2016 TM0HQ

IARU HQ – France

Just back from France with the relentless rhythm of CW still ringing in my ears. I had the incredible honor of joining the TM0HQ team for the IARU HF World Championship, invited by Gilles, F6IRA. Operating with the 20m CW group was an adrenaline-fueled marathon of signals—absolute precision and speed at every turn. Between radio shifts, we managed to visit the breathtaking Dunes du Pilat, a moment of pure serenity before diving back into the noise. We are wrapping up this adventure with a massive result: 2nd place worldwide with over 24 million points! A huge thanks to the whole team, and especially to Gilles for the legendary hospitality that made this trip truly unforgettable.

The IARU contest features multiple headquarters (HQ) stations in each participating country. While any station can contact any other, HQ stations serve as multipliers, giving extra points for contacts. In 2016, I participated with TM0HQ, operating in CW on the 20-meter band. The event involved numerous French and international operators across several stations, including TM0HQ with F1UVN/62, F1CXX, F1EZG, F5LJA; F2DX/24 with F6HKA, F5VLY; F5HRY/29 with F1HAR; F5UTN/27 with F5MZN, F5RAB, F6FVY, F6GCP, F8CRH; F8FKI/57 with F4AFE, F4AZF, and others; F6KNB/33 with F1BLQ, F4ARU, F4CIB, PA3FYM, F6IRA, F6DZO, F6FRR, HB9DHG; F6KHM/29 with F1AKK, F4DXW, F4GXX, F8DBF, F8FKJ; and F8KCF/74 with F1ADG, F4GVE, F5DJL, F5RRS, F6BGC, F6BPZ, F8CMF.