May have posted this before, but here’s a blast from the past. Who do you recognise?
Welcome to week two hundred and sixty four of NARC’s contest news
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.
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!
Coming up as this news comes out this Saturday evening is the 1.8MHz Club Calls contest. For any of you with Top Band capability this one can be very enjoyable. Modes are CW and SSB or either. See here for the rules. This contest is part of the RSGB HF Championship and benefits the club in the AFS Series.
Results:-
On VHF
On 9th November the results of the 1.3GHz contest of 20th October were released. I was away for this one and NARC managed 3 entries. They were all in the Low power section. Pete M0PCG came 22nd, Jim G3YLA and Mike G4DYC came Joint 30th. We remain 5th overall in this series. Link here to overall results
On 11th November the results of the SHF UKAC were released. I was our only entrant in this one but am pleased to report a win in the Restricted section on 2.3GHz scoring 1000 points. 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 UKEI DX SSB contest of 31/10/2026 are out. In the Single Operator High Power section our highest placed station was Gordon, GI3PXT who came 22nd and Roger EI8KN came 35th. In the Single Operator Low power section Kevin M0KKM came 62nd, Tracey 2E0CEY came 120th and Peter G0K (M0RYB) came 259th. Link here to results
The results of the Autumn series 80m DATA contest of 2nd November came out on 10th November. Once again NARC’s team scored an extremely convincing victory. Notable was Peter G0K (M0RYB)’s win in the 10W Unassisted category. Also Tracey 2E0CEY scored 103 QSOs in the 100W Unassisted section coming 7th overall but with the Intermediate station uplifted scored a massive 1,180 points for the club! Jon G4IVV came 2nd overall in the 100W Unassisted section. In all, 17 of us entered for the club. NARC scored 9,917 points in this one with Bristol in second place on 4,040 points. Link here to results
Currently NARC lead the Autumn series with 59,922 points over Bristol’s 29,654 points. Link here to overall 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 10th November the 432MHz UKAC ran. Conditions seemed slightly elevated at the start but rapidly returned to normal with rapid deep QSB. NARC members turned out well for this one with 9 entries recorded. Of note were Graham, G3SGC with a home brew 7 element Quad antenna at 14 feet and 20W who made 32 QSOs and Mike G4DYC who made 11 QSOs using a vertical colinear. It was good to see our new contest team members there in this one, Pete M0PCG and Brendan G8IXK. 2 team members had equipment issues, Stewart G4AFF had a blown linear amp and John G8VPE lost output power possibly due to PSU issues after the first hour. Link here to claimed scores
On Wednesday the 432MHz FT8 AC 2h and 4h ran. In the 2h Open section was Roger EI8KN who is currently listed in 5th place on claimed score. In the “h Restricted section Terry G0BIX is currently listed in 6th place and in the low power section Brendan G8IXK is in first place on claimed scores. Terry G0BIX is in 3rd place on claimed score in the 4h Restricted section. Link here to 2h results
On Thursday 12th November the 50MHz UKAC ran. At least 9 of us turned out for this one despite poor conditions and high noise. Congratulations to Steve M5BFL who managed an SSB QSO with SM5EPO using SSB on sustained MS bursts!. Many stations were heard using JT modes for this test as the Draconids were active. Link here to claimed scores
On HF
First this email from Bob 2E0OBO about his recent activities:-
Hi Phil, Just the one contest this weekend. IPA CW on Sat 7th – Running for two hours and eight minutes on 20M for my fifty qso’s with a break for lunch. Not much Fuzz around though! Catch you on CWT Wed. Bob 2E0OBO
I couldn’t find a logs received page for this one.
On Wednesday 11th November the penultimate contest of the 80m Autumn series ran, SSB. The band was noisy and congested but NARC members turned out in force with at least 12 logs expected. Initial results look good for us with Stewart G4AFF leading the initial scores table in the 100W section on an astounding 172 contacts and Andy M0NKR holding joint 3rd place on raw scores with 165 points. Obviously bonus station contacts and UBNs will decide their final positions but it looks good at present! Also of note, Tracey 2E0CEY continued her big jumps in contest performance with a personal best of 106 contacts in this one. Link here to logs received.
Upcoming contests in the next 2 weeks (all times in UTC):-
On VHF / UHF / SHF
% Tue 17th Nov. 2000-2230 1.3GHz UKAC
% Thu 19th Nov. 2000-2230 70MHz UKAC
% Tue 24th Nov. 1930-2230 SHF UKAC – we desperately need new entrants on these bands!
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
% Sat 14th Nov. 2000-2300 Club Calls 1.8MHz AFS contest – RSGB HF championship and AFS Super League – link here to rules
% Sat 14th Nov. 0000 to Sun 15th Nov. 2359 WAE DX Contest RTTY – link here to rules
% Sat 14th Nov. 0000 to Mon 16th Nov. 2359 PODXS 070 Club Triple Play Low Band Sprint, PSK31 – link here to rules
% Sat 14th Nov. 0001 to Sun 15th Nov. 2359 10-10 int. Fall Contest Digital 10m only – link here to rules
% Sat 14th Nov. 1200 for 24h OK/OM DX Contest CW – link here to rules
% Sun 15th Nov. 1300-1500 (40m) and 1500-1700 (80m) Homebrew and Oldtime Equipment Party CW – link here to rules
% Mon 16th Nov. 2000-2200 RSGB FT4 contest – link here to rules
% Sat 21st Nov. 2000-2300 2nd 1.8MHz Contest, part of the RSGB HF Championship – link to rules here
% Sat 21st Nov. 1200 for 24h LZ DX contest – link here to rules
% Sat 21st Nov. 1600-2359 All Austrian 160m contest, CW. Link here to rules
% Sat 21st Nov. 1700-2400 REF 160m contest, CW – link here to rules
% Sat 21st Nov. 1900-2059 Feld Hell sprint. Link here to rules
% Thu 26th Nov. 2000-2130 Autumn series CW
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
Almost finally, Alan G8OO has sent an email concerning a new way of looking at the amateur radio world map, making headings easier to visualise. It’s called QTH Worldmap by Ham, DB6LL – a link to it is here
Finally possibly 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 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