Report of the 2009 HARC/CARC Challenge

On the 5th August CARC welcomed their colleagues from the Horsham Club for the annual HARC-CARC challenge. The challenge was set by myself (G3YSX), and I was assisted in the adjudication by Richard G4ANN.

In summary challenge this year required the contestants to construct an antenna withing a 2m cube located on the ground, to send a signal using no more than 5W, and to provide proof of receipt using any means. The teams heard at the best DX would be declared the winner. The Internet was allowed as a means of determining receipt of the signal. One further constraint was that the antenna could only be constructed using the feeder and wire that I supplied on the night. The two teams were supplied with 10m of 1/2" 75R coax and a large spool of multi-strand wire that I found on the floor of my shed. The teams were able to supply any other equipment they wished, including antenna supports, but they were not told the details of the feeder/wire until they arrived on the night.

HARC chose to construct a set of TAK-tennas for 40m, 30m and 20m.



Assembling the TAK-tenna ends.



Two different mounts for the antennas.



One of the finished TAK-tennas.

CARC chose to construct a loop antenna using the coax as the radiating element and as the coupling loop using a conventional tuning capacitor.



Both groups used FT817 transceivers and digital modes.













CARC chose to use WSPR, and HARC chose to start with PSK31, although after some problems interfacing the computer to the FT817 they reverted to CW. CARC got off to an early lead with a logged report at VA1CHP in Shad Bay, Nova Scotia, a distance of 4654Km.



CARC then extended this range to 5895Km with a report from W3CSW in Rockville, Maryland. The best DX that HARC worked was a CW contact with UA1TET located at Novg. obl., Pestovo, ul. Lermontova, 3-A, which we estimated to be a distance of 2435Km. All transmissions took place on 30m. The report from VA1CHP indicated that CARC were 17db below the noise and that from W3CSW indicated a signal 23db below the noise. CARC also obtained reports from VA1CHP and W3CSW on 40m.

The relative distance of the contacts resulted in the CARC team lead by Mike, G0KAD being declared the winners. Both teams expressed their thanks to their competitors for a very interesting evening and looked forward to next years challenge.

Stewart/G3YSX