1.3GHz Trophy Contest

This contest, together with the sister 13cm Trophy Contest, form the final two events in the VHF Championship. The frequencies involved mean that they are usually quiet events and 2023 was no exception.

For 2023 VHFCC added a 500pt per large grid square bonus as used in the AC's.  The aim was to encourage beaming in all directions and more inter UK QSO's. Has this change been helpful ?  Answers to VHFCC please.  It did change the runner up in SF.  Before the application of the bonus G7RAU would have been runner up, with them G4ODA gains the certificate. And G3MEH found himself 4 places higher than he would have been.  But aside from these the outcome seems little different to what it would have been without the bonus system.  The section leaders still have a score almost twice that of the second place stations and this is perhaps to be expected.

There were 41 entries (36 entries in 2022 and 24 in 2021).   Although this increase has been sustained year on year it may also have been encouraged by the excellent conditions with 12 stations working EA.  In the other direction DR9A was worked by GW4JQP in IO71 (1017km) and G7RAU in IN97 at 994km (as well as by many other stations).

ODX in the Open Section was the M1CRO/P/EA1W QSO at 1102km and in SF the GD8EXI/EA1IT QSO at 1233km (last years ODX was 877km and 827km respectively for reference).

Even the weather co-operated with no one mentioning poor weather which is unusual for this contest.

This event is partly co-ordinated with a IARU Region 1 contest and the R1 logs were obtained and were used to assist with adjudication.

Stephen Purser GW4SHF