ANZAC 100 'last hurrah' in full swing

The WIA ANZAC 100 'last hurrah' began at the weekend with commemorative ANZAC-suffixed callsigns in Victoria, Queensland, Perth and Darwin.VI3ANZAC reports activity on HF, using phone and digital contacts. On Tuesday December 15, it will be on Digital Amateur Television through VK3RTV, with an exponent of that mode at the ready. It will end on December 19-20 with VI3ANZAC coming from Fort Gellibrand in Melbourne’s inner-west.

VI4ANZAC has had CW and SSB contacts, using the lower, HF, and 6m bands. At one stage it averaged 20 contacts per night on 80m. All involved in operating and making contact are most pleased. The VI4ANZAC team is made up of mostly ex-NAVY, some Army and marine-type operators, promoting the Royal Australian Navy Bridge Train (RANBT) who were the ‘Sailors in Khaki’ at Gallipoli.

The Ham College in Perth also began its commemoration on December 12-13 at the RAAF Museum Bull Creek in the Cobra Helicopter display. On the final weekend December 19-20, VI6ANZAC will continue on HF using SSB and sometimes CW, and plans to activate an FM satellite as well from its new QTH at a scout hall.

VI8ANZAC has been hitting the bands with plenty of activity. From Germany a visitor Horst Kleinschwaerzer DM6HK, had a couple of hundred QSOs, before the storms reached Darwin. He also became the 33 DXCC to visit Stuie VK8NSB in the top end. Throughout the week VI8ANZAC will continue mainly on 15m and 20m to work long path, with some good openings already reported.

Stuie VK8NSB and Rowan VK8RD will end the ‘last hurrah’ portable at the Charles Darwin National Park VKFF-0095 on 20m to 10m using SSB & CW - so look for that one. December 20 is significant, because on that day 1915, ANZAC forces quietly evacuated Gallipoli after an eight month battle.
For the ANZAC 100 closing, VK100ANZAC will carry an address by with WIA President, Phil Wait VK2ASD on Sunday.

All ANZAC-suffixed callsigns acknowledge contacts via eQSL. They have more details on the WIA webpage www.wia.org.au and www.qrz.com

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