[UK-CONTEST] Fw: Contest activity

[Eddie G0EHV]

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ron Price" <ron.price2 at virgin.net>
> To: "UK contest list" <uk-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 4:57 PM
> Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Contest activity
>
>
>> It made me smile last Sunday evening reading the comments from some of 
>> the participants in ROPOCO, e.g.'...the slow QSO rate (eg 60
>> in two hours) made it really boring.'
>>
>> I had just returned home from one of my local hilltops in NE Wales from 
>> where I operated portable in the 432MHz Low Power contest.
>> This involved a 30 minute drive followed by a 50 minute slog up the hill 
>> carrying a heavy backpack (FT857, 12Ah SLAB etc..), a 15 foot sectional 
>> aluminium mast plus 19 element Yagi etc. Then 20 minutes to set up the 
>> station in readiness for the FOUR hour contest.
>> During that four hours I made 38 contacts and the 38th was in the last 
>> minute of the contest!
>> The highest claimed total so far made 51 QSOs so my rate was not too bad.
>> '60 QSOs in two hours' - I would have been delighted with that rate over 
>> the four hours!
>> Was I bored? Not at all, I loved every minute of it, otherwise I (and all 
>> the other participants) would not bother taking part!
>>
>> Compared to the cut and thrust of HF contests the ones at VHF/UHF are 
>> much more civilised, relaxed affairs with time to exchange a few 
>> pleasantries with the other stations, and we actually help each other!
>> For example, I worked Gerry G1SWH about an hour into the contest and he 
>> called me again later to ask if I knew that there was a French station on 
>> lower down the band. Thanks to that info I made the contact giving me my 
>> best dx of the contest.
>> Thankfully many stations come on just to give points away, for example, 
>> G4JSR operating from the Birmingham area and just using a colinear. I am 
>> sure that he was pleased with the contact as it was his best dx at nearly 
>> 100km, but I was equally pleased as I gained two multipliers, he was my 
>> only contact in IO82 and the only one from BM postcode.
>>
>> In the HF contests I try to give a few points away from my modest set up 
>> at home, so how about you serious HF operators doing the same in the 
>> VHF/UHF contests? Your points will be gratefully received!
>>
>> Ron,
>> GW4EVX
>>
>
> Hello Ron,
> I'd also love to get 60 in 2 hours from up here in NE England!
> My total for the 432 QRP was only 21, I was on for the whole 4 hour 
> contest! BTW thanks for "LL" and IO83 Mults.
> I was on for the 144 UKAC on Tuesday and despite the reasonable conditions 
> and activity only made 37 QSO's in 2.5 hours!!!!
> CU on the next one.
> Eddie
> G0EHV
>
Ron,
Your direct email bounces.
Regards,
Eddie