[UK-CONTEST] G4PIQ AFS Report

[Andy Cook, G4PIQ]

265 good QSOs from 267 - this is a couple up on last year although somehow I
wondered if activity was a little down as I swept the band for the second
and third time and found I had worked almost everyone calling CQ. Only 1 JA
this year who was quite loud, but no others followed. 

Station more or less ready to go 90 seconds before start - prior to that
still fixing the usual annual sheep damage to beverage feeder. Apologies to
those whose exchanges I fumbled at the start. Last two contests I've done we
used CT and it always takes me 15 minutes to get my brain to press F10
instead of ALT-K, Enter or @ instead of Ins, and Enter instead of + when
switching back to TR! Also spent the first hour putting a connector on the
end of the beverage feeder while working people and looking for a 3.5/6.3mm
headphone adapter for the two radio switch. Couldn't find one so ended up
wearing two pairs of headphones - one over the top of the other!

Antenna a bit lower than usual this year since tower currently completely
empty of VHF antennas including stub mast as I rebuild following last year's
October storms. 

I did feel that all of us who are using FT1000 series radios ought to go and
do the key click mods (http://www.w8ji.com/keyclicks.htm) - life would have
been much nicer without the clicks. I'll get around to doing mine I
sincerely hope that others feel compelled to do the same!

2 x FT1000MP + Titan. Dipole @ 65ft + Reflector @ 35ft. Very low 400ft
beverage (also forgot the bamboo canes so used electric fence posts - ant
about 3ft agl!)

Andy