Category Archives: Contesting

Club Contesting Activities

REPORT: AREG’s Oceania DX Contest Event 2025 – VL5X on the air! + Winner Multi-Multi OC division

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2025 marked the year that the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group returned to the Oceania DX Contest after taking several years break. The aim was to put VL5X, the club contest call sign back on the air, and give our newer members a chance to participate in a world class contest. As the group does not have current access to a permanent contest grade station, our efforts revolved around building a portable station that was as competitive as possible yet achievable with only a small window for construction.

Planning & Site Selection

The event planning began back in March, when we started looking for suitable sites. Multiple factors played a part, including accessibility, weather destruction risks, operating environment and HF propagation performance. The weather featured highly in these considerations, given the destruction of the station that occurred back in 2022 when a severe storm front blew over the site mid contest, destroying several antennas in the process. The ability to operate multiple 400W transmitting stations in close proximity was also critical to the success, as we were planning a MULTI-MULTI entry – the aim of which being to give as many operating opportunities to as many members as we could during the contest.

We considered various sites and how they would perform from a terrain and antenna height perspective.

We also studied propagation charts so we could plan which bands we should be looking at and when. We aimed to enter the contest as well equipped as we could.

Final Location

Our final location was chosen because it could achieve our propagation objectives, as well as comfortably housing the contest crew. One of our members owns a home atop Willunga Hill, which in the end is where we chose to play!

Equipment Plan

Antennas & Filters/Combiners

80m Band 1/4 wave vertical DK9IP Design – mounted on an 18m Spiderbeam pole

40m Band 4-square Phased Array – designed by Oly VK5XDX

20-10m Portable HexBeam – MW0JZE design on a 10m Spiderbeam Aluminium Tower

20-10m Spiderbeam (3el on 20/15m and 4el on 10m) on a 10m Spiderbeam HD Aluminium Mast

Our secret weapon was our set of VA6AM Filter Combiners for 20-10m which allowed us to run 3 stations on the one antenna.

VA6AM High Power Bandpass Filter / Combiner set

The Team

None of this gear achieves much without an operator team. We had a great turnout from the membership, with 13 operators taking turns running the station for the 24hrs of the contest. A huge thanks to VK5AKH, VK5CIA, VK5EDY, VK5FR, VK5GLD, VK5GR, VK5IR, VK5KT, VK5MN, VK5QI, VK5XDX, VK5ZM and VK5ZQV. We also had construction help additionally from VK5SFA, and site support thanks to VK5ABG.

VK5GLD
VK5XDX
VK5KT & VK5EDY
VK5GR & VK5MN
VK5FR
VK5QI
VK5GR & VK5ZM
VK5CIA & VK5QI
VK5KT & VK5AKH

The Result

So what did we achieve? From AREG’s perspective, we achieved our best ever score in the OCDX contest since we first participated in  2012. Our raw score was over 1.9 million points. This was despite what turned into some of the worst SSB contesting ionospheric conditions we have ever encountered. Much of Sunday’s daylight hours were lost due to extremely high absorption, leaving us calling often into dead bands for only 1-2 QSOs an hour. Its a credit to the team’s determination and perseverance to have scored so well.

In the end, the effort was worthwhile, with VL5X victorious in the Multi-Multi category for 2025. We just managed to hold off  the team from T32AZ on Kiribati to retain first place in our category this year even after count-backs for scoring errors. A very happy outcome for our return to this event after a 3 year hiatus.

Thanks must go to the entire team who was involved in this activity. It was great to see so many AREG members get involved in what was a really great fun weekend!

AREG July 2025 Meeting – “Contest Station Planning and Design” by Grant VK5GR

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Grant’s talk was recorded and is available here:

The next AREG meeting will be held on Friday the 18th of July at the Fulham Community Centre – Phelps Court, Fulham. (Not at last month’s venue in St Peters – we’ll probably be back there at a future meeting!)

This month’s presentation is from Grant VK5GR, on considerations around setting up a station for a large worldwide amateur radio contest!
Grant will take you through various considerations when designing a HF contest station, starting with HF Propagation analysis and station location selection (and how to use the ARRL HF Terrain Analysis package). We will then take us through some station design ideas intended to maximise your ability to be heard at the right times and on the right bands to maximise your competitiveness. Ways of operating multiple HF transmitters from one location will also be discussed, as well as the types of gear to consider. Finally, he will take a look at contest logging systems and show how easy it is to record your QSOs. During the evening, Grant will specifically work through the planning that has so far taken place around the AREG effort to activate VL5X in this year’s 80th Oceania DX Contest during the October long weekend.

Doors open at 7.00pm and the presentations kick off at 7.30. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you’ve never come along to one of our meetings, we’d love to see you there, all guests are welcome. For our remote members, the meeting will be broadcast via Zoom, and the talk will be recorded for later viewing on Youtube.

After the talks we’ll all be given an opportunity to have an eyeball QSO among ourselves whilst enjoying a tea or coffee and a biscuit.

73, Mark VK5QI

January Meeting – “Contesting – a 10 year journey, from Foundation to 2×1 call sign” by Andy VK5AKH

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The next AREG meeting will be held on Friday the 19th of January at the Fulham Community Centre – Phelps Court, Fulham, with doors opening at 7:00 PM, and the presentation kicking off at 7:30 PM. Everyone is welcome!

This month’s talk is by Andy VK5AKH, titled “Contesting – a 10 year journey, from Foundation to 2×1 call sign”.

A look back on the last 10 years of contesting, from being bitten by the bug as a Foundation Licence holder, to VHF/UHF/Microwave, grid square hopping, to large multi-op stations.

Where to from here, Ideas and thoughts on contesting going forward, then open discussion from the floor.

If you’ve never come along to one of our meetings, we’d love to see you there, all guests are welcome. For our remote members, the meeting will be broadcast via Zoom.

After the talks we’ll all be given an opportunity to have an eyeball QSO among ourselves whilst enjoying a tea or coffee and a biscuit.

73, Mark VK5QI

AREG VHF Sprint – Oct 23rd 2022

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When: Sunday 23-10-2022 1000 ACST
Duration: 30min
Where: 2m FM 146.425 -146.600.
Region: VK5

The Amateur Radio Experiments Group is looking to stimulate VHFsimplex activity with a  2m Sprint. In the first year, the frequency will be limited to the 2m band and the FM Mode. This is the most accessible with most hams having an HT or FM mobile radio at hand. The Plan is to have fun and introduce or reintroduce people to VHF and carry the newfound love of VHF into other Field days and Contests.

Sprint Contest Rules

Single Operator stations only, one call sign per operator/station. Different station types are permitted and encouraged eg Portable or Maritime Mobile. One point per contact, no reworking, 5 bonus points for working the AREG contest call; VL5X. Exchange is a Signal report and serial number starting from 1. e.g. 59001. Stations are to adhere to the VK band plan and operate in the FM Simplex range of 146.425 -146.600, stations may liaise on the call channel, but contest exchanges should occur somewhere either side of the call channel. Stations are encouraged to spread out, call CQ and search up and down the band.

Log Submission

Logs to be submitted in the calibro format using www.vklogchecker.com logs close 2 weeks after the contest.

AREG supports a fun and inclusive environment for the contest, please remember we are here to have fun.

Questions and feedback to: VHFSprint@areg.org.au

Spread the word, the more stations that participate the more fun it will be. #AREGVHFSPRINT

Please keep watching the website for any further news or developments prior to the contest.

New VK5 VHF Contest Announced: The AREG VHF Sprint!

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The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group is proud to announce a new event in the VK5 Amateur Calendar ! This coming October, the AREG will hold its inaugural AREG VHF 2m Sprint contest.

The aim of this event is to promote 2m FM simplex activity between stations in a fast paced, work as many QSO’s as you can, fun filled, action packed, 30 minute period.

Running on a Sunday just after the WIA broadcast we hope to see many people head out to their nearest hill top for an hour to come and play radio !

The rules of the contest, similar to the WIA Harry Angel sprint, will be released closer to the date. Meanwhile, now is a good time to go and find that 2m mono-band FM radio that’s been languishing in the back corner of the shack, dust it off and get it ready for battle.

Please watch the AREG website and listen to the WIA VK5 local broadcast for further news!

AREG July Meeting – Lightning Talks: AREG members in the VHF/UHF Field Day

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Hopefully you have noticed by now that AREG is currently heavily promoting VHF and UHF activity within the Amateur Service. Many of our members took the hint and got up on the air for the WIA’s Winter VHF/UHF field day this year!

Now that the event is over, we thought it would be great to review the events of the day and have each of those who participated give a short 5 minute summary of their experiences on VHF/UHF in the contest this year. So the next meeting will be a series of member “Lightning Talks” – 5 minutes each on how you went, what you did, what worked and what didn’t – so that we can share the experiences and learning ready for the next event in Spring.

To hear how everyone went, come along to the AREG meeting this Friday night, starting at 7.30pm. AREG meets at the Fulham Community Centre, off Phelps Court, Fulham. Visitors are most welcome.

For those members interstate or locally who cant attend in person, the meeting will as usual also be conducted in parallel online via Zoom. Visitors who would like to attend our meeting via Zoom can email our secretary – Mark via secretary@areg.org.au to request guest access to the Zoom conference for the night.

After the presentations, there will be a short business meeting. This is our last business meeting for 2021/22 as the AREG Annual General Meeting will take place next month, on the 19th of August.

We also hope to have a special guest speaker at the AGM – stay tuned for more details!

August Meeting: Amateur Radio Contesting with VK5ARG

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VK5ARG: Tarlee Contest Site – Remembrance Day Contest 2021

The next meeting of the Amateur Radio Experimenter’s Group will be held this coming Friday, 20th August. The topic will be Amateur Radio Contesting with VK5ARG. During the meeting we will explain the basics of Amateur Radio Contesting and how we apply them during “Contest Month” up at our remote site west of Tarlee.

The aim will be to demystify how to get involved with contesting and explain the basics. We will also talk a bit about contest strategy, band awareness and operating styles, so you can get a feel for how to make contacts in a contest environment. After the initial presentation, there will be time for Q&A.

For anyone who would like to get involved in Contest Month during September/October for the first time, know that we will be working to introduce newbies at the event with each new operator having a mentor to help them get into the swing of things!

Michael VK5ZRN – First time contester – Remembrance Day Contest 2021 @ VK5ARG

The presentation this Friday night will start at 7.45pm. Doors open at 7.15pm and the venue will be the Fulham Community Hall, Phelps Court, Fulham! Visitors are welcome – see you there!

AREG Members note: the meeting will be simulcast on Zoom for members who cant be there in person, but there will be no YouTube stream this month. We will be observing the current COVID restrictions at the hall as well and will ask everyone in attendance to wear a mask in accordance with current health guidelines. Check in at the door will be mandatory. If you are unwell, please stay home and join the proceedings via Zoom!

75th Oceania DX Contest: AREG on the air as VK5ARG

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Calling all contesters – help the Oceania DX Contest celebrate it’s 75th year!

First established in 1934 and earlier known as the VK/ZL contest, the Oceania DX Contest continues to grow. Please join us here in Oceania from all over the world for the 75th running of our international HF radio activity over the first two weekends of October.

PHONE: 06:00 UTC Saturday 3rd Oct to 06:00 UTC Sunday 4th Oct 2020
CW: 06:00 UTC Saturday 10th Oct to 06:00 UTC Sunday 11th Oct 2020

NOTE: New Start times!

See www.oceaniadxcontest.com for the latest version of the rules and list of plaques.

AREG Will be there as VK5ARG!

The Amateur Radio Experimenters Group will be running again this year as VK5ARG in a Multi-Multi entry in the PHONE contest this weekend. Our station is a large portable effort, constructed over the past 2 weeks at our remote contesting site (~100km north of Adelaide , the capital city of VK5). We would love to get you in our logs and will be looking for contacts on all bands from 160m to 10m.

ocdx18_IMG_5436 (Large)
IMG_7346 (Large)
ocdx18_IMG_5417 (Large)

Members who have never contested before and those that just like to come for the view and to socialize are asked to let the president know you are coming for catering purposes. We will then let you know the protocols for accessing the site (which is locked away on remote farmland). If you want to operate the station, please make sure you have registered with Matt VK5ZM who is coordinating the roster.

More Reasons to Join In!

Oceania DX Contest Plaque

The OCDX Committee have advised that there are a number of new plaques on offer this year thanks to their generous sponsors. Here are the new ones available for 2020:

  • Ron Wright ZL1AMO Memorial Award:
  • WORLD (non-Oceania) Phone + CW Single-Op Plaque
  • OCEANIA Phone MM (Multiple-Operators and Multiple-Transmitters) Plaque
  • OCEANIA SOUTHEAST ASIA Phone Single-Op Plaque (Philippines, East Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and East Timor)
  • AUSTRALIA Phone Single-Op YL Plaque
  • AUSTRALIA CW Single-Op All Band QRP Plaque
  • INDONESIA Phone Single-Op 40M Plaque for Advanced and Extra Class licensees

Everyone is encouraged to have a go and submit a log, even if you only make one or two QSOs, so the contest organisers can verify these QSOs when calculating the final scores for all entrants. Upload your log via http://www.oceaniadxcontest.com/html/enter.html .

Oceania DX Contest Committee (ZL3GA, VK3GK, VK3MI/ZL1AZE, VK3TZ, VK4FH, VK4QS, VK7GN, YB0NDT)