Radio Telecommunications Magazine Article Nov-Dec 2001,
about SV1UY-ZL1BK Record

QRP Activities

(Translation from article in page 41 of November-December 2001 issue
of Radio Telecommunications Magazine by Demetre SV1UY)

Distance record between Athens and New Zealand (17,549 Kms) with 5 watts.

For many radio amateurs our pastime of communicating presents a challenge. A challenge 
that makes us stubborn and sometimes drives us in strange attempts and experimentation.

Demetre Valaris SV1UY was feeling the same way when he decided to combine our pastime 
with his holidays and short trips on the mountains and on the beach this summer!!

As we have been informed, by him and by recent articles in many foreign radio amateur
magazines, in the beginning of June while he was on a holiday in Aegina Island, he 
spoke to ZL1BK from Auckland New Zealand on 20 and 17 metres while using his FT-817 
and ATX antenna, covering an incredible distance of 17,549 Kms using only 5 watts.
The success continued having many other QSOs on 40 meters with stations from around Europe. 

In a previous attempt and while he was walking on Mt. Ymittos carrying his FT-817 he 
managed to talk for a long time with the English stations G4MSF and G0EHX. With his 
FT-100 and a short handheld dipole which is 5 meters long from tip to tip, he spoke 
to ZL1BK, KQ6XA and W3FF in the same QSO (round table), having his FT-100 in a manpack
configuration by using a special rucksack with a 7Ah gell cell battery while operating
at 50 watts.

In his last escape from Athens, end of June from the beautiful Horefto near Mt. Pilion,
he spoke several times to G4MSF and DJ0QE. The later was visiting the Ham Radio 
Exchibition in Friedrichshafen on Germany. 

From the skiing resort near the top of Mt. Pilion he spoke to ZL1BK/PM while he only 
heard W3FF. The duration of the QSO was about 40 minutes on 14,345 KHZ because there 
was no QRM he managed to have a nice talk with Max ZL1BK from Auckland in New Zealand.

Demetre says that the thing that excites him most is not getting the DXCC, nor getting
his QSOs registered anywhere - which happened in the "HFpack Hall of Fame" - but for 
his signal to reach the other side of the earth travelling the longest possible distance.

His now famous QSO took place VIA THE LONGPATH, at nearly the same time as his other 
/PM QSOs, i.e. between 04.00 and 06.00z, or 07.00 - 09.00 local Greek time.

Demetre estimates that after his first QSO with Max ZL1BK he has spoken to him more 
than 15 times while he was using his low power walking portable station. 
                                             That must have been ZL1BK/PM de SV1UY/PM

Demetre we wish you to have success always!!!



Radio Telecommunications Magazine November-December 2001

Return to SV1UY's Home Page (My Best DX)