For once good propagation, fine weather and great activity combined to make the 2020 Low Power Contest the best for several years resulting in QSO numbers and points scored all well up on previous years.  While there is no control over the first two, the increased activity, mainly from non-UK&CD entrants, is almost entirely due to the efforts of Colin G4CWH in publicising the event around the QRP community.  Colin made contact with a large number of QRP operators to encourage participation either as an entrant or a supporter which clearly worked with Overseas logs submitted up by 750% and many more QRP stations, fixed and portable, appearing in the logs.  Also, new for this year, were separate Overseas sections for the 5W and 10W categories and a power increase for the UK&CD Fixed and Portable categories from 3W to 5W.

On the day 80m band conditions were found to be favourable throughout for local contacts while both 40m and 20m provided plenty of opportunities for QSOs around Europe.  40m was also good for local contacts both in the UK and Europe.  Some DX was available with A6, EA8, OD, W, and VE in the logs, all on 20m.

Upping the permitted power to 5W appears to have improved the popularity of the lower power of the two UK Fixed sections with a threefold increase in support.  In first place is G5W (G3BJ) followed by G3OTK in second and M0RYB in third.  Leading the 10W Fixed section which had 50% more entrants than 2019 is G6XX (G4FAL) with G3TBK in a very close second place and G4PVM in third.

Current restrictions in the UK on portable operation no doubt limited the number of entrants in the two UK portable sections as there are usually a few multi-op stations, however there was a closely fought competition in both power categories.  Leading the 5W section is G4ARI/P followed by G4CZB/P and G4CWH/P in third place.  M5D/P (G4WQI) heads the 10W category with GM3A/P (MM0JOM) in second place and G4BLI/P third.

The new non-UK sections proved to be popular with a total of 52 entrants from twenty different countries.  Leading the 5W section is DD5DD with LY5G in second place and PA2W in third.  PA4O heads the 10W section followed by HG1G (HA1YI) and DL2SWR.

G6XX, M5D/P, G5W and G4ARI/P are respectively awarded the 1930 Committee Cup, the Houston-Fergus Trophy, the RSGB Contest Committee Trophy and the Southgate Trophy.

In 2018 Andy G4PIQ tried out very low power (10mW) in this contest which tested all his contacts with an unusual power exchange.  This year Andy was back with not only 10mW but 1mW as G4MRS.  Better conditions were probably the reason for a much lower error rate at 10mW this time but 1mW and no doubt a very weak signal still had some operators struggling with only five out of nine successfully copying his power.

Thanks to all participants and Colin G4CWH for making this year's event a great success.

John G4CZB