[UK-CONTEST] Jubilee contest GM4YXI

[Keith Kerr]

Various work and other commitments meant very limited 
participation in this one which, on reflection, was a pity 
since I enjoyed the very brief spell I had. I think this 
contest has potential but needs some (many?) changes.

Conditions were pretty grim as far as I could tell. Managed 
one hour 16-17z on Saturday and the last 3 hours on Sunday. 
Things got very slow during the last hour Sunday but 
otherwise some reasonable rate was around, though DX was in 
short supply. 

GM4YXI SOHP SSB

10m  43Q    2  Mult(!)
15m 235Q    11 Mult
20m 112Q    8  Mult

	390-2 dupes x 5 x 21 = 40740

I support the suggestion that something needs to be done 
about the multiplyer availability. At the very least, the 
UK DXCC entities must count, if not DXCC+call no or even
prefixes. It was ludicrous to have all UK counting as one 
mult. I also think some form of inter UK QSO should be 
allowed. Even in 4 hours of operating I was called by MANY 
G stations whom I had to thank, give a report but neither 
log nor score. This would have been frustrating had I been 
in this one seriously and must have seemed odd to those on 
the receiving end of my apology. I also think this may not 
be very productive in recruiting new contesters. Many of 
the people calling me were M3's and the like. Surely we 
must be inclusive, not exclusive.

Which brings me to my second(?)point. This contest should 
NOT become a single mode affair. It should be mixed mode, 
but with CW only or SSB only sections for those who prefer 
that BUT, in mixed mode I believe that it should be 
possible to work the station on the same band in both 
modes, INCLUDING for multiplier credit....WHY NOT? I 
discussed the contest and what might happen, with Chris 
GM3WOJ, before the event and I anticipated that there would 
be a dearth of mult activity on SSB, expecting the BERU 
influence to hold sway on CW. In the UK that seems to have 
been the case but I get the impression that even on CW, the 
DX mults were not much in evidence.  Sad though it may be, 
the lack of any activity, at any time lately, from many 
Commonwealth entities makes the BERU format difficult to 
sustain. I guess Clive is correct, BERU has probably had 
its day. Excellent support from Europe (my impression) and 
JA (reported by others) should not be ignored and suggests 
this event has a future, but when should it be held ????....

The calander is very full and no time is ideal. From my own 
limited, selfish and 'time-constrained' perspective, PLEASE 
avoid dates close to the major international events. BERU 
was always too close to the ARRL's and WPXSSB for me, and 
the 21/28 events too close to CQWW. If we would like to see 
this grow into a major event, timing is crucial. N6TJ and 
others have long advocated a second CQWW in late April. 
Is there an opportunity here?

Keith GM4YXI