[UK-CONTEST] Irish Contest Set to Light Up the Bands

[Andy Swiffin]

>>> On 30/09/2007 at 00:56, in message <001101c802f4$61a83af0$0500a8c0 at TILGATE5>,
"Peter Hobbs" <peter at tilgate.co.uk> wrote:
>>  - Special QSO Party to mark 75th anniversary of Irish Amateur society
>> - Participating stations entered into a draw to win a trip to Ireland>
> 
> 
> A magic concept, with echoes of the old Bermuda contest.  Although carefully 
> planned for an apparently clear weekend, it seems that some others had the 
> same idea, with TOEC, EA and WSEM events also in full swing.  Many of the 
> TOEC guys will give you an IR number though, in exchange for your locator. 

Not to mention CQ WW RTTY :-(

> Spent quite a lot of time explaining (mainly to Gs) what "IR" was all about. 

I ended up explaining to several Irish stations what it was all about!  Although one of them was an SM7/OZ4...  called George, who was then able to give me the double points with an Overseas Irish exchange!

> At least today the HF bands were pretty useless here and the hoped for US 
> contingent were difficult to find.

A bit further north it was a case of "will the last person on 20 please turn out the lights"  (actually probably a case of turn ON the lights up north)

>  Once again the DLs had done their 
> homework and were out in force. 

Yes - quite a few were well into the game with good scores.

> Unfortunately work again got in the way and 
> I had to pull the plug at 2100, just doing enough for 2 entry tickets

I take it you mean 2100 on Saturday? (it having finished noon on Sunday :-)  Well I made a stunning 106, although work got in the way at the start for me and I didn't get on till after 1800 on the Saturday,  by which time 40 didn't have any inter G/EI and 80 wasn't exactly sparkling.  So it was just a Saturday evening Sunday morning session.  

Still all good fun, it was fun giving the COR multiplier to the EIs who couldn't hear Cork!

73
Andy
gm8oeg
1/4 Irish XYL