21/28 MHz Contest 2013

Cycle 24 has turned out to be very disappointing with the solar flux maximum barely half that of the previous cycle, however comparing the smoothed data tells only part of the story as there is considerable variation from day to day and month to month.  Propagation on the day in this year’s contest was very much better than in 2012 and this was reflected in a substantial increase in overall entries.  SSB only was more popular and particularly in the UK Open section where entries increased from only two in 2012 to ten this year and the highest placed entrant from 20th out of 23 to 1st out of 39.  This year’s winner of the UK Open section is Keith Kerr GM4YXI with unbeaten scores on both 21MHz and 28MHz using SSB only.  Keith is therefore awarded the Whitworth Trophy as the leading UK single operator using SSB only and the Powditch Trophy for the highest 28MHz single operator score regardless of mode.  Using mixed-mode the margins were closer as Chris Burbanks G3SJJ captured the top spot and in a reversal of the 2012 top CW positions David Cree G3TBK once again takes the T. E. Wilson G6VQ Trophy for the leading UK single operator score using CW only.  There were several multi operator mixed mode entries in this section with the Flight Refuelling ARS G4RFR gaining a first place certificate.

In the UK Restricted section Peter Hobbs G3LET had an unassailable lead using CW only with Peter Day G3PHO in second place using mixed mode.  In seventh place Lionel Roithmeir held off the challengers to gain the certificate for SSB only.

The UK QRP section attracted just six entries split evenly between CW and SSB.  In first place using CW only is N Bradley G4IWO with P Whipps M0PWW the leading SSB only entrant in overall second.

Alexei Skripalev UA3VVB repeated last year’s top spot using mixed mode in the non-UK Open section to take the first place certificate again using both modes.  In overall second place is an SSB only entry from Mitrut Marius YO3CZW and Brian Coyne 5B4AIZ using C4Z is the leading CW only single operator.

Four out of the top five entries in the non-UK Restricted section were mixed mode and Victor Shmelev RV3RM leads the pack.  Vladimir Fortuna UA4RW takes the CW only certificate with Nick Boyko UR5EAF well down the table but the leading SSB only single operator entrant.

In the non-UK QRP section the most popular mode was CW only but a mixed mode entry from Rumen Stevanov LZ2RS takes first place.  Reflecting good propagation this year to North America, Bob Patten N4BP is in second place overall and the leading CW only entrant.  Low power SSB is a difficult mode to make more than a handful of contacts with and so entries are very often nil.  However there were three logs submitted this year and although all were well down the table this allows a certificate to be awarded to the highest placed log from Rui Cruz CT7AIX.

Log keeping was generally good this year with only a couple from outside the UK having to be relegated to checklogs only and one UK log which had been entered as CW when all contacts were on SSB.  One problem which did slow down the adjudication was with several non-UK entries where the operators had made substantial numbers of contacts with UK stations but submitted a log containing only some of these contacts.  This resulted in lots of ‘not in log’ errors which all had to be examined and re-instated as scoring contacts at the UK end where there was sufficient evidence that the contact had taken place.  Entrants are reminded that all contacts made within the contest should be logged even if no score is claimed.

John Cockrill G4CZB