When the going gets tough… you need tough gear

Last weekend was the Oceania DX Phone Contest. Not a major competition on a global scale, but certainly a contest with a long standing tradition. Established in the 1930s as a VL/ZL contest, it carries on to this day, embracing the contesting spirit of the Pacific. I decided to take part in single op, 10m band entry. What fun! The 10m band was open almost 24 hours so I set my goal to 1400 contacts, enough to beat the previous all-time record. But thanks to really great openings to Europe and the US, I ended up with 2502 QSOs! Full credit to Solar Cycle 25.

However, the credit should also go to my Heil headset; the mighty Pro 7. This aviation-style headset is designed for use in high-noise environments. And noisy it was: air-conditioning blowing directly above my head, the amplifier’s fan, the fan of two desktop computers, power supplies – and more – the neighbours barking dog and a bunch of roosters who never sleep.

Heil’s specially designed foam-gel ear pads provide 26 dB outside noise reduction as well as decent comfort. I did take a four hour break between 1am and 5am but for a total of 21 hours operating time, the Pro 7 was doing an amazing job, allowing me to pull out many QRP and mobile signals effortlessly.

So here it is: a personal recommendation from a real contester, to a fellow amateur, on a product tested in the harshest contest environment.

Should you invest in one yourself? Absolutely yes. We have blue and black in stock – but when ordering, make sure you select the right model to suit your radio.

The “IC Electret” is for ICOM radios only, while “Dynamic” is for all other models. If you don’t have one already, you would also need an adaptor to match your transceiver.

See https://dxing.com.au/index.php/product-category/products/heilaudioproducts/

By the way, this weekend is the CW part of the Oceania DX contest. Get on air, have some fun and let the world chase you. This is your contest, our time to shine.

For more, see https://www.oceaniadxcontest.com/