VHF NFD - 7th/8th JULY 2018

The number of portable stations entering VHF NFD this year was 59, two down on 2017. The distribution of entrants between sections was very similar, with 11 Open Section entries, 15 Restricted, 10 Low Power, 13 Mix and Match and 10 Multi Single. The number of Sweepers was up by nine at 61.

Looking at entrants' comments for the five bands (always a useful mirror of what the contest was really like), a couple of common threads come through in addition to band specific observations. Firstly, the weather was for once universally agreed to be unusually good - hot and dry. Indeed the Met Office may have overdone it, with one group reporting a real fire risk at their site and others that it was actually too hot, leading to operator fatigue - but one group got round this by operating from a gazebo.  Secondly, for some groups the weekend was seen as a major club social opportunity as well as a serious radio bash and provided food and drink. One group reported that they had an on-site dish washer and another a water heater (presumably for making beverages rather than filling hot water bottles...): unfortunately, the latter caused generator overload at times. However the worst social gaffe was made by the Cateringmeister at one site who failed to provide custard for the Bakewell pudding!

The mention of a generator leads conveniently into the perennial reports of equipment problems with generators, as usual, being a regular culprit. Two groups reported generator failures. One of these resulted in nothing worse than a late start: but disturbingly the other involved the theft of a spare generator and a motorhome being broken into - all while the main generator was being repaired 60m away. Other power related issues were the generator overload due to the water heater (as previously mentioned), a sequencer which failed to work on a hired generator (but OK on another), and running out of petrol with half an hour to go! Other problems reported were two blown-up preamps and one that went noisy, one blower failure on a linear, two rotator failures (resulting in reversion to the 'armstrong  (aka. hand-draulic) method'), one interconnect cable failure and three rig failures - at least one of which was suspected of being heat related. A number of reports of poor quality signals were made - these are probably inevitable when operating away from mains power under portable conditions and involving operators who may not be familiar with the equipment being used. Some related to poor audio quality but others involved wide signals. These were largely resolved amicably between the stations involved. But, closing 'agony corner' on a positive note, one station reported 'nothing broke'.

The Open Section entrant scoring the highest number of normalised points (3636) was again Wexford VHF Group EI9E/P in IO62 square. However, readers will recall that only UK&CD (UK and Crown Dependency) based entrants are eligible for Awards, and that normalisation is based on the score of the leading UK&CD entrant per band and section. The Overall Winner, taking the Surrey Trophy with 3628 normalised points, is thus Colchester & A1 CG in JO01. Runner up is last year's winner Reigate ATS and Crawley ARC, also in JO01, with 3066 normalised points. Third place in this section is again taken by Windmill CG, another JO01 station, with 2514 normalised points. The Tartan Trophy (for the Leading Resident GM Entry) is again awarded to Aberdeen VHF Group in IO86 with 2000 normalised points from a two band (6m & 4m) entry.

In the Restricted Section, the Overall Winner is last year's runner-up Lothians RS in IO74 with 3173 normalised points, earning themselves the Martlesham Trophy. They also win the Cockenzie Quaich as Leading Resident GM Entry.  Second place is taken by Goole R&ES in IO93, with 2839 normalised points. In third place is last year's winner South Birmingham RS in IO92 with 2524 normalised points.

In the Low Power Section, the Overall Winner is again Warrington CG in IO93 with 3000 normalised points, taking the Arthur Watts Trophy. In second place is MM0BQI/P (and winner of the Scottish Trophy for Leading Resident GM Entry) in IO85 with 1052 normalised points. Third place goes to Oxford & DARS in IO91 with 945 normalised points.

Overall Winner in the Mix and Match Section, taking the G5BY Trophy, is again Trowbridge & DARC in IO81 with 2867 normalised points. Runner up is Northern Fells CG in IO94 with 2432 normalised points and in third place is again Drowned Rats RG in IO91 with 2329 normalised points.

In the Multi Single Section the Overall Winner is Lagan Valley ARS in IO74 with 2923 normalised points. Runner up is Northampton RC in IO92 with 2409 normalised points, and in third place is East Notts CG in IO93 with 2280 normalised points.

Individual band leader awards for portable stations are as follows:

50MHz

Open Section: Numerical leader (position #1), and leading non-UK&CD entrant: EI9E/P: Wexford VHF Group: IO62: Score 97471

Open Section: Leading UK&CD entrant: GM4ZUK/P: Aberdeen VHF Group: IO86: Score 63264

Restricted Section: Leading UK&CD entrant:  GM3HAM/P; Lothians RS: IO74: Score 40576

Low Power Section:  Leading UK&CD entrant: MM0BQI/P: IO85: Score 10512

Multi Single: Leading UK&CD entrant: M0MCG/P: Moors CG: IO80: Score 23234

70MHz

Open Section: Numerical leader (position #1), and leading non-UK&CD entrant: EI9E/P: Wexford VHF Group: IO62: Score 40710

Open Section: Leading UK&CD entrant: GM4ZUK/P: Aberdeen VHF Group: IO86: Score 40037

Restricted Section: Leading UK&CD entrant:  GM3HAM/P; Lothians RS: IO74: Score 37907

Low Power Section:  Leading UK&CD entrant: M0NDA/P: Nuneaton & DARC: IO92: Score 1510

Multi Single: Leading UK&CD entrant: GI4GTY/P: Lagan Valley ARS: IO74: Score 19202

144MHz

Open Section: Leading UK&CD entrant: G5LK/P: Reigate ATS & Crawley ARC: JO01: Score 259967

Restricted Section: Leading UK&CD entrant:  G6IPU/P; Bittern DX Group: JO02: Score 109031

Low Power Section:  Leading UK&CD entrant: G3CKR/P: Warrington CG: IO93: Score 75743

Multi Single: Leading UK&CD entrant: GI4GTY/P: Lagan Valley ARS: IO74 AI: Score 34360

432MHz

Open Section: Leading UK&CD entrant: G0VHF/P: Colchester & A1 CG: JO01: Score 90255

Restricted Section: Leading UK&CD entrant:  G0OLE/P; Goole R&ES: IO93: Score 26575

Low Power Section:  Leading UK&CD entrant: G3CKR/P: Warrington CG: IO93: Score 30906

Multi Single: Leading UK&CD entrant: G3TBK/P: East Notts CG: IO93: Score 14820

1296MHz

Open Section: Leading UK&CD entrant: G0VHF/P: Colchester & A1 CG: JO01: Score 46046

Restricted Section: Leading UK&CD entrant:  G2BQY/P; Trowbridge & DARC: IO81: Score 16495

Low Power Section:  Leading UK&CD entrant: G3CKR/P: Warrington CG: IO93: Score 14470

Multi Single: Leading UK&CD entrant: G8LED/P: Northampton RC: IO92: Score 2448

Awards for Fixed Sweepers are as follows:

The Overall Winner is G3XDY in JO02 with 3695 normalised points. Runner-up is GW8ASD in IO83 with 3095 normalised points. Third place UK&CD entrant is G4KCT in IO93 with 1653 normalised points. F1CBC in JN09 is Leading non-UK&CD Sweeper with 2299 normalised points.

50MHz

Section FSO (8 entrants): G4ELJ (IO91) - Band Leader

Section FSO: 5B4AAB (KM64) - Highest placed non-UK&CD entrant

Section FSO: Silver Award - G4ELJ (IO91)

Section FSO: Bronze Award - G3TXF (IO71), M1MHZ (IO92)

Section FSR (21 entrants): 9H5MC (JM76) - Highest placed non-UK&CD entrant

Section FSR: GW8ASD (IO83) - Band Leader

Section FSR: Bronze Award - GW8ASD (IO83), G3RLE (IO83), G8ONK (IO83)

70MHz

Section FSO (7 entrants): G4MBC (JO02) - Band Leader

Section FSO: Gold Award - G4MBC (JO02)

Section FSO: Silver Award - G3NPI (IO92)

Section FSO: Bronze Award - G3XDY (JO02), G3TCT (IO81)

Section FSR (12 entrants): G4HGI (IO83) - Band Leader

Section FSR: Silver Award - G4HGI (IO83), GW8ASD (IO83)

Section FSR: Bronze Award - G3MXH (JO02), G4KCT (IO93), G8FMC (IO91), G4PDS (IO80)

144MHz

Section FSO (7 entrants): G3XDY (JO02) - Band Leader

Section FSO: Silver Award - G3XDY (JO02), G3NPI (IO92)

Section FSO: Bronze Award - M1MHZ (IO92)

Section FSR (34 entrants): F1CBC (JN09) - Highest placed non-UK&CD entrant

Section FSR: G4PDS (IO80) - Highest placed UK&CD entrant

Section FSR: Silver Award - G4PDS (IO80)

Section FSR: Bronze Award - F1CBC (JN09), 2E0VPX (IO92), GW8ASD (IO83), M0OMB (IO83), G5RS (IO91),G1MZD (IO92), G3RLE (IO83), G8ONK (IO83), M0NVS (IO91), G4XPE (IO92), G0TAR (JO01), G4CIB (IO81)

432MHz

Section FSO (2 entrants): G3XDY (JO02) - Band Leader

Section FSO: Silver Award - G3XDY (JO02)

Section FSR (16 entrants): G0GDA (JO01) - Band Leader

Section FSR: F1CBC (JN09) - Highest placed non-UK&CD entrant

Section FSR: Bronze Award - G0GDA (JO01)

1296MHz

Section FSO (3 entrants): G3XDY (JO02) - Band Leader

Section FSO: Silver Award - G3XDY (JO02)

Section FSO: Bronze Award - G3TCU (IO91), G3TCT (IO81)

Section FSR: (7 entrants): G4KCT (IO93) - Band Leader

Section FSR: F1CBC (JN09) - Highest placed non-UK&CD entrant

Moving on to individual band reports...

50MHz conditions were reported as being good before that start of the contest (particularly for sporadic E) but fading out by the start. During the contest they were variously reported as between 'good to the UK' and 'dreadful' with a probable weighted average of 'flat'. There was some sporadic E to be had, although not in great quantity. Nevertheless of the 27 DXCC entities worked on the band, it is probable that thirteen were via sporadic E. And despite reports of low activity, a total of 458 valid calls appear in the logs, in 84 'big squares'. The best DX was between EI9E/P and 5B4AAB at 3647 km: best DX by a UK& CD entrant was between GM4ZUK/P and EA8CQS at 3353 km. One station commented on the fact that a number of stations active on the band stuck to FT8 and ignored the contest.

70MHz tropo conditions were reported as above average, but there was only a very limited amount of sporadic E. This consisted of just six contacts with EA, EA8 and S5, all made by GM or EI portables. As with 50MHz, activity was reported to be low, resulting in slow going towards the end. A total of 235 valid calls appear in the logs, in 13 DXCC entities and 38 'big squares'. The best DX was between GM4ZUK/P and EA8DBM at 3375 km.

On 144MHz, conditions were generally reported as average to good, particularly to the East. They improved through Saturday evening, peaking during the early hours of Sunday allowing some good DX to be worked but fading out during the later morning. Activity was thought to be quite good, but better on the Sunday than on the Saturday. 1430 valid calls appear in the logs, in 20 DXCC entities in 115 big squares. Best DX was between M0NFD/P (interestingly a Restricted Section entry) and SN7L at 1183 km.

As with 144MHz, despite a few adverse comments conditions on 432MHz were generally agreed to be good to the East, particularly in the early hours when there was less activity to take advantage of it! Activity generally was thought to be fairly low. 491 valid calls appear in the logs, in 16 DXCC entities and 85 big squares. The best DX was between EI9E/P and DA0FF at 1179 km: best DX by a UK& CD entrant was between G0VHF/P and OK1KTW at 1100 km.

Finally, on 1296MHz activity was mostly reported as poor, but better on the Sunday than the Saturday, with a number of registrants not being heard. Conditions were, with a couple of exceptions, reported as good, particularly over the North Sea. As with 70cm, they appeared to peak in the early hours of Sunday - at a time when many entrants had gone to bed and were not able to benefit from them. Aircraft scatter accounted or a number of longer distance contacts, and two stations commented that use of KST was essential to do well on this band. A total of 81 valid calls appear in the logs, in 15 DXCC entities and 53 big squares. The best DX was between G0VHF/P and OM6A at 1273 km.

Many thanks to the adjudicators (6m - G0KAD, 4m & 2m - G0FCT, 70cm - GW4SHF, 23cm - G6XSY),  and overall coordinator G0FCT.

Quin Collier G3WRR

g3wrr@rsgbcc.org