May 144MHz 2005

After last years respite, the poor weather and conditions returned for this years May contest. Many entrants reported gale force winds and powerful electrical storms. QSO number and points were well down on last year. A number of logs were incorrectly scored, using the wrong multiplier system. In this contest only Country and Postcodes (M1) count as multipliers and NOT locator squares (M3). The adjudication process recalculates all the scores using the correct multipliers, however adjudication time is significantly increased when the scores do not tally and have to be manually checked. So please make sure you use the correct multipliers when sending in your logs.

* The A1 Contest Group once again winning the Multi-Op section, this year from the Colchester CG in second place.
* Roger, G3MEH winning the Single Operator fixed station section for the 4th year running from Steve, M5BFL in second place.
* David, G4HRY winner of the Single Operator Others section from runner up Tim Stanley G4DBL operating at G3RCV.
* Ken, G4APJ winner of the 6 hour single operation section, from Dave G7RAU with a CW only entry in second place.
* Trevor, G2KF winner of the 6 hour others section and Bob, G0KYS in second place.
* Dave, M5ADF the highest placed fixed station using 25w or less and a single antenna.

All those above together with those marked with a * will receive a certificate.


Pete, G4CLA.

2E0OTF/P:
A little damp and good exercise dodging the lightning and diving for the mast. Propogation challenging through the hail.

2E1GUA:
two windy for the ant colinear only

G0KYS/P:
Just 3 hours. Main entry in Backpackers. Wx - heavy showers, resulting in periods of static rain at s9+20!

G0POT/P:
Blinking awful weather. Rained...continually.
Nothing I had on my hill top was waterproof and my log turned to papier mâché after an hour ;o(
G3RCV was causing me interference from his QRO efforts but was a real gentleman and made
alterations to minimise the impact in true Ham fashion.

G0VHF/P:
Conditions pretty dire overall with some intervals of brilliance.

G2KF/P:
very bad lightning and hail, wind F5-7

G3MEH:
Saturday - some DX around, low UK activity, thunderstorms, hail,
static rain.
Sunday - less DX, poor conditions and still sparse UK activity
until the Backpackers provided a few much needed District Codes.

G3YJR:
Condx not wonderful, but a good level of activity.

G3YNN:
Hard going, less activity than last year and the gales didn't help. Atleast no snow in May!

G4ADV/P:
Wet and windy weekend

G4APJ:
Only managed to get on for a short while, and half of that time was very high level QRN, but
plenty of stations around and conditions did seem to pick up a bit for the last hour or so.

G4CZB:
Only a token entry as just two short sessions due to other commitments. Wx and propagation poor.

G4HRY/P:
Band conditions seemed quite good. Late on due to tech problem and then 1 hour of s9+ static rain plus crashes stopped play. Very windy night and woke to find feeder had gone O/C, down with the mast again at 7:15am ! Despite all the problems found it a worthwhile exercise and by the end all kit was working ok. If only I had taken it seriously and not missed the start, finish and a few hours in between.

G4XPE:
QSB throughout. Low activity at first but much improved when the backpackers contest started.

G4ZAP/P:
Flat - very deep QSB

G7RAU:
Testing activity on cw, grim. Notice how few nowadays look around on cw....

G8SRC/P:
Condidions were difficult. Bad rain and electrical

GM4VVX/P:
Forcast was good so out again /P for the Sunday session.
WX on site PERFECT ! Full sun, No wind at all, A few tiny white clouds in the far distance and snow patches on hill tops. Dry under foot.
VERY QUIET on band ? Did I have the right day ?????
10min hunting to find first signal, then a few in quick order, all good DX. Then silence !
I even resorted to calling on s20 fm to try to find some-one.
Contest was hard work trying to pull signals up out of the noise.
Poor conditions resulted in low activity. Was called once by G4RRA IO80 sqr, who works me in allmost every 144mhz contest, but too weak to work. Many regular contest call signs not heard.
Clouds became bigger and started to drift in from the West at Midday.
One started to build up and stayed almost overhead getting darker and darker. Rig died on me, ( as static build up killed off all incoming signals ? see qso rate for last hour.). A great crash of thunder, and I'm out of there. Ant' down quick time, but I still got soaked to the skin. A great downpour soon as I set foot out of the car. So did not complete 6hrs. Half a K down the hill and I'm back in sun and dry roads.

GW4HBK:
NOT BAD ON SUNDAY BETWEEN THE RAIN NOISE

GW8ZRE/P:
Sun warm then rain thunder.No EU DX worked. Main entry in Backpackers contest

M0LKB/P:
Main contest entry was for the Backpackers - Making this a 3hour entry only.
Great fun but no serious DX

M1MHZ:
Heavy electric storms with massive thunder & lightning. The static rain for over an hour
somewhere between S7 & S9 of noise - appologies to those calling who we couldn't hear!

M3CVN:
Be nice if there was a bit more activity
Good to work IO94 for a all time new locator

M3OVL:
MY FIRST CONTEST AND I GOT HOME 18 HRS LATE FROM WORK. STARTED LATE,SEEMS TO BE THE STORY OF MY LIFE!!

M5ADF:
Conditions Variable, Sat - Windy/Local storm: Sun - Noise and QSB: Overall - DIfficult and changing conditions throughout

MM0WLC/P:
WET & MUDDY, FLAT PROPAGATION