Daily Archives: June 5, 2021

Another 2 days as VK100AF

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On Thursday 3rd June and Friday 4th June 2021, Marija VK5MAZ and I had another turn as VK100AF, celebrating 100 years of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Unfortunately, Marija and I both had to work on Friday, so in effect we were on air for only 1 & 1/4 days. I didn’t get into the shack until 11.00 a.m. on Thursday and did not get on air on Friday until very late in the afternoon.

All up we made a total of 208 QSOs on 10, 20, 40, & 80m SSB.

We logged 25 different DXCC entities:-

  • Asiatic Russia
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • England
  • France
  • Germany
  • Guadeloupe
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Malta
  • Morocco
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovenia
  • South Africa
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • USA
  • Virgin Islands

The map below shows our contacts around the world.

Above:- Map showing our QSOs around the world.

There was a small opening on Thursday afternoon on 20m on the long path (LP) into Europe and the United Kingdom. Conditions were not as good as we have experienced previously, but any opening is better than nothing. Unfortunately by the time I had got home from work on Friday, 20m LP had closed and I logged just a handful of European stations.

It was quite interesting to work two Irish stations, EI2HI and EI6JK, on the long path on 20m at 11.00 a.m. on Thursday morning. This is 3-4 hours before the band normally opens up to Europe.

The map below shows our contacts into Europe on the long path.

Above:- Map showing our contacts into Europe and the UK.

A total of 137 VK’s and 10 ZL’s were logged on 10, 20, 40, & 80m. There was a small opening to VK2 on 10m on Thursday.

Above:- Map showing our contacts around Australia and into New Zealand

This time around the most interesting QSOs were with Volker ZS3Y in South Africa on 20m. We had a chat for about 20 minutes and were 5/9 both ways. I also spoke with FG5IM in Guadeloupe in the Carribean. I also had a good chat with Mike VE6MB in Alberta in Canada on 40m about our recent trip to Canada and also the various aircraft used by the RAAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force.

I also spoke with Phil VK2NE who was a former RAAF Air Traffic Controller, and Frank VK6ALF who is former RAAF.

THANK YOU to everyone who called.