[UK-CONTEST] 2008 144MHz UK Activity Contest - Details

[Ray James]

Hi all,
A number of you were surprised by the facts that became clear in a message I sent last week highlighting the incredibly low take up of newbies entering VHF and above contests during 2007 and 2008.
Obviously the award of a certificate to the highest place Foundation and Intermediate licence holder is not the incentive it was hoped it would be and something more innovative is required.
One would not expect a newbie to appear during any CQWW or IOTA contest and be challenging for a podium finish in the first few years and on VHF and above it is no different. They have to be enticed to start somewhere and just like the 80m CC's and Sprints, VHF contests have their own windows of good learning opportunity. In particular, the 2.5 hour monthly UK Activity Contests on 6m, 4m, 2m, 70cm and lower Microwave bands.
 
My one and only interest is a desire to see some positive action from those with the ability to halt the decline in the contest and DX use of the VHF/UHF and Microwave spectrum in the UK. 
I put my reasons forward last week why the UKAC's are the perfect regular event to make a start on this important transformation and asked if I was wrong? I'm pleased to report nobody did so it is gratifying to know, even by silence, many others share an equal desire to see well supported contests on a nationwide basis which in turn leads to greater non-contest availability for DX and experimental work.

The fact that nobody wrote I was wrong must mean 100% support!
Thanks Don & Co.
I jest of course but that leads me to the UKAC and percentages.

My overview of 2007 and 2008 results prompted me to look in greater detail at the UKAC as this was the subject of a online participant survey earlier this year by the Contest Committee. 

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The CC reported the following:
This year the contest committee invited entrants to the VHF UK activity contests to complete an online survey. Feedback from that survey has been used as a guide to make some changes to the rules for 2009.  There was strong support for square Multipliers and these will continue to be used (M2).

There was a two-to-one majority in favour of retaining the ban on the use of the DX cluster and internet chat rooms to assist in making QSO's on 70cms and below. 
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As noted last week, "percentages" can be somewhat deceiving when generalised so you do need to be able to see some facts behind them to get a clearer understanding. My look at the 2008 UKAC 2m (Single Fixed) through up some interesting details.

Please note this is based on 11 events as the December event has still to take place.
Please also note this IS a United Kingdom Activity Contest!

Entrants = 183

Events:
11 = 10
10 = 11
9  = 11
8  = 13
7  = 13
6  = 9
5  = 7
4  = 17
3  = 17
2  = 20
1  = 55

Result: 30% only entered 1 session, 41% entered 2 sessions, 50% entered 3 sessions and almost 60% of all entrants have only appeared for 4 of the monthly sessions so far this year. 

Locations:

JO00     1
JO01    37  (20%)
JO02    13  (7%)
JO03     2
IO90    10
IO91    47  (25%)
IO92    21  (11%)
IO93     6
IO94     1
IO80     2
IO81    21  (11%)
IO82     4
IO83    13
IO70     1
IO75     3
IO64     1

Result: 45% of the total contest entrants came from only 2 squares!
Entrants from the Southern locators of JO01, IO90, 91, 92 and 81 equate to 81% of all entrants. Therefore, in any survey, those outwith those 5 squares in the south will never carry as much say in important matters of multipliers or KST use as those within them. It is for this reason why I stated the Contest Committee should have used the survey as a guide but put the needs of the whole UK first at this important time. When you see the geographical spread it just adds insult to injury.  
M3 or a variant would go some way to encouraging entries from so many squares of the UK noticeable by their absence. 
IN89, IN69, IO65, IO66, IO67, IO68, IO71, IO72, IO73, IO74, IO76, IO77, IO78, IO84, IO85, IO86, IO87, IO88, IO89, IP80, IO95, IO97, IO99, IP90.
All will have some amateur radio operators within them. Some large in number and some small. The task is to encourage them with rules of a UK perspective. 

For fun....antennas!

6x      =   1
4x      =   4
2x      =   8
1x      = 119
Dipole  =   5
Halo    =   3
GP      =  43

Result: Almost 25% of entrants use a vertical :-)


73 Ray GM4CXM