[UK-CONTEST] RSGB 21/28 SSB - GM3WOJ

[Chris Tran GM3WOJ]

Hello all

Well, with 4 fairly major auroral events in the 5 days before this event, I
didn't hold out much hope of conditions being good.  However, the
Oceania contest on Saturday seemed to have some fairly good conditions,
so it was still possible that the 21/28 might be OK, but Saturday evening's
aurora made sure that they were very poor.  I know that northern stations
complain about the effects of aurora a lot, but even the slightest solar
disturbance really takes the edge of 28MHz in particular up here at
57.8 degrees N.

The contest started badly - only 4 QSOs in the first hour, and I'm looking
out of the shack window thinking 'what a waste of time'.   About 3 hours
into the event I was about to give up completely, when I suddenly worked
60 JA stations on 15m, most of whom gave me 001, so I then realised I
had to keep going to take full advantage of this. It was encouraging that
other UK stations further S. did not seem to have their usual advantage on
10m during these poor conditions, and I could actually work stations on 10m,
albeit at very low QSO rates. Having been placed second in this contest
twice in the past, I was also feeling pretty determined to keep operating
for the whole 12 hours, despite the lack of activity, and boredom.

I moved a lot of mults between bands - for the second year running 5Z4IC
refused to QSY to 15m when asked politely on 2 occasions (even when no-one
at all was calling him on 10m) but luckily (and somewhat ironically) I was
called by 5Z4JC for that mult.on 15m.    Interestingly, tuning across a lot
of other UK stations, I never heard any of them asking another station to
QSY to the other band, but they must have been doing this ?

RSGB 21/28MHz SSB : GM3WOJ
Section :  UK Open

15m    FT-1000MP + H/B amp. + 5ele YO yagi at 60'
           203 QSOs       62 Mults

10m    TS-850sat + Alpha 91B + 4ele YO yagi at 60'
           87 QSOs         46 Mults
Claimed score  =   93960 pts   (a quarter of last year's score!)

Some interesting points are being made about the decline in this contest - I
suggest that before ditching these 21/28 events the HFCC come up with some
suggestions for replacements - the discussions about the Jubilee contest/ HF
NFD etc seem to have gone nowhere, so please can we hear what is being
planned ? The 2 weekends of these 21/28 events are very good weekends
in the contesting calendar, and should not just be 'given away' too easily.
Thanks to all the non-UK stations who are on this reflector for the QSOs :
ZC4DW, 9M2/G4ZFE, EI5DI etc..

73
Chris     GM3WOJ