Class: M/M HP
Operating Time (hrs): 24
Band QSOs Mults
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160: 7 5
80: 154 99
40: 551 280
20: 429 250
15: 457 203
10: 33 23
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Total: 1631 860 Total Score = 5,050,780
In the weeks leading up to the contest, the ZL6QH team of ops and supporters worked frantically to have the storm-ravaged antenna farm back to full strength. These Sessions of Hard Labour - euphemistically known as 'activity days' - sometimes involving the digging of (post) holes and the smashing of Quartz Hill rock!
At ZL6QH, the Oceania DX Contests are treated seriously. Ops who don't achieve their targets often end up as Rock Breakers. Unsurprisingly, on occasion, guest operators 'reluctantly decline the invitation'.
In all seriousness however, the OC-DX contest is the time when active ZL contesters stand in front of the mirror, put their hand on their chest, and vow to give it heaps.
Having survived another spring storm on the night before the contest, all wire beams were operational at the time of kick-off. In addition, an exprimental 160 m sloper and an 80 m inverted-V were installed, and connected up by a wind- lown Brian ZL1AZE on the afternoon of the contest. Doug ZL2AOV and Wilbert ZL2BSJ sensibly hid inside to curse at computer hardware.
During the contest, propagation was found to be much better than recent WAE events. We had good signals on 80 and 40 m, and 15 m was found to be wide open throughout the day to the Pacific/USA and also into Asia. As usual, 40 m was the most reliable band for us with excellent Eu signals on both paths.
Everything worked as expected. Mike 'Rock Breaker' ZL1AXG tried to slow down his run-rate by nudging the computer reset button with his big toe. A shame he is escaping to W1-land soon. A recent escapee ZL6QH operator is Chris, ZL1CT, whose sense of humour and contest competitiveness were missed.
A recently acquired amplifier provided real drama. It was found to have arced over. The tank variable capacitor looked as if a hungry Quartz Hill possum had taken a big bite out of one of the plates. The amp was quickly retired and a replacement plugged in.
73, ZL2BSJ
for ZL6QH ops ZL1AXG, ZL1AZE, ZL2AOV, ZL2CA, ZL2BSJ and ZL4TAC.