March 144/432 MHz 2022

This contest in 2021 was affected by Covid restrictions, so the pattern of entries is a fair amount different - as are the winners and runners up.

On 144MHz 72 squares were worked (79 in 2021) and there were 780 active stations (532 in 2021). There were 83 entries (135 in 2021 and 95 in 2020). ODX was achieved by M1B (G1YBB) working OZ1BEF at 919km .

On 432MHz 54 squares were active (53 in 2021) and there were 272 active stations (275 in 2021). There were 66 entries (89 in 2021 and 66 in 2020). UK entrant ODX was achieved by G0VHF/P working DF0YY at 792km.

Comparison with 2020 is interesting because that was the last VHF Contest before the Covid restrictions were introduced.  As will be seen from the numbers above there was a surge of entrants in 2021 (caused, presumably, by people having to stay at home) but the pattern of entries has now reverted to it's 2020 levels.  The only category of entry in decline is single operator fixed (2020 29, 2022 18).  This may reflect people targetting individual table performance rather than success in the Championship, the latter really requiring more than a 6H entry because of the way Championship normalised points are calculated.

Congratulations go to:

• Reigate and Banstead ATS and Crawley ARC  who won the open section - Blacksheep CG G8T was runner up
• John G3XDY who won the single operator fixed section - David G4ASR was runner up
• G6K (G0EAK) who won the six-hour open section - G1K (M0TRQ) was runner up
• Richard GD8EXI, who won the six-hour single operator fixed section for the ninth year running.  Charlie G0SKA was runner up

As in previous years R1 logs were obtained and were used as part of the adjudication process.

Congratulations to all other table leaders and runners up, who together with stations identified, have been awarded certificates.

Stephen Purser GW4SHF