What use is an F-call?

If you've just gained your license and you're still not sure what to do with it, I can strongly recommend that you have a go at the Remembrance Day contest. It's an annual event where amateurs spend 24 hours commemorating the cessation of hostilities in the Pacific. The contest happens every year on the weekend closest to the 15th of August and runs from Saturday at 03:00 UTC until Sunday, 03:00 UTC.

The aim is to make as many contacts as possible between amateurs in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guniea, or said using Amateur Speak, VK,ZL and P2.

I hear you asking how does it work? Very simple.

One station calls CQ Contest, something like this: "CQ Contest, CQ Contest, CQ Remembrance Day Contest, this is Victor Kilo Six Foxtrot Lima Alpha Bravo, Victor Kilo Six Foxtrot Lima Alpha Bravo, VK6FLAB, CQ Contest."

At that point you shut your mouth for a few beats and then you start again.

If all goes to plan, you'll hear another station saying "VK6WI".

At that point, you'll say something like: VK6WI, you are 59 004. They in return would say something like "Thank you for 59 004, VK6FLAB, you're 59 083". Then you'd say: "Thank you. CQ Contest, VK6FLAB." and you'd start again.

In that interaction, I've sent my callsign to VK6WI and he's sent his back. I've also sent him a signal report, the 59 part and the exchange, which for this contest is the number of years you've had a licence. I'd enter these things into my contest log, which I strongly recommend should be VKCL.

If this is too steep as a learning curve, and you might feel a little daunted, you can always participate with another station. Find a local club who is going to participate and join in.

The RD contest is an excellent way to get your feet wet in contesting and it's simple to participate. New F-calls have won several awards over the years, so all you need to do is get going.

The RD contest, do it for fun, learning and remembrance.

And remember to put your log in!

I'm Onno VK6FLAB