[Fists] The "G3ZQS Challenge"

[Stan Reas]

I don't know how many of you FISTS members are taking on the "G3ZQS Challenge"

It's designed to increase activity on the WARC bands.  The challenge began 
January 1 and involves contacts only on the WARC bands.  You get 2 points 
for each FISTS member you work and 1 point for each non-member. You get a 
multiplier for each unique grid square of FISTS member contacts.  No 
multiplier for grid squares of non-members.

The log for the challenge needs to indicate: QRG   Date   Call   FISTS 
#   IARU Grid.

Most guys don't know their IARU Grid, but usually you can find it on 
http://www.qrz.com/ by typing in the callsign and then
clicking on "Detailed Information"

If it's not there, you can use http://www.amsat.org/cgi-bin/gridconv where 
you put in the Latitude and Longitude and it determines
the grid square.

I have found the Challenge to be a great lot of fun.  To date I've made 73 
contacts, 51 on 30 Meters and 22 on 17 Meters.
And I've logged 37 unique grid squares of FISTS contacts.

The "DX" FISTS members I've contacted include:

	VE3MPQ,  VE2PID,  EA8/DL1CC,  M1EDF,  C6AKQ (N4BP) on 30 Meters

	G3CWW,  G0UQF,  M0TIX,  EA6UN,  VQ9LA on 17 Meters

The QSO I with Larry, VQ9LA on 18.080 MHz. really surprised me.  He is a 
FISTS member and located on Chagos Island
in the Indian Ocean - Grid MI62.

I don't have "fancy" antennas for the WARC bands, just a 160 Meter Inverted 
Vee and an R-7 vertical.  Most of the contacts (51)
were made running my K2 at 14 Watts.  Only 6 contacts were made with my 
OMNI 6 running 90 Watts.  And 16 contacts have been made from my mobile - 
running a Ten-Tec Scout into Hustler antennas.

So if you want a real fun challenge get on to the WARC bands.  Who knows 12 
Meters may even open up and give us another band on which to add to our 
contact totals.

73, Stan - K4UK