The number of stations active during the event was higher than in 2002 with 26 stations across G, GW, GM and EI appearing in the logs. A number of entrants commented that well-known callsigns were absent this year. QSO totals and the number of entries were much reduced. Although activity reduced as the event progressed, 10% of contacts took place in the last hour showing that there were still stations to be found.
Conditions were generally rated as average with the usual 70MHz QSB. Entrants will notice that their claimed scores have been reduced. This was mainly due to logging errors on the longer distance QSOs.
Congratulations go to Phil G3TCU who repeats his 2002 success. Second place was extremely close with the honour eventually going to Martin G3UKV. Clive GM4VVX/P took the single operator others section from his remote location. These stations will receive certificates
A useful check log was received from GW3HWR.
Roger, G4BVY G4BVY@blacksheep.org
Section SF Pos Call Loc QSOs Score Mult Total ODX Kms Power Ant 1 * G3TCU IO91QE 17 2675 16 42800 EI3IO 438 150 6 ele 2 * G3UKV IO82RR 17 1962 13 25506 G0UAP 227 50 5 ele 3 G3JYP IO84SN 15 2456 10 24560 G0UAP 429 120 8 ele 4 GM4AFF IO86ST 7 2382 7 16674 G3JYP 398 60 8 ele 5 G3IKR IO82XF 11 1665 10 16650 GM4AFF 510 140 4 ele 6 G3XPU IO92HM 7 1092 9 9828 GM4AFF 482 45 3 ele 7 G0UPU IO91AX 8 728 8 5824 G3JYP 289 50 5 ele Section SO Pos Call Loc QSOs Score Mult Total ODX ODX Power Ant 1 * GM4VVX/P IO78WA 3 565 4 2260 GM4AFF 167 10 6 ele Comments from the logs: G0UPU Not a very large turn out. A lot of well known calls were missing. Conditions average. G3IKR Average. After 11:30 up to 12:00 I did not hear any new stations - two or three repeatably
calling CQ only. Could not stay on any longer. Is it worth having this contest last so long?
Were there any QSOs after 12:00? G3JYP Above average. Just a doubt about the last hour - did conditions go off or did most folks
switch off? An enjoyable contest. Somehow I managed to miss EI3IO who had a good signal
- I feel it could be expensive! Don't know what to think about the rules.
I can't help but feel sorry for the GM fixed stations. Any entry deserves a medal.
Can only hope for a massive aurora or extra special sporadic E proves me wrong one day. G3TCU Condx average, one GM heard by MS, tropo signal too weak to work. Activity generally a
bit disappointing. G3UKV Normal. Usual deep QSB GM4AFF Very poor activity. Didn't hear much other than the few I worked, so I gave up eventually. GM4VVX/P Another try from the frozen North Hi Hi...Sunday morning fine and dry with a stiff breeze.
Got set up early again but as usual not a sound on the band. All very quiet until 09.30
when G3JYP came up out of the noise for a good exchange. It took ages to get GM4AFF to
turn to the North but even then a difficult QSO with deep QSB. Very quiet again for a
long time when G3TCU appeared at 5+ 9 working his eleventh QSO, but faded after I called him. So lost a very good dx Hi Hi...G3UKV was heard calling cq and a very hard qso was made with
lots and lots of "pse info agn". Lots of points though at 600km. No other callsigns copied.
Several stations heard at r2s2 but never able to read signals when I checked their working
freq.many times.... GW3HWR Since I was very happy with the 70MHz CW last year, I spent a hopeful 3 hours in this one.
Awful! I made one QSO and heard one other, unidentified, station. PLEASE don't be put off,
these CW events are important.