Making plenty of QSOs to commemorate battle anniversary

Three stations are commemorating the Battle of Long Tan on August 18, 1966 during the Vietnam War, in which 108 ANZACs were greatly outnumbered, with heavy losses on both sides, and eventually won against a large enemy force. In the west VI6BLT50, Queensland has VI4BLT50 while Canberra is VI1BLT50 as the 50th anniversary of the Battle continues.

Leading the VI6BLT50 team of three is Mal VK6LC, who served Serving in the Royal Australian Signals in Vietnam, whose antenna array usually puts Zone 29 on air chasing DX and during contests. Mal VK6LC says a prize QSO in RTTY was with Bruce 3W3B, a veteran himself in the 173rd Airborne Brigade, on one of his frequent visits to Da Nang in Vietnam. There has been plenty of other DX for VI6BLT50 that has recently increased its log by contacting Brazil, Colombia, Chile, North America, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rica and Alaska. VI6BLT50 operates on SSB, CW and RTTY with around 1,500 contacts already being made the website qrz.com having nearly 4,100 hits.

The VI4BLT50 operation in Queensland is led by Dale VK4DMC, who was mainly in the 1st Australian Field Hospital as an Operating Theatre Technician and Intensive Care Medic. From Far North Queensland VI4BLT50 has worked all VK and ZL call areas, as well as recent QSOs into Japan, Canada, North America and Russia.

VI1BLT50 has logged almost 1000 contacts. Tex VK1TX reports that most activity has been on 20 metres and 40 metres. The WIA has licences available for the other states which are most welcome to join the 30 day commemoration.

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