144MHz CW November 2005

Entry levels from the UK are always fairly low in this contest, and there were even fewer entrants this year with only the 6S section having more than two entrants. However the contest is kept alive by the high level of activity across Europe (especially Germany) for the Marconi Memorial event. This means that there is always some good DX to work.

Band conditions were not good, and the weather was terrible in most areas, with high winds and driving rain being reported from the south coast to the north of Scotland. Dave Edwards, G7RAU, reported storm damage resulting in him having a 4:1 SWR for the last two hours of the contest. Clive O'Hennessy, GM4VVX, made his usual trip out portable for this event in IO78. He reported the field resembled a tank assault course, and he was forced to use a smaller antenna due to the high winds.

The Hampshire Hogs, operating as G4DBL, provided some competition in the 24 hour open section this year, beating Steve Bunting, M0BPQ/P, winner for the last two years, into second place. Dave Edwards, G7RAU, was the only entrant in the 24 hour single operator fixed section, but was the clear winner none the less attaining the highest score in any section by a good margin.

The Windmill Contest Group, G0FBB, were winners in the 6 hour open section, as they have been every year since this section was introduced. John Lemay, G4ZTR, winner for the last two years, again takes the top spot in the 6 hour single operator fixed section.

Thanks to G3MEH for his checklog.

Bob Edgar
G0KYS

24 Hour Open
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Score	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1*	The Hampshire Hogs	G4DBL	IO91JH	112	44566	OK2KKW	987	400	17Y	IC746PRO
2		M0BPQ/P	IO91WP	35	11737	F6KAR/P	718	200	9Y	FT847
24 Hour Single Operator Fixed
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Score	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1*		G7RAU	IO90IR	146	60809	DF0CI	807	400	2x17Y	FT757gxII+Mutek
6 Hour Open
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Score	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1*	Windmill Contest Group	G0FBB	JO01EI	60	24080	DL0U	940	400	2x17Y	Ft1000MP+TVTR
2		GM4VVX/P	IO78UB	7	2487	G0CDA	532	300	9Y	TR751e
6 Hour Single Operator Fixed
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Score	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1*		G4ZTR	JO01KW	71	28241	OL4A	888	200	2x12Y	FT1000MP+TVTR
2*		G4RGK	IO91ON	66	22550	DF0CI	763	320	17Y	FT847
3		G4HGI	IO83PL	30	11505	F6KAR/P	986	400	7Y	IC746
4		G0DVJ	JO01MX	25	7832	DK0BN	523	50	5Y	Yaesu FT847
5*		G4XPE	IO92GU	8	2098	DK2MN	599	25	10Y	FT736R
6		GM4DIJ	IO85IW	5	982	GW8IZR	296	50	8Y	FT847
*	Certificate Winners

Comments from 144MHz CW November 2005 G0DVJ

Conditions reasonable but heard lots of stations who I couldn't work. Heavy QSB at times.

G4DBL

Quite a slog this one; conditions pretty poor. Surprised to hear so many meteor bursts on the Saturday afternoon. Hats off to Steve, G4BWG, doing the graveyard shift and finding only 2 workable stations in the small hours of Sunday morning, but including our best DX. Activity wasn't much better towards mid-day! Rainy front held conditions down to the end of the contest.

G4HGI

Not Bad but its hard going from io83...always was..always will be

G4XPE

In a word - abysmal! Awful conditions - the only consolation being it was raining too hard to do anything else!

G7RAU

Rain, gales and awful condx plus I overslept hi. Still a fun one.

GM4DIJ

Conditions flat, multipath "growl" on a few signals

GM4VVX/P

Conditions in contest: Raining, muddy and soft. The field and my car looked like army tank assault course by time I got to site for ant'. Forced to use small ant' because of wind. Horizontal rain for most of contest. VERY quiet on the band. Only MS pings to let me know I was not alone. It will take weeks to dry me and the equipment out.

M0BPQ/P

Pretty flat condx, but some nice bursts of activity. Had to drift in and out due to other commitments. Next year its the 24 hr :-))) I must be mad