This year's event was marked by exceptionally high temperatures in the UK&CD in contrast to poor weather conditions in parts of Europe which included devastating flooding in some countries.  This may have contributed to a drop in overall entries from the excellent support last year which was also in the middle of COVID-19 restrictions in most countries.  Despite that there were plenty of non-entering stations to work including a further 90 in the logs running 10W or less, some portable, therefore making valuable 10 or 15 point contacts available.

Band conditions were somewhat variable throughout the day with signals on 80m very weak early on but improved later, although not favourable for UK-Europe.  40m propagation was good around the UK and Europe most of the time and 20m picked up from mid-morning on.  20m provided a few DX contacts from 4Z, OX, W and UA9.

As usual there were other contests on at the same time.  The long established EA event is domestic so regular entrants know it is usually a waste of time calling EA contest stations, however new for this year was the second round of the YOTA contest to promote contesting among young amateurs.  The rules allow anyone to work anyone so generally calling YOTA stations resulted in a QSO but I and no doubt many others quickly realised that the exchange they required was the operator's age!

An addition to the rules for this year was some guidance on frequencies to use.  The International QRP centres of activity for the three bands are 3560, 7030 and 14060 kHz and with some QRP enthusiasts crystal controlled on or around those frequencies it made sense to encourage operation closer to those.  Therefore the rules not only specified minimum and maximum frequency limits but recommended calling CQ in the 3540 to 3560 kHz, 7020 to 7040 kHz and 14040 to 14060 kHz sections of the bands.  Higher power contest stations also tend to be lower in the bands so there is a benefit in low power stations calling CQ nearer the QRP centres of activity.  Contacts outside the recommended range but within the specified range are valid but please note that the minimum and maximum frequencies in the rules must be strictly adhered to, a few QSOs were disallowed this year for being way outside the specified range.

Leading the 10W Fixed section and up from second last year is G3TBK, G4PVM also moves up a place into second with GI0RQK in third.  In the 10W Portable section G4SGX/P takes the top spot with last year's winner M5D/P (G4WQI) in a close second and GM3BSQ/P (GM3WIJ) third.

In the Non-UK Fixed/Portable 10W section there was a close finish in QSO numbers between DL9EE and DF7TV with DL9EE finding just a few more low power portable stations to capture first place.  Last year's winner of the 5W Non-UK section DD5DD is in third place.

Band conditions, particularly on 80m, were not quite as good as last year so QSO numbers in the 5W Fixed section were down but G3VIP takes the top spot after just missing out on a third place certificate in 2020.  G0TPH moves up from 8th place last year into second while G3KHZ is third.  There were five entrants in the 5W Portable, in first place is G4CZB/P followed by M2A/P (G3RIR and G7WHI) and G3WYW/P (G3WYW and M0TDW) in third.

The Non-UK Fixed/Portable 5W section attracted 14 entrants with DL0RD (DL3CQ) making a good score on both 40m and 20m to take first place, DF7XR is runner up.  YO3FFF found 40m conditions very poor with only one station heard but not worked, however 20m produced contacts around Europe and the UK and a third place.

G3TBK, G4SGX/P, G3VIP, G4CZB/P, DL9EE and DL0RD (DL3CQ) are respectively awarded the 1930 Committee Cup, the Houston-Fergus Trophy, the RSGB Contest Committee Trophy, the Southgate Trophy, the International 10W Trophy and the International QRP Trophy.

Thanks to all participants and supporters for making the contest a success, in particular Colin G4CWH for again contacting individuals in the QRP community to publicise the event in advance and Andy G4PIQ for his 10mW entry which continues to challenge accurate copying of his exchange.  Looking around entrants' equipment used it was interesting to see a wide range of low power rigs, ranging from the latest SDR technology to several home made (including valves) and a rare Shimizu Denshi SS105S.

John G4CZB