IARU-Contest 2003

Geoff Howard, PJ2T, of the Caribbean Contesting Consortium had a superb idea to join forces with VERONA and enter the IARU contest as a Head Quarter station.

Not only was this an enjoyable “get-to-know-each-other” event between the CCC and VERONA members, but it also turned out to be a real contest.

Geoff, Gary and Dough made the PJ2-hams familiar with the CCC equipment and “initiated” them into the contest procedure. After this it was a serious matter and the joint team reached an unexpectedly high score.

 Some reactions:

 CCC and VERONA Friends,

> I've posted some photos from our joint VERONA/CCC contest operation as PJ2HQ. Please point your browser to http://www.pj2t.org/photos.iaru.2003.1.htm . From there you can click

> the link to Page 2 of PH2HQ photos, which contains many links to

> large, higher resolution photos.

> Thanks again to everyone who participated! It was great fun, we made > a lot of new friends, and we posted a highly respectable score for

> the first ever Netherlands Antilles HQ station in this contest.

> We have received many positive comments on the operation from all

> over the world.

> I hope we will be able to contest together as a joint group in next

> year's IARU contest, again signing PJ2HQ. We can have fun pushing to

> beat the 2003 score!!

> Special thanks to Cindy, my XYL and our friend Evie Loftin for

> preparing the feast during Saturday's Open House and for being

> patient with the mass-invasion of the house over the weekend

> 73, - Geoff, W0CG

..... from Gary

I would just like everyone in the VERONA club to know how much fun I had with all of you at the IARU contest.  I had become friends with W0CG over the air and on the internet and had always wanted to come to Curacao for a contest and finally had a chance to do it.  Geoff said that their might be some of the local hams show up to operate.  I was very surprised with the number of hams and their enthusiasm for getting on the air.   I had the privilege of helping several of the hams get started in the contest and then just watched them make contact after contact.  I hope I didn't step on Castro's foot to much while he was keying up the transceiver!!

You have a great club and I had a great time staying with Geoff and Cindy and meeting all of you.

Gary, K9SG  PJ2/K9SG K9SG@ARRL.net

 My experience with PJ2HQ.

That evening, after long looking for the place, it was situated so remote, and asking the neighbours how to get into the yard, I arrived at around 9.15 p.m. What I saw, was above comprehension. All kinds al wires and cables, computers and rigs...I never saw a thing like that, not even in the magazines!

After looking around I wanted to try my luck.I took place behind one of the rigs, ready to be thought how to score some points. I started slowly..and whenever I forgot to press in the footlkey, I got a blow/kick... So I learned it the hard way..but after some minutes (more than ten) I could fly alone...What an experience it was.

I would like to thank all the guys from the States and their ex-yls.

I will never more forget that evening..   Early in the morning  around 3 a.m. I left for home..just before the cock crows.....Till next year..God spare lifes.

Castro, de PJ2CFM

My first IARU contest experience.

This is indeed my first contest. I have enjoyed it tremendously! The operators were just like family! I was really amazed to see all the Verona folks coming in one by one to attend this contest. I surely hope we can do it again in the near future.

73 de Brett

In the “remote” past VERONA had successfully participated in some CQ WW contests.

1972: PJ2AA became the global winner in the phone multi-operator/single transmitter class and also in the CW class. (See picture with some participants)

1973: Another victory for PJ2AA in the CW category.

In 1975 VERONA was awarded the 6^th place on the world list in the multi operator/multi transmitter class (phone). This event took place in the shack of Chet Brandon PJ9EE at ……….. Coral Cliff. (In those days still called Playa Hundu)

Great HF-operators of those days were among others: Jossy PJ2MI, Eddy PJ2CJ, Bert PJ2CW, Ronny PJ2CL, Willem PJ2WI, Arie PJ3ARI, Bruce PJ9CB, Age PJ2AW, Ike PJ2CR, Joeke PJ2VD, Wally PJ2HR, Peter PJ9VR, Louise PA0LOU (guest).

Much more information about those days can be found in the book “Honderd jaar  Radio”, published on the occasion  of VERONA’s 50^th anniversary (source PA0VDV, ex-PJ2VD).

ARRL Field Day 2003

On Saturday June 28, VERONA had three field day stations on the air, from 15.00 - 22.00 h (local time) at the following sites:

PJ2BR at Playa Canoa NE-coast (with PJ2BR, PJ2VR, PJ2AA, PJ2ZZ, PJ2BG)

PJ2EP at the parking lot of the hospital (with PJ2EP, PJ2FF, PJ2AR, PJ2WOL)

PJ2JW at Scherpenheuvel (with PJ2JW, PJ2DH, PJ2BVU, PJ2CH)

Preparation was allowed from 12 .30 h.

Results:

P2EP, as the most real field station intended to work as an emergency station from a location close to the hospital.  The station had the hospital’s permit “on paper” to use the location.

PJ2JW had the intention to introduce HF-operation for N- and C-licensed hams.

Our youngest ham worked Israel from Skèrpenè.

PJ2BR was equipped for diverse modes ( i.e. data and satellite communication)

Score:

Thanks to all participants in the background, for assistance, equipment, visiting and the nice food.

Excursion Air Traffic Control

Air Traffic Control Tower 

On  Saturday 18 January a group of 17 persons, consisting of radio amateurs and a some relatives went up the traffic tower at Hato for an excursion guided by the head traffic controller Mr. Erich Menig. The busy air traffic at that moment offered us the opportunity to get a good picture of the invisible work that is being done up there for the passengers.

The air traffic controllers direct the traffic and provide the pilots with info on the wind and air pressure around the airport  (VHF 119.6 MHZ)

Arriving and departing planes are directed safely from and to the fixed traffic routes to avoid collisions or near-collisions.

With an average of 100 landings or takes off on busy days these air traffic controllers have their hands full. Apart from an excellent tour we enjoyed a magnificent view of the airport and the Caribbean Sea.

Area Control Centre.

This is located at Mahuma in  the building where the Meteo is also housed. Head traffic controller Mr. E. Ignatius was in charge of the guided tour.

All air traffic in an area extending to 300 nautical miles North-East to North-West of Curaçao is directed from here. With about 30 flight movements per hour these air traffic controllers are constantly on the alert and warn pilots for crossing traffic. (VHF 124.1 MHZ). By applying difference in altitude and time zones the planes are kept apart from each other.

The constant concentration during the work demands that the air traffic controllers have a break after three hours.

The new radar system that becomes operational this year will facilitate the work and will increase the traffic safety even more.

Verona has been invited for an excursion where the moment is there.

President Brett PJ2BR thanked Mr. Menig and Ignatius and the XYL of Cedric PJ2CJB handed them a small present thus closing this excellent excursion.

 For pictures go to Picture  Gallery.  

Project week at the Peter Stuyvesant College (PSC)

From December 2-6, students of PSC participated in project groups, dealing  with a variety of subjects like:

Cooking

Do healthy snacks exist?

Music

Dance

Architecture, in former days and now

Norms and dignity, in former days and now

Communication, in history

Etc. 

VERONA was asked to contribute in the Communication project and did that by presenting the following lectures:

(Castro worked at the PSC as a teacher of economics, guidance counselor and principel)

On the second day a HF and a VHF station was set up in one of the classrooms. Thanks to perfect propagation we had a nice talk with a PA-station in Holland.

The project group, consisting of 8 students, also visited the telephony museum in town, the telephony building and the communication centre.

The projektweek was closed with a presentation of the results.
 It was a pleasure to promote our hobby in this way.

The pictures show Joop as a teacher  and the interest for Brett’s talk with Holland (at the right Castro).

You can send an e-mail with questions or remarks on this website to webmaster_VERONA@muurkrant.nl.
Copyright © 2000 Club for Experimental Radio Examination Neth. Antilles
Most recent update: 2003-12-18