70MHz Trophy 2008

This years 70MHz Trophy saw another encouraging increase in participation, with the Single Operator Other section in particular boosting the number of portable stations QRV. As in previous years, there were close to 200 different stations appearing in the entrants' logs. Sporadic E openings to I, DL, OK, and S5, together with some longer distance inter-UK contacts, helped provide some nice DX QSO's for most entrants. Five stations also managed to work into LX for an additional country multiplier.

The Five Bells CG, GM4SIV/P, returned to the Open Section after a one-year absence, and their long round trip to The Mull of Kintyre proved to be worth the effort as they got back to winning ways with a convincing victory. As a result, they retake the VHF Managers Trophy. "Local" neighbours, The Lothians RS, GM3HAM/P finish as runners-up. Last years winners, The Kintyre Window Cleaners CG, kept up their tradition of moving around the UK for this contest by popping up in GU, having last year activated GJ. Despite having the highest QSO total in their section and an error-free log, their average points per QSO total unfortunately left them out of the reckoning this year.

In the Single Operator Fixed Section, The Northern Lights CG, GD0EMG (operated by Robert, GD4GNH), retake first place from Bryn, G4DEZ, who finished second. By virtue of highest overall Single Operator score, Robert, GD4GNH, also wins the Four Metre Cup.

In the Single operator Other section, Erik, G8XVJ, operating as M0SDA/P, on behalf of the Warrington CG (Green Caravan Reserve Team), repeats last years win. Trev, G2KF/P, endured some windy WX and static rain to claim second place.

David, G8LZE , is awarded a certificate as the highest placed UK station in his section using 25W or less and a single antenna.

Congratulations are due to all Section winners and runners-up.

John, MM0CCC.

Open
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QTH	QSOs	Score	Multiplier	Total	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
*1	Five Bells CG	GM4SIV/P	IO75DH	PA	89	47,772	63	3,009,636	9A2SB	2,019	160	2x9 + 4 + Dipole	TS850 + Tvrtr + H/B PA
*2	Lothians Radio Society	GM3HAM/P	IO74NP	DG	75	33,332	57	1,899,924	9A2SB	1,941	160	11 + 6	FT847 + H/B PA + preamp
3	Kintyre Window Cleaners C.G.	GU3TCU/P	IN89PK	GY	90	30,882	59	1,822,038	OK2BGW	1,367	150	2x6	IC7000 + H/B Tvrtr
4	Colchester Contest Group of Colchester RA	G0VHF/P	JO01GO	SS	76	20,363	55	1,119,965	9A2SB	1,482	160	8 + 5	FT847 + 4CX250B
5	M & A Stevens	G8CUL	IO91JO	OX	52	11,723	38	445,474	9A2SB	1,597	70	4	IC706MK2G + Tvrtr + PA
6	Newquay & District Amateur Radio Society	G4ADV/P	IO70NK	TR	36	10,479	34	356,286	GM4JR	523	150	2x7	IC746 + Tvrtr + 4CX250B
Single Fixed
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QTH	QSOs	Score	Multiplier	Total	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
*1	Northern Lights CG	GD0EMG	IO74QD	IM	90	37,080	66	2,447,280	9A2SB	1,906	160	2x8	FT101ZD + Tvrtr
*2		G4DEZ	JO03AE	PE	66	19,732	48	947,136	9A2SB	1,582	150	8	FT847 + Amp + Preamp
3		G4ASR	IO81MX	HR	67	17,698	50	884,900	9A2SB	1,724	70	2x7	TS660 + Tvrtr
*4		9A1Z	JN86FJ		19	28,305	20	566,100	GM4SIV/P	1,833	10	4	H/B
5		G3LVP	IO81WV	GL	53	12,107	45	544,815	9A2SB	1,667	150	6	TS850 + H/B Tvrtr + 4CX250B
6		G3JYP	IO84SN	CA	39	12,911	39	503,529	9A6Z	1,628	120	8	FT847 + Amp
7		G0ODQ	IO91MR	OX	49	9,045	41	370,845	GM4ZUK/P	589	150	5	FT1000 + Tvrtr + Amp
*8		G8LZE	IO91SO	HA	31	8,358	30	250,740	9A2SB	1,548	20	5	FT897 + H/B Tvrtr
9		GW4RWR	IO83HE	LL	33	7,887	31	244,497	9A1Z	1,605	160	5	FT707 + H/B Tvrtr
10		G4AFJ	IO92HO	LE	31	7,604	30	228,120	9A1Z	1,456	50	8	FT757 + Tvrtr + Amp
11		G1KHX	IO81MI	BS	27	5,973	30	179,190	9A2SB	1,706	90	6	FT101zd + Tvrtr
12		G3TDH	IO83WI	SK	19	7,577	20	151,540	9A2SB	1,721	20	3	IC703 + Tvtr
13		G4GUO	IO90ST	BN	17	5,239	21	110,019	9A2SB	1,522	20	3	FT817 + Tvrtr
14		GM3TAL	IO86GA	KY	14	6,240	17	106,080	9A1Z	1,742	5	4	H/B
15		G0UPU	IO91AX	GL	18	3,325	21	69,825	GM4SIV/P	446	50	5	H/B
16		G4FKI	IO92SA	MK	7	1,096	10	10,960	GD0EMG	365	10	3	Tvrtr
Single Other
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QTH	QSOs	Score	Multiplier	Total	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
*1	Warrington CG (Green Caravan Reserve Team)	M0SDA/P	IO84SA	BB	96	24,312	69	1,677,528	9A2SB	1,770	120	2x8 + 8	IC735 + Tvrtr + Amp
*2		G2KF/P	IO70PP	PL	80	24,425	57	1,392,225	DI2LP	1,333	150	2x8	IC7400 + Tvrtr + Amp
3		GW4EVX/P	IO83JA	LL	64	17,770	49	870,730	9A2SB	1,776	25	3	FT817 + Tvrtr
4		G0EHV/P	IO84XT	DL	39	13,832	38	525,616	9A6Z	1,620	160	6	FT847 + PA
5		GM4ZUK/P	IO86RW	AB	27	16,137	28	451,836	9A2SB	1,927	70	5	K2 + Tvrtr
6		G0PQF/P	JO01AX	SG	36	11,043	35	386,505	9A2SB	1,529	25	4	IC706 + Tvrtr
7		G1EHF/P	IO91GI	RG	53	9,655	40	386,200	GM4ZUK/P	625	25	5	IC275E + H/B Trvtr
8		G0BWC/P	IO83RO	BL	40	9,017	39	351,663	9A2SB	1,757	25	5	IC735 + G3WPO Tvrtr
9		2E0VBQ/P	IO83RO	BL	21	7,888	24	189,312	9A2SB	1,757	25	5	H/B
10		G1PIE/M	IO83QR	PR	1	35	2	70	M0SDA/P	35	25	Vert	Phillips FM1000

Comments from the logs:

9A1Z

- It was best opening & activity on 4m I heard on 4m so far. Very nice Es opening to G! Tnx to all.

G0BWC/P

- Mostly dry, with a shower around lunchtime. Some Es appeared mid-afternoon, just as I was about to pack up!

G0EHV/P

- Quite fair but some QSB as usual. Es in the afternoon was welcome. Overall activity level seemed good but again missed easy mults due to no local activity in NE England. Testing new amp, worked flawless during contest but problem with DC supply at the end - need more AH!

G0PQF/P

- Good WX throughout. Conditions seemed reasonable. Es added some excitement but FM broadcast wiped out much of the band at times. Very enjoyable.

G0UPU

- Fairly good, QSB not too bad for once.

G1EHF/P

- Reasonable tropo which seemed to improve around mid-day. Sporadic-E on and of all day but largely producing broadcast QRM from Poland. Nice sporadic-E from Croatia towards end of contest.

G1KHX

- lost 2.5hrs due to family visitors.

G2KF/P

- Good start, then poor. Windy. Static Rain.

G3JYP

- Good. GU3TCU/P consistently strong all the time, and the bonus of some Sporadic E. Frustrated not to work my own postcode!

G3LVP

- As always hard work from this QTH but good levels of activity. 11 more QSO's than last year (2 via SpE), I'll be hoping to work at least 60 next year! 7 GW fixed stations worked but just one GW/P. Only one station worked was located in a big city, are the QRM levels now so high as to prevent VHF operation from cities? Even here I found the band covered with 'birdies' and at times S9 noise before the SPe opening covered a large part of the band with FM Broadcast. Two stations worked first appeared in my 4m logs back in the early 1960's! It's disappointing that I only worked 1 M0, 1 MW0 & 1 2E1. One station (who should know better) was spreading +/- 10kHz.

G3TDH

- Modest tropo, but not too bad and with some good Es during the afternoon which provided some unusual DX opportunities!

G4ADV/P

- After having been blown away and soaked on VHF NFD we actually survived with no rain! However we were an hour late in starting - something to do with having a "lie-in" I was told. I can only assume that it was during that first hour that the opening to Europe occurred as we heard nothing of it way down in Cornwall.

G4AFJ

- Very poor conditions at start but picked up to SW. North very poor. Sporadic E livened it up a bit towards the end but IO92 was not the place to get the best skip!

G4ASR

- 70 QSOs, 52 Multipliers and Bryn still beat me. Doh!

G4DEZ

- Nice bit of Es towards end.

G4GUO

- Good tropo, some sporadic E

G8CUL

- The 9A stations made some excitement!

G8LZE

- Spurts of activity between the boredom. Did not complete with OK2BGW, conditions went.

GD0EMG

- Interesting event some long distance tropo contacts and some E's to make things interesting and add to activity generally

GM3TAL

- Es to NE Italy and Croatia.

GM4SIV/P

- From our QTH no issues with anyone's transmissions, not something one could always say in past. Apart from contacts via Es number of tropo contacts well down on the last time we did this contest (2006) yet I feel there is generally more activity on the band and, despite low pressure systems conditions were not that bad. Saturday was very wet and windy but the day of the contest dawned dry with no wind and it remained dry throughout even throughout packing up.

GW4EVX/P

- Very good level of activity with the bonus of a brief Es opening to 9A and OK.

GW4RWR

- QRV for 2hrs. Worked everyone I could hear, sorry if I missed anyone.

GM3HAM/P

- Flooding forced search for alternative site, which was a bit lower. Bad weather delayed setting up, so late starting.

GM4ZUK/P

- Nice Es opening - G activity not good.

GU3TCU/P

- Tropo condx poor, particularly to GM. The Es opening made it interesting but there was no path to 9A from our QTH. Activity about average (slightly up on 2007) We had good Wx & enjoyed the event.

M0SDA/P

- Very, very wet! setting up on Saturday night. In contest very weak signals but some E's near the end brightened things up. Had to resort to reserve amp and also first time out with reserve transverter.