[UK-CONTEST] Diary of a BERU Virgin

[Gerard Lynch]

Call: G0RTN
Operator(s): G0RTN
Station: G0RTN

Class: Open LP/Single Element
QTH: Central London
Operating Time (hrs): 21

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
   80:   16
   40:   44
   20:   44
   15:   39
   10:    7
------------
Total:  150  Total Score = 3,240

Rig: IC7400 barefoot, 40/80 trap dipole on roof at 33m agl, ATU for the
rest, no way to operate SO2R at this QTH, unfortunately, as this contest was
made for SO2R!

First ever BERU contest - I don't know why I always ignored this contest in
my GI days as it's great fun.  Maybe I was humpy at the idea of being
classed as 'English' in it!  When I saw a few of the early scores I thought
I might be in the pack chasing the Dunnington, but the posts from G3WPH and
G3LET put paid to that thought.

This was relaxed enough that I could work a bit of DX outside the contest,
and take breaks from 2230-2315 to do some shopping and clear my head (the
joys of living in Central London) and from 0130-0400 to sleep.  The morning
greyline opening on 40 was fantastic

Contesting from the London area is weird.  So many stations on ground wave -
back in GI I was always in splendid isolation on CW, even being based in the
middle of Belfast, KOW being well outside ground wave range.  G3LET, you
were a great signal on groundwave here in Paddington and you seemed to beat
me in every pile up.  After a while, when sleep deprivation started to kick
it, I started to get really annoyed by this.and thought you must be some
'orrible old fart G3 with full size monobanders designed solely to deprive
me of DX.

About 10 QSOs on CQ calls, the rest S&P despite trying a lot in the slow
periods and on 40 in the early morning where I **know** I get out well.

Bizarre incident:

Chasing some local CBers off 28.012 about an hour into the contest.
Unfortunately I usually use my microphone to tune with and had the mic gain
at zero.  "Yeah, mate, butting pushing is like so bloody funny."  "I think
it's that cocunut again, but he's a big nine pounder with me now." When I
realised I needed to turn the gain up and told them they were out of band,
they cleared off fairly quickly, claiming they'd bought it a car boot sale
and their read out said they were on 27.012.  They were clueless enough that
I believed them, and they wanted to engage me in conversation about my
'amazing' signal.  "Sorry, mate, you're a cracking signal, down in
Paddington did you say?"  No shit, Sherlock.  I've just worked Malawi.  I
mightn't have been the best advert for amateur radio, but I just wasn't in
the mood and realised I was causing QRM myself.

Good moments:

Working more ZLs than in the past 13 years put together.  Having ZL2AP come
back to a CQ call on 40 metres.

Working VK9NS first call on 40 for an surprise all time new one, and working
Z24S second call on 15 for one I really, really, did not expect.  9M2, 7Q
and 9J were less surprising new ones from this QTH.

Sunrise on 40 metres.

Making it on 5 bands with J88DR.

The low QSO rates also meant I could work any other juicy DX on the bands
without feeling guilty!

Through a GI ham reflector, encourging at least 2 stations back in GI to
come on for a while who probably wouldn't have done otherwise.
Unfortunately they then kept beating me in pileups.

Bad moments:

Losing in every pileup in the last hour and a half.

Hearing very workable stations come back to PIQ and BUO, then not having
them come back to my 'targeted' CQ calls, even during the doldrums when
there wasn't a whole lot else on.

Some people obviously don't like this contest - I head G4BUO being abused
calling CQ VK on 80 metres at Perth sunrise and when I asked VE2/VE3EXY/P
for a BERU number on 40 - which he had been happily giving out - someone
told me I was 5NN 001.  I knew this wasn't right - maybe because the pirate
was a pure T9 and 30 over 9 and the VE2 was a fluttery 579?

Definitely be back next year.

73

Gerry G0RTN
http://www.gerrylynch.co.uk