144MHz AFS 2008

After a number of years of having to report falling activity in this contest I am delighted to be able to report a big increase in QSO numbers and logs received this year. Conditions, although only about average, were a little better this year and for once there were no reports of gale force winds, indeed the weather was quite calm although very cold in most of the UK. The freezing temperatures did not stop the hardy portable Ops venturing out to the hilltops, which also boosted the activity levels.

The standard of logging during this contest was very varied, with a number of stations, some of them new to contesting; having difficulty in correctly copying received information. It is well worth an extra check during a QSO if you are at all unsure of a report, serial number or locator, as no points are scored for any QSO that is logged incorrectly. The more experienced operators are getting very good at this and some managed to enter a completely error free log. If anyone would like to know more about the errors found in your log then please email me.

In the Single Op Fixed Section, Bryn G4DEZ used his excellent site and well equipped station to very good effect amassing a sizeable winning score from Lincolnshire. In second place, Dave G7RAU on the Isle of Wight took advantage of his neighbour's absence for the day by beaming north and remarked, "forgot just how many people are on for these contests up country."

The top of the Open Section table is dominated by those hardy portable guys, with Matt, MW0MAT/P, operating his "lightweight" station in the Welsh Mountains, finishing 1st ahead of G3XZG operating as G3MDG/P in the rather warmer surroundings of the G3MEH shack.

In the AFS tables, once again the Chesham & District ARS came out on top with an excellent team score, with the Colchester Radio Amateurs in 2nd place.

Chesham & District ARS therefore retain the G3MEH trophy.

Lets hope that 2009 brings some even better conditions and an even bigger entry.

Pete G4CLA.

Section O
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Score	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1*	Bristol Contest Group	MW0MAT/P	IO81LS	222	52,378	DK8SG	886	100	2 x 6 @ 10m QTH @ 500m	IC275H
2*	Chesham & DARS	G3MDG/P	IO91QS	180	41,160	DL4NAC	879	400	2 x 9 el @ 17m QTH @ 234m	FT1000 + TR144H + HLV-1200
3	The Sutton & Cheam RS	G4CQR/P	JO00DR	110	32,600	DK1MAX	841	200	13ELE CUSHCRAFT @ 8m QTH @ 500FT	TS2000 = LINEAR
4	Government Comm ARC	G8CQA/P	IO81XV	164	26,831	DF2VJ	695	100	8 Ele @ 6m QTH @ 304m	Icom IC910HX
5	Colchester RA	G1OGY/P	JO01GO	119	25,290	DK8SG	648	400	2x9 + 1x16 @ 12m QTH @ 25m	FT-847 + Gemini SSPA
6	Harwell ARS	G8CUL	IO91JO	139	23,193	DF2VJ	630	150	14 element yagi @ 12mm QTH @ 120m	FT726R + PA
7	Lincoln Short Wave Club	G5FZ	IO93RH	111	21,412	PA4VHF	509	400	19ele @ 15m QTH @ 25m	FT736 + 400w Amp
8	Bolton Wireless Club	G1ONE/P	IO83RO	124	20,312	PA4VHF	646	70	6 ele yagi @ 4m QTH @ 325m	ICOM 7000
9	Flight Refuelling ARS	G4RFR	IO90AS	89	16,489	DL9GS	645	300	19 Element NBS Yagi @ 10m QTH @45m	IC746 - Explorer Amplifier
10	Bolton Wireless Club	G0BWC	IO83SN	51	4,502	G4RRA	326	80	9-ele @ 10m QTH @ 130m	TS780 + MM PA
11	The Sutton & Cheam RS	GX2XP	IO91VH	51	4,006	G1ONE/P	300	50	9ele @ 8m QTH @ 170m	Yaesu FT-847
12	Wythall Radio Club	M0COP/P	IO82NN	24	2,861	G4CQR/P	299	50	7 ZL BEAM @ 3m QTH @ 488m	FT857
13*	Worcester RAA	M3VXX/P	IO82UH	32	2,153	G4DEZ	185	10	homebrew beam	FT-897
14	The Sutton & Cheam RS	G4ERW/P	IO90WV	16	1,706	GW4OIG/P	280	3	9 ele Tonna @ 4m QTH @ 200m	FT817
15		MW1AVV/P	IO82LQ	5	484	G1EBW	125	5	1/2 wave vertical @ 2m QTH @ 402m	Yaesu FT817
16		G8OTI/P	IO83PM	4	184	G5FZ	146	5	5 ele Yagi (DK7ZB design) @ 4m QTH @ 100m	Yaesu FT-817
Section SF
Pos	Group	Callsign	Locator	QSOs	Score	ODX Call	ODX Kms	Power	Ant	Equipment
1*		G4DEZ	JO03AE	209	63,357	DK1FG	868	400	4 x 12e @ 17m QTH @ 83m	IC910 + GS35b
2*		G7RAU	IO90IR	164	46,209	DK1FG	897	400	12el M2 @ 18m QTH @ 55m	FT757gxII+Mutek
3	Spalding & District ARS	M1MHZ	IO92WV	139	34,904	DK8SG	759	400	4 x 12 ele @ 22m QTH @ 6m	IC7400 & PA
4	Colchester RA	G4ZTR	JO01KW	119	29,975	DK1FG	769	200	2 x 8 ele @ 14m QTH @ 50m	K3 + LT2S + HLV600 + LNA
5	Chesham & DARS	G0XDI	IO91RQ	132	26,377	DK8SG	720	100	2 x 9ele vargarda @ 11m QTH @ 136m	IC275e + sr200 + MFJ-434B+ SSB Electronic Preamp
6	Harwell ARS	G3NNG	IO91EP	137	24,141	DL2GWZ/P	760	150	16 element @ 40 ftm QTH @ 130ishm	TX 4CX250 RX Homebrew
7		G8HGN	JO01FO	107	24,001	DK1FG	789	50	2x15ele CueDee @ 13m QTH @ 60m	Yaesu FT-847
8	Chesham & DARS	M5BFL	IO91OO	102	16,545	DF2VJ	603	250	11EL @ 12M QTH @ 140M	IC910
9	Chesham & DARS	G0ODQ	IO91MR	104	16,277	GM4AFF	574	120	9 ele M2 @ 12m QTH @ 110m	FT736R
10	Chesham & DARS	G0VFW	IO91RR	85	16,136	DK1FG	859	400	2x13 ele @ 12m QTH @ 125m	IC910H
11		G4FOH	JO02BA	85	14,454	MM0GPZ/P	522	75	8ey @ 8m QTH @ 131m	TS2000
12		GW8ASD	IO83LB	64	14,037	F8KHO/P	699	100	12ele M2 @ 10m QTH @ 100m	IC275H
13	Bittern DX Group	G0AJJ	JO02QT	48	10,290	DK8SG	672	50	17 ELE TONNA @ 14mm QTH @ 43m	Icom IC-7400
14	Government Comm ARC	G0HVQ	IO81UX	71	9,383	F8KHO/P	590	200	9 ele Vargarda @ 8m QTH @ 20m	Icom IC7400
15		G8ZRE	IO83NE	55	8,688	F2YT	482	80	8 XY Yagi @ 10m QTH @ 30m	Kenwood TR751E
16*	Colchester RA	2E0XIS	JO01HT	44	7,517	DK8SG	654	50	HB 9 ele yagi @ 10m QTH @ 36m	Kenwood TS2000
17*	West Kent ARS	M3ZWW	JO01ED	48	7,319	DG9YIH	501	5	13 element tonna @ 12m	ft817
18	Bittern DX Group	G0UIQ	JO02PW	33	6,911	EI3GE	491	200	17 ELE TONNA @ 13m QTH @ 47m	Icom IC-910
19		G0RRC	JO02MB	35	6,896	DF2VJ	514	50	14 ele @ 11.5m QTH @ 50m	Yaesu FT-847
20	Trowbridge & DARC	G1TST	IO81VH	49	5,614	G0WTD	261	50	5 ELEMENT BEAM	YAESU FT857D
21	West Kent ARS	G1WKS	JO01CE	38	5,027	PA0WMX	401	100	13el cushcraft @ 13m QTH @ 43m	ic910
22	Addiscombe ARC	G3UFY	IO91WJ	42	4,772	EI3GE	447	50	9Y @ 14m	FT817 + MML 144/100
23	Harwell ARS	M0NUT	IO91JO	49	4,645	PA0WMX	497	80	12 ele yagi @ 7m QTH @ 26m	icom 910h
24	Addiscombe ARC	G3SJX	IO91LC	38	4,597	G1ONE/P	297	50	8Y @ 12m	FT847
25	Wythall Radio Club	M0COK	IO82XJ	53	4,456	G4CQR/P	246	50	7 Ele beam @ 7m QTH @ 185m	Yaesu FT897
26		G4XPE	IO92GU	29	4,261	F6FLB	310	25	Jaybeam 10Y 10 element yagi @ 3.81m QTH @ 38m	FT736R
27	West Kent ARS	G8GYB	JO01DB	38	4,240	G1ONE/P	342	50	9 ele @ 7m QTH @ 150m	FT817 and linear
28		G4PDS	IO80KR	20	4,222	G0AJJ	387	50	3 ele @ 4m QTH @ 90m	IC-7000
29	Government Comm ARC	G3LVP	IO81WV	44	4,143	MM0GPZ/P	476	250	8Y @ 40 ft QTH @ 150m	TS430 MM XVTR 1x 4CX250 HB Amp
30	West Kent ARS	G4BUO	JO01CD	33	3,989	GW3TMP	325	50	9el @ 21m QTH @ 119m	FT857
31		GM4PPT	IO75SK	10	3,657	G1OGY/P	540	400	!2 ele M sq. @ 15m QTH @ 285m	Icom 910
32	Worcester RAA	M3YHB	IO82UJ	33	3,626	G4CQR/P	258	10	Jaybeam 8 el Yagi @ 8m QTH @ 60m	Yaesu FT-897
33	DMU ARS (Winchester)	G3HRH	IO91HA	25	3,224	DL9GS	600	400	2 stacked 10el Yagis @ 10m QTH @ 55M	FT101ZD + FTV901R + 2x 4CX250
34	Wythall Radio Club	G4VPD	IO92BJ	22	3,037	PE1EWR	385	100	19 el @ 10m	FT847
35	Malvern Hills RAC	G4IDF	IO82VE	35	2,687	G4BUO	203	15	11el Yagi @ 8m QTH @ 85m	Standard C5800
36	Malvern Hills RAC	G4BVY	IO82UD	23	2,445	G4CQR/P	239	40	hb9cv @ 8m QTH @ 33m	IC706
37		G0MTN	IO92BJ	21	2,128	G4RRA	228	50	Vertical @ 8m	FT857
38		M0GGO	JO01PD	10	1,985	DK8SG	580	50	5 element yagi	yaesu ft 857
39	Wythall Radio Club	G0EYO	IO92BJ	21	1,816	G7RAU	190	50	11 el yagi @ 10m QTH @ 130m	FT847 RX FT847
40		M0DSZ	IO82LS	12	1,762	G4ZTR	282	25	Moxon @ 12m QTH @ 70m	TR9130
41	Bolton Wireless Club	2E0UOG	IO83PN	9	1,736	G7RAU	330	25	6 ele yagi @ 9m QTH @ 25m	kenwood tr751e
42	Harwell ARS	G6LNU	IO91HO	18	1,645	G1ONE/P	236	10	14 ele Tonna @ 10m QTH @ 130m	FT 726R
43	Worcester RAA	2E0ZXJ	IO82WK	18	1,440	G4RRA	222	50	vertical @ 20ft QTH @ 380ft	IC-7400
44*		PD5CW	JO21FO	4	1,431	G3NNG	420	20	16ele yagi @ +10m QTH @ +6m	ft-736r
45	Malvern Hills RAC	M1HHL	IO82SA	15	1,389	G4CQR/P	239	40	2m Vertical @ 12m QTH @ 69m	Icom IC706 Mk2G
46	Wythall Radio Club	M0AEJ	IO92BK	18	1,150	G4RRA	232	40	zl special @ 6mm	Kenwood TM 255E
47	West Kent ARS	G3KIP	JO01DD	11	899	G8CQA/P	182	80	??	ic 7000
48	Addiscombe ARC	G3VYI	IO91OF	9	754	MW0MAT/P	167	20	Vertical Dipole @ 5m	FT290
49	Harwell ARS	G6GNW	IO91IP	11	698	G4RRA	205	50	vertical co-linear @ 9m QTH @ 50m	FT100D
50	Harwell ARS	G8NRP	IO91IQ	10	661	M1MHZ	157	10	Vertical @ 5m QTH @ 55m	Icom 7400
51	Worcester RAA	M6SMF	IO81XV	8	482	G4RRA	179	10	6 element beam	Icom 7000
52	Government Comm ARC	G4SGI	IO81WV	13	412	G5FZ	191	25	3 ele	??
53	Worcester RAA	G6FRB	IO82VE	4	389	G4RRA	196	50	8 ele Yagi @ 15mm QTH @ 75mm	FT847
54	Horsham ARC	G3VQO	IO91UB	4	386	G8CQA/P	153	50	vertical @ 10m QTH @ 50m	FT847
55	The Sutton & Cheam RS	G0BWV	IO91VI	9	382	G8CUL	75	25	Vertical @ 6m QTH @ 35m	Yaesu FT726
56	Harwell ARS	G0UGO	IO91IQ	7	370	G4RRA	207	100	Vertical @ 10m QTH @ 65m	Kenwood TS2000
57	Wythall Radio Club	M5DUO	IO92BH	6	351	G4RFR	172	100	9 EL @ 8m	IC7400
58		M0BGR	JO01AL	7	266	G8CUL	88	25	3 el Yagi @ 4m QTH @ 20m	FT-817
59	The Sutton & Cheam RS	G3DCZ	IO91VJ	2	92	G4CQR/P	82	25	Vertical @ 3m QTH @ 40m	Kenwood TS2000
60		2E0RFX	IO83WO	2	51	G1ONE/P	28	50	6el. quagi @ 9m	icom 706 m11g
61		G0FCT	IO91OJ	2	7	G6XSY	6	100	vertical @ 5m QTH @ 100m	TS2000X

AFS Results

Pos	Club	Call	Score	Norm	Call	Score	Norm	Call	Score	Norm	Call	Score	Norm	Call	Score	Norm	Total
1*	Chesham & District ARS	G3MDG/P	41,160	786	G0XDI	26,377	1,000	M5BFL	16,545	1,000	G0ODQ	16,277	1,000	G0VFW	16,136	1,000	4,786
2*	Colchester RA	G4ZTR	29,975	572	G1OGY/P	25,290	959	2E0XIS	7,517	454							1,985
3	Harwell ARS	G3NNG	24,141	461	G8CUL	23,193	879	M0NUT	4,645	281	G6LNU	1,645	101	G6GNW	698	43	1,765
4	Government Comm ARC	G8CQA/P	26,831	512	G0HVQ	9,383	356	G3LVP	4,143	250	G4SGI	412	25				1,144
5	Bristol CG	MW0MAT/P	52,378	1,000			0			0							1,000
6	The Sutton & Cheam RS	G4CQR/P	32,600	622	GX2XP	4,006	152	G4ERW/P	1,706	103	G0BWV	382	23	G3DCZ	92	6	907
6	West Kent ARS	M3ZWW	7,319	140	G1WKS	5,027	191	G8GYB	4,240	256	G4BUO	3,989	245	G3KIP	899	56	887
7	Spalding & DARS	M1MHZ	34,904	666			0			0							666
8	Bolton Wireless Club	G1ONE/P	20,312	388	G0BWC	4,502	171	2E0UOG	1,736	105							663
9	Wythall Radio Club	M0COK	4,456	85	G4VPD	3,037	115	M0COP/P	2,861	173	G0MTN	2,128	131	G0EYO	1,816	113	616
10	Bittern DX Group	G0AJJ	10,290	196	G0UIQ	6,911	262			0							458
11	Lincoln Short Wave Club	G5FZ	21,412	409			0			0							409
12	Flight Refuelling ARS	G4RFR	16,489	315			0			0							315
13	Addiscombe ARC	G3UFY	4,772	91	G3SJX	4,597	174	G3VYI	754	46							311
14	Worcester RAA	M3YHB	3,626	69	M3VXX/P	2,153	82	2E0ZXJ	1,440	87	G6FRB	389	24	M6SMF	482	30	292
16	Malvern Hills RAC	G4IDF	2,687	51	G4BVY	2,445	93	M1HHL	1,389	84							228
17	Trowbridge & DARC	G1TST	5,614	107													107
18	DMU ARS (Winchester)	G3HRH	3,224	62													62

Comments from the logs:

2E0RFX

Spare half hour, just giving away some points.

G0BWC

Freezing fog had got into our rotator so we had to twist the mast to rotate it all morning! Despite the high pressure there were no strong signals heard at our QTH.

G0EYO

only average conditions here in Midlands Didnt hear any GM or GI

G0VFW

Some good conditions early in contest

G0XDI

Good UK Activity but conditions average

G1OGY/P

Frozen mast! Ran for 3 hours with the aerials at 20 feet. Didn't improve things once at 40ft mind you, but it looks better in the photos!

G1ONE/P

Temperatures started at -6C but soon warmed up lovely morning good strong signals from ON PA and F

G1WKS

BIT SLOW AT TIMES

G3HRH

Some QSB Conditions better than usual

G3MDG/P

Reasonable activity made this an enjoyable contest, in contrast to last year. Conditions up a little.

G4DEZ

Some nice DX and good activity

G4ERW/P

Only operated for an hour. WX was excellent for portable operation. Unfortunately activity seemed low.

G4FOH

Conditions were quite good in all directions today but didn't hear as many GMs as expected.

G4XPE

Good conditions to start but tailed off late morning.

G5FZ

Enjoyable contest

G7RAU

Conditions flat and very few europeans giving away points but great UK activity. I enjoy this contest as it is relaxed, friendly and nice to meet people again.

G8CQA/P

Fair, some DX, quite busy in morning, less busy after 1200 Wx fine, but cold

G8CUL

Slow going some DX

G8GYB

Missed the first half. Second half very slow at times but enjoyed the chase! Thanks for all the points.

G8HGN

Some DX about but generally average. Needs more publicity in Eu'.

G8OTI/P

High pressure weather but nothing special

G8ZRE

More QSOS than last year and enjoyable only one EU station worked. Santas helper "ELF" at Chester Zoo Frost Fair curtailed operation only operated 14.00!!!

GM4PPT

Variable conditions all day.

M0COK

An enjoyable contest despite being quiet at times

M0NUT

Good DX Earlier on and faded later.

M1MHZ

Slight enhancement. So not a "serious" entry, but to help out SDARS. Amazed at the number of /p stations or /m - it was brass monkey weather here!

M5DUO

GOOD FUN. MUST DO BETTER.

MW0MAT/P

Simple lightweight station, no dramas even pleasantly warm once the sun broke through the mist.