Worked All Germany (WAG) this weekend !!

Coming up this weekend (20-21/10/2012) is the 2012 Worked All Germany (WAG) Contest. Duration is 24 hours, starting 1500z on Saturday until 1459z on Sunday.
The objective ... easy. For non-DL stations, just work DLs with different DOKs as multipliers. DLs work the world, but with their independent ruling/scoring.
During the previous years' WAG contests, there was significant confusion with stations participating in JOTA (Jamboree On The Air scouting activity), that led many OPs to getting furious...as is with most contest-weekends nowadays...
DARC, that is organizing the WAG Contest, has included in 2012's rules the following recommendations:

 

According to IARU recommendations operation should be avoided outside contest-preferred segments. To reduce interference with the participants of JOTA contest operation is not allowed in the following contest-free sections:

80m: CW - 3560 - 3800 kHz, SSB – 3650 – 3700 kHz
40m: CW - 7040 - 7200 kHz, SSB – 7080 – 7140 kHz
20m: CW - 14060 - 14350 kHz, SSB – 14100 – 14125 kHz and 14280 – 14350 kHz
15m: SSB – 21350 – 21450 kHz
10m: SSB – 28225 – 28400 kHz

 

It is the least they could do to give a guiding line to the potential participants and they have my kudos for that.

 

Btw, here is my pdf certificate for my participation in 2010's WAG Contest:

I believe that in the future, there should be a more "handy" prize for the winners of WAG contest categories.

 

My participation in 2012 WAG Contest will be time-limited to evening hours mostly and possibly in CW only category.

 

CU there!

 

73s de Stathis, SV5DKL

 

 

2nd GTC CW Cup - Again ... a success !!

The 2nd GTC CW Cup held on 6 & 7 October is now over and was most enjoyed by all participants.

Many logs have already been received, mostly by non-SV participants, and from their included comments derives that the scope of GTC CW Cup was met and CW was once more well advertised.

Personally, as GTC CW Cup Contest Manager, I have to thank each and every one of you guys that have taken part in this year's event of the Greek Telegraphy Club and I assure you that the GTC CW Cup Contest Committee will again do its best to organize an even better 3rd GTC CW Cup next year.
Although I had few hours available to participate I managed to make 102 QSOs, at least half of them with GTC members.

DXLog.net software which supported GTC CW Cup, provided by Kresimir, 9A5K, worked flawlessly at my side and integrated DXCluster, Rig control and CW keying+messages with no problems.

The only issue during the event, was the TRC Contest held during the exact same period with the GTC CW Cup, which caused a bit of confusion to some participants. After all, the TRC committee announced their contest dates quite late, even after we had published the official rules & dates of the 2nd GTC CW Cup.

2nd GTC CW Cup rules and info were populated and "marketed" this year especially well, to CW clubs, National Amateur Radio Organizations, IARU, online Contest Calendars, CW enthusiasts worldwide, Amateur Radio magazines and of course, our GTC members list.

Nonetheless, the editor of an amateur radio magazine, who always erroneously insists on "Reference to the Source" for his magazine's articles that are published elsewhere, has included the 2nd GTC CW Cup announcement info, as it was sent out originally, but with modified text and not mentioning the Reference to the Source he got it from. It was the only case of this issue, amongst the vast amateur radio media worldwide. Let's hope next time his own rules will be followed.

I have to congratulate DK4WF, IK0EFR, SV1/SV2KBS, SV4FFL and SV8GKE for keeping up the pace and bearing with me working them in 4 out of 5 bands.

I wish Good Luck with the results to all participants and after the first fortnight of November 2012, all submitted logs will be published at the official site of GTC CW Cup:

http://www.raag.org/displayITM1.asp?ITMID=503&LANG=EN



For the preliminary and final results after cross-checks, you will have to wait a bit more ...

73s/55s de Stathis, SV5DKL

3D2C is over !! Great job !!

Dr. Hrane, YT1AD and his team did it again !! The Southern Pacific DXpeditioners gave us again a nice new one for our DXCC.

3D2C Conway Reef DXpedition is over after making in total 71.963 QSOs in HF+6m bands. QSO dispersion was almost equal between EU, AS and NA, although Conway is located in one of the farthest areas for EU and AS.

I was lucky enough to work 3D2C in 7 bands (80m-10m, missing 30m) in SSB/CW modes, although I also wanted at least a QSO in digi modes.

Below is my search result from 3D2C web site:

3D2C Log Search Results for SV5DKL

	CW	SSB	RTTY	PSK	JT65
160m	-	-	-	-	-
80m	X	-	-	-	-
40m	X	-	-	-	-
30m	-	-	-	-	-
20m	X	X	-	-	-
17m	X	X	-	-	-
15m	X	X	-	-	-
12m	-	X	-	-	-
10m	X	-	-	-	-
6m	-	-	-	-	-
2m	-	-	-	-	-

Number of QSO(s) including dupe: 10

OC-112 from Conway was also a new IOTA for my log, currently measuring 380 worked IOTAs in total.

What was particularly interesting from my side, as far as 3D2C operation is concerned, was the huge signal coming in from Short Path, almost each day on 15m SSB !! The S-meter was always at s8-s9, peaking +10db/+20db at times.
Also, while HamCap showed non-existent propagation from my part of the world to Conway on 40 and 80 meters, I was able to work them in both bands at late afternoon hours, before even my sunset.

Overall, I believe experience counts. And, for sure, Hrane knows what to do in order to make a DXpedition a big success.

Looking forward to next year's Southern Pacific DXpedition from the Boyz, another new one will be much appreciated.

73s from Rhodes Isl.

Stathis, SV5DKL

EUROPA RTTY TROPHY S/N.125 ARRIVED !!

In regard to my 20th August 2012 post, the EURD Trophy serial nr. 125 has finally arrived and already set atop the highest shelf of my showcase.

The Trophy itself is BIG, HEAVY and BEAUTIFUL.

Here are a few shots of it for your delight:

 

 

As far as I'm concerned, this is one of the most beautiful Amateur Radio Trophies around, and what's most important, is that by using DARC's DCL online system, it was so easy to check, apply and acquire EURD Trophy and not only that. 

 

Again, many thanks to Peter, DO1NPF, for making it so easy for me to apply and guiding me through the whole process. Also, big thanks to DK5PZ for his extreme efforts to produce a highly appreciable Trophy.

 

Last, but not least, just yesterday I have received most needed QSL cards from SV2ASP/A (Mt. Athos) and ZB2FX (Gibraltar) for confirmation of my last two WAE entities, required by WAE award manager Wolf, DF8AA, in order to confirm and proceed my application through DARC' DCL for the WAE-TOP Plaque.

 

Coming soon ...

 

73s from Rhodes Isl.

Stathis, SV5DKL