[UK-CONTEST] 21 28 MHz what a waste of a day

[Chris G3SJJ]

Er, IOTA Contest ?!

I would certainly agree that the UK v Rest of the World theme is 
probably past its sell by date. I recall during my time on HFCC we 
dropped the 7MHz contest for this reason, but that should be the only 
reason to kill off an event, not the Sunspot cycle.

I recall the 21/28MHz contest being defended strongly by John G3HCT 
(former RSGB President, IARU Region1 Council etc) when he was also on 
HFCC. This would be about 2 sunspot minima ago. His point was that it 
encourages HF participation through the lean years (use  it or lose it) 
then we reap the reward of staying with during the better times. Just 
dream of the W6/7s you will be able to run on 10m. Not only that it is a 
good way to learn about propagation (if any!) on those two bands.

HFCC got some flack from me for several years to combine the SSB and CW 
legs, which they eventually did into the current format. This has 
reduced the number of weekends the contest covers from two to one. The 
other advantage is that an entrant can move changes modes and grab a few 
Qs to relieve the boredom! Even for those of us who enjoy CW Tony!

I couldn't enter this year as I was attending a Committee meeting in a 
hotel room just off the M5 near Cheltenham. Sounds boring but it seems 
the number of positive and welcome outcomes from the meeting well 
exceeded the number of Qs that I might have made! (and they were better 
for amateur radio and CW in particular, Tony!)  (Hmm, looks as though 
now I won't be able to enter next year also!)

Chris G3SJJ



Tony Roskilly wrote:
> G3YMC wrote:
> You have to remember of course that when this year's contest calendar
>   
>> was written last autumn we should have by now been well on the upward
>> slope of the sunspots
>>     
>
> This is hardly a valid point, "of course" the 21 28 Contest could have been 
> transformed into a multiband contest some years ago when it was predictable
> that the two higher contest bands would yield very little. 
>
>
>    Tony G3ZRJ
>