The overall number of entries was similar to the previous year with a slight
increase in the number of affiliated societies and small decrease in the number
of single operator stations.
The main topic commented on by entrants was the atrocious weather conditions.
Colin Potter, G6FQZ, stated that it took about four hours for the 100W to dry
the water out of the system while G4CQR/P only dared to get the antenna up to
12 feet on account of the rain and gales which caused him to give up at 12.30hr
when the car started shaking. The comments from Terry Thirwell, G0VFW, just
about summed up the feelings of most when he wrote "Conditions were like the
weather, lousy. It would be nice to hear some DX, i.e. any stations outside
of IO91 square. I had time between QSOs to redecorate the shack just like watching
paint dry. He has resolved to go on holiday next year and not to take any radio
equipment with him.
Most entrants found conditions to be very flat with low levels of activity however
from his location in Nuneaton Reg Woolley, G8VHI, although disappointed with
what he saw as total lack of PA activity commented on the good inter G activity.
These comments were echoed by David Millard, M0GHZ, who was surprised to find
a reasonable number of stations active including some which he had not worked
before.
G4APJ attributed pretty bad propagation with few people beaming North and his
intermittent participation as the reason for his poor score and yet it still
resulted in being placed first in Zone A single operator section. The majority
of entrants lost points during the adjudication but very few positions were
affected. One that changed was first place in the single operator section where
G3MEH, Roger Piper, triumphed by virtue of a more accurate log just pipping
Reg Woolley, G8VHI, into second place. G3MEH was joined by G0ODQ and G0XDI in
the Chesham & District ARS when they won the affiliated societies section ahead
of Harwell ARS "A" team G6FQZ, G8CUL and G0AOZ.
Once again the South Birmingham RS put out a strong multi operator fixed station
team to win this section and be leading society in Zone B. Sutton and Cheam
were leading society in Zone C. In braving the weather G4CQR/P won the single
operator "other" section ahead of GW8ASA/P who also suffered from foul weather,
high winds, low cloud and rain. PE1EWR was one of only five stations from the
Netherlands to feature in the logs and was rewarded with a certificate as leading
overseas station.
Congratulations to all certificate winners who included James Beatell, 2E1GUA,
who won the leading novice station certificate and Paul Elliott, G0TXL, who
showed just what can be accomplished using less than 25w to a single antenna.
Ian L Cornes. G4OUT.
Single Operator Fixed Station Section
Pos Call Zone Points QSO LOC Ant Pwr Best Dx Km
1* G3MEH D 7247 70 91QS 2x23el 250 DL8OBU 726
2* G8VHI B 7057 57 92FM 2x19el 100 DF2VJ 691
3* G0GCI C 6124 42 01ED 2x21el 100 DF2VJ 509
4 M0GHZ D 5233 40 81VK 2x21el 400 DC9KU 585
5 G6FQZ D 4284 39 91JR 21el 100 DG1KJG 588
6 G0ODQ D 4198 51 91NQ 2x21el 150 G4APJ 238
7 G0XDI D 3847 46 91RP 2x21el 40 DG1KJG 542
8* PE1EWR 3590 15 11SL 2x21el 13 M0GHZ 398
9* G0TXL C 2612 38 91WI 21el 20 GW8ASA/P 232
10 G8JXV C 2457 26 91WE 48el 25 GW8ASA/P 235
11 G3YSX C 1724 22 91WF 21el 25 PA0GHB 278
12* 2E1GUA C 1604 19 01FS 21el 10 M0GHZ 188
13 G0AOZ D 1556 24 91GQ 15el 50 GW8ASA/P 139
14 G0VFW D 1533 28 91RR 21el 35 G3XDY 126
15* G4APJ A 1192 8 83UP 19el 25 G7ULL 292
16 G1WAC B 978 13 92BJ 21el 25 G0GCI 208
17 M0BRE D 752 16 91IQ 8el 25 G7ULL 97
18 G3YJR A 674 5 93FJ 9el 10 G0GCI 282
19 G4TVR B 624 11 92BI 21el 50 G0GCI 205
21 G3JJZ C 523 12 01AJ HB9CV 25 M0GHZ 156
20 G3FIJ C 516 7 01KV 5el 10 G4CQR/P 138
22 M0COP B 163 7 92BK 8el 50 G0ODQ 108
23 G0EYO B 147 6 92BJ 15el 50 G0ODQ 104
24 M0CJP D 26 3 91IQ vert 10 G0AOZ 12
* certificate winners
Single Operator Other Section
Pos Call Zone Points QSO LOC Ant Pwr Best Dx Km
1* G4CQR/P C 8547 29 00CR 29el 120 DH3NAN 778
2* GW8ASA/P E 3120 26 81GN 23el 50 G3XDY 326
* certificate winners
Multi Operator Fixed Station Section
Pos Call Zone Points QSO LOC Ant Pwr Best Dx Km
1* G8OHM B 9878 64 92AJ 4x19el 400 DF2VJ 710
2* G7ULL C 4894 52 01AK 18el 50 DL8OBU 688
3 G3WHK C 4324 51 91VJ 24el 100 DC9KU 447
4* G8CUL D 2688 34 91JO 19el 40 PE1EWR 328
* certificate winners
Affiliated Societies Section
Pos A.F.S. Zone Team Total
1* Chesham DARS D G3MEH 7247 733 G0ODQ 4198 1000 G0XDI 3847 1000 2733
2* Harwell ARS 'A' D G6FQZ 4284 433 G8CUL 2688 640 G0AOZ 1556 404 1478
3* Sutton & Cheam RS C G3WHK 4324 437 G0TXL 2612 622 0 1059
4* South Birmingham RS B G8OHM 9878 1000 0 0 1000
5 De Montfort Univ. ARS B G8VHI 7057 714 0 0 714
6 Reigate ATS C G8JXV 2457 248 G3YSX 1724 410 0 659
7 West Kent ARS C G0GCI 6124 619 0 0 619
8 Trowbridge DARS D M0GHZ 5233 529 0 0 529
9 Clifton ARS C G7ULL 4894 495 0 0 495
10 Wythall Radio Club 'A' B G1WAC 978 99 G4TVR 624 148 M0COP 163 42 290
11 Colchester R.A. 'A' C 2E1GUA 1604 162 G3FIJ 516 122 0 285
12 Chesham DARS 'B' D G0VFW 1522 154 0 0 154
13 Harwell ARS 'B' D M0BRE 752 76 M0CJP 26 6 0 82
14 Wythall Radio Club 'B' B G0EYO 147 14 0 0 14
* certificate winners
Comments from entrants.
G0AOZ flat conditions
G0GCI the conditions were very flat with few openings to the North and
East. Though I made no contacts between 1200 & 1300 hrs the voice keyer was
working flat out.
G0TXL very slow conditions
G0VFW Conditions were like the weather, lousy. It would be nice to hear
some DX, i.e. any stations outside of IO91 square. Next year I am going on
holiday and not taking any radio equip. I had time between QSOs to redecorate
the shack just like watching paint dry.
G1WAC pitiful. Only came up to the club to pick up 80n AFS SSB log and
gave a few points away. We had 4 afs stations on which wasn't too bad. Worked
who I could and then came away.
G3FIJ seemed much worse than they were due to temporary aerial
G3JJZ seemed very quiet during my limited operating periods. I must
get the beams up again
G3MEH propagation conditions poor
G3WHK conditions were the worst for many years
G3YJR truly amazing QSB
G4APJ Pretty bad propagation, very poor SWR at my end and few people
beaming North. Add the intermittent nature of my operation and the result was
poor (25% of last year). However at least it's some 70cm contacts in the log.
G4CQR rain gales. gave up at 12.30 car shaking. radio conditions
interesting. dared only to get the antenna up at 12 feet
G6FQZ took about 4 hours for the 100w to dry the water out of the
system and the SWR to drop to normal level. Pity no preamp as some getaways
down in the noise.
G8CUL poor and wet
G8OHM conditions and activity poor
G8VHI conditions not bad to DL but total lack of PA stations. Good
inter-G activity for a change
GW8ASA Wx foul, high winds, low cloud & rain rain rain. Propagation poor
with fast QSB some long haul stations heard at good strength but not above
noise for long i.e. DC5KU, ON1LAO/A, F6EQZ to name a few.
M0BRE poor
M0CJP fair
M0GHZ very poor, deep QSB. was somewhat surprised to find a reasonable
number of stations active, some of which I have not worked before.
2E1GUA not bad for me
Sutton & Cheam RS very slow, poor