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RSGB Contest Results Overall UKAC 2018   
v4.143 by G4CLA

There were a number of rule changes introduced for the 2017 UK activity contests, one of which was the introduction of a new bonus scheme (B2) which was devised to give stations in all parts of the UK a fairer chance to complete, taking into account the large variation of activity levels in different locator squares. After further consultations with entrants during the year a new bonus system was introduced (B4) for this year's contests which gives a flat 500 points per locator square. This new scheme seems to have been generally accepted amongst most entrants and having now changed the multiplier/bonus system three times in five years we should be able to look forward to a period of rule stability in this aspect of the scoring system.  Another change for 2018 was to the normalisation of the scores on the microwave bands, which was changed to be based on points rather than table positions. This will be further refined in 2019, by using the square root of the points total.

The yearly review of the UK Activity Contests usually involves a large number of superlatives and this review is no exception. Over 10,500 logs containing over 325,000 QSOs were received, processed and adjudicated over the year. 104 individual band results were published, culminating in these overall results which include over 730 different individual entrants from 125 affiliated societies. With these contests taking place over a whole year, there is a good chance that some of them will take place during periods of good propagation. Coupled with the coordination of our contests dates with those in other parts of Europe this gave many stations the opportunity to enjoy working some excellent DX when conditions allowed.  This was particularly true on the higher frequency bands. Some highlights include the exceptional conditions for the June microwave event where many stations made QSOs with OZ on 3cms, the best was G4CLA to OZ3Z at 809km. The May 23cms contest gave many stations QSOs with OZ, SM and LA, the best here was G4FEV to LA5C at 1039km. In October stations found the 70cms band open to SM, SP and even YL, with the best QSO on this occasion being between G3XDY and YL3AG at 1562km! There were a number of times that the  2m events were blessed with good conditions, the best was in June with  the ODX on that occasion being between 2E0VCC/P in Cornwall and OZ6TY at a distance of 1208km. Most of the best DX on 4m was made via meteor scatter, the best here was between G4CLA and SP8SN (1621km) in September. It was a different matter on 6m which with some good Es openings. In particular, SO1WS gave many people their best DX in the June event, the best was with MM0ZBH at 3378km.

Once again there are two club tables this year, one for Local Clubs where members all live or operate within 80km of the club (virtual) meeting place and one for General Clubs whose members are more widely dispersed. This year the qualifying distance for Local Clubs was increased to 80km to encourage more clubs to enter this section.

In 2017 Hereford ARS moved up from 68th place to second overall in the Local Club section. So it may not be too surprising to see that they have continued this meteoric climb to now top the table by scoring a maximum 1000 points in all but one of the individual UKACs, with a combined total of 5629 points from a possible maximum 6000. 40 different operators are listed in their entries during the year, all of whom are to be congratulated on a very fine achievement and are awarded the Bolton Wireless Club Trophy in recognition of their success.

Anyone operating in one of the UK Activity Contests will not failed to have noticed the large number of stations operating from the IO93 grid square, where there are a number of very active clubs. Amongst these are the 93 Contest Group, who take their very name from the locator square from which they operate and the Worksop ARS who are this year placed second and third respectively. Congratulations to both clubs on their success in what must be a very crowded part of the UK for VHF! In particular the Worksop ARS are to be complimented on the number of new operators they have introduced into VHF contesting.

The 807 ARO club is once again the dominating force in the General Club Section this year, gaining maximum points on all bands from 6m through to 23cms and scoring 674 points in the microwaves sessions. Consistently topping the tables in these contests requires a considerable amount of hard work, in both planning and execution, congratulations to all those involved.

In second place are the Drowned Rats RG, who have made big improvements on all bands this year to jump up from seventh in 2017. They achieved second place on 6m, 4m, 2m and 70cms. In third place this year are Spalding & DARS, up from eighth in the table last year by virtue of winning the microwave section.

In the individual results, the 2017 winner Pete G4CLA, improved his microwave score this year to once again take top spot and the Bryn Llewellyn G4DEZ Award from Keith G4ODA in second place overall. The top of the individual table is usually dominated by stations who operate mainly from home. Although portable stations can have a number of advantages over fixed stations, such as a choice of hill-top, quieter locations, they also have a number of difficulties to overcome, not least the weather that can be found on their chosen site but also the logistics of building the station from scratch for each event. This year, Tony G8DMU/P managed to overcome these difficulties and, operating portable during all sessions on all bands from 6m to 3cms scored more than 5000 points and third place overall. This is the first time this has been achieved by a single-operator portable station in the UK activity contests.

This year 69 Intermediate and 45 Foundation callsigns appear in the results, repeating the year-on-year increase seen in the last few years.  The highest placed intermediate Licensee this year is John, 2E0DXK in an excellent 17th place overall. Mary, M6KMB is the highest placed Foundation Licensee, repeating her success of 2017. The highest placed non UK station is Conrad, PA5Y.

I hope you enjoyed the 2018 UK Activity contests, the good conditions, the awful conditions, the good weather and the bad. The highlights and the times best forgotten. The achievements and the disappointments. But mainly the fun of building and operating a station on the VHF bands.

From all the adjudicators I wish you more of the same in 2019.

Pete, G4CLA.


Overall UKAC 2018