CW National Field Day 2024:

The rules for this contest continued from 2023 in that contacts with Russian and Belarus stations were still invalid for points and multipliers, and those stations could only enter check-logs.

There were 32 entries from portable stations with 3 groups entering the QRP section, 6 entering the QRP Renewable Energy section, 16 groups entering the Low Power Unassisted section and 7 groups entering the Low Power Assisted section. This is only 4 less than the total portable numbers in 2023,  but with less in the QRP section. However there were again a small number of UK portables sending in the checklogs. A pity they did not actually enter the relevant section.The Fixed Station section attracted 67 entries, which was a small increase on 2023. It was good to find a number of fixed USA and DX  stations joining in or being worked. These included 4Z, 5B, 7Q, 9J, 9M,  KP4, S5, VK, VP8, VR2/P, VU, ZA , 9N, EI, JA, W1-6.and  ZL.

The band conditions were generally reported as poor on the Saturday but improving on Sunday. There was a solar flare geomagnetic disturbance on the preceding Friday but 10m and 15m gradually improved on Sunday, with some sporadic E on 10m, giving lots of DL portable contacts till the end..For most areas in the UK the weather was sunny and hot .

The multiplier count was again most important in the final scores, not just QSO points. The top scores were also affected by the number of Russian or Belarus stations worked when running, those scoring zero points or multipliers. However the distribution of these seemed the same across the leading stations, so did not affect the overall result. The equipment in use was quite a mix, including  the Elecraft K series, FTDX, and IC7300 rigs, and some Flex. The preferred antennas in the QRP and Low Power Unassisted sections were the usual doublets and dipoles.Some fancy homebrew atu's were used by leading stations, one or two of vintage design. The Low Power Assisted section winners used a beam plus wires, others used wire beams and doublets.

Congratulations to all the winners and many thanks to all those groups who were able to get a station on the air. Several were single op portable stations. Even a wire in the garden and batteries is a good way to enter. Thanks to all who sent in photos, but more would be nice !

The UK&CD winner in the QRP section was G3ULT/P, the Reading& DARC, who receive the Reading QRP Shield. The runner up was last year's winner M0RYB/P, the Loxlot club,and in third place was G4XSR/P the Burton on Trent club.

The UK&CD winner in the QRP Renewable Energy section was M3E/P operated by G4CWH for  Camb-Hams.The runner-up was M5D/P operated by M1EYP for the Tall Trees Group, and S50TTT/P was the leading non UK station.

The UK&CD  winner in Low Power Unassisted Portable section was again G4FNL/P, the Sussex Downs club, who receive the NFD Shield, followed again closely by G4GA/P, the Radio GaGA group. The Windmill group G4A/P were third. S57WX/P was the leading non UK station.

The UK&CD winner in the Low Power Assisted Portable section was G6MC/P for Brimham CG , who receive the Bristol Trophy. The runner-up was M2A/P, the DeMontfort University ARS.Third place went to G5O/P the Stockport RS. The leading non UK entry was from I/G4BJM/P, a good signal on all bands.

The winner of the Low power unassisted Single Operator award, the G3MVZ Memorial Cup, was MU5E/P (GU4YOX),

In the Fixed Station section, the winner was again MM9I (GM0OPS) with G3WW in the runner-up slot. Again YU5R was  the leading non UK entrant by YT2AAA.

Logs and Adjudication; Logs were of a good standard, with only a few time and serial number issues.

73 Mike G3VYI