FIRST 70MHz CONTEST 7/4/19

The number of entries in the 2019 First 70MHz Contest was 40 (4 in section AL, 14 in section AO and 22 in section AR). This was nine per cent down on 2018, but - cold comfort perhaps - that is a substantially smaller drop than that between 2017 & 2018. It may be that conditions were in part responsible for the drop: although (as often happens) there was a fairly wide spread of views on conditions - varying between good and very poor - the weighted average was no better than poor. Apart from one report of activity being good at the start but tailing off after, and one euphemistic 'not exactly hectic', it was generally reported to be low. And QSB was reported as bad by two entrants.

But on the plus side, the number of valid calls appearing in the logs, number of DXCC entities and big squares worked were all up, at 111, 10 and 28 respectively. The best DX was between PA5Y and OH3BCX in KP20 square at 1610km, the best DX worked by a UK&CD entrant being between GW0GEI and GM4VVX at 649km.

Congratulations go to the section leaders:

• Open - MM0CEZ
• Restricted - PA5Y (leading UK&CD entrant G3NPI)
• Low Power - M0OMB.

Quin Collier G3WRR

g3wrr@rsgbcc.org