[UK-CONTEST] G3TBK 80m CC SSB

[Dave Cree]

Diabolical conditions as usual at this time of the year for this event. 
Noise here about S7 at best, peaking S9 at times, and very few short 
skip signals. Did not even hear anyone else in my club!

Operated for last 50 minutes only, and managed 34 QSOs.  Six were with 
Europeans, who did not in general seem to be joining in. The band was 
full of S9 Continental stations, mostly speaking foreign tongues!

Every contact was difficult, except for one - when Dave G4BUO called I 
nearly fell of the chair - he was the only genuine 59 signal I heard 
from a UK station. Well done that man!

I did wonder if I should have rigged the dipole much lower, it was at 70 
feet, But reading other comments and noting other Serials, I am glad I 
didn't bother.

I think some Clubs (including one not far from me in Lincs.) need 
reminding of General Rule 4b. I heard a string of M3 calls being sent 
from one station to others which I later realised were all in the same 
club, in what could only be described as a club net! The Mic was being 
passed to the various ops. A handful of illicit QSOs like this can have 
a great effect in these low scoring rounds.

Let's hope for better things on Data next week.

A practical suggestion. If we need to have a round of this event in 
February, would it not be better to use the sequence CW- Data - SSB on 
the grounds that the condx might have improved enough by the end of the 
month to make SSB viable. The narrow band modes should be more 
successful in the poor condx to be expected in early Feb.

Dave G3TBK