Saturday, July 29, 2023

WQ6X Works the World Championship - from the Sidelines

Every July of year in radiosport, the mixed-mode worldwide HF Championship GiG runs for 24-hours beginning at 12:00z.  Every 4th year the WRTC Championship occurs at a pre-chosen operating QTH.  Last year's 2022 GiG (from Italy) was postponed to July 2023 and is now behind us. 
59 two person teams competed from identical tents and antenna systems using their own
favorite radios, using the IARU HF Championship as it backdrop and playing field.

While the world watched (and joined in the radio signal pool), we looked for unique Italian
callsigns, such as I49K or I44D, while the world worked the world in/around them. 
The team of N5ZO/KI6RRN represented the San Diego area.

Dennis (N6KI) organized
a 6-person Multi-single team for this 24-hour event - all running remotely.

I ran two diametrically opposed operator shifts:

  • 2pm to 5pm Saturday afternoon running the HIGH bands (10, 15 & 20).
  • 2am to 5am Sunday morning - running 20,40 & 80 - to the end of contest.

The Elecraft K3/0 unit in Concord is switchable between ANZA Stations 1 & 2 as well as a station
in Ramona.  Both stations are located on in-the-clear hilltops in the San Bernardino mountains of Southern California.  With excellent locations (and even more excellent antenna arrays), running
QRP operations from these locations is actually a JoY.










During "in-between" hours, WQ6X ran QRP from KN6NBT's medium-gun station atop
the mountain-top in Ramona (San Bernardino area of So. California).  The original idea
was to run mixed mode until I quickly realized QRP Cw alone is all I could manage for
that given weekend.








While Space-WX numbers were theoretically quite good, the reality is that
DX propagation left a lot to be desired.

DiD YOU work the IARU HF Championship?

What Bands/Modes DiD you work?

How many of the 59 competition stations did You work?

Is NX6T or WQ6X/QRP in YOUR LoG?

No comments:

Post a Comment