[UK-CONTEST] Commonwealth Contest.

[johndunnington]

I have watched the discussion in recent days and have up to now been
reluctant to comment but it does seem valid to put straight the record re
the "John Dunnington Trophy Rules".

The move to offer it was as a direct result of a conversation with the then
RSGB President and long time BERU Promoter Bob G3PJT. We both had reached
similar conclusions in that the majority of UK Contesters run 100Watts to
assorted bits of wire and occasional multiband verticals. As QSL manager for
GU8D I have monitored this situation for a number of years. With that in
mind I agreed to sponsor an engraved plaque to this group of individuals
with no time limit during the Commonwealth Contest each year. So you can be
active for as long as you like, forget restricted section or open section
these do not figure in my equation but it is obvious (to me at least) the
more time you spend in the contest the better chance you have of pulling it
off. If you don't want to operate the full time fine but you stand no chance
of putting up a winning score. Why do it ? I felt we should get more of the
UK low power group into the Commonwealth Contest as food for the non UK
participants who need all the G's they can get,  plus it might add a few
more UK entrants.


Several have asked why not have a second trophy for the "Non-UK power
limited and antenna limited entrants" why not indeed now is your chance to
do it.
For circa £50/year you can sponsor one and I will do the administration
(subject to HFCC agreement) for free for you. 30% of that cost is mailing by
registered around the world. The same no doubt would apply to the "QRP
Section" if the HFCC ever decided to sub-divide the restricted section but
for now it is as the rules say "12-Hours with no power or antenna
limitations" confusion arises when you read the restricted section rules in
other international contests.


In recent years I have operated in the "Restricted Section" as until
recently my business dictated that I worked on Saturday's  and never could
start in the contest until around 1700z I accepted the fact I was cutting my
arm off by missing out on 10-15-20 opening on Saturdays but worked out how
to maximise the score with these limitations albeit self imposed. My aim is
to reach the top three in the Restricted Section as winning it is going to
require some fluke in propagation or no VE1-3 that year but that will never
stop me trying and using different tactics until I find a solution. I
operated with a 20ft by 20ft backyard and then progressed after 25-years to
a massive 60ft wide by 40ft deep garden each time demanding maximum efforts
to get the best RF radiation. Finally 8-years ago in preparation for my
intended retirement I moved to the current place and set about putting
together a contest station of which I could be proud of and that others
could occasionally benefit from. GB5HQ and M2D for example. We are far from
a final solution but operating within a planned budget and ravages of a NE
Coast location we keep trying. Throwing money is not always the solution but
it does help occasionally to ease the pain and frustration, time and
experience is a better solution.

Cheers cu all in Commonwealth

John G3LZQ