[UK-CONTEST] SSB FD - G3TBK/P East Notts C.G.

[Dave Cree]

Like other posters, we experienced foul weather most of the weekend, and 
very poor HF condx.

Set up went well on Friday night, and on Saturday morning installing the 
rigs and making test QSOs gave no warning
of problems to come. In fact I made more Qs on 28 MHz before the contest 
than during it.

The wind got up to gale force just before the start, 15 minutes into the 
contest a 50 ft sectional mast collapsed. Should not have
been too serious as we were on 20m at the time using the beam. However 
the 80m dipole draped around the beam, SWR went high and blew up a relay 
in the automatic antenna switch box. For the rest of the contest we had 
to change antennas  by plugging and unplugging feeders. I have a manual 
coax switch - unfortunately it is in the cottage in J8!

30 minutes into the contest, things got worse, we had RF breakthrough 
into the logging computer - still can't understand why, we have used the 
same hardware set-up for years with no hint of problems.   However a 
liberal application of ferrite beads and rings more or less tamed it, 
and we only had a few minor glitches later on.

The mast was re-erected using spare sections, it actually became a 52 
footer. The wind got worse, tent had to be roped down and the frame 
braced with the broken mast sections. Even so one corner pole gave way. 
Fortunately it survived, the canvas only tearing when being dismantled.

The only really good band was 80m, open and busy surprisingly early. The 
two high bands were diabolical, with only a
handful of contacts.

BAND         QSO         POINTS   MULTS

80           375         1328      24
40           319         1170      35
20           323         1070      60
15            25          105      14
10             2           10       2

TOTAL CLAIMED SCORE  497,205

RIG FT1000D,  TH7 AT 60ft, 80m Dipole @ 70 ft. 40m Dipole at 60 ft and 
40m sloper.

OPS G3TBK, G0GDU, 2E1FQO, M3TBK. SUPPORT G4LPD, M3DVQ.

Well, at least it was acclimatisation for my impending return to J3 and 
J8 in the Hurricane season!

Dave, G3TBK