Dear friends!
Sixty-four years separate us from that memorable date for all mankind, when the first cosmonaut, our compatriot Yuri Gagarin, made his triumphant flight.
For every Russian person this event is truly grandiose, it is the countdown of a new era of mankind, the triumph of domestic cosmonautics and our people.
Now it is impossible to imagine the world without orbital stations, satellite means of television broadcasting and radio communication, including amateur radio satellites.
Last year, during the Gagarin Cup, a very significant event took place: cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin (R3HP)
managed to conduct 17 QSO from orbit in the 145 MHz band.
This is the first time in the world practice!
I invite you to take part in the Cup of Y.A. Gagarin on HF, dedicated to the 64th anniversary of the first human space flight.
The Gagarin Cup is unique in the possibility of sportsmen to test their skills and station potential both on short waves and when working via SAT.
It is also an opportunity to be close to space for a while, to hear the unearthly coloring of signals, to feel once again a citizen of the great space power.
If there is no possibility to work via satellites – support the cup on HF, even for a small, convenient for you time.
Perhaps for someone you will be a welcome multiplier.
This year, some changes were made in the Rules: a scoring category “youth radio stations” was introduced,
restrictions on transitions for scoring categories with several operators were abolished,
and the approach to reception errors when awarding points for communications was changed.
I appeal to the heads of youth teams: show the guys how interesting it is to conduct satellite communications –
from preparing equipment, antennas, program data and loggers to finding your signal from the satellite and the correspondent’s answer!
A few such sessions – and the guys will have a real interest and desire to go further!
We are waiting for radio amateurs who have not participated in the competition before.
Join us, create, invent, try – together we will increase the results!
I wish you success, see you in the contest, 73!
Dmitry Kolenchuk R3GM
Contest Director
