[UK-CONTEST] CQWW G8D

[G3SJJ]

The plot was hatched over a few beers during one of Ian G4IIY's
business trips to Nottingham. (Well in my case, less beers because
I missed the hourly bus and had to travel in by car to the bustling
city of Nottingham (can highly recommend the bars, restaurants
and nightlife.) Though I am too enjoy the latter!

Operation Bash Burbanks, as Ian named it.

We both had fairly simple (ie low cost) antenna systems although I
had been busy over the last few months making improvements and
Ian had just caught the bug on this topic. He was 17 years younger,
more experience in tackling 48 hour SO events and generally had
more mental stamina, whilst I was overall a more experienced contest
operator with good run and s&p expertise. At the end of the evening,
we agreed we were well matched for a head-to-head.

We would exchange progress reports at around 0900 and 1700 each
day and at the end of the contest.

SATURDAY AM
G4IIY Score 195K (recvd at 1030)
160m  78Q 26C   5Z
80m  310Q 49C  13Z
40m  231Q 54C  17Z
20m    25Q 17C    6Z
Total  641 146C   31Z
G8D Score 106K at 0915  (172K at 10.37)
160       107      7    33
  80        nil
  40       178     17   47
  20         50       5   21
  15         17       6   10
  10        24        6   10
 Total    376      	41 121
My comments : 2 hours kip 0200-0400. 40m fb but couldn't find
a run space below 7060.

SATURDAY PM
G4IIY Score : 597K   Having loads of fun!
160m  78Q 26C 5Z
80m  310Q 49C 13Z
40m  231Q 54C 17Z
20m  341Q  54C 17Z
15m nil
10m  207Q 40C 18Z
Total Qs - 1167
Running on 20m with 150w because of RF problems, but
seems to work OK.  Been called by loads of Zone 3 guys.
I bet you are thrashing me on 10m and have probably
overtaken my score.
G8D Score 466K
160      107    7    33
80         nil
40        178     7    47
20        149     9   34
15        153    16   39
10        322    19   39
Total     909    68  205
Comment: Taken me all this time to get into it!!

SUNDAY AM
G4IIY 1.321K
160m  135Q  38C  6Z
80m    438Q  61C  14Z
40m    524Q  88C  23Z
20m    434Q  63C  20Z
15m    67Q  27C  15Z
10m    215Q  42C  18Z
Total  1813Qs
Comments: I managed to cure the RF problem on 20m. It
was the same interface lead as on Guernsey. I simply put a
small ferrite around it and can now run real power. Worked
some good DX with the new HF2V on 80/40 overnight. I can
no longer operate in run mode - the callsigns are just not registering.
I have not been away from the shack for more than 10 minutes,
apart from to sit down to dinner last night (25 mins!).

G8D : LOST IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  1234 Qs
Was looking forward to a good overnight session. 10m closed to all but
the big boys at about 1700. S&Ped a few on 15m but much the same,
20m slightly better for 30 mins or so but mainly S&P, even XT2DX
weren't even getting a pile-up. Settled down after dinner on 40m with
EU and some good JA QSOs but despite being positive mentally, I felt
physically very rough and went to bed at 2200. Woke up at 0300 feeling
even worse, it took 30 mins before I felt good enough to sit in front of the
radio. Eventually ran W on 40m, a real buzz, until I felt really rough
again.
Back to bed and up again at 1000.

G4IIY Not being funny, but it's not over yet. I've not been on for most
of the afternoon (various reasons) and now have only 1.7m points. Tried
running on 40m, but it's not easy to hold a frequency as everyone is
arriving
there. I think your 40m score could be easily raised over the next few
hours!

G8D Better session, added 600 Q in 6 hours. 1.46M
160    107    7    33
  80    106    9    36
  40    324  21    56
 20     336  15    50
 15     438  24    61
 10     556  23    66
Total 1867  99  302
10 closed, just finished 15 and now starting 20m
Feeling bright and positive even though I have lost!!

G4IIY
I'm finishing slightly early because one of the distractions
today has resulted in me working on Monday. Another
distraction was a live bird flying around the house, until
we caught it.
Claimed score:  2,000,180  (I reckon it could be close)
Band        160    80     40      20     15     10       Total
QSOs      152   483   586   498   337   290      2346
Zones      7       15      24     21     17   18       102
Countries  41    65      91     72      65   54      388
Off to catch up with some sleep.

G8D Final Claimed score 1,973,250 I had a great Sunday session
adding almost 1200 Qs in the 13 hours
Band	160	80	40	20	15	10	Total
QSOs	107	371	534	408	438	556	2414
Zones	7	12	24	15	24	23	105
Cntrs	33	57	73	55	61	66	345


Final Analysis
G4IIY               2346Q    490M    Score : 2,000,180   (47 hours)
G8D (G3SJJ)     2414Q    450M    Score : 1.973,250   (30 hours)

IT WAS CLOSE !!

G8D : FT1KMP, Acom1000,  Logging program NA10.57
10m   4 el mono at 50ft
15m   rotatable dipole (above above) at 55ft (ex A4S driven ele)
20m   diamond loop, apex at 38ft. (Hmm!)
40m   pair of phased verticals, Chrisman force fed, 15 radials each
80m   dipole at 63 ft when not below
160    dipole at 63 when not above (ie s/c or oc a jumper)

Mast is an Altron type I bought for 60 quid. Antenna system is located
about 100m from shack, fed with Westflex 103. 40m antenna a further
40m on. Topten relay box at base of mast and Topten decoder in shack.
40m direction switching uses the spare core on the 100m 7 core antenna
rotator cable extension.

Office World desks giving 10ft of desk space and high back chair (also
shared with Thomas the cat). Use foot rest to keep legs off the floor.
The shack looks over garden/fields/copse, phsycologically a higher angle
of vision and more distant view point gives a more positive attitude of
mind.

Learnt a lot. You can teach an old dog new tricks (but don't tell Thomas)

Info and pictures of the locality at www.tollerton.org Find photo of SJJ at
village event (Neighbourhood Watch stand). All village photos taken within
a 1km radius of my QTH.

Chris G3SJJ