Mugshots of OPS                                                          

Elevated Aluminum

2000 CQ WPX  group photo

Also check out Bill's image gallery for the latest pics!

The story of the VE5RI contest station

Bill - VE5FN had dabbled in contesting off and on for many years beginning with an entry in the ARRL Sweepstakes contest in the early sixties, on AM phone, which brought a piece of wallpaper showing VE5FN as the winner of the Saskatchewan section. Unfortunately, that piece of history is long lost. Bill was persuaded by Lorne - VE6EZ, to go to a CQWW contest at VE7ZZZ in 1987 and the bug bit. Bill was at VE7ZZZ for the next 8 years for the CQWW and numerous other contests.

Len - VE5WI was introduced to contesting during a multi-single operation with a group at VE6WP's station in the late 80s and he went with 6EZ and 5FN to VE7ZZZ for a taste of a big-time station in 1992. Bill and Len had run together a few times in contests using one call or the other in M/S.

Then when Gerard - VE5FF came to work in Lloydminster in 1994, with his technical expertise and enthusiasm, it was decided to start building a more competitive station at Len's farm QTH, using the Sask-Alta Radio Club callsign of VE5RI. The location was ideal, with lots of room for antennas, no close neighbors to bother with RFI and a resident ham family to host the station.

About this time the little group was joined by Scott -VE5FD, and several others from the Sask-Alta Radio Club in Lloydminster. At various times, VE5FF - Gerard, VE5FD - Scott, VE5FN - Bill, VE5CMQ - Clara, VE5DLS - Dave, VE5RUS -  Russell , VE6BDP - Norm, VE6FW - Dale, VE6BBP - Eric, VE6REK - Russell and Chris - VE5CJR pitched in to help with tower and antenna construction, stringing feedlines and all the assorted nasty little tasks that go into building a contest station.

VE5RI has been active in the CQWW SSB, CW and RTTY contests and the RAC contests for several years, starring such guest operators as: the late VE6WP - Bill,  VE6HMG - Mike, VE6BDP - Norm, VE5TR - Ralph, VE6GRM - George, VE5VR - Larry, VE6BBP - Eric, VE6FW - Dale, VE6REE - Ann, VE6REK - Russell, VE5FC - Wallace, VE5CMA - Doug, VE6SJA - Ron and VE5SJA - John. The core group, VE5FN - Bill, VE5WI - Len, VE5FF - Gerard and VE6EZ - Lorne are active in almost every contest

As of  November 1999, there is an 80' guyed tower with a 6 element OWA 20 meter antenna on a 48' boom on top and a 4 element 20 meter yagi fixed south east at 50', a 64' Delhi with a HiGain 203BA on top which is also shunt fed as a top loaded vertical on 160 meters, a 64' Delhi with a four-square of 40 meter lazy-vees, a 70' guyed tower with a 6 element OWA 15 meter beam on a 48' boom, a 60' L&R HDSS tower with a 2 element 40 meter shortened yagi, a 90' guyed tower with a TH7DX on top  and a four-square of 80 meter sloping dipoles, a 70' guyed tower with only a 40 meter sloping dipole so far but destined to have a salvaged HiGain LP1017 6 mhz-30 mhz 17 element log periodic mounted on top, a 40' crankup with a 5 element 6 meter yagi and a 6 element 10 meter yagi on a 24' boom on top and a 40' HD mast with a pair of 11 element 2 meter yagis. That should add up to ten towers which enough for a while, we think.

Some of these antennas do not have rotators, but are rotated and anchored with ropes. The next major project is to build rotators based on the VE6JY design. The feedlines are surplus salvaged hardline cobbled together with VE5FN's quick and dirty connector design. The whole collection of arrays is a continual work-in-progress and changes with almost every visit of our antenna experts. Unfortunately, Gerard and Scott now work in Saskatoon and Regina so work parties are now much harder to arrange.

Gerard has spent his spare time at home for the last two years building two heavy duty amplifiers for the station. These are featured on a separate web page with Gerard's technical story. A Kenwood TL922, a Heath SB200, a Hammond HL700 and a Hunter Bandit are usually available for operation or backup.

Most contests are entered as Multi/Multi so that the operators can have the most fun and not be pressured by any ten minute rules or band change strategy. Usually three operating positions are set up in Len's office, Sharon's sewing room and a basement corner. Various group members bring their transceivers to drive the amplifiers that stay at the station. Some fast bidding at a computer auction bagged some old 386s to run our current favorite logging program - TRLog. The WF1B program is used for RTTY.

Many of our operators are just beginning in contesting so the aim is to maximize the fun, learning and sociability. The high scores will come later, hopefully. VE5RI has been quite successful in the RAC contests, sometimes using the VE5RAC callsign to try to give the bonus points and VE5 multiplier to as many other VEs and contesters as possible.

We all wish to thank Len - VE5WI and Sharon - VE5BAP for their patience, understanding and hospitality during the contests, bull sessions and work parties over the past years. They put up cheerfully with the disruptions to their household and Sharon produces a wonderful post contest meal after almost every session.

Guest ops are welcome for any contest in which we operate. Lack of manpower is often our limiting factor. Contact any of the group members for details and directions to the VE5WI QTH. We may not have the highest score but we try to have the most fun. Building and tweaking the towers, antenna systems and equipment is a large part of the fun. Come and join us!