Colin’s Operating Challenge for 2017

The sixth Colin’s Challenge, started on the 1st January 2017, and runs until the 31st December 2017.  

Categories

There will be three transmitting categories: Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced.  There will also be a separate category ‘Listener’ available only to members who do not yet have a transmitting licence who log contacts made by other radio amateurs (broadcast stations do NOT count).  Transmitting members may choose whichever category they wish to enter, but all contacts made towards the challenge must be in accordance with all the licence conditions for that licence category (not just power limits) and subject to your own licence conditions.

The Challenge

The challenge for 2017 will be for members of Poole Radio Society to work amateur stations in as many different DXCC countries as possible using whatever modes, bands and locations to operate from as they wish.  Each country worked counts only once, no matter how many different bands and modes a member works it on.  The list of DXCC countries published by the RSGB in the RSGB Prefix Guide will be used for the purposes of the Challenge.

Modes and Bands

Just to make the challenge a little more interesting, please also keep a note of how many different bands and modes you have used to make the contacts.  For the purposes of the challenge, modes are Phone (AM, FM, SSB), CW, Image (FSTV, SSTV), Date (RTTY, PSK31/63/125, JT65 etc).  Bands are ANY amateur band you are licensed to use which is also permitted by the category you are entering.

Valid Contacts

For a contact to count, the two-way contact must have been conducted entirely using amateur radio frequencies (so no echolink or linked repeaters for example).  Contacts through un-linked repeaters and amateur satellites DO count.  Cross mode and cross band contacts do count as long as both modes and bands are recognised amateur bands, and count for the mode and band used by your station to transmit.  No QSL cards are needed.

Entries

Bring an extract of your log along to the first meeting in January 2018.  The log must contain (as a minimum) date of contact, callsign of station worked, country worked, mode and band used for transmission by your station.  In addition a count of the number of countries worked, plus bands used, plus modes used is required (e.g. worked 35 countries using 4 bands and 3 modes).  Please feel free to let Eddy Cobb have updates on how you are doing during the year for the PRS Times as this will hopefully motivate others to join in.  Early indications are that this could be a bumper year!  Results will be announced at the AGM in April 2018.

 

 

Colin’s Operating Challenge for 2016

 

The sixth Colin’s Challenge, started on the 1st January 2016, and runs until the 31st December 2016.  

Categories

There will be three transmitting categories: Foundation, Intermediate, and Advanced.  There will also be a separate category ‘Listener’ available only to members who do not yet have a transmitting licence who log contacts made by other radio amateurs (broadcast stations do NOT count).  Transmitting members may choose whichever category they wish to enter, but all contacts made towards the challenge must be in accordance with all the licence conditions for that licence category (not just power limits) and subject to your own licence conditions.

The Challenge

The challenge for 2016 will be for members of Poole Radio Society to work amateur stations in as many different DXCC countries as possible using whatever modes, bands and locations to operate from as they wish.  Each country worked counts only once, no matter how many different bands and modes a member works it on.  The list of DXCC countries published by the RSGB in the RSGB Prefix Guide will be used for the purposes of the Challenge.

Modes and Bands

Just to make the challenge a little more interesting, please also keep a note of how many different bands and modes you have used to make the contacts.  For the purposes of the challenge, modes are AM, FM, SSB, CW, FSTV, SSTV, RTTY and PSK31/63 etc.  Bands are ANY amateur band you are licensed to use which is also permitted by the category you are entering.

Valid Contacts

For a contact to count, the two-way contact must have been conducted entirely using amateur radio frequencies (so no echolink or linked repeaters for example).  Contacts through un-linked repeaters and amateur satellites DO count.  Cross mode and cross band contacts do count as long as both modes and bands are recognised amateur bands, and count for the mode and band used by your station to transmit.  No QSL cards are needed.

Entries

Bring an extract of your log along to the first meeting in January 2017.  The log must contain (as a minimum) date of contact, callsign of station worked, country worked, mode and band used for transmission by your station.  In addition a count of the number of countries worked, plus bands used, plus modes used is required (e.g. worked 35 countries using 4 bands and 3 modes).  Please feel free to let Eddy Cobb have updates on how you are doing during the year for the PRS Times as this will hopefully motivate others to join in.  Early indications are that this could be a bumper year!  Results will be announced at the AGM in April 2015.

 

 

The sixth Colin’s Challenge, started on the 1st January 2016, and runs until the 31st December 2016.  The aim is the same as the previous year, although there are some small changes to the ‘rules’ in respect of categories and modes.

 

Results for 2015

Results were announced at the April 2016 Annual General Meeting.  This year, whilst most contacts were on the hf bands between 80m and 10m, some were on a variety of vhf/uhf bands from 6m to 3cm.  Modes used were CW, SSB, PSK31, PSK63, RTTY and FM.  143 separate DXCC entities were contacted by members – almost certainly a record!  

 

In the Foundation section, unfortunately there were no entries in this category this year.   

 

In the Intermediate Section, Leri 2E0SDZ first, with a very creditable log including some fine DX made using PSK 31 running 50 Watts or less. 

 

In the Advanced Section, Colin G0JII won by a narrow margin from Colin G6MXL.  G0JII’s log contained many excellent some really excellent DX such as Afghanistan, Djibouti, Hong Kong, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Zambia to name but a few.  The log from Colin G6MXL fewer DX stations, but included contacts on bands ranging from 80m to 3cm.  Tim M0TGY’s log contained almost exclusively contacts made using digital modes.  Paul G7EWY’s log included some choice DX including Belize.  Highlights of Alan G4UWS’ log included Kosovo and Sudan.    

 

 

Name

Callsign

Category

DXCC

Bands

Modes

Total

Position

Notes

Leri

2E0SDZ

Intermediate

41

3

2

46

Winner

Colin

G0JII

Advanced

114

7

3

124

Winner

Colin

G6MXL

Advanced

104

14

3

121

Runner Up

 

Tim

M0TGY

Advanced

74

10

4

88

Third

 

Paul

G7EWY

Advanced

68

8

3

79

Fourth

 

Alan

G4UWS

Advanced

42

8

2

52

Fifth

 

 

 

Results for 2014

Results were announced at the April 2015 Annual General Meeting.  This year, whilst most contacts were on the hf bands between 40m and 10m, some were on a variety of vhf/uhf bands from 6m to 23cm.  Modes used were CW, SSB, PSK31, PSK63, RTTY and FM.  

 

In the Foundation section, unfortunately there were no entries in this category this year.   

 

In the Intermediate Section, Alan G4UWS came first, with a number of his contacts made using 50 Watts or less. 

 

In the Advanced Section, Colin G6MXL again came first, working 66 countries with a range of bands from 40m to 23cm, using RTTY as well as PSK31, SSB and FM.  His country totals and bands were down on the previous year.

 

 

Name

Callsign

Category

DXCC

Bands

Modes

Total

Position

Notes

Alan

G4UWS

Intermediate

10

5

2

17

Winner

40m to 2m SSB & FM

Colin

G6MXL

Intermediate

3

5

2

10

Runner Up

6m to 23cm SSB & FM

Colin

G6MXL

Advanced

66

12

4

82

Winner

40m to 23cm SSB, FM, RTTY, PSK

Colin

G0JII

Advanced

34

4

2

40

Runner Up

20m to 10m CW, SSB

Alan

G4UWS

Advanced

22

6

2

30

40m to 2m SSB & FM

 

 

 

Results for 2013

Results were announced at the April 2014 Annual General Meeting.  This year, whilst most contacts were on the hf bands between 80m and 10m, some were on a variety of vhf/uhf bands from 6m to 9cm.  Modes used were CW, SSB, PSK31, PSK125, RTTY and FM.  

 

In the Foundation section, Sean 2E0CMT came first.  Sean made a number of contacts running 10 Watts on PSK31 whilst operating G100RSGB.

 

In the Intermediate Section, Sean 2E0CMT again came first, again whilst running G100RSG at intermediate power levels.

 

In the Advanced Section, Colin G6MXL came first, working many countries with a range of bands from 80m to 9cm, using RTTY as well as PSK31, SSB and FM.  He managed to work a number of countries and a couple of bands as ‘firsts’.

 

 

Name

Callsign

Category

DXCC

Bands

Modes

Total

Position

Notes

Sean

2E0CMT

Foundation

11

1

1

13

Winner

20m PSK31

(made whilst operating G100RSGB)

Sean

2E0CMT

Intermediate

30

3

2

56

Winner

PSK31 & PSK125

(made whilst operating G100RSGB)

Colin

G6MXL

Intermediate

8

3

2

13

Runner Up

4m, 70cm, 9cm SSB & FM

(all portable)

Colin

G6MXL

Advanced

94

13

4

111

Winner

80m to 9cm SSB, FM, RTTY, PSK31

Dave

G3ZPR

Advanced

30

8

3

41

Runner Up

40m to 6m & 2m CW, SSB, PSK31 & FM

 

 

Results for 2012

Results were announced at the February 2013 meeting.  This year, whilst most contacts were on the hf bands between 80m and 10m, some were on a variety of vhf/uhf bands from 6m to 70cm.  Modes used were CW, SSB, PSK31, RTTY and FM.  

 

In the Foundation section, Colin G0JII came first.  Colin showed what can be done with just 1 Watt of CW on 20m, thus operating well within the limitations of Foundation Licence allocations.

 

In the Intermediate Section, Sean 2E0CMT again came first, with another very good entry. 

 

In the Advanced Section, Colin G0JII came first again, working many countries using higher power that nobody else managed to work and a number of firsts for himself.

 

Name

Callsign

Category

DXCC

Bands

Modes

Total

Notes

Colin

G0JII

Foundation

21

1

1

23

Winner

20m CW 1 Watt

Colin

G0JII

Advanced

47

5

4

56

Winner

Sean

2E0CMT

Intermediate

22

5

4

31

Winner

 

Dave

G3ZPR

Advanced

30

7

3

40

 

Colin

G6MXL

Advanced

44

7

2

53

 

 

 

Results for 2011

Results were announced at the March 2012 meeting.  This year, whilst most contacts were on the hf bands between 80m and 10m, some were on a variety of vhf/uhf/shf bands from 6m to 3cm.  Modes used were CW, SSB, PSK31, RTTY and FM.  

 

In the Foundation section, Phil G3XBZ came first.  Phil decided to demonstrate just what could be achieved from a few short periods of operating within the limitations of Foundation Licence allocations.

 

In the Intermediate Section, Sean 2E0CMT came first, with another very good entry. 

 

In the Advanced Section, Colin G0JII came first again, working many countries that nobody else managed to work and a number of firsts for himself.

 

Name

Callsign

Category

DXCC

Bands

Modes

Total

Place

Colin

G6MXL

Advanced

21

11

3

35

A4

Alan

G4UWS

Advanced

38

10

2

50

A3

Dave

G3ZPR

Advanced

81

12

4

97

A2

Colin

G0JII

Advanced

116

7

4

127

A1

Sean

2E0CMT

Intermediate

96

8

3

107

I1

Phil

G3ZBX

Foundation

14

3

1

18

F1

 

Results for 2010

Results were announced at the March 2011 meeting.  It was noticeable that most contacts were on the hf bands between 80m and 10m, and that there was almost no vhf activity (no 4m activity) and no uhf/shf activity.  Modes used were CW, SSB, PSK31, RTTY and FM.  

 

In the Foundation section, Sean M6CMA came first.  A particularly notable achievement having only passed his Foundation Exam on Friday 26th November 2010.

 

In the Intermediate Section, sticking to Intermediate Licence and bandplan conditions, Les Hill M0ARM came first.  Les was the only member to work Chagos

 

In the Advanced Section, Colin G0JII came first.  Colin managed to work 36 countries that nobody else worked.

 

Name

Callsign

Category

DXCC

Bands

Modes

Total

Place

Alan

G4UWS

Advanced

38

10

3

51

A4

Colin

G6MXL

Advanced

50

7

5

62

A3

Dave

G3ZPR

Advanced

67

6

3

76

A2

Colin

G0JII

Advanced

108

7

5

120

A1

Sean

M6CMA

Foundation

26

7

3

36

F1

Les

M0ARM

Intermediate

55

8

3

66

I1