CW National Field Day 2023 :

The rules for this contest continued from 2022 in that contacts with Russian and Belarus stations were still invalid for points and multipliers, and those stations could only enter check-logs. Also the use of the special GR prefix was not allowed for entrants, except as checklogs.

There were 34 entries from portable stations with 5 groups entering the QRP section, 8 entering the QRP Renewable Energy  section, 13 groups entering the Low Power Unassisted section and 7 groups entering the Low Power Assisted section. This is only one less than the total portables numbers in 2022,  but with less in the Low power assisted section.In 2022 there was a total of 28 UK portables, this year there were 25, a small reduction, however there were a small number of UK portables sending in checklogs.The Fixed Station section attracted 61 entries, a big increase on 2022. It was good to find a number of fixed USA and DX  stations joining in. These included 3V8,4U,4Z,5B,5Z, 9J,VK, ZA, 9N,, EI, JA, W.

The band conditions were generally reported as good on the lower bands, but only good in patches on the higher bands, maybe not reflecting the better state of the sunspot cycle. There was some geomagnetic disturbance on  the Saturday but 10m and 15m gradually improved on Sunday, and for most areas in the UK the weather was sunny and hot for a change.

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 stations worked when running, scoring zero points or multipliers. 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,.The Low Power Assisted section winners used a beam plus  wires, others used wire beams and doublets.

Congratulations to all the winners and congratulations, and many thanks, to all those groups who were able to get a station on the air. Thanks to all who sent in photos, it makes it more interesting!

The winner in the QRP section was M0RYB/P, the Loxlot club, who receive the Reading QRP Shield. The runner up was G4WAC/P (G0MTN) for the Wythall Radio Club.; the leading non UK station  was OL0A/P (OK1CZ).

The winner in the QRP Renewable Energy section was G3PYE/P (G4CWH), Camb Hams;.The runner-up was G2CP/P, the Scarborough ARS, and E70AA/P was the leading non UK station. .

The winner in Low Power Unassisted Portable section was G4FNL/P, the Sussex Downs  club, who receive the NFD Shield, followed closely by G4GA/P, the Radio GaGA group.

The winner of the Low power unassisted Single Operator award, the G3MVZ Memorial Cup, was GM4Z/P (GM4ZUK),

The leading non UK low power unassisted club station was S50X/P.

The UK&CD winner in the Low Power Assisted Portable section was G5O/P, for Stockport RS  who receive the Bristol Trophy. The runner-up was G6MC/P for Brimham CG .

In the Fixed Station section, the winner was MM9I (GM0OPS) with G3SWC in the runner-up slot .YU5R ws  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