[UK-CONTEST] NFD Again

[Nigel]

So far all I can say about the NFD posts, is "You were lucky"
This year our normal big gun contest operators deserted us.

No mention of names or call signs.  BUT YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!

 Still a team of "Older CW operators" was cobbled together to keep the Echelford G3UES callsign on the air.

This was quite an illuminating experience; the straight keys that abounded were quite fascinating. And "I only use a straight key!" was a familiar theme.

 

I arrived at the site half an hour late due to a puncture on the caravan. Not a good start. The weather forecast was fine. Yet I had a sense of doom and gloom. The foresaid caravan carries all the mast, generators etc.

 Upon arrival there was a semblance of a tent going up.

 I then stated where the tent should go, grabbed a few of our larger lads and started unloading the caravan. All of a sudden there was a call. We need a committee meeting and we need it now.

Once the committee meeting was convened, I found out, it was to decide who was running the set up. "I don't care who runs this show, but I am getting fed up doing the campers waltz as I have now put the tent in five different locations." Was the statement for one of the erection team?

Once this problem was solved, it was time to get the masts up.

As I had now relinquished my responsibility of set up, I went and bought the tea, milk, coffee, eggs bacon etc that would sustain the team through the next twelve hours of operating. Due to the lack of contest operators it was decided that we enter the QRP section.

 

So two masts were erected and a 260 foot doublet was put into position at eleven metres high. It was now past twelve o clock and the bar was open in the clubhouse, and we still were not ready. This has never happened before, so there was some consternation and a few grumbles. This site might never win but it does have it's consolations. By half past twelve all was as it should be, and normal service resumed in the clubhouse.

 We kicked off at four o clock, and procedded throught the next few hours with small success. A varitaty of operators run the station. Most with little or no contest experience. But it was nice to feel that there was a silver lining to the event. That was getting people to operate who had never done so before.

 Next year will be better. Well what else could possibly go wrong? 

Still we ended up with 119 QSO's and claiming 650 points

 All the best Nigel G0VDZ