The
first VHF Hill Topping Contest was held on 19 and 20 January 2013. The
timing was 12 a.m. Saturday 19 till 12 a.m. Sunday 20. It was organized
by the Amateur Radio Society of India (ARSI). The Hill Topping Contest
was planned to encourage VHF DXing, exploring new summits and hill top
locations, experimenting with various kinds of antennas, contacting
different grid locations across, etc.
Photo Credit: http://arsi.info
The important rules for the
contest, include:
- The contesting team may consist of one or more hams operating one contest station from that particular hill top location.
- Each hill top station should specify their exact grid location or point of operation and will not be allowed to shift locations during the period of contest.
- Each hill top contest station may be operated by any of the team members but the logging will be for that particular hill top contest team callsign as assigned.
- All hill top stations should strictly adhere to amateur rules, specially with regard to max RF power levels.
- Mode of operation will be FM, commonly available in most rigs and used by majority of hams.
- Antennas can be any kind but safe, as long as they do not cause harm to the public or co-members of the team.
- Each hill top contesting team should make the max number of simplex contacts with other hill top stations, or with other non hill top or fixed stations from various cities, towns, etc. (Contacts through repeater or Echolink is invalid)
- Only One contact is counted for scoring points. No duplicate contact to be logged for points.
- Each contact is counted as 1 point.
The Trivandrum VHF team had actively participated in the contest. We managed to operate the VHF Hill Topping Contest from St. Shantal School premise, Malamukal, Trivandrum. The callsign for the contest operation was VU2AJO and the allocated frequency was on simplex 144.450 MHz at grid location MJ88LM, 8 deg 54 min North and 76 deg 99 min East. The equipments
that have been used for the purpose include Yaesu FT857D with 5 element
beam Yagi and Yaesu FT2800M with 5 element beam Yagi. We also did take
2 back up batteries, power supplies, generator, and other accessories and supplies. We worked from a comfortable location in the building where we were able to place all the equipments
and erect the antenna on top.
Many hams from Trivandrum were present at the spot and we had
a wonderful eyeball and VHF contest activity, both hand in hand ;) The
contest went overnight and we sat late through the night. We were able
to make a total of 27 VHF contacts and listened a lot more stations from the Malamukal hill location. The longest contacts made were from stations located at Manipal, Madras, and Kodaikanal more than 700 Kms away. We made a surprising contact with VU2RDL Old Man Rajagopal through UHF who was operating from another hill location in Nilamel, Kollam District about 65 km away and VU3SQG OM Saji communicated with him using just a rubber duckie
antenna.
The team members participated in the contest include VU2AJO, VU2PAG, VU3SQG, VU3BRD, VU3AUE, VU3SFJ, VU2KHC, VU3ROR, VU2JQX, VU3REG, VU3DDE, VU2LVJ, VU2TTR, VU2ACT, Mr. Prabin etc.
The team members participated in the contest include VU2AJO, VU2PAG, VU3SQG, VU3BRD, VU3AUE, VU3SFJ, VU2KHC, VU3ROR, VU2JQX, VU3REG, VU3DDE, VU2LVJ, VU2TTR, VU2ACT, Mr. Prabin etc.
Some Photo Shoot of the Event:
Deliberations
Front of the School Building
Top View From the Building
A View From the Building
View of the Nearby Hills
Through the Window Panes
A View of the Distant Hills From Inside the Corridor
Outside View From the Contest Station Location
A Photo Shoot Beside the Antenna, Ready, Steady
A Lil Joke With Antenna Installation
Erected Yagi Beam Antennas
Solving Small Glitches
The Rigs Ready to Fire
Test, Test, Test
Planning The Strategy
CQ Contest CQ Contest de VU2AJO/VU3TTR
Calling CQ Beaming North
Lost In Old Memories
Our Fundaa TVM Radio Amateur Team
Hi, this is VU2LVJ
Coool down Maaan!
Kappayum Meenum - Local Menu
Swallowed, and Almost Over
Getting Ready For the Second Shift
Everything is doin Okay and As Per Plan!
Chillax When the Sun Goes Down
CQ Contest CQ Contest De VU2AJO/VU3SQG Calling CQ Malamukal Contest and Standing BY
Reading The Instructions
Will CQ Contest The Night Away
Prepared for the Whole Event!
