For the first time this contest was open to portable stations this year, and 4 stations braved the December weather to venture out. Conditions and activity were on par with last year's event. Congratulations to Andy, G4PIQ who wins the single operator fixed section after a leave of absence for the past couple of years, with Dave, G7RAU taking second spot for the second year running. The Northern Lights win the Multi-Op section again this year, although by a much reduced margin, the Flight Refueling ARS taking second spot. John G4ZTR wins the certificate for the highest placed station using 25w and a single antenna
The Martlesham DX & CG again win the AFS contest, but this time the Chesham & DARS move up into second place. Next year the overall AFS scores will be normalised in such a way that will give higher scores to those groups who have more stations in their team. Each member of the team will be awarded up to 1000 points, so the more members in the team the higher the score.
Pete Lindsay G4CLA@rsgb.org.uk
Pos Group Call Score Call Score Call Score Call Score Call Score Total 1* Martlesham DX & CG G4PIQ 103918 G4MRS 37826 G0RRC 12389 154133 2* Chesham & DARS G3MEH 47486 G0XDI 36434 G0ODQ 15087 G3MDG 8052 G0VFW 7004 114063 3 Bentley RC G7RAU 73242 G0NFA 14304 M0BTZ 12801 100347 4 Douglas Valley RC G4HGI 33119 M1AIX 15631 G1SWH 15325 G8ZRE 14556 G3BPK 8430 87061 5 Harwell ARS A G3NNG 24994 G8CUL 20595 G4HLX 10996 G0AOZ 8442 M0BRE 4687 69714 6 Colcester RA G4ZTR 25828 G1OGY 22019 G3FIJ 5515 2E1GUA 5048 G7MHK 1317 59727 7 Flight Refuelling ARS G4RFR 58093 58093 8 De Montfort UARS G8VHI 43015 G3ORY 9792 52807 9 Clifton ARS G7ULL 24845 G0UJK 22493 G4FAA 1446 48784 10 Reigate ATS G8FBG 24902 G8JXV 15392 G3TRC 3807 44101 11 Harwich ARIG G0DVJ 14670 G7MOT 13189 M0CGE 6693 G7HOW 1028 35580 12 Wythall CG A G4TVR 9221 G1WAC 6847 M0COP 6686 G6ZDQ 5750 M0COK 3780 32284 13 West Kent ARS G0GCI 26070 26070 14 Mid-Sussex ARS G0APZ 8419 G3JMB 4928 G1ZMS 4579 17926 15 Leicester RS G3LRS 13845 13845 16 Wythall CG B M5UGC 3027 G8MYK 2747 G0EYO 2673 G4VPD 2202 G0ICJ 1516 12165 17 Sutton & Cheam RS G3OLX 7937 7937 18 Harwell ARS B G3PIA 2975 G0KOC 1778 G0VFE 129 4882 19 Sandwell ARC G1SAN 3972 3972 20 Wythall CG C M0AEJ 1177 G1KEA 632 G1DUO 352 2161 Single Operator Open Pos Group Zone Call Loc. QSO's Score Best DX Dist Power Ant 1* G4CQR/P JO00CR 165 41437 DK1FG 794 250 10 2* GW8ASA/P IO81FP 117 25618 DM1CG 714 50 5 3 G4BVY/P IO82TF 57 6003 F1CDX 394 50 9 4 G0WJR/P IO81QJ 25 3227 GD0EMG 334 35 HB9CV Single Operator Fixed Pos Group Zone Call Loc. QSO's Score Best DX Dist Power Ant 1* Martlesham DX & CG C G4PIQ JO01MU 369 103918 DG9RCI 776 400 4x15,2x9 2* Bentley RC G7RAU IO90IR 235 73242 DK1FG 897 400 2x9 3 Chesham & DARS G3MEH IO91QS 222 47486 DK1FG 865 400 2x10 4 Martlesham DX & CG C G4MRS JO02PB 132 37826 DG2NBN 745 400 15 5 Chesham & DARS G0XDI IO91RP 169 36434 DK1FG 857 400 9 6 Douglas Valley RC A G4HGI IO83PL 172 33119 ON4YZ 612 400 17 7 C G8HGN JO01FO 119 30063 DG2NBN 788 50 2x15 8 West Kent ARS C G0GCI JO01ED 137 26070 DL2OM 507 150 9 9* Colcester RA G4ZTR JO01KW 130 25828 F5OAU/P 582 25 17 10 Harwell ARS A D G3NNG IO91ED 172 24994 DJ2VJ 658 200 17 11 Reigate ATS C G8FBG IO91SG 142 24902 GM4CXM 579 400 2x10 12 Clifton ARS G0UJK JO01AK 138 22493 DB8WJ 555 13 Colcester RA G1OGY JO01GR 138 22019 GM4CXM 568 200 13 14 G4IVH IO92WN 79 18897 DL2OM 574 25 17 15* PE1EWR JO11SL 56 16773 EI3GE 677 80 10 16 Douglas Valley RC A M1AIX IO83QM 79 15631 DC8EI 669 400 2x12 17 Reigate ATS C G8JXV IO91WE 98 15392 DL2OM 542 100 9 18 Douglas Valley RC A G1SWH IO83QO 102 15325 2E1HSR 417 400 19 19 Chesham & DARS G0ODQ IO91NQ 130 15087 GM0GMD 539 120 11 20 Harwich ARIG C G0DVJ JO01MX 77 14670 DL2OM 479 50 5 21 Douglas Valley RC A G8ZRE IO83NE 83 14556 G4CQR/P 345 80 8XY 22 Bentley RC G0NFA IO91NE 98 14304 DL2OM 594 100 9 23 Harwich ARIG C G7MOT JO01MW 66 13189 DK2ML 561 100 17 24 Bentley RC M0BTZ IO91LC 91 12801 DK5DQ 581 150 11 25 Martlesham DX & CG C G0RRC JO02MB 67 12389 DF2VJ 514 35 35 26 Harwell ARS A D G4HLX IO91FP 92 10996 ON1DLL 500 100 9 27 Wythall CG A G4TVR IO92BI 73 9221 ON4ZN 459 50 13 28 Harwell ARS A D G0AOZ IO91GQ 84 8442 F6CBH 367 120 16 29 Mid-Sussex ARS G0APZ IO90WW 65 8419 DK5DQ 519 23 7 30 Chesham & DARS G3MDG IO91RR 67 8052 DG8YHH 546 45 13 31 Chesham & DARS G0VFW IO91RR 56 7004 DL2OM 578 45 13 32 Wythall CG A G1WAC IO92BJ 67 6847 DF2VJ 705 25 18 33 Wythall CG A B M0COP IO92BK 68 6686 GM0GMD 438 100 8 34 G1TWS JO01HO 49 6127 GD0EMG 451 25 11 35 Wythall CG A G6ZDQ IO92BJ 66 5750 GD0EMG 267 50 9 36 Colcester RA G3FIJ JO01KV 48 5515 GI6ATZ 533 50 10 37 Colcester RA 2E1GUA JO01FS 52 5048 DK5DQ 476 10 13 38 Mid-Sussex ARS G3JMB IO91WA 56 4928 GD0EMG 462 20 7 39 G4XPE IO92GU 33 4777 GI6ATZ 343 25 20 40 Harwell ARS A D M0BRE IO91IO 56 4687 ON1ARQ 362 25 8 41 G0GJV IO91OK 43 4115 GD0EMG 396 200 9 42 Reigate ATS C G3TRC IO91WF 39 3807 GD0EMG 444 15 9 43 Wythall CG A M0COK IO92AJ 47 3780 GD0EMG 263 50 7 44 G8GSQ IO91JI 33 3725 GD0EMG 386 20 4 45 Wythall CG B M5UGC IO92BK 37 3027 GD0EMG 264 50 6/6 46 Harwell ARS B D G3PIA IO91IN 37 2975 GD0EMG 365 20 17 47 Wythall CG B G8MYK IO92BJ 35 2747 GD0EMG 267 48 Wythall CG B G0EYO IO92BJ 30 2673 GD0EMG 267 50 49 Wythall CG B G4VPD IO92BJ 17 2202 GD0EMG 267 50 Harwell ARS B D G0KOC IO91IT 19 1778 GD0EMG 343 25 9 51 Wythall CG B G0ICJ IO92BJ 27 1516 GD0EMG 267 25 7 52 G0HKG JO01IV 25 1479 G7RAZ 251 80 9 53 Clifton ARS G4FAA JO01BK 16 1446 GD0EMG 439 50 VERT 54 Colcester RA G7MHK JO01JP 18 1317 G4ZAP 229 50 Vert 55 Wythall CG C M0AEJ IO92BK 22 1177 G4CQR/P 238 25 56 Harwich ARIG C G7HOW JO01NW 13 1028 G4RFR 250 50 9 57 Wythall CG C G1KEA IO92CK 9 632 GD0EMG 267 8 58 Wythall CG C G1DUO IO92BH 5 352 G4RFR 172 50 59 Harwell ARS B D G0VFE IO91IJ 4 129 G3NNG 37 20 7 Multi Operator Pos Group Zone Call Loc. QSO's Score Best DX Dist Power Ant 1* Northern Lights GD0EMG IO74QD 215 76946 F6GYJ 1042 400 8x9 2* Flight Refuelling ARS G4RFR IO90AS 225 58093 DL2OM 670 400 2x14 3 A1 CG D G4ZAP IO81SG 215 48882 DL2OM 705 400 2x12+17 4 De Montfort UARS G8VHI IO92FM 211 43015 F5LRL 784 150 2x14 5 Clifton ARS G7ULL JO01AK 162 24845 DF2VJ 542 180 11 6 Harwell ARS A D G8CUL IO91JO 141 20595 DK3BU 604 150 14 7 Leicester RS G3LRS IO92KP 96 13845 PA1WM 482 200 17 8 G0DRM IO83SB 98 13329 F6FLB 376 80 9 9 De Montfort UARS G3ORY IO92JK 76 9792 DK5DQ 598 80 15 10 Douglas Valley RC A G3BPK IO83QN 40 8430 G4CQR/P 370 100 17 11 Sutton & Cheam RS G3OLX IO91VH 91 7937 DC8EI 464 25 13 12 Harwich ARIG C M0CGE JO01PW 45 6693 GD0EMG 465 80 9 13 Mid-Sussex ARS G1ZMS IO90WX 39 4579 GD0EMG 465 10 8 14 Sandwell ARC G1SAN IO92AL 83 3972 EI3GE 284 50 8XY
G4PIQ
I haven't been able to do this event for 2 years now, so this year was partcularly interesting. Activity from both the UK and Germany seemed down, though the latter may have been down to conditions which were poor during the morning session which is normally the most productive time for the Europeans. I'd have rated conditions during the afternoon as flat. Certainly however the UK activity did seem low. I reckon that I'm about 100 QSOs short from what I've done in previous years, although a little of this can be put down to a less than perfect station!
Not exactly a tale of great success for me. I still hadn't got around to repairing my pre-amp which got torched in the September contest and also had a bunch of other stuff to sort out on the antennas following the October storms and a year or so of neglect. Took the 30 degree bend out of the stub mast (which is clearly far too soft & has now bent again!). Found both the driven elements on the 9 element Tonnas had open circuits on the shorting straps (old age) and had a couple of cables which had connecters wrenched off following a spinning stub mast. Put tower back up and then found an intermittent connect on the 4 x 15 array as well. I left the rotator in place, after re-setting the stub mast position, although the readout on the control box only read correctly on headings of 110 and further south. Somehow (and I can't quite figure how), the pot in the rotator has got its end stop out of step with the end stop on the rotator itself. Good job that this was a daytime contest so I could look to see where the antennas were pointing.
Managed to do this lot on Saturday afternoon, but had no time during the evening, so arrived at station at 7.40 am to wind up tower and build station (most of it in pieces after CQWW). Unfortunately this included replacing the GaAs FET in the pre-amp, but I couldn't find my correct spares (ATF 10135) and ended up subsitituting an ATF 13735 which I had kicking about. A quick check and rough alignment on a noise floor FM signal showed that the pre-amp was doing almost nothing to improve the system noise figure, so I guess I had around a 4-5 dB system noise figure for the contest which is not too hot! Even had my trusty headphones finally failed in one ear which left me with a mono set and made searching the band much harder. Was 25 minutes late to start the contest.
G4MRS
Much QSB especially early afternoon
Local QRN made operation to W and N difficult
G7RAU
Good activity, bad static rain
M0BTZ
Poor Condx Good Activity from UK
Wythall CG
Managed to get 15 stations on air, (missing G7OJO and M1EOQ logs) but still a good record entry. Not so much the winning as the taking part. Enjoyed by all, even if it did seem a bit quiet. No great scores by anyone - most of us could only manage part-time entries. Had to QRT for the Christmas Pantomime again !
M0COK
Hard going with flat conditions and qsb at times
G8HGN
SOME REASONABLE TROPO INTO SW GERMANY,AND ACTIVITY STEADY THROUGH OUT THE CONTEST.MISSED APPROX 2HRS DUE TO FAMILY COMMITMENTS.
G8VHI
VERY ENJOYABLE AND NICE TO BE WORKING A REASONABLE QSO RATE RIGHT TO THE END. SOME VERY NICE DX UNDER FLAT CONDITIONS.
G1OGY
Good to see the band with some activity. Some poor signals but all taken in good spirit.
G7MOT
Weird - never done so well!
G0DVJ
Very slow QSB at times
M0CGE
First time from this QTH. Good fun.
G7HOW
had a problem with radio so had to abandon contest
G4ZAP
Conditions: flat. I think the only station that this needs to be an 8 hour contest for these days is G4PIQ 10:00 start might be a good change.
G8ZRE
FAIR QSB AT TIMES HARD GOING IN THE AFTERNOON NO NEW STATIONS FOR ONE HOUR BETWEEN 15.24 AND 16.26 NEARLY LOST MY VOICE CALLING CQ !!!!!!
G4RFR
Propagation made interesting by a number of WX fronts passing over. DX stations help up right through to the end of the contest.
G0WJR/P
A lovely morning; mild, calm and sunny. Good signals heard from all around the country, and a pleasing amount of activity, after a very quiet period on the band.
PE1EWR
Quite some activity, conditions not too bad. G working deep in DL and F. Quite happy with contacting Jim EI3GE. PA0GHB had other things to attend to, so worked only a few but will not send in. Did look for GM, nothing heard.
G4HLX
Condition very ordinary. Heavvy QSB on most paths even over moderately short distances.
G0GJV
Very quiet, very little from anywhere...
G0DRM
2000 contest QSO's exceeded last years tally, although we were not enjoying the continentals and DX of those living in the East of the country. Excellent local rivalry and contacts.
G8CUL
Deep QSB but little activity
G1ZMS
We managed 3 hours from the club station! Good fun but other duties called use
G0APZ
QSO's up on last year but down from earlier contests
G3JMB
Conditions average: QSO's up on last year
G0GCI
The conditions were not bad for tropo contacts. There was a fair bit of activity but it was hard work to get the score up. In the morning I think I was called by a IM0 but probably wishfull thinking.