[UK-CONTEST] HARIG in RSGB IOTA Contest 2005

[Jonathan G0DVJ]

Harwich Amateur Radio Interest Group (HARIG)

RSGB IOTA Contest 2005


Some on this list may recall our little group which occasionally wins 
the 160m Club Calls Contest but which is more often simply 
participating in large contests such as CQWW, WPX and WAE DX in order 
to give opportunities for newcomers and less ardent contesters to 
operate in such contests with a better station than they would 
otherwise have access to and to improve their skills - albeit resulting 
in rather insignificant results-table positions for the group.  However 
we have fun and operate the stations on a shoestring and frequently get 
good % turnout of our membership to assist in one way or another.

IOTA is not an event that we have traditionally participated in.  (My 
last personal involvement was as part of 3Z0I/1 in the Baltic two years 
ago!).  This year, however we are trying something different.  One of 
the biggest local radio rallies in our area occurs on the Sunday of 
IOTA.  Many members of another local group are involved in the 
preparation of the rally site on the Saturday.  HARIG has therefore 
decided to set up a demo IOTA contest station on the Rally Site for the 
weekend operating as our usual contest group call of M4U.   Sure we are 
only a bog-standard EU-005 station but hope to make many contacts and 
show how busy mixed-mode HF contesting can be fun both for casual 
visitors and more potential future contest operators.

I decided to post this following the recent thread about improving and 
encouraging the less experienced or casual contest operators, which I 
followed with interest.

73,
Jonathan G0DVJ
--