FIRST 70MHz CONTEST 1/4/18

The number of entries in the First  70MHz Contest 2018 was 44 (4 in section AL, 19 in section AO and 21 in section AR, following the change in section structure to match that used for the UKACs). This was significantly (26%) down on 2016 & 2017, but it is likely that this was due to the event coinciding with Easter Sunday and hopefully numbers will be up again next year. Apart from three optimistic entrants who described  conditions as 'reasonable' or 'average',  a more frequent view was that they were poor, although perhaps better earlier in the event.  And activity was almost universally described as low - perhaps due to the reduced entry. Other comments related to the amount of QSB and level of band noise. But on the plus side, several entrants commented that the weather was good albeit chilly.

104 different valid calls appear in the logs, in 25 big squares and 9 DXCC entities. The best DX was between PA5Y and OH7TE at 1610km, the best DX worked by a UK&CD station being between G4BWP and SP9HWY at 1313km.

Congratulations go to the section leaders:

• Open - G4BWP
• Restricted - GW8ASD
• Low Power - M0OMB.

Quin Collier G3WRR

g3wrr@rsgbcc.org