March 144/432 MHz 2008



This event is well known for attracting interesting weather. This year was no exception with gale force winds across the country. This caused a number of entrants to use smaller than usual antenna systems or reduced height antennas. A number of problems with rotators and keeping the antennas pointing in the right direction were noted. Fortunately no disasters were reported.

While conditions were generally poor, there were some minor tropospheric enhancements on 144MHz into OE, HB9 and EA. On 432MHz activity levels were very low and this combined with the poor conditions and deep QSB caused much frustration.

The combination of the weather and the conditions caused one entrant to remark "Second Note to Self: Don't do the March 144/432MHz Contest!!" while another noted "Fantastic Contest. Achieved some new personal bests!". You cannot please everybody!

This is the tenth year that I have adjudicated this event and it is interesting to compare the statistics. The 2008 event had the highest entry level of the 10 years. However there has been a significant trend away from portable and twenty four hour activity to the shorter six hour fixed station section. Interestingly QSO numbers on 432MHz have remained steady across the years with the leading station making between 130 and 150 contacts. However on 144MHz the numbers have dropped off significantly from the 600 level to the current 330 to 370.

A number of people questioned the use of the DX cluster and sites such as ON4KST. The committee does monitor these sites during contests and no cases of UK entrant rule breaking were observed.

Logging accuracy generally good with a number of entrants achieving under 2% errors. Some entrants will notice more significant reductions in their adjudicated scores. Entrants should note that all elements of the exchange (callsign, RST, serial number and locator) are cross checked .

Congratulations go to:

  • The Five Bells Group, G5B, who won the open section in a close battle with G8T;
  • Bryn, G4DEZ, who won the single operator section for the fifth year running;
  • Paul, G3YDY, who won the six-hour single operator fixed section;
  • The Appleton and Harwell Contest Group, G3RRS & G3PIA, who won the six-hour open section;
  • All other band winners and runners up, who together with stations marked (*), will receive certificates.

Thanks to G3MEH for a very useful check log.

Roger Dixon, G4BVY


144MHz
Section O
Pos
Callsign
Locator
QSOs
Total
ODX Call
ODX Kms
Power
Ant
Group
1
*
G8T
JO01KJ
332
121,771
EA2TO/1
972
400
2 * 10 ele
The BlackSheep Contest Group
2
*
G5B
IO92WS
288
108,695
F0FHU
752
400
4 * 12 ele
Five Bells Group
3
 
G3VER/P
IO91RU
105
18,317
HB9G/P
773
35
4* 9 ele
Verulam Amateur Radio Club
4
 
G4FUR/P
IO91XH
66
15,272
DF0CI
712
160
17 ele
Coulsdon Amateur TS
5
 
G3T
IO80FP
56
14,707
HB9KAB
889
25
17 ele
Torbay Amateur Radio Society
Section SF
Pos
Callsign
Locator
QSOs
Total
ODX Call
ODX Kms
Power
Ant
Group
1
*
G4DEZ
JO03AE
206
76,383
DF5GZ/P
809
400
4 * 12 ele
  
2
*
M5BFL
IO91OO
98
21,023
EA2TO/1
959
300
11 ele
Chesham & District
3
*
PE1EWR
JO11SL
32
9,844
HB9KAB
547
80
10 ele
  
4
 
PA1W
JO21RJ
17
2,830
DF0CI
330
?
?
  
5
 
GM4PPT
IO75SK
7
2,711
G0KPW
527
400
2 * 12 ele
  
6
*
M5ADF
IO91TO
22
2,501
OQ4U
374
25
21 ele LP
  
7
 
G0CDA
IO83SJ
10
2,211
ON4WY
449
25
12 ele
Warrington Contest Group
8
*
M3ZWW
JO01ED
11
1,777
DR5A
427
5
13 ele
West Kent ARS
9
*
2E0JWJ
IO81VG
1
139
M9T
139
10
vertical
  
Section 6O
Pos
Callsign
Locator
QSOs
Total
ODX Call
ODX Kms
Power
Ant
Group
1
*
G3RRS
IO91IN
85
19,325
DK0ZB
690
300
12 ele
Appleton and Harwell Contest Group
2
*
M9T
IO80AQ
69
16,065
DK5EZ
773
400
10 ele + 10 ele
Moors Contest Group
3
 
M0BAO/P
IO80LV
67
12,458
PE1RLF/P
628
180
8 ele
  
4
 
G0LGS/P
IO81XV
41
7,769
F4CQY/P
644
100
8 ele
  
5
 
GW4EVX/P
IO83JF
34
4,712
ON4WY
483
70
5 ele
  
Section 6S
Pos
Callsign
Locator
QSOs
Total
ODX Call
ODX Kms
Power
Ant
Group
1
*
G8HGN
JO01FO
34
17,076
HB9G/P
708
50
2 * 15 ele
  
2
*
G3YDY
JO01FQ
19
7,656
DF0CI
676
100
19 ele
  
3
 
M0PDJ
IO91UI
42
6,009
PI4GN
525
100
11 ele
  
4
 
G8ZRE
IO83NE
33
5,836
ON4WY
461
80
8 ele XY
  
5
*
2E0NEY
IO81VK
28
4,461
DR5A
610
50
17 ele
  
6
 
G8LZE
IO91SO
24
4,435
F4CQY/P
537
100
12 ele
  
7
 
G0GJV
IO91OK
13
3,889
DK3EE
646
100
9 ele
Bracknell Amateur Radio Club
8
 
2E0VAG
IO91UM
19
3,823
DL0RS
527
50
2 * 9 ele
  
9
 
G4APJ
IO83UP
10
2,451
M9T
349
25
9 ele
  
10
 
G4XPE
IO92GU
14
2,403
ON4WY
360
25
10 ele
  
11
 
G1KHX
IO81MI
15
1,997
G4DEZ
289
150
9 ele
  
12
 
G8ONK
IO83MR
5
788
M5BFL
278
100
9 ele
  
13
 
G0MTN
IO92BJ
2
239
GW4EVX/P
129
50
vertical
  
14
 
2E0CFJ
IO91NJ
1
35
G3RRS
35
10
vertical
  

432MHz
Section O
Pos
Callsign
Locator
QSOs
Total
ODX Call
ODX Kms
Power
Ant
Group
1
*
G5B
IO92WS
151
60,809
DF5GZ/P
787
400
6 * 28 ele
Five Bells Group
2
*
G8T
JO01KJ
121
44,142
DF0MTL
828
100
2 * 19 ele
The BlackSheep Contest Group
3
 
G3T
IO80FP
12
2,623
PA6NL
553
25
19 ele
Torbay Amateur Radio Society
4
 
G8VER/P
IO91RU
24
2,089
F8ATS
410
35
48 ele
Verulam Amateur Radio Club
5
 
M1FUR/P
IO91XH
20
1,601
OR4J/P
318
50
19 ele
Coulsdon Amateur TS
Section SF
Pos
Callsign
Locator
QSOs
Total
ODX Call
ODX Kms
Power
Ant
Group
1
*
PE1EWR
JO11SL
32
8,080
DK6AJ/P
502
80
2 * 21 ele
  
2
*
G4DEZ
JO03AE
19
4,400
DL0V
504
400
4 * 28 ele
  
3
 
M5BFL
IO91OO
30
3,499
PA6NL
341
75
21 ele
Chesham & District
4
 
G0CDA
IO83SJ
3
696
PA6NL
471
15
21 ele
Warrington Contest Group
5
 
M5ADF
IO91TO
10
559
M9T
270
25
21 ele LP
  
6
 
GM4PPT
IO75SK
1
72
GM4JR
72
50
28 ele
  
Section 6O
Pos
Callsign
Locator
QSOs
Total
ODX Call
ODX Kms
Power
Ant
Group
1
*
G3PIA
IO91IN
37
7,777
DJ9KH/P
731
400
3 * 21 + 20 ele
Appleton and Harwell Contest Group
2
*
M9T
IO80AQ
23
5,507
DL0V
796
120 / 20
21 + 2 * 9 ele
Moors Contest Group
3
 
G0LGS/P
IO81XV
22
3,248
DR1X
708
75
23 ele
  
4
 
GW4EVX/P
IO83JF
12
1,446
PA6NL
515
70
19 ele
  
Section 6S
Pos
Callsign
Locator
QSOs
Total
ODX Call
ODX Kms
Power
Ant
Group
1
*
G3XDY
JO02OB
23
9,903
DH8WJ
742
250
28 ele
  
2
*
G0JJG
JO02LE
21
6,965
DJ9KH/P
565
100
17 ele
  
3
 
G3YDY
JO01FQ
19
6,850
DJ9KH/P
612
100
19 ele
  
4
 
G1KHX
IO81MI
10
2,027
PA6NL
494
120
19 ele
  
5
*
2E0NEY
IO81VK
15
2,011
PA6NL
441
50
21 ele
 
6
 
GJ7DNI
IN89WE
6
1,997
EA2TO/1
677
100
21 ele
 
7
*
G4APJ
IO83UP
5
1,063
G8T
330
25
19 ele
  
8
 
G8ZRE
IO83NE
6
343
G5B
190
20
17 ele
  
9
 
G8LZE
IO91SO
4
232
G4DEZ
180
50
Multibeam
  
10
 
G4XPE
IO92GU
1
114
G0LGS/P
114
25
7 ele
  
11
 
G8ONK
IO83MR
2
85
GW4EVX/P
59
50
19 ele
  
12
 
2E0VAG
IO91UM
1
36
M5BFL
36
20
vertical
  
13
 
G0GJV
IO91OK
1
35
M5ADF
35
10
vertical
Bracknell Amateur Radio Club

Overall
Section O
Pos
Callsign
Locator
144
432
Total
Group
1
*
G5B
IO92WS
893
1,000
1,893
Five Bells Group
2
*
G8T
JO01KJ
1,000
726
1,726
The BlackSheep Contest Group
3
 
G3VER/P
IO91RU
150
34
185
Verulam Amateur Radio Club
4
 
G3T
IO80FP
121
43
164
Torbay Amateur Radio Society
5
 
G4FUR/P
IO91XH
125
26
152
Coulsdon Amateur TS
Section SF
Pos
Callsign
Locator
144
432
Total
1
*
G4DEZ
JO03AE
1,000
545
1,545
2
*
PE1EWR
JO11SL
129
1,000
1,129
3
 
M5BFL
IO91OO
275
433
708
Chesham & District
4
 
G0CDA
IO83SJ
29
86
115
Warrington Contest Group
5
 
M5ADF
IO91TO
33
69
102
6
 
GM4PPT
IO75SK
35
9
44
7
 
PA1W
JO21RJ
37
0
37
8
 
M3ZWW
JO01ED
23
0
23
West Kent ARS
9
 
2E0JWJ
IO81VG
2
0
2
Section 6O
Pos
Callsign
Locator
144
432
Total
1
*
G3RRS
IO91IN
1,000
1,000
2,000
Appleton and Harwell Contest Group
2
*
M9T
IO80AQ
831
708
1,539
Moors Contest Group
3
 
G0LGS/P
IO81XV
402
418
820
4
 
M0BAO/P
IO80LV
645
0
645
5
 
GW4EVX/P
IO83JF
244
186
430
Section 6S
Pos
Callsign
Locator
144
432
Total
1
*
G3YDY
JO01FQ
448
692
1,140
=2
*
G3XDY
JO02OB
0
1,000
1,000
=2
*
G8HGN
JO01FO
1,000
0
1,000
4
 
G0JJG
JO02LE
0
703
703
5
 
2E0NEY
IO81VK
261
203
464
6
 
G8ZRE
IO83NE
342
35
376
7
 
M0PDJ
IO91UI
352
0
352
8
 
G1KHX
IO81MI
117
205
322
9
 
G8LZE
IO91SO
260
23
283
10
 
G4APJ
IO83UP
144
107
251
11
 
G0GJV
IO91OK
228
4
231
Bracknell Amateur Radio Club
12
 
2E0VAG
IO91UM
224
4
228
13
 
GJ7DNI
IN89WE
0
202
202
14
 
G4XPE
IO92GU
141
12
152
15
 
G8ONK
IO83MR
46
9
55
16
 
G0MTN
IO92BJ
14
0
14
17
 
2E0CFJ
IO91NJ
2
0
2
Comments from the logs:
2E0VAG
Finished early due to WX
G0CDA
144: Very low activity only came on for a few brief moments throughout to give pts away.
432: No activity but could hear PA6NL most of contest S9 at some times.
G0JJG
432: Poor conditions - all sigs well down on normal. Antenna lower due to gales!
G0LGS
144: Fair, Some DX, Windy
432: Fair, some nice DX
G0MTN
Last year I worked far more. Very quiet from here. Nothing heard on 70cms
G1KHX
144: Rather slow
432: Average
G3PIA
432: New site good fun and windy!
G3RRS
144: 1st time from new site. It was windy!
G3T
Nice contest for beginners but very slow. Good weather with no rain - got all the kit down dry. Did not manage to break anything - new heater worked.
G3VER/P
144: First time for us in this contest. Flat conditions. Some wind, especially during the night. Testing some new configurations - not too great.
G3XDY
432: DXing/Search and Pounce. Conditions very flat.
G4APJ
Very poor, and very little audible activity at my QTH. Having said that, I got a better score than last year (with less contacts)!
G4DEZ
144: Conditions not good and some very deep QSB.again
432: Conditions not good and some very deep QSB yet again
G4FUR
Very windy conditions. elected to use only one aerial instead of stacked pair. Very quiet during the night with no QSO for 4 hours.
G4XPE
Abysmal conditions and low activity.
G5B
144: Reasonable activity at times, but generally poor activity & poor band conditions.
432: Very windy-worst for some considerable time. Band in poor shape. Seemed to be considerable QSB at times - or was it the antennas "nodding" in the wind. Local town market would not deploy stalls because of the wind - says it all. The local council wouldn't lose money unless it was essential!
G8HGN
Generally flat condx. Better Saturday PM than Sunday AM
G8LZE
Couldn't do all six hours, some nice surprises though.
G8T
144: Arrived on Friday afternoon. Windy. Later Very Windy! Built tent in cover of trailer but still nearly blew away. Wind speed 50mph gusting 70mph. Only got 1 hour's sleep - spent most of evening trying to tie things down and stop them blowing away!! At one point resolved to go home on Saturday if weather didn't calm down. Wind dropped to more manageable 20-30mph on Saturday while building station - decided to put up only 2 antenna system - but still much time lost as we couldn't build anything on the Friday. Got on air 45 mins late because still building the station. Started off some 40+ QSOs behind G5B but caught them up and even better... overtook them :o). Conditions were interesting ... some mild tropo towards JN48/JN49 ... surprised by good DX signals from OL8R, EA1TO/1, HB9DSO and OE9MON. Activity relatively low so went to the pub at 2200z had beer, returned and slept. Got up at 7am and after copious mugs of tea got QRV around 0720z - don't think we missed much. Note to Self: We really need a voice keyer for the IC-7400 !! Second Note to Self: Don't do the March 144/432MHz Contest!!
432: Conditions were flat
G8VER/P
432: Flat condx. Limited to lower power due to proximity to 2m antenna with multi-band. Thanks to the committee.
G8ZRE
144: Conditions better than last year but still poor.
432: Poor could only just hear G4DEZ never mind work Bryn.
GM4PPT
Miserable conditions!
M0BAO/P
No DX as such but good UK activity and nice WX.
M0PDJ
Fantastic Contest. Achieved some new personal bests!
M1FUR
432: Activity at an all time low!
M5BFL
144: Flat, with not much activity from UK.
432: Very windy, with low activity from UK.
M9T
144: Typical Dartmoor contest WX . Very windy Sat night. Low activity, unable to hear the EA's. Equipment worked well & the preamp survived!
432: PA failed after 1.5 hours so down to just 20 Watts although worked best DX after failure. Very windy which caused rotator heading to be 90 deg out. Poor activity & condx.