05-22/05 OX3LX: Aasiaat Island (NA-134), Greenland 1827
12/05-31/07 II0NRG: special callsign 1826
13/05-16/05 YB1RQX/p, YB1RET/p, YC1RIK/p: Singkep Island (OC-107) 1827
13/05-21/05 V4/EI7BR, V4/EI8KN, V49B: St. Kitts (NA-104) 1827
13/05-22/05 A31AA: Tongatapu Island (OC-049), Tonga 1826
14/05-26/05 A35RS: Tongatapu (OC-049), Tonga 1827
15/05-16/05 JI3DST/6 and JA4GXS/6: Danjo Islands (AS-056) 1826
17/05-23/05 VB3EMS: special callsign 1827
18/05-22/05 PA/OR5R: Ameland Island (EU-038) 1827
19/05-08/06 3G0Z: Robinson Crusoe Island (SA-005), Juan Fernandez 1827
21/05-23/05 EJ6KP/p: Arranmore Island (EU-121) 1826
22/05-24/05 9M26ISX: special callsign (West Malaysia) 1827
22/05-29/01 2027 8J70JARE: special callsign 1825
23/05-30/05 ZC4RH: UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus 1827
25/05-29/05 ZD8KX: Ascension Island (AF-003) 1827
25/05-03/06 ZL7IO: Chatham Islands (OC-038) 1825
26/05-06/06 CP7DX: Bolivia 1827
27/05-08/06 PJ4CB: Bonaire (SA-006) 1827
May T31TTT: Central Kiribati 1822
May XR0Z: Alejandro Selkirk (SA-101), Juan Fernandez 1827
May-October HF0PAS: South Shetland Islands (AN-010) 1825
01/06-14/06 VJ2L: Lord Howe Island (OC-004) 1827
01/06-30/06 II4PRCE: special callsign 1809
01/06-30/06 SP1373JA: special callsign 1807
01/07-31/07 II4JAFL: special callsign 1809
01/07-31/07 SP1183JO: special callsign 1807
01/07-31/08 LZ67PP: special callsign 1809
04/07-07/07 RI1PC: Chaichiy Island (EU-160) 1823
12/07-16/07 RI0BW: Vize Island (AS-055) 1823
18/07-21/07 RI0BU: Uyedineniya Island (AS-057) 1823
23/07-26/07 RI0BI: Isachenko Island (AS-050) 1823
01/08-31/08 II4KEMP: special callsign 1809
01/08-31/08 SP1905MFK: special callsign 1807
01/09-15/09 RI1FJL: Heiss Island (EU-019), Franz Josef Land 1812
01/09-30/09 II4PAGE: special callsign 1809
01/09-30/09 SP1373AB: special callsign 1807
01/09-31/10 LZ936BA: special callsign 1809
30/09-11/10 9T0MD: Democratic Republic of the Congo 1825
01/10-31/10 II4NTTI: special callsign 1809
01/10-31/10 SP1550SK: special callsign 1807
29/10-13/11 KH8A: Pago Pago (OC-045), American Samoa 1827
01/11-30/11 II4GCLB: special callsign 1809
01/11-30/11 SP1234KK: special callsign 1807
01/11-31/12 LZ911TD: special callsign 1809
10/11-19/11 C8K: Mozambique 1823
November ZK3: Tokelau (OC-048) 1822
01/12-31/12 II4SLRI: special callsign 1809
01/12-31/12 SP1835JK: special callsign 1807
February 2027 3Y0L: Peter I Island (AN-004) 1823
March 2027 VP0SG: South Georgia Island (AN-007) 1827
425 DX NEWS HOME PAGE
73 until next week,
Phil G4LPP