Ted Thrift VK2ARA, WIA Clubs Liaison Officer, writes via Email:

Hello to All Clubs,

Do your members really know about the *VHF/UHF Ross Hull Contest* which runs from 1st January to 31 January, but you can pick your best two days, or best seven days?

Do your *Standard Call* members know that in addition to 2M and 70 CM, they can get on the magic 6 metres?  All you need to do is join and support the DX Logger and make it known that you are there on 6 metres.  We use what is called the 2 MHz split.  If you are heard on 52.050, an advanced station may call you there, OR because of antenna limitations he may call you briefly on 50.050, and ask you to go up.  Usually to 52.150 / 50.150, 52.160 / 50/.60, or 52.170 / 50.170.  *Totally legal and lets you into the fun*.

NOW THE VERY GOOD BIT!

To give Standard AND Foundation stations a bit of a leg up, *This year the highest scoring station for each licence level will receive a Certificate of Achievement.*  You do have 2 metres and 70cm, and Yes you can work SSB.  No repeaters for the contest but YOU CAN use the repeater to set up a simplex contact using SSB or FM, or for that matter, AM or CW. Read your licence and the LCD because that is what it says!

Anybody needing Info about Ross Hull, look up the WIA website, contests, or email me.

Merry Christmas and hope to see you in my log in January.

To all of us other, now crotchety old Advanced amateur buggers who need a stick or a walker, we too can dust off the Pye Mk3 Taxiphone, or the transverter and have a go.  Do you remember how good it was on six metres, when you had your call (crystal) frequency and tuned everywhere to see if you were being called?  The old days are for us and today/tomorrow are for those who are yet to be bitten by the bug!!

Cheers all please pass on to members.

Merry Christmas.

See here for info on the Ross Hull Memorial VHF/UHF Contest via the WIA Website.

Russian digital Amateur Radio Club RTSRK (RDRC Russian Digital Radio Club) organizes and carries out the judging of four competitions: Moscow Cup R3A-CUP-DIGI, Russian WW Digital, Russian WW PSK and Russian WW MultiMode Contest.  We invite all radio amateurs to compete for prizes and awards for contest certificates, and just work in the pleasure digital modes RTTY and BPSK63, as well as CW and SSB. See you in the air Russian World Wide MultiMode Contest!

October 31 – November 1

For more on what is on in this contest, go to this link (note the page will be automatically translated from Russian to English).

From the WIA, original story here:

Date : 30 / 09 / 2015
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

Held every October are the Oceania DX Contests – first this weekend is the Phone Contest, and on the following weekend CW. The latest reports of sunspot numbers indicate that suitable propagation should exist this weekend.

The Oceania DX Contests are co-sponsored by the Wireless Institute of Australia and the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters – and managed by a committee of VK and ZL contesters. It has been around since the mid-1930s, was previously called as the VK/ZL Contest, and the VK/ZL/O Contest. At one stage, reflecting then on poor participation, the VK/ZL/O was to end. That proposal was discussed, put the vote, and the WIA Federal Council soundly rejected its demise.

After further promotion, it was renamed 15 years ago to increase participation and focus on the entire Oceania Region. One avid contester describes the Oceania DX Contest as a time when the whole world points their beam antennas and listens to Oceania for 24 hours.

The Phone Contest starts on Saturday October 3, and the CW Contest is Saturday October 10, with all logs due by October 31. As always, please study the rules and requirements, available on the WIA website.

Please see our detailed post on the contests here.