50MHz CW CONTEST - 29/6/25

After the generous helping of sporadic E during the 2024 50MHz CW Contest, it was to be expected that we would not be so lucky this year - and so it proved. A total of 11 apparent Es contacts with 6 different stations were made - way down on last year - with a consequential impact on interest and activity.

The total number of logs submitted for 2025 was 28 (18 section AO, nine section AR and one section AL - all from UK&CD entrants), 25% down on 2024. There was a corresponding drop in the number of valid callsigns appearing in logs at 72, 45% down on was 10, down by 41% on 2024: The total number of DXCCs worked (DL, EI, F, G, GM, GU, GW, HA, I and SP) of big squares worked - possibly the item most affected by the absence of sporadic E - was 25, a whopping 58% down on 2024. The best DX was between GM3POI in IO88 and HA1AG in JN98 at 1907km, one of four contacts at over 1000km.

Conditions were reported as average or worse, with several entrants noting that they had encountered no sporadic E at all. Nearly all those who commented on activity found it disappointingly low -  'where was everyone?' captures it nicely - although one entrant noted that is was good to hear any CW on 6m...

Thanks to all the entrants and congratulations to the certificate winners in each section.

Quin Collier G3WRR