[UK-CONTEST] GW0AAA/P SSB FD Three A's contest group.

[Ian G3WVG]

Hiya All

Well, that was fun.  That's of course assuming your definition of fun
includes getting drenched to the skin erecting antennas at the edge of the
sea in a gale. Both weather conditions and radio conditions were poor.
Although, the weather improved a little towards the end of the contest,
propagation didn't.

The Three A's contest group had to miss CW NFD this year so, unusually, we
decided to give our call an airing for the SSB event.  As in CW, we opted
for the restricted section. On the HF bands it was hard going with little DX
worked.

We operated from the near coast just across the border close to Newport in
South Wales. Steve GW4BLE had done the recce. and the site was excellent. A
large dead flat field with easy access.  We gave up using tents years ago, a
tatty rental van does the job nicely and is unlikely to leak or get blown
away. There were just three of us. Steve GW4BLE ,Nigel G3TXF and me, and as
far as I can recall, despite the atrocious conditions there were no domestic
disputes! 

For an illustrated description of the set-up please see the following link.
http://www.g3txf.com/3a's/GW0AAA-06/GW0AAA-2006.html

We made just 720 QSOs with a total of 109 mults.

Band        QSOs       Mults
80          352         29
40          232         29
20          105         36
15          28          13
10          3            2

RSGB POINTS 298,660      DARC POINTS    253,861.

Not brilliant, but OK for 100W of SSB to a doublet in poor propagation.


73 Ian G3WVG