2m and 70cm Repeater DXCC

While some choose to obtain DXCC by working 100 countries on HF, DXCC of a different kind has recently been achieved on 2m and 70cm FM.

Leigh Rainbird, VK2KRR at The Rock Hill, southern New South Wales, has been chasing the 100 repeaters on 2m and 70cm for the past 3 years.

On Saturday morning the 26th of February, the conditions prevailed and the big number 100 rolled in after Leigh had been sitting on a total of 99 repeaters since December.

The 100th repeater ended up being the Mt Dandenong repeater in Melbourne on 147.075 MHz. Conditions during the morning of the 26th were quite exceptional, to the point where Leigh found a total of five repeaters he had never worked before, his total 2 & 70 repeater tally now rests at an amazing 104.

The 104 repeaters have all been worked through tropospheric ducting. A break down of the DXCC repeater tally shows there were -

70 Repeaters on 2m
34 Repeaters on 70cm

26 Repeaters from VK1 & VK2
53 Repeaters from VK3
24 Repeaters from VK5 and
1 Repeater from VK6

Leigh explains that the secret of success is not from gigantic antenna arrays or high power. But it helps to have a reasonable location and to know when the conditions will be favourable and be on air at those times.

Source: Wireless Institute of Australia

Other recent stories..