This is the second year that AFS-Phone contest has included 40m. In 2016 AFS-CW likewise moved to a dual band format (80m and 40m) and the feedback from competitors in both cases has been good, adding extra interest to the competition and in some cases a requirement to refine or enhance their station configuration to take advantage of the two bands. For the majority though the reality is that the first 75 minutes of the contest is taking place on 40m and the remaining 70% of the time the majority of the contacts are on 80m - the graphs on the results page show this, i.e. we are not seeing the load balancing between the bands as anticipated, starting the contest earlier may only serve to even up the number of contacts on each band.

The primary reason for this is the propagation on 40m inter-G drops between 1500 and 1530. However unlike the AFS-CW a concurrent European event, the Hungarian DX Contest, was taking place. An intrepid operator having migrated to 80m to call CQ may like to consider how to configure their station to bolster their QSO count with this activity on 40m, particularly as the evening skip distance lengthens to favour contacts with our European friends.

A number of stations were found working participants outside of the frequency limits defined in the contest rules. These contacts have been marked as invalid for both parties. Note QSO's with participants of the aforementioned Hungarian contest in these frequency ranges are also adjudicated as invalid.

Whilst the RSGB Contest Robot catches many of the obvious syntax errors in the submitted logs, several stations log entries required a tedious amount of reworking, including wrong bands and incorrect operating callsign. Correcting these logs is necessary to protect the innocent participant who otherwise is penalised. However fixing these logs requires time and whilst no fixed penalties were applied this year this is wholly in the remit of the adjudicator to do so, as may be the case next time around.

One way of eliminating these problems is to ensure your radio and computer are interconnected so logging software can automatically record frequencies. Of course, there are folks using equipment that cannot be computer controlled, in which case please take extra care to record the frequency used in your submitted log.

Onto the good news. This years Team winner is Bristol Contest Group, consisting of G3ZVW, GW0FRE (operated by G4BVY and G4FRE), G3TKF and G3OLB. They receive the Flight Refuelling AFS Trophy. The leading entrant overall was G3ZVW who receives the RSGB Lichfield Trophy. Leading station on 80m was M0DXR and on 40m was G3ZVW.

Mark

G4MEM

RSGB Contesting Adjudicator