[UK-CONTEST] BERU - 2006.

[brian coyne]

After my blog here last week throwing toys from the
pram in the event Saturday here was cloudy and windy.
In truth regardless of weather I would have stayed
with it because not having done this one for a number
of years I had forgotten what a challenge this contest
is, so hooey to those who complain about rates and
antiquity. Those who entered can recognise the
achievement made by Dave and Don when we look at those
bonus scores.

I expect some impressive totals to come from Geo
5B4AGC, Alan P3J, (is that call ok by the rules?) and
Steve ZC4LI, but it is far easier to do beru from here
some 2k miles east of uk where we get propagation for
certain if a band is open and so many G stns to work.

Where is the new blood, have they all grabbed mic's? I
worked three 2E0's (and very proficient they all were
with good sigs too) plus one each from Wales and
Scotland same grade, and one M3 and that was it. I
would have expected a few more to show up to grab some
new countries so we do not appear to be winning any of
those hearts and minds over to cw.

I was disappointed with cndx, esp 20 & 40 where dx
sigs were absent or very weak and really worked so
very few. Just three zl's, one zs and no vk2/3 at all.

10Mtrs. Recent experience has shown openings to be
rare and brief so when I moved Peter (LET) up from 15
not long after the start we made the contact and I
intended to ride it hard, some chance!, I had just
five further q's, zc4, 7p, 9j, vu and g4buo. Despite
many visits I never caught another opening.

80mtrs.  I did not expect very much and that's what I
got, 45 q's with just 9 bonuses, the best being vk6 &
vel  (zz of course).Sorry if you called and I didn;t
pull you through, I couldn't hear a bally thing most
of the time through the noise and static.

15/20/40. Remaing contacts were pretty evenly divided
across these bands. 15 closed for me after first
couple of hours but did open Sunday when I was able to
log 65 the last hour. Not one ve hrd here.
On 20/40 the dx I could hear did not copy me or, as in
the case of carib es vk/zl I could not break the pile
of G stns calling.

Frustrations - quite a few. Moving a couple of dx stns
up to 15mtrs and not hrg them, nothing new there but
then those stns being called by further exotic dx who
I hrd very well but in both cases again failed to
raise, so what on a good day could have been four nice
ones netted me zilch.
Moving Bob 9H3 & VQ9 up to 10mtrs, hearing them but
yet again I was not heard. At times like that or not
hitting any piles, it is hard not to wish for a beam
or a bit more poke under the bonnet, especially when
there are no prizes for the low power handicap.
Sunday drivers, - With a semi dx c/s you get a lot of
grief from non participants but most have the
experience or nous when you ask them  to back off but
yesterday am became a misery trying to copy beru stns
through strong persistant slow sending, long winded eu
idiots, am I picking up the sjj pen here?

Best dx - Rodriges Is 3b9, an all time new for me from
here.

Lessons - Sleep longer, only 12 stns worked between
0500 - 0830z. Cancel rit button after chasing someone
who does not net on. My rig is totally u/s without max
filtering of 600hz, SJJ told me a vk6 had been calling
and I saw the problem but the vk6 had given up!.


My score. 500q's -  87 bonus q's. Total points 4225.

Rig Kenwood TS570 - 100W.
Antennas          - Cushcraft 5 band verical. 40mtr
Delta Loop. Half sloper for 80.

Operating time, ignoring mealbreaks etc, 20 hrs, bed
0100 - 0500z.

Pretty poor score really on the bonus count and will
be bettered by many who have less than half my q
count, but what the hell, I enjoyed it and that's what
it is all about.

Regards as always,
Brian                      5B/G4ODV.


	
	
		
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