[3830] Commonwealth V25XF(G3TXF) Open HP

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                    RSGB Commonwealth Contest, CW

Call: V25XF
Operator(s): G3TXF
Station: V26B

Class: Open HP
QTH: Antigua
Operating Time (hrs): 20.5

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
   80:  151
   40:  301
   20:  385
   15:  236
   10:    1
------------
Total: 1074  Total Score = 9,030

Club: Chiltern CDXC UK

Comments:

G3TXF made a flying visit to Antigua (arrived late Thursday, left Sunday
afternoon) to take part in the 70th Commonwealth Contest (BERU) as V25XF from
the V26B Contest Station. 

BERU runs during the slightly eccentric 24-hour period of 10z to 10z - i.e a 6
a.m start/finish time in V2. An involuntary rest period was taken between 0200z
and 0530z as the operator just fell asleep. Fortunately he woke up just in time
for the peak in the UK 80m opening from around 0530z to 0700z. 

Even for a 'DX' station in the Commonwealth, BERU is not a major 'rate'
contest. The best hour at V25XF was the second hour (11z-12z) with 92 QSOs, and
the worst hour, apart from when the operator had crashed out, was the last
painful hour (09z-10z) when everything seemed dead, including 80m, when just
six QSOs were made.

Despite 15m being reasonably perky at times, 10m was a wash-out. Numerous
fruitless QSYs were made with both G's and VE's. The only station worked on 10m
was G4BUO. Dave chipped in with a QSY-request at a lucky moment (1640z) when
there was just enough propagation on 10m to make a good QSO at an ESP level
signal strength. Despite the relative proximity, no VO or VE was heard on 10m.

By operating from the Caribbean it had been hoped to work huge bucketloads of
VE4s, VE5s, VE6s and VE7s. This was just not to be. The VE4-VE5-VE6's seem to
get ever thinner on the ground (especially VE4!) and even the VE7s were only
available in small quantities.

The first 40 minutes of the contest (just around sunrise in V2) produced an
amazing mixed bag of VEs, VKs, ZLs, a handful of Gs and even E51PJT (Bob G3PJT
in S Cook) on 40m.

V25XF thanks all those in the USA, EU and elsewhere who understood that "BERU"
is a closed contest for Commonwealth countries only, and who refrained from
calling. There were only a small handful of stations (mainly in EU) who kept
calling and calling despite it being obvious that the Commonwealth Contest is a
specialised event, not open to everyone.

The final claimed score at V25XF (9,030 pts) is made up of 1,074 QSOs at 5 pts
= 5,370 pts plus 3,660 Bonus Points.

G3TXF is grateful for the antenna facilities available at the V26B Contest
Station. It's a great pleasure not to have to worry about taking antennas when
going on an overseas trip. On this occasion only three suitcases were needed
(one for the radio, one for the linear amp and one for bits and pieces). 

BERU brings on to the air many UK (and other) stations who are seemingly never
heard in contests (either domestic or international) at any other time. 

The Commonwealth Contest (BERU) is a unique event. It was great fun to be able
to operate this year's BERU from a major contest station in a Commonwealth
island-country in the Caribbean : Antigua.

73 - Nigel G3TXF / V25XF


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