432MHz Affiliated Societies Contest 2015

This contest increases in popularity each year, with 49 teams entering this time, and 114 individual entrants. Conditions seemed to be mixed, changing from moment to moment, but good activity levels were welcomed.  Some of those who set up portable stations remarked on the cold weather, freezing in some places, but there was also sunshine in many areas.

Continental DX was available, with distances of over 700km, some QSOs being made on CW.  QSO analysis from the results page shows that although the rate of contacts slowed down in the final 90 minutes, there was still plenty to work on the band.  The standard of log-keeping was generally good, so perhaps the UK Activity Contests have served as a training ground for these weekend events.

This is the final contest in the 2014-15 AFS Super League, which appears to have boosted enthusiasm for 432 MHz AFS.  In the era before the Super League was introduced, there were never more than around 60 entries.  Since then the number of teams and the number of individuals entering have virtually doubled, introducing many more newcomers, generally through their clubs, to contesting on VHF and UHF.

Congratulations to Blacksheep Contest Group who win the G0ODQ Trophy by a good margin.  Second place goes to Camb-Hams, who were not far ahead of their rivals from Bristol Contest Group in third place.

In the individual listings, G4BVY and G4FRE operated the winning station in Section O, just ahead of M0BLF, M0LCM and M1BXF operating G3PYE/P.  In Section SF, GD8EXI had a convincing lead based mainly on the distances he was able to work, with G4ODA in second place.

Other awards go to M6XAK as the leading Foundation licensee, and 2E0NEY as the leading Intermediate entrant. G4HGI was the highest scoring station running 25W or less to a single antenna, and PE1EWR was the leading non-UK station.

Ed, GW3SQX