[UK-CONTEST] 80m CC RTTY

[Les Allwood]

Similar feelings here Jim!!

It sounded like good conditions, but QSOs were not so easy to come by. I 
ended up with 39 - about the same as always.

I suspect that the unusual format QSOs to which you refer are either -
a) the result of people not knowing EXACTLY what is each memory, or
b) the result of general contest inexperience. We can all recognise the 
signs on SSB or CW, but datamodes hide the hesitancy, and, once you've hit 
the wrong button, it's panic mode trying to recover!!

Having now had datamodes here for a whole four months, the initial 
enthusiasm is draining away. I'm still happiest in a CW contest!!!

That said, it's still a well thought-out concept which is introducing many 
new calls into contesting, which must be a good thing.

73 de Les, G3VQO

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Martin - MM0BQI" <MM0BQI at blueyonder.co.uk>
To: "Uk-Contest at Contesting.Com" <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2005 3:09 PM
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] 80m CC RTTY


> Spent the afternoon remaking the loaded dipole (water in the PL259/balun
> connection) and getting a few extra feet in height above the roof.  All 
> set
> nice and early, lots of activity so thought a change of tactics called 
> for.
> RUN!  What a total waste of time and effort!  I should have known better,
> but the excitement of fixing the antenna, setting the amp for a full 100
> watts output and what sounded like good conditions got the better of me.
> Found a clear spot about 3595 fifteen minutes before the start but as soon
> as the contest started it was swamped with stations calling CQ.  After ten
> minutes I gave up and found quieter spots but the QSO rate was very slow.
> Were conditions very noisy down south last night? Did a bit of S+P but 
> could
> not get into the swing of things at all.  Ended up winding a coil for a 
> new
> 80M vertical with auto CQ working away.  Needless to say I was not
> interrupted much!
> Had two instances of stations answering my CQ with their call and full
> report and one station who failed to confirm the QSO and wet straight to 
> his
> QRZ message.  Kept calling him to get my call confirmed but was ignored so
> wiped it from the log. Heard him later still not sending a QSL or TU so
> hopefully many others will have deleted the contact as well.
> Now that the contests are established and lots of participants are excited
> about contesting.  Sitting on the same frequency for an hour and a half,
> calling CQ and having lots of folks call you, maybe we can introduce some
> challenging new rules?
> My enthusiasm for these events is waning, maybe it's just following a bad
> night but I failed to get any buzz out of last nights event. Who knows I
> will hit 100 Qs in the next one and all will be sunshine and light again!
> Despite my personal feelings the events are a great success and all credit
> to those responsible. Well done, and yes I will be back in May!
> 73
> Jim,  MM0BQI
> 43 Qs, 100w to loaded dipole running N1MM logger with MMTTY.
>
>
>
>
> ** IOTA DXpedition EU108 Treshnish Isles June 2005
> www.qsl.net/mm0bqi/eu108.htm **
>       **IOTA Contest DXpedition  July 2005 MM0Q  Summer Isles EU092 **
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