The QTH chosen for the contest was a 12 storey high block of flats in the southern part of Enschede [JO32ke] which placed our nine elements Tonna for 144 MHz about 70 meters above sea level. As PB0AMZ we obtained the third position on 144 MHz in the multi band / multi operator category with 70W output only. We made 250 QSO's and scored 48969 points. Best DX was HB9CNY/P with 596 km. That year we also participated in the July contest.
At the end of 1994 our 144 MHz-only participation resulted in a 13th spot in the Dutch multi band / multi operator competition.
Because of the amount of city noise we had during the contests the rest of 1994 was used by some of the crew members to look out for a new QTH which we could use for 1995. An apparently suitable QTH was found at a farm in a village called Bruinehaar in JO32ik.
In 1995 our amateur radio union 'VERON' existed 50 years so every club station was allowed to use the special PI50 prefix. Our department, 'Twente', wanted to stimulate the use of the special department call and offered its members to use the call for one month. After a short deliberation between the department 'Twente' and the contest group we decided to use the special call for our contest participation's and also because Frank got a new call - PA3GWN - so PB0AMZ could not be used anymore.
In March 1995 we moved to Bruinehaar and set up our station. Our station consisted of a Kenwood TS-751, 1x 17 elements Tonna at 12 meters above ground level and 70W output. As PI50ZI/P we made 172 QSO's and scored 30056 points. Our best DX was G3RHH in IO82UB (613 km). We were not quite satisfied with the results and it appeared to have a very logical reason: our location was situated in a valley (20 meters ASL) instead of on a hill, hi! We ended up at the 13th spot in the multi operator / multi band competition.
A new QTH had to be found: finally one near the village of Losser in JO32lg was adopted. In the middle of pastures there's a 10 storey high block of flats (70m ASL) and it appears to have excellent take off in all directions. In May 1995 we moved to this new location. A new member of the group brought his 23 cm equipment with him: a somewhat Yaesu FT-736R (10W output) and one 23 elements yagi. As PI50ZI we made 368 QSO's on 144 MHz and scored 91487 points. Best DX on 144 MHz was SP5PBE in KO02MF (957 km). On 1296 MHz we made 75 QSO's and scored 9965 points. Best DX on 1296 MHz was G4HWA/P in JO00HV (463 km). This resulted in the 7th spot of the competition.
Some new members joined our group and one of them brought some 70 cm equipment with him: Icom IC-475E (100W) and 2x 23 ele. DL6WU antenna's. So, in July 1995 we were active on 144 MHz, 432 MHz and 1296 MHz. New records were broken and that resulted in the 6th spot in the competition.
In September 1995 we tried out our new lineair amplifier (1x 4cx250B) with +/- 200W output and new antennas (long yagi's). This resulted in PI50ZI scoring a 4th spot in the 2m multi band / multi operator section of that month and a fifth spot in the competition.
October was the last contest of the region I contests. This time we used 4 23 elements antennas for 1296 MHz and an amplifier of 130W output. We held the 5th spot in the competition that year.
During the winter of 1995 some new equipment was built or arranged for the more higher bands: 2320 MHz and 10368 MHz.
As of March 1996 we are active on 5 bands: 144 MHz, 432 MHz, 1296 MHz, 2320 MHz an 10368 MHz and we are one of the 5 best-scoring VHF/UHF/SHF multi operator stations of the Netherlands......
As the story continues: 1998 we we're the 3th best overall in the competition and as 1999 began we we're able to make QSO's on 1.2 and 0,6 cm.
We hope that this story inspires more people to participate in contests.
Feel free to contact me or any of the other members if you have got any questions about this item.
73'
Hear ya all in contest!
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