VK Shires Contest
VK SHIRES 7th - 8th June 2025
Contest Manager
Diane Main: VK4DI. Long time contester and DXer.
Contest Introduction
Held the Saturday and Sunday of the weekend prior to the second Monday of June every year.
Starts: 00.00 UTC Saturday Ends: 23.59 UTC
VK Stations work VK Shires and CQ Zones whereas international stations only work VK Shires
Reworking stations is allowed in 4-hour blocks. The rules for the blocks are, however, somewhat different to what is allowed in the John Moyle Memorial Field Day or VHF-UHF Field Day use, so read the rules carefully.
Aim Of The Contest
The objectives of this contest are for amateurs around the world to contact as many VK shires as
possible in the contest period. VK amateurs are to work the world including VK, whilst the rest of the world can only work VK
This Years Winners
2024
Statistics and full results at vklogchecker.com
Due to a discrepancy, the entries have been re-evaluated and the final results with adjustments in the Rover Section being made.
Single Operator:
1st place VK2TTL Rhod Rowe
2nd Place VK3XV Tony Hambling
3rd Place VK4M Alan Shannon (VK4SN)
4th Place VK7C/VK6 Catherine Hammond (VK7GH)
5th Place VK3ABK Dave Lord
Single Operator 10w
1st Place VK7MAT Matt Mclean
2nd Place VK2GRH Glen Harrison
3rd Place VK7KPC Peter Dodd
Multi Operator
1st Place VL4R (Bill Main VK4ZD, Diane Main VK4DI)
2nd Place VK2ATZ Westlakes Amateur Radio Club (VK2HAO, VK2JEH, VK2KET, VK2HBM)
3rd Place VK3BJA (VK3IU, VK3FWR)
Single Operator Rover
1st Place VK3PF Peter Freeman
2nd Place VK7QP Linda Luther
3rd Place VK3YV Tony Linford
4th Place VK2YW John Eyles
Single Operator 10w Rover
1st Place VK1CHW Chris WInter
DX Single Operator
1st Place ZL3VZ Bill Cousins
2nd Place K3TW Thomas J Warren
3rd Place YB7YGR Ibrahim Noor
3rd Place VU3NPI Madhu
Previous Years Winners
Contest History
The VK Shires evolved from the VK4 Jack Files Contest (also a Shires based contest) and took that contest to a national contest.
Upcoming Contest Date & Time
Saturday 7th-8th June 2025
START TIME 00:00 UTC to 23.59 UTC
Contest Rules
II. Objectives:
The objectives of this contest are for amateurs around the world to contact as many VK shires as
possible in the contest period. VK amateurs are to work the world including VK, whilst the rest of the
world can only work VK
III. Bands and Modes
A) Bands:160 Metres, 80 Metres, 40 Metres, 20 Metres 15 Metres, 10 Metres.
Please note there is 75m dx window permitted for VK stations
B) Modes: SSB and CW only
IV. Categories
1. VK Single Op All Band All Mode
2. VK Single Op 10W All Mode (Foundation and other QRP)
3. DX Single Op—All Band All Mode
4. VK Multi Operator (Max Two Transmitters)
ROVER Category
* NOTE ROVER MUST ACTIVATE AT LEAST TWO SHIRES - The Rover may use mains power.
1. VK Single Op All Band All Mode
2. VK Single Op 10W All Mode (Foundations and other QRP)
3. VK Multi Operator (Max Two Transmitters)
NOTE: The Rover who moves into a new SHIRE may count the same MULTIPLIER more than once per band as long as the Rover is in a new SHIRE location. Such change in location must be clearly indicated in the log.
IE. A Rover station becomes a new QSO to the stations working them when that STATION changes SHIRE locator."
V. Exchange:
All VK operators to exchange callsign, RS(T) followed by the VALID VK shire abbreviation as per the official
list provided. EG. VK4XX 59 BU4 or 599 BU4. The list is a downloadable Excel spreadsheet.
Do not use abbreviations that are not in the list, you will lose points.
Stations outside VK to exchange callsign, RS(T) followed by CQ ZONE.
EG. ZL1AMO 59 32 or 599 32
Contest Scoring
VI. Multipliers:
For stations outside VK:
The multiplier is the number of different VK shires worked per band. A “VK shire” is counted once
per band per mode. IE. If you work, it on SSB it can be counted again on CW. To enter the contest,
you must have worked at least one VK Shire.
Note: A “Shire” is a local Government area similar to a “County” or “Regional Council”
For VK Stations:
The multiplier is each VK shire worked per band and mode as above as well as each CQ Zone worked
per band and mode.
NOTE The multiplier(s) only count once per band and mode for the whole contest. E.g., SC4 can be
worked 12 times – 160M SSB and CW, 80 SSB and CW, 40M SSB and CW, 20M SSB and CW, 15M SSB
and CW and 10M SSB and CW
VII. Repeat Working
Stations may be worked again on each band and mode in each 4-hour timeslot.
The time slots are 00:00 UTC until 03:59 UTC and then 0:400 UTC until 07:59UTC and then 08:00 UTC
until 11:59 UTC and then 12:00 UTC until 15:59 UTC and then 16:00 UTC until 19:59 UTC and 20:00
UTC until 23:59 UTC.
Contest Scoring
One (1) point per QSO. Phone and CW can be worked on each band with the same station in each
timeslot.
Multiply total QSO points times total number of multipliers worked (i.e. If you worked 33 on 80m, 43on 40m, 16 on 20m, 21 on 15m and 5 on 10m that would be a total of 118)
Example 1. VK4XX works stations as follows:
600 QSO x 1 point = 600 points
118 VK shires worked + 35 CQ zones worked = 153
600 x 153= 91,800
VK4XX final score is 91,800
Example 2. ZL1AMO works stations as follows:
700 QSOs with VK amateurs x 1 point = 700
118 VK shires worked
700 x 118 = 82,600
ZL1AMO final score is 82,600
Submitting Your Log
Submitting Your Log
LOGS ARE ONLY ACCEPTED IN CABRILLO 3 FORMAT.
Submit your log via: vklogchecker.com
Please do not make any changes to the headers in the Cabrillo files:
Log Submissions: Log entries must be submitted within 14 days of the end of the contest@ 0000 UTC to be eligible for awards.
The recommended contest logger is N1MM with the UDC for the Shires .
ONLY VKCL 4.15 can be used but the existing shires database file must be replaced with the .db3 listed on the WIA Website. Instructions for setting both Loggers up are also included from the links below.
• https://www.vk4sn.com/Contests/N1MMVK (recommended)
• https://www.vk4sn.com/Contests/Contesting (VKCL)
or send via e-mail attachment to: vkshires@wia.org.au
Subject line: Callsign [used in the contest] only.
Include your first & last names in the submitted log.
There is also an Excel file with all the Shire ID’s. Using any other ID will cause your log to become a checklog. Use the .xls file listed below to confirm your ID and if needed, that of your qso partner.
Contest Results
2023
Single Operator:
1st place VK1TTY Tim Pryor
2nd Place VK4M Alan Shannon (VK4SN)
3rd Place VK2TTL Rhoderick Rowe
Single Operator 10w
1st Place VK4OTZ Otto Pattemore
2nd Place VK2GRH Glen Harrison
3rd Place VK1CHW Chris Winter
Multi Operator
1st Place VL4R Bill Main VK4ZD, Diane Main VK4DI
2nd Place VK2ATZ Westlakes Amateur Radio Club
Single Operator Rover
1st Place VK3V Peter Fraser (VK3ZPF)
2nd Place VK3YW John Eyles
Single op 10w Rover
1st Place VJ3D Alan Harper (VK3TCP)
2nd Place VK6EEN Onno Benschop
DX Single Operator
1st Place ZL3VZ Bill Cousins
2nd Place K3TW Thomas J Warren
3rd Place YD1CMZ Hendra Hermawan
2022
Single Operator
1st place VK4VO
2nd Place VK5LJ
3rd Place VK7C
Single Operator 10w
1st Place VK7KPC
2nd Place VK3TOS
3rd Place VK3CWS
Multi Operator
1st Place VL4R
2nd Place VK3FRC
3rd Place VK2ATZ
Single Operator Rover
1st Place VK2YW
2nd Place VK3TCP
Single op 10w Rover
1st Place VK3V
DX Single Operator
1st Place ZL3GQ
2nd Place ZL3VZ
2021 Summary of Cabrillo Results scores
PLACE CALLSIGN QSOs MULTs SCORE Claimed Country-DXCC Category-v3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 VK7GH* 307 249 76443 50204 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED *
2 VK4HH* 297 216 64152 46655 VK MULTI-TWO HIGH MIXED *
3 VK4VO 251 211 52961 33396 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
4 VK5LJ 251 209 52459 35784 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
5 VK2DG 226 207 46782 30680 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
6 VK3MH 185 156 28860 22491 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
7 VK4SN 147 128 18816 15729 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
8 VK2YW 142 119 16898 20164 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
9 VK4ACN 116 103 11948 8024 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
10 VK2MT 105 101 10605 7597 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
11 VK5RS 66 62 4092 4355 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
12 VK7HAM 52 49 2548 2340 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
13 VK7ZBX 48 46 2208 1813 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
14 VK2MK 45 45 2025 2025 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
15 VK3YV 46 43 1978 2116 VK SINGLE-OP LOW PHONE
16 VK2GR 49 40 1960 1085 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
17 VK2MTM 43 39 1677 1936 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
18 VK7JGD 48 34 1632 1632 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
19 VK6WR 28 25 700 392 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
20 VK2KJJ 23 21 483 414 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
21 VK7BO 18 18 324 0 VK SINGLE-OP LOW MIXED
22 VK3GK 17 18 306 234 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
23 VK4QH 17 15 255 238 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH SSB
24 VK5FD 14 14 196 140 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
25 VK2KDP 12 11 132 120 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
26 VK3LSN 10 10 100 100 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
27 VK6FLAB 7 7 49 64 VK VK SINGLE-OP 10W ALL ROVER
28 VK6WU 7 6 42 28 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
29 VK1DD 6 6 36 36 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
30 VK3BQ 6 6 36 36 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
31 VK4JAZ 1 1 1 1 VK SINGLE-OP HIGH MIXED
MULTI-TWO HIGH MIXED
2 VK4HH 297 216 64152 46655 VK
VK SINGLE-OP 10W ALL ROVER
27 VK6FLAB 8 8 64 64 VK
Contest Award
Really nice PDF.
Logging Software
https://www.vk4sn.com/Contests/Contesting
Preferred Logger is N1MM+
UDC from https://www.vk4sn.com/Contests/N1MMVK
VKCL Ver 4.15 can be used but must have the latest 2022 .db file added. Instructions are on www.VK4SN.com
Contest Sponsors
Wireless Institute of Australia
Files For Download
Page Last Updated: Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024 at 11:31 hours by Wavks
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