62ND COMMONWEALTH CONTEST 1999

Persistence pays off ! After several 2nd places and a record effort this year, Andy Chadwick, 9H3ZV, emerged as the winner of the Senior Rosebowl. At last conditions showed a marked improvement over the past several years, to general acclamation, 'dramatically better' - G3JYP; 'best for many years' - G3LET; 'best I have ever seen' - VE2ZP. Ten metres, in particular, gave much satisfaction, with greatly increased activity, though not many contacts between G and the antipodes. The lower frequency bands, however, were in general, 'lousy' - ZL1MH, because of QRN which was especially severe in VK/ZL and including the tail of a cyclone in 3B8. A scan of the 80m results shows the big differences in QSO numbers between the leaders and VK/ZLs. There was a good LP opening on 40 m between G and VK and a 10 m opening from the Mediterranean into G on Sunday morning, the first for many years.

Commonwealth Medal

The leading three entrants in the Open section are fairly well separated from the pack. It would seem that the Mediterranean was the place to be! 9H3ZV, operated again from 9H1EL's QTH, this is the third time this QTH has won BERU, previously in 1991, operated by Jeff, 9H1EL, himself, and in 1993, by Dennis, G3MXJ. 9H3ZV made over 1000 QSOs, as did 5B4AGC in third place. Sandwiched between them is last year's winner, VE3EJ; John had an excellent bonus count, but Andy was able to make appreciably more QSOs. Dave Lawley, G4BUO wins the Col. Thomas Rose Bowl again, in fifth place with a UK record score. Next G is Jan Fisher, G0IVZ, tenth. Conditions favoured the VEs also, Bob, VE3KZ, pushed hard in 4th place, Lee Sawkins, VE7CC, is one place up on last year, as is Jim Roberts, VE7ZO, whom we have known as VE3IY and VE3IY/7. John Loftus, VK4EMM, heads the VK entry in eighth position, with Barry Simpson, VK2BJ, eleventh and Steve Ireland, VK6VZ, fourteenth. Bob Whelan, 3B8/G3PJT, went to Mauritius this year, and has had to settle for twelfth place, but with the satisfaction of giving many entrants a bonus, on 4/5 bands in some cases. The Restricted section winner (third in 1998) is Bill Metcalfe, VE6BF, who again operated as VE6JY from that station's QTH.

Bill, VE6BF

VK2APK is second, and in third place is VE3UOL, making his first appearance in BERU. He says he much enjoyed it - as indeed do many entrants. We hope all the first timers will continue to participate. G3HKO and G3YHF (Open and Restricted sections respectively) made commendable scores, since each was using 5 watts or less to a G5RV. Several entrants proclaimed their advanced age. VK3MR says he is 90 and this may have been his last BERU: we certainly hope not, Snow! On a sad note we have heard that Ivor, VK3XB, passed away recently. Ivor and Mavis, VK3KS, were stalwart supporters of BERU. Ivor first entered in 1939 and competed in around 50 BERU contests [1]. ZL6QH puzzled some. Though not a prefix listed in the Rules it has been allowed for a bonus. Brian, ZL1AZE, was the operator, as in 1998, of the Quartz Hill Amateur Radio Station near Wellington, and was allocated a special callsign this year. There were three HQ stations: GB5CC was operated by three GMs and put out a good signal; VK4XA manned VK4WIA again; the Indian entry, AT0U, was operated under some mains power difficulties by Arasu, VU2UR. The Commonwealth Medal this year is awarded to Dave, VE2ZP, who has been very helpful with publicity and in encouraging VEs to enter BERU. Don't forget the RAC contest in late December this year! 73 entrants qualified for the 62 call areas certificate. These were dispatched in August.

PARTICIPATION

Despite the improved conditions, fewer callsigns - 707 - were recorded over all bands (438 G, 143 VE, 54 VK, 24 ZL, 10 ZS, all down from 1998 except ZS, though many G and VE stations failed to hear any of the 10 S. Africans). However, call areas were up by 2 to 56: 3B8, 3DA, 5B, 5N, 6Y, 9H, 9J, 9M2, 9V, 9Y, AT0 (HQ), C2, C5, G (including GI, GJ, GM, GW, M, MI), GB (HQ),J3, S2, T30, V8, VE1-7, 9), VK1-9, VK4 (HQ), VO1, VP8, VQ9, VU, VY2, Z2, ZB2, ZD9, ZF, ZL1-4, 6, /ZL, ZS1, 4-6. Participation by band was: 80m, 182 stations including 118 Gs, 30 call areas; 40m, 348 (231 Gs), 46; 20m, 463 (297 Gs), 50; 15m, 430 (287 Gs), 43; 10m, 402 (275 Gs), 42. Most of these figures are down on 1998, except for 10m where they show a great increase.

LOGS

Perhaps the less said the better: the comments made last year about entries which failed to conform with the Rules seem to have been largely ineffective! Almost two-thirds were on paper. More were submitted by e-mail than hitherto. Graham, VE3VHB, had the highest-scoring perfect log (i.e. with no errors detected), followed by Clive, GM3POI. A few had trouble with C56SW, which they logged as C5BSW, and thereby lost 25 points. Unmarked duplicates were around again; two stations had 17 between them - that's nearly 1000 points down the drain!! A good reason for supplying a dupe sheet, apart from helping the adjudicator!

SOAPBOX

'..Sunday was very slow... boredom too great..', G0IVZ. 'First BERU was 1937 as SWL...I heard ZB1J working G2QT..is it the same G2QT ?' (yes it is!), G3GC. 'Why only one HQ station per country ? Each call area can have its own.', (noted), G3JKY. 'Activity was plentiful .personal best score.. thanks to RSGB for sponsoring this wonderful contest.', VE2ZP. 'A pleasure not sure about the "relaxed environment" when chasing, VE3EJ, 5B4AGC and 9H3ZV !', VE3KZ. 'New call. Hard drive failure minutes into the contest ... forced reversion to manual logging and duping !', VE7ZO. 'Heavy QRN wiped out 80 and 40 for virtually the entire contest', VK2BJ. 'Only worked 26 call areas, where were the rest ? (he actually worked 58 !)', VK5GZ. '10 m looking up' , ZL1MH. 'Where were all the VEs?’, ZL2AZ. 'Only a single G on 10m, Frank, G2QT', ZL6QH. ‘Enjoyed listening to…some really nifty operating from long-time king pins VE3EJ and G4BUO. Now those blokes really know how to move someone quickly from band to band!’ VK6VZ. ‘Thanks to Jacky, 3B8CF, and XYL, Shakela for their hospitality’, 3B8/G3PJT.

ZL6QH and Quartz Hill, Brian ZL1AZE.

Quartz Hill ZL6QH

The Quartz Hill station is located on a wind-swept farm 300m ASL and 30 minute's drive from Wellington City. It is the site of the former Radio New Zealand Receiving Station and is well known for its low level of background noise.

The view to the west!

The station boasts an impressive array of large HF wire antennas spread over more than 100 acres. ZL6QH is the special call sign allocated to Quartz Hill to recognise its significance as a historical site as well as being one of the most extensive amateur radio installations in New Zealand. The Wellington Amateur Radio Club Inc. manages the station.

Brian working on the rhombic

The Quartz Hill antenna farm includes a rhombic antenna aimed at G (switchable between short and long paths) plus 4 Vee beams aimed at VK, VE and G (short and long paths). The rhombic has 200m legs at 20m AGL and the Vee beams have 250-300m legs sloping from 20m AGL. All of these antennas were used at various times in the contest.

Make a note for next year. 63rd Commonwealth Contest, 11th/12th March 2000.

Several entrants made suggestions for improvements including multi-op and more HQ stations etc. So add VY0 Nunavut, 3D Fiji, 3D Conway Reef, 3D Rotuma and ZL6 New Zealand to your Call Areas list. Correct the rule on HQ stations to one station per call area and we will score them as a separate section, hoping that this will encourage some multi-op entries. You will need 63 Band Call Areas for a certificate next year ! John, VK4EMM, has a new piece of software, QuickScore, which scores BERU from a CT BIN file. You can download it from his webpage, http://www.uq.net.au/radiosport/news/software.htm. The full results and commentary will be sent to every non-UK entrant and later in the year the BERU 2000 rules and updated call areas list. In addition this article will be sent to the VE, VK, ZS and ZL contest managers for local publicity.

1999 Commonwealth Contest - Full Results

 

Open Section (Q/B)

 

Posn     Call  80      40       20       15       10          Total   QSOs   BCAs

1*+    9H3ZV  95/22   209/45   261/67   277/56   287/51       10451  1129    139

2*     VE3EJ  95/31   196/53   227/60   216/55   221/54    9789      955     144

3*     5B4AGC 92/15   198/32   278/55   272/55   259/42       9445   1099    113

4      VE3KZ  41/22   144/45   196/50   200/51   129/42       7680   710     126

5*++   G4BUO  38/28    82/54   104/62   103/67    54/40    6900      381     142

6*     VE7CC  16/16    95/45   149/51   218/53   318/45       6885   542     118

7*     VE2ZP  44/23   130/36   129/48   154/41   123/35       6536   580     115

8*     VK4EMM 13/13   119/39   226/46   139/47    49/36       6312   545      99

9      VE7ZO  19/18   115/47   116/48   170/50    40/35       6243   460     113

10     G0IVZ  38/23    78/50   108/70    66/49    49/32       6159   339     130

11*    VK2BJ  20/19    73/42   193/51   121/39    59/40       6119   466     112

12* 3B8/G3PJT 13/13    68/27   138/38   196/41   205/34       6104   620     103

13*    ZL6QH  50/24   105/37   187/48   116/35    38/32    5952      496      93

14*    VK6VZ  20/18   136/39   215/46    53/39    86/25    5847      519     101

15  MI0/N4AR   26/21    71/47    98/61    68/49    43/31      5659   306     120

16     VE2AYU 23/16   135/40   164/36   126/24   104/17       5365   552      83

17     9H1ZA  54/7    138/25   161/34   172/27   193/20    5253      718      74

18*    9J2BO  5/5     24/22   134/45   148/32   214/32    5132      525      89

19*    ZL1MH  16/16    67/37   124/43    66/38    45/33    4920      318      90

20     G3TBK  22/18    45/36    69/50    77/53    35/26    4882      248     116

21*    ZB2EO  23/6     89/15   227/36   155/20    81/24    4867      575      62

22*    ZF1WD  2/2     58/21   222/40   170/30   116/24       4674   568      66

23     VE3VHB 33/14    41/23    84/42    86/31    85/33    4455      319      90

24     GM3POI 12/12    46/40    66/47    52/43    29/26    4385      205     107

25*    ZL2AZ  29/23    77/31    88/36    42/35    24/21    4291      260      81

26     G3GLL  11/11    35/29    60/45    49/42    31/25    3901      186      99

27     G3IAF  13/12    37/28    51/44    51/42    27/23    3857      178      99

28     GW3HGJ 15/15    41/33    66/52    38/21    14/14    3759      174      94

29     G2QT   14/12    46/31    61/45    59/39    19/16    3679      199      94

30     G3JYP  15/14    32/29    44/41    43/38    24/20    3605      158      93

31*    VE6JKZ 6/6     31/26    61/33    95/34    27/24    3549      220      74

32      G4IIY   9/9     39/30    50/41    53/38    19/16    3521     170      92

33      VE3HX  14/11    21/17    47/24    57/30    89/31    3390     228      73

34      ZL2BR   -       41/36   120/39    37/33     7/7     3296     205      60

35      G4CZB   9/9     33/27    45/39    42/32    20/18    3239     149      85

36      VE7UZ   3/3     25/23    31/25    48/26    49/38    3066     158      74

37      G3LIK  10/10    23/22    52/41    35/30    17/13    2994     137      80

38      G2HLU  10/10    24/24    40/35    35/30    20/18    2973     129      83

39      G3GPE   6/6     23/22    41/37    43/37    13/13    2926     126      82

40      G3KKP   5/5     27/24    39/35    36/31    19/17    2833     126      82

41*     VK5GZ   7/7     26/19   124/34    31/27     6/6     2807     194      58

42      G3NAN   4/4     21/20    37/32    33/29    26/21    2701     121      73

43*     VK8HA   3/3     13/11    33/24    42/31    43/30    2620     134      69

44*     VE1LS   7/6     28/16    83/26    54/19    35/9     2516     207      60

45      G3EBH   -       12/12    40/37    34/30    23/19    2484     109      69

46      G3DEF   7/7     19/18    28/25    37/27    22/18    2420     114      68

47      G3JJG   6/5     24/21    29/27    32/27    19/14    2399     110      66

48*     VK3ZC   8/8     29/26    36/28    22/22    10/10    2395     105      62

49      G3VDL  10/10    16/16    39/34    26/24    11/11    2393     102      71

50      G3ESF   3/3     16/16    42/36    33/27     8/8     2273     102      65

51      G4AMT   9/9     24/24    23/23    16/16    13/13    2117     85       64

52      G3TEV   -       16/16    29/26    32/29    13/13    2104     90       62

53=     M0AJT   1/1     12/12    27/25    34/26    14/13    1970     98       56

53=     G3ILO   4/4     13/13    32/29    24/23     9/9     1970     82       62

55      G3HAL   4/4     17/16    26/24    24/23    11/11    1966     82       59

56      G5MY    8/8     12/12    19/19    29/23    16/14    1900     84       60

57      VE1EP   9/7     18/10    35/25    32/17    16/13    1881     110      49

58      VK3XB   4/4     17/17    42/31    13/13     6/6     1761     82       47

59      VK3MR   6/5     26/23    34/24     8/8      6/6     1623     80       46

60      VK2DID  -        8/8     29/24    18/15    10/10    1452     65       38

61      G3ZDD   7/7     18/16    15/15    23/18     2/2     1438     65       43

62      G3BPM   5/5     10/10    17/17    26/20     4/4     1415     62       37

63      G3HKO   1/1     10/10    17/17    23/21     7/5     1348     58       38

64      VK4XW   8/8      5/5     33/22    10/10     6/6     1318     62       38

65      G3GMS   1/1      8/8     16/13    20/16    14/10    1240     59       36

66      VK8AV/3 2/2     19/18    22/22     6/6      1/1     1214     50       34

67      G3ZGC   3/3     10/10    20/20    14/14     1/1     1198     48       40

68*     VE9WH   -       -         5/4     37/9     66/12    1031     108      17

69*     3DA0CA  4/4      5/5      8/8      8/8     19/16    1028     44       34

70*     VU2UR   -        -        2/2     17/15    13/12     740     32       23

71      VK3KS   -        1/1     12/12    12/12     -        623     25       20

72      GW4XXF  -        -        -       11/11    14/10     545     25       17

73      G4ZYF   -        4/3      7/5     17/14     2/0      538     30       18

74      VK5HO   8/8     11/11     -        1/1      -        498     20       14

75      G0VQR   -        -        -        3/3      8/8      271     11        8

76      G0WAT   -        -        4/4      5/5      -        214     9         8

 

+      Senior Rose Bowl

++     Col. Thomas Rose Bowl

*      Certificate of Merit

 

 

 

Restricted Section

 

Posn     Call   80      40       20       15       10       Total  QSOs    BCAs

1*+++  VE6JY 7/7     52/31   160/35   146/27    53/35    4694      418     77

2*      VK2APK  8/8     51/35   175/36    50/27    27/24    4115     311     74

3*      VE3UOL  6/5     61/23   131/22   125/23    62/29    3859     385     65

4       VE6JO  10/9     37/26    52/23    90/29    25/22    3222     214     68

5*      ZF2NT   3/3     25/12    65/20   128/26    72/23    3089     293     49

6       G3LET  13/13    29/26     -       46/36    21/18    3007     135     83

7*      G3KZR  17/17    28/26    39/37    35/27    11/11    3004     130     81

8       G3LHJ  10/10    25/18    50/39    39/30    25/18    2979     149     73

9       G3SXW   7/7     21/21    44/35    34/30    20/19    2858     126     77

10      G4BJM  13/12    30/24    34/30    22/18    26/23    2763     125     73

11      VK2AYD  2/2     16/16    72/32    21/21    26/24    2583     137     65

12      GW0GEI  -       48/31    51/35    20/20    10/10    2549     131     64

13      G4AZN   6/6     11/11    34/32    36/30    28/20    2529     115     72

14      GW3NJW  8/8     18/18    25/23    39/30    24/18    2500     114     72

15      VE3FU   3/3     23/17    31/15   103/22    24/21    2480     184     53

16      GW3KGV  8/8     15/15    30/28    37/30    18/16    2458     108     70

17      G2AFV   5/5     19/19    43/36    25/23    11/10    2345     103     66

18      GM3CFS  1/1     15/14    44/36    33/29    12/11    2320     115     63

19=*    VE5SF   -        2/2     76/16   121/27    16/16    2291     215     38

19=     G3RSD   7/7     16/16    37/32    32/27     9/8     2291     101     64

21*     VE1BN  23/11    67/25    22/13    35/20    13/8     2286     160     50

22*     VK6AJ   -       22/10   101/32    18/16    26/14    2264     167     58

23      G4TSH   7/7     25/23    36/32    25/21     7/7     2234     100     65

24      G3JKY   -       11/11    33/29    36/29    19/16    2191     99      61

25      G3VYI   5/5     22/22    37/31    23/22     5/5     2153     92      59

26*     VK4TT   2/2     20/19    57/22    37/22    13/11    2140     129     44

27      G3LZQ   4/4      9/9     38/34    34/30    16/15    2116     101     70

28      G5LP    4/4     18/17    20/20    36/33    11/11    2111     90      62

29      G3MPB   5/5     20/17    22/21    33/29     8/8     2019     87      57

30      VK2BQQ  8/8     18/17    45/26    18/18     7/7     1994     96      54

31      G3GC    -       11/10    31/26    29/25    21/13    1886     92      48

32      G4OGB   4/4     12/12    29/27    23/20     7/7     1775     75      49

32      GW3SB   2/2     10/10    19/19    33/27     5/5     1605     69      49

34      G3TJE   3/3      7/7     17/17    25/20    15/14    1543     67      43

35      G6QQ    2/2      7/7     20/20    24/17    12/10    1445     65      41

36      G3HZL   6/6     15/15    21/20    12/12     3/3     1398     57      42

37      G3HEJ   8/8     21/18    13/13     4/4      5/5     1209     51      37

38      G3VQO   6/6     12/12    15/15     7/7      7/7     1175     47      37

39      VE1AYY  -       -       145/25     -        -         1156          145     14

40      G3GMM   -        6/6     12/12    12/12    14/13    1076     44      34

41      G3YHF   -        2/8     15/15    20/15    10/10    1064     47      32

42      G0IGP   1/1      2/2     16/14    10/10     6/6      835     35      26

43      GW3WWN  -        7/7     16/15    10/10    33/32     700     33      23

44      G4EBK   -        6/6     12/12     8/8      1/1      673     27      22

45      G3UFY   7/7     11/11     2/2      -        -        500     20      16

 

 

+++    Junior Rose Bowl      

*      Certificate of Merit

 

 

HQ Stations

 

Posn     Call    80      40      20       15        10     Total   QSOs     BCA

1      GB5CC (GM3WOJ/GM0NAI/GM0GAV)     

              107/21   145/44   210/56   160/50   111/26    7503     733     117

 

2      VK4WIA (VK4XA)      

               17/16    43/32   168/41    47/35    36/28    4564     311     83

 

3      AT0U (VU2UR)    2/2     18/13    29/20    12/11     1208      61      37

 

 

Checklogs from G3IGW, G3TXF and G3WP are gratefully acknowledged.