Hi folks
A note for your diaries.
The VK JA ZL - EU S2S organising committee (Andrew, Mike and Ed) have selected Saturday 10 March 2018 as the next VK JA ZL - EU S2S QSO Party. Kickoff is 0630 UTC for a 2 hour window leading up to VK east coast sunset @ 0830 UTC.
73, Andrew VK1AD
That sounds uncommonly civilised!
I like these events. I’d love to take part - if I am allowed?
Starting at 0630 UTC. 
Cheers
Andrew VK1AD
Regretfully a non-starter Andrew. Will be in El Chalten - Argentina without any radio gear.
Tony VK3CAT
Ahh! 
It’ll be a little hill then
Looking forward to building on my last S2S to Oz 
Will put this in my diary and hope I have better luck than the last event where a gale nearly lifted me of the site.
Thanks for the heads up.
Conditions were very tough for contacts into VK/ZL from the UK during the last event in October. The UK had a particularly difficult time. From memory, I think only one VK and no ZL’s or JA’s made the trip into G.
The rest of the Europeans, faired much better with some very nice hauls of DX
We really need to see some improvement in the solar numbers. Looking on the bright side, last March produced some great results for the whole of Europe, so lets hope for more of the same next March.
Mike
2E0YYY
ok, noted
Toru jh0cjh
I hope the weather will be fine next time.
Katsu JP3DGT
Just an FYI:
This event has been announced in this weeks ARNewsline broadcast.
The Podcast was released overnight and the broadcasts across the US and elsewhere from individual amateurs and over club repeaters takes place on Saturday and Sunday normally.
Oh yes, it’s also broadcsat from WTWW on Shortwave AM.
73 Ed.
Hi folks
Just over 4 weeks to go for the next VK ZL JA - EU S2S bonanza. 7 alerts posted, will there be more updates over the coming weeks?
73 Andrew VK1AD
One more, i e, I’m in!..
73 de Pedro, CT1DBS
OK, been reminded
Toru jh0cjh
I’m in! Hopefully I can beg/borrow something with a few more watts than my poor little 817+P50M but worst comes to worst that should manage JA if we are lucky
As Per PM, I’ve just got the release certificate from the XYL (only joking), so I’m in, I just need to find a good summit that I can get access to early enough.
I will alert once I have chosen the summit.
Ed DD5LP.
Update: If the weather isn’t too bad (causing accidents and blocked roads) , I plan to activate DM/BM-078 Römerstein. It’s about a 2 hour drive from home (so a really early start) but it’s a summit I know, it can be walked to from the road in about 15 minutes and it’s a 10 pointer, so that might make it attractive to work for the other “Summiteers”.
I don’t have a gig currently in the diary for the night before (Friday), and my Saturday gig is a nice local one (Holmes Chapel), so I should be good to take part in this.
Like Mike says, last time we did this, conditions were not helpful - I think he made a small number of DX QSOs though, which is a small number more than I did!
I’m not sure there’s any more light at the end of the tunnel in the current position of the solar cycle, but I’ve probably got more chance of a S2S to VK than I have across the valley to G/SP-004 
Never rule out the VK/ZL fixed stations Tom! I know this is primarily an S2S attempt however it’s always nice to get a call from any of the home based ZL or VK stations and a couple of ZL stations always seem to get through on the long path no matter what the Ionosphere is doing - I don’t know how but I can only think they have great QTHs and some big antennas!
73 Ed.
Well the alerts are starting to appear but at the moment, compared to previous events, the number so far is a little disappointing!
Please! If you think you can take part in the event post an alert - even if you are not sure which summit you’ll be able to get to by 0630 or 0730 UTC - do as several others have done and put in question marks.
We actually have Mike, VE7KPM from Canada going to have a go to try and catch some S2S - I’m not sure if he’ll be looking to VK/ZL/JA or to EU/UK but great that he’s willing to give it a try. We also have another surprise that I can’t tell you about until it’s confirmed but let’s just say there could be another CONTINENT involved as well!!
Here’s the list of the currently alerted participants:
73 Ed DD5LP.
Thanks to those who have added their call signs to the S2S event on March 10th. We still have a way to go before we get as many as last year (41) - perhaps the cold weather is working against some of you?
It’s nice to see Wade VK1FWBD joining the event, especially as he isn’t allowed to use 20m or 17m as he only holds a Foundation licence. Let’s hope the MUF is high enough to make contacts on 15 metres possible. Chasers and activators who have 15m capabilities with them, please try to hear Wade when he is spotted, I’m sure it would make his day to get a contact into Europe!
73 Ed.
