[UK-CONTEST] NFD 2008 - Basingstoke ARC - G3TCR/P

[Mark Capstick]

Dear All,

 

Well, I thought that I should put a few words together and perhaps
encourage a few more reports from others, because I like reading about
the trials and tribulations of NFD.

 

Ummm, well, where to start?

Our set-up was:

Aerial = 264 ft Doublet with Open wire feeder.

Radio = a really nice Elecraft K3 (loaned by club member Alan, G8FMH)

Log = N1MM on an aged laptop

Big, old diesel generator with a fuel tank that lasts the whole contest.
No Generator log required here! 

We started late......having trouble with matching the aerial on Top
Band.  

Yes, we did have the same trouble last year, but my plan no. 1 to get
around this did not work.  I took the decision to get this sorted at the
expense of starting on time....thinking about all the top Band
Double-pointers lost last year (only 32 top band QSOs last year).  In
the end we were ready to go, and able to work top band......but 45
minutes late.

But hold on, I now say to myself (after the dust has settled)....10
metres was open (for us in Hampshire) from the start.....what about
those valuable double pointers?  The usual suspects were giving us 030
or 040 serial numbers for our single figure numbers.  Oh well...we live
and learn.

 

So we were on the air and doing OK.  The only other gremlin was that for
some reason the PC to rig link was not talking reliably, then not at
all.  It was all happy in the week before the contest, of course. I know
of at least twice that I moved band on the radio, but not on the log.
Hopefully I noticed quickly and sorted it!  Yes, I know, a fundamental
error that should be avoidable......next year....

 

Then the Inspectors called!  It was nice to see Paul, G4DCV and Bernd,
M0COH checking that we were playing within the rules.  I wish they had
stayed longer because we were having a very successful run while they
were with us.  I also tried to persuade them to do a bit of operating
too, but they had more visits to do.  They just drank our coffee and
went!

 

So, Top Band produced a worthwhile number of extra QSOs, but I perhaps
should have stuck at 10 metres for longer, or made the most of 10m from
the start and sorted the top band matching problem later?

The other problem was operator fatigue.  We had many hands helping to
set-up and take down the station, and a constant flow of tea/coffee
makers (some of whom think that you can read CW and hold a conversation
- I certainly can't), but nobody confident enough to "have a go".  So,
like last year, it was a G4RCD single op effort.  At least I did not
fall asleep at the rig this time.

Highlights included:

Having the use of the Elecraft K3.  It is like being in a different
world compared with my old TS-680S.  It is a really easy to use, clean
radio.  The variable bandwidth DSP, Audio FX, Dual PassBand and
excellent QSK all made it a great pleasure to use.  

VP8NO giving us serial no.001 (another enthusiastic K3 user)

There were no lowlights, apart from being completely worn out by the end
of it.  

 

Ended with just over 933 QSOs including Dupes, and QSOs logged on the
wrong bands.....

160 QSOs on Top band - It was worth the effort sorting out the antenna
match on this band.  Not enough on 10m.......

 

Let's hear how it went for The Flying Pigs, Contest Cumbria, Cray
Valley, North of Scotland etc.

 

Vy 73 to all,

 

Mark Capstick, G4RCD