[UK-CONTEST] Re 144 AC + VHF participation in general

Callum M0MCX callum at mccormick.uk.com
Mon Nov 10 20:21:24 EST 2008


Great post Gordon. Keep up the good work. I trust the powers will listen to
you.

Regards,

Callum McCormick
http://www.m0mcx.co.uk/



-----Original Message-----
From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Gordon Paterson
Sent: 10 November 2008 23:43
To: uk-contest at contesting.com
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Re 144 AC + VHF participation in general

I'd just like to put another perspective onto this thread from a 
relative newcomer onto VHF on both the UKAC scoring and why there is no 
new blood coming onto VHF contesting.

I have been licenced for less than 3 years, 2 and a half years as MM0GPZ. 

I was immediately interested in 144 Mhz SSB and I equipped myself with a 
7 element ZL special to go with the IC706 MkII. However, at my (non 
lofty) location in the Clyde Valley SE Glasgow, I found I could 
regularly work only locals and stations to the North East, and believe 
me, there aren't many of them. Stations to the South were few and far 
between although I would have the antenna pointed to the SE most of the 
time and listening to white noise indefinitely. I upgraded the licence, 
antenna's, coax, masthead preamplifiers and amplifiers in an attempt to 
be able to hear/work some activity.  At one point, I had 2 x 9 ele's at 
nearly 50 feet above the ground. However, due to my less than ideal 
location, local QRM and lack of activity, I still hardly heard anything 
except big gun contest stations. I can only imagine what the higher 
bands would be like from here. I didn't operate digital modes which may 
have been differernt, but that wasn't my idea of fun.  Now, if there was 
much more operators and therefore more activity, I would probably still 
make a bigger effort from home.  As it is, I'm currently sporting a 
single 9 ele M2 antenna underneath my Hexbeam at about 30 feet, just for 
the occasional QSO and waiting for a lift.. Ray (GM4CXM) assures me I'll 
have a superb takeoff when we get some auroral activity. I'll look 
forward to that. Moving on, I started going portable and realised what 
fun it was and how much an advantage it is to be operating off the top 
of a mountain HI. I went with Mid Lanark ARS for VHF FD in 2006 as my 
first real /P VHF event and we operated from Hagshaw Hill Windfarm at 
about 1500 feet. I came back buzzing and on a major high and was  amazed 
at the DX that we worked: e's into EA.

After that, I decided to start going /P and try to develop a decent  but 
quickly deployable /P system. For the last couple of years, I've been 
operating/competing from 2 or 3 lofty locations within a 80 mile radius, 
usually at Sanquhar at about 1400 feet ASL or from the Tac Ma Doon road 
at about 1000 feet ASL above Glasgow. With a 12 ele M2 or 2 x 9 ele M2's 
and 400w, Ecoflex 15, an SSB masthead pre-amplifiers and the lofty 
location, I'm a pretty decent signal into G most nights.  I almost 
always manage to work 2 or 3 Q's into ON/PA at over 700km's during the 
UKAC. I never manage DL as I am blocked by even bigger hills to the 
East. In terms of competitiveness in the 144 UKAC however, I'm just not 
ever going to trouble the stations in the squares Ray GM4CXM mentioned 
in his earlier note with the current rules. Last Tuesday I experienced 
what I would describe as great conditions and managed 87 Q's but only 
picked up16 locators. No GI's and one EI right at the end. No locators  
north of me on Tuesday. Sometimes I manage 1 or 2 locators to the North 
but there is just very little activity. So, I can usually only pickup 
locator's to the South. I perhaps need to setup another antenna pointing 
North and be able to switch to it regularly and call. But that would be 
even more preparation and tear-down time in what already eats up 
virtually a whole day to prepare and compete.

All right I'll admit it, I really envy the guys in the Midlands and the 
SE corner who essentially have the possibility of QSO's in nearly 360 
deg, with apparently plentiful easy local contacts and also a short path 
onto the continent with the extra locators it will bring. I'm fully 
aware that many of the op's have superb stations, are probably superb 
op's and I'm not saying the only reason they score big is because of 
where they are. However, as everybody is aware, there there is a 
definite advantage to be in those certain parts of the UK as far as UKAC 
is concerned.  To put it into perspective, in spite of operating in the 
Open section with QRO,  I usually get beat by some low power fixed 
stations, never mind the big boys HI.

There probably isn't a single rule that makes it even for everybody 
regardless of location, but in an UK test, the rules should be 
manipulated (not necessarily to the results of a survey) to ensure all 
stations have an even chance of making a score and to encourage inter UK 
activity. I welcome the fact that there will be 1 point per Km next year 
but other changes could improve matters even more. Like having no mults 
outside the UK and perhaps some way of creating double mults within the 
UK. A scoring system designed to really maximise the points gained 
working other UK station's with less incentive to turn to Europe. You 
still work the non UK stations for Km points but no mults. I don't know 
if there is a category like that, but it would make things more even. I 
believe that the same stations would still win but it might be a closer 
run thing, it may encourage others in the far flung areas such as the S 
West, the GI's and perhaps some more northerly GM's to participate. Ray 
GM4CXM, if this is what you are suggesting, then I agree.

Incidentally, the interested VHF op's at Mid Lanark have tried hard to 
drum up interest from the new MM3's in our club to try VHF contesting 
(and HF contesting). It's proving very difficult and only one MM3 turned 
up for VHF FD and never even had a go at operating. Never mind the 
MM3's, it hard to get the GM's out. At our club, we have a hard core of 
3 VHF's contest op's. Well, about 2.5 to be honest. Myself and Phil 
GM0LIR will do most of the major 144Mhz tests and quite a few UKAC's. 
There are some 3 or so other op's come out of the woodwork for VHF FD.  
But, getting the new guys in is proving to be pretty difficult. Most of 
them have a 2m beam and SSB at home and have hardly worked anything of 
significance. I hope that if I can persuade them to come along, they'll 
catch the bug the way I did at VHF FD 2006 when they hear what can be 
worked on 2m at a decent QTH.



I'll keep trying.


Cheers.


Gordon
MM0GPZ/P



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