CQ WW SSB 2002 - GD6IA
Operating as GD6IA from the QTH of Alex Gartshore GD3UMW - 4500 QSOs for 6.3 Million pts. = No. 1 in Europe !
Alex's QTH Alex and Val Alex's QTH from a distance
History of GD6IA
The GD6IA callsign was first issued to Harold Coleburn in the
1930s. Harold was a keen supporter of the Isle of Man Radio Society until his death in the 1970s. When the Society celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 1998, the GD6IA callsign was re-issued to the Manx Amateur Radio Club. The call is held by Alex Gartshore GD3UMW (ex GM3UMW) on behalf of the club and is used for HF contests and special events. The site is isolated on a 600 foot hilltop with views from the shack to Wales and England. Joe K1JB and Mike K1EU of the Yankee Clipper Contest Club operated GD6IA in CQ WW SSB 2000 and 2001 in the Multi-Single category from Alex’s QTH.
Keith GM4YXI - my friend and rival ! GD6IA antennas Mosley Pro 57B
The 160m Beverage - pointing to the USA (and the local BC QRM!)
Looking into the GD6IA shack from outside
SO2R - some of the time !
GD6IA 2002 QSOs/Zones/Countries
160 173/6/45
80 280/11/59
40 195/15/68
20 749/29/105
15 1153/32/113
10 1911/31/125
Totals 4461
Qs, 124 Z, 515 C
Equipment : FT-1000MP + Alpha 91B amp., TS-850sat + Alpha 78 amp. + DVK + Heil HC4 + home-made SO2R box + Auto band filters
Antennas : 4ele 15m yagi, Mosley Pro57B for 20/15/10, Delta loops for 80 and 40m, 160m dipole.
Conclusion : 10m won this contest for me - hour after hour of 3-point QSOs with the USA on both days. My friend and rival Keith GM4YXI operating as GM7V worked more mults than me but could not access these 3-point QSOs. I was also *lucky* that the high winds which affected some other UK contest stations were not severe enough to force me to lower the towers - they were very strong winds but I kept operating !