432MHz AFS 2006

432MHz AFS is another contest where the entry level has grown year on year for the last four years. The 2006 event saw more entrants than any other year on the website archives (back to 1997). However we could still do with more support from AFS teams north of the Midlands.

Conditions were generally thought to be reasonable, with a brief opening into Europe reported by some stations. Five entrants managed QSOs over 700km, even though there appeared to be less European activity than in previous years.

Congratulations go to regular entrants Chesham and District ARS, who are AFS winners this year. Last year's winners Sutton and Cheam RS took second place.

Dave Gilligan, G1OGY, reported `total technology failure' at the start of the contest, after going out portable this year. However Dave still managed to take the top spot in the Open section by a good margin.

The Single Operator Fixed section was won by Keith Tatnall, G4ODA, with Bryn Llewellyn, G4DEZ, taking second place.

It was good to see two overseas entries to this contest. Klaus Dreckshage, DL3YEE, provided several stations with their best DX, and Frank Laanen, PE1EWR, receives the certificate for highest placed overseas entrant.

Bob Edgar

G0KYS

Single Operator Fixed
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Total	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1*		G4ODA	IO92WS	60	15,066	DF9IC	752	400	2x28Y	TS950
2*		G4DEZ	JO03AE	46	11,070	DF9IC	768	400	4x28Y	IC910
3	Chesham & DARS	G3MEH	IO91QS	55	9,766	DL3YEE	630	250	2x21Y	FT1000+tver
4	Harwell ARS	G3NNG	IO91EP	56	9,176	DF2VJ	658	200	17Y	?
5*		PE1EWR	JO11SL	24	6,778	F5HGO	729	80	2x21Y	TS790E
6		G8HGN	JO01FO	39	6,669	DL3YEE	559	50	2x21Y	FT847
7	Colchester RA	G4ZTR	JO01KW	32	6,434	DL3YEE	525	50	21Y	TS2000
8	Chesham & DARS	G0ODQ	IO91NQ	43	5,366	GM0USI	519	200	2x21Y	FT736R
9	Chesham & DARS	G0VFW	IO91RR	35	4,845	DF2VJ	592	45	2x21Y	IC910
10	West Kent ARS	G8SRL	JO01ED	30	4,467	DL3YEE	575	100	2x21Y	TS790E
11		DL3YEE	JO42GE	7	4,266	G8OHM	714	150	4x11Y	TS440S
12	Harwell ARS	G0MJW	IO91JO	32	4,017	DG1KJG	587	150	19Y	IC475E
13*		G1HLT	IO93JD	22	3,586	G4CQR/P	288	25	19Y	IC910
14	Reigate ATS	G8JXV	IO91WE	25	2,940	GW8ASD	289	120	48el MBM	FT736R
15	Sutton And Cheam RS	G0TXL	IO91WI	29	2,484	PE1EWR	255	20	18Y	FT736R
16	Harwell ARS	M0DDT	IO91JR	22	2,101	GW4EVX/P	215	100	21Y	IC910H
17		G0RRC	JO02MB	16	2,070	ON7ARQ	226	50	21Y	FT847
18	Christchurch ARS	M0RHS	IO80XR	7	1,346	G4ODA	263	20	Log Periodic	FT857
19		G4APJ	IO83UP	5	976	G1OGY/P	301	25	19Y	FT736R
20	Wythall RC	G6KMQ	IO92CJ	15	764	G1OGY/P	185	50	4Y	IC910
21*	Chelmsford ARS	2E1GUA	JO01FR	8	662	G8OHM	182	10	19Y	IC490E
22	S Birmingham RS	G4TBJ	IO92CJ	10	547	G1OGY/P	185	50	8 ele Quad	FT847
23	Wythall RC	G1WAC	IO92BJ	8	416	G0ODQ	105	400	21Y	FT736
24	West Kent ARS	G6UBM	JO01CE	6	369	G3NNG	137	35	18Y	IC821
25	Wythall RC	M0MCX	IO92CI	9	364	G4DEZ	155	50	7 ele Quagi	TS2000
26	Harwell ARS	G6LNU	IO91HO	8	311	G8JXV	99	10	21Y	FT726
27	Harwell ARS	G0THY	IO91IT	5	235	G1OGY/P	130	25	Colinear	FT847
Open
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Total	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1*	Colchester RA	G1OGY/P	JO01GN	76	16,206	F5HGO	692	400	2x21Y	FT847
2*	S Birmingham RS	G8OHM	IO92AJ	67	12,450	DL3YEE	714	400	4x21Y + 26Y	IC970H
3	Sutton And Cheam RS	G4CQR/P	JO00DR	51	12,387	DL8DAU	623	100	29Y	TS870+Tver
4	Sutton And Cheam RS	G3WHK	IO91VJ	51	6,728	DG1KJG	516	120	24Y	IC910H
5	S Derbyshire & Ashby Wolds ARG	G0AOD/P	IO93BA	42	5,753	G4CQR/P	296	50	19Y	TS-2000
6	Harwell ARS	G8CUL	IO91JO	41	5,352	GM0USI	519	40	21Y	FT726R
7		GW4EVX/P	IO83JF	24	3,306	G4CQR/P	367	75	19Y	FT817
8	Wythall RC	M0COP/P	IO82NN	24	2,959	G4CQR/P	299	10	7Y	FT817
9	Wythall RC	M0COK/P	IO92BJ	6	322	G0ODQ	105	400	21Y	FT736
10	Wythall RC	G1VDP/P	IO92BJ	6	236	G0ODQ	105	400	21Y	FT736
11	Wythall RC	G0EYO/P	IO92BJ	3	181	G0ODQ	105	400	21Y	FT736

AFS Results

Pos	Group	Callsign	Score	Norm	Callsign	Score	Norm	Callsign	Score	Norm	Total
1*	Chesham & DARS	G3MEH	9,766	603	G0ODQ	5,366	798	G0VFW	4,845	1,000	2,400
2*	Sutton And Cheam RS	G4CQR/P	12,387	764	G3WHK	6,728	1,000	G0TXL	2,484	513	2,277
3	Harwell ARS A	G3NNG	9,176	566	G8CUL	5,352	795	G0MJW	4,017	829	2,191
4	Colchester RA	G1OGY/P	16,206	1,000	G4ZTR	6,434	956			-	1,956
5	S Birmingham RS	G8OHM	12,450	768	G4TBJ	547	81			-	850
6	Wythall RC A	M0COP/P	2,959	183	G6KMQ	764	114	G1WAC	416	86	382
7	S Derbyshire & Ashby Wolds ARG	G0AOD/P	5,753	355			-			-	355
8	West Kent ARS	G8SRL	4,467	276	G6UBM	369	55			-	330
9	Harwell ARS B	M0DDT	2,101	130	G6LNU	311	46	G0THY	235	49	224
10	Reigate ATS	G8JXV	2,940	181			-			-	181
11	Wythall RC B	M0MCX	364	22	M0COK/P	322	48	G1VDP/P	236	49	119
12	Christchurch ARS	M0RHS	1,346	83			-			-	83
13	Chelmsford ARS	2E1GUA	662	41			-			-	41
14	Wythall RC C	G0EYO/P	181	11			-			-	11

Comments from the logs: 2E1GUA Good fun G0AOD/P

flat and hard work

G0RRC

As a very intermittent 70cms operator the conditions seemed very flat though there did seem to be some ducting from further inland to the continent which seemed to go over the top of me. The length of the suited my stamina as I only enter for the fun.

G0THY

Had to work Sunday morning - bummer. Plus a co-linear - at least I tried!

G0TXL

More QRM than usual. Had to turn off preamp to stop overloading of front end.

G0VFWFlat conditions except for 20 minutes lift to Europe!

G1HLT

Missed the first hour conditions below average deep QSB and low activity in the midlands and north. Only PE1EWR heard from Europe.

G1OGY/P

Total technology failure set back the start. Cobbled together old versions of software, jury-rigged the audio and got on the band. Quite productive considering expectations were low ;)

G3MEH

Reasonable activity and conditions a little above average but with just 2 QSO's in the last hour and none in the last half hour I was glad of the 1300 finish.

G3NNG

Grotty

G4APJ

Don't know - only got on for the last 15 minutes :-)

G4CQR/P

Good conditions, reasonable weather.

G4DEZ

Very low activity for an AFS contest and no DX. Thanks to all who came on the band.

G4ODA

Reasonable activity from "G". Some QSB. Not much activity from "DL" & "PA". Perhaps resting after all the good DX from the previous week.

G8CUL

Very quiet - finishing at lunchtime perhaps not such a good idea!

G8HGN

Deep QSB at times, some DX, some activity from F, plus unexpected visitor 30 mins before end curtailed session.

G8OHM

Better activity than last few years, or maybe improved antenna system. Four hours seems too short for a multi-operator club station.

G8SRL

Conditions were average. I started out a little better than last year but by the end I ran out of stations to work. Thankful for the short opening to the continent. GW4EVX/P Conditions fairly flat, PE1EWR heard but could not work.

M0DDT

Slow going gave up last hour

M0MCX

Honey I need a 100 foot Tower :)

M0RHS

First 70cm from home not bad as only 10M asl and no local activity