[UK-CONTEST] 144AC Contesting

[Ray Hills]

May I put in my twopenn'orth?  Those regulars on 144AC will know that I am 
often QRV from Cornwall.  That has two problems.  Firstly I am a long way 
from most VHF activity.  Secondly my only real catchment area for squares is 
the 90 degree arc from North round to East, being stuck out on a long 
peninsular into the Atlantic.  As a consequence and although from a pretty 
good site looking up country, apart from the very occasional PA or ON my 
square total rarely exceeds 10 or so and 30 QSOs is a good night - more 
often fewer than 20.  My main achievements are to make a modest contribution 
to our Club each time and to give the (relatively rare) IO70 multiplier to 
those who remember to look SW occasionally - there is gold in that direction 
for those who seek it!!

When I am in Hampshire, near the South coast, my catchment area opens up to 
180 degrees from West through North to East (South offers little or nothing 
because the French are not evening contest minded!) but I am still some way 
from the EU mainland so again apart from a slightly better chance of picking 
up the odd PA, ON or even DL, it is really the same block of UK squares.  In 
contrast stations in the Midlands sit in the centre of all-round activity 
and it is no surprise that they reguarly have better scores, not only in 
squares but also in number of QSOs, compared with my efforts from Cornwall 
or coastal Hampshire.   Geographically that is inevitable. I recognise that 
and good luck to them.

So for me personally a rule change to introduce either a distance multiplier 
(especially from IO70) or  UK squares only, or both,  would really move me 
up the scoring table.  But would it actually encourage more activity?  I 
don't think so.  The key word is "activity".  I am sure that what puts many 
off is the total absence of any stations for nearly all of the time. Only on 
144AC evening or if there is a particularly good opening, does 144 come 
alive.  Contrast that with 80 and particularly the madhouse of 80MCC or 
Sprint (my other hunting grounds) and it is no surprise that people 
gravitate there where they can acually have a QSO  more or less when they 
feel like it.  And the start of cycle 24 will open up the other bands as 
well, increasing the opportunities.

I don't think that not being able to run up a good score is what puts people 
off 144AC.  It is investing in the necessary equipment only to find that 
there is no one to talk to which is the big "turn off".  Changing the rules 
won't alter that but infectious enthusiasm might.  It is up to those of us 
who are VHF enthusiasts to encourage the others by example and word of mouth 
to dip a toe in the water and find that it can be a rewarding part of 
amateur radio.  I was RSGB VHF Manager back in the 1960s and even then it 
was important to make VHF activity exciting to encourage newer licensees on 
to the band.  It can work.  For example, when I first started doing 144AC 
from Cornwall I was usually the only station  participating in IO70.  Now 
there are often three or four others who have discovered that 144 has more 
to offer than the local FM repeater. They may not enter the contest but they 
are active on that Tuesday evening and  - as a well known superstore advert 
says - every little helps.  Change the rules if you wish - OK with me - but 
don't expect that to have any dramatic impact on participation in my view.

Sorry, that was a bit more than twopennyworth.  End of soapbox.

Ray, G3HRH (IO70OJ or IO91HA).