[UK-CONTEST] 144 UKAC Dec

[gordon.paterson at blueyonder.co.uk]

What a dreadful night on 144 from /P QTH. Conditions were so down it was
incredible.

This was my 11th session of the year and I really hoped for a good end to
the year but it wasn't to be. I had only missed February due to extreme
weather.

I left home at 17:15 to travel to the /P location in heavy rain. The last
15 miles to the /P QTH were treacherous with sometimes an inch of snow
covering the road. That was easy next to the narrow single track road up
the hill. I could only see about 10m ahead in the freezing fog and the
snow was deeper with ditches either side of the road. But we made it up to
1600 feet ASL ok. It was blizzard conditions and I thought briefly about
going straight back down.

Onsite, all we have to do is build the antenna (12 ele M sq) and connect
it up and start the genny and run cables to it. It was real freeze the
fingers and face stuff but it went together ok and up the scaffy pole it
went at about 18 feet. Switch on the ic-275 and there was huge static
noise. Nightmare. With masthead preamp on, it was 59+20. Thankfully it
mostly disappeared before
the start.

Normally calling CQ from this location in this contest, results in a
steady stream of callers for the first 45 minutes. Last night it lasted 3
minutes and then no more replies. I tuned across the band and very few
stations were heard. Still no replies to CQ calls. Resorted to S&P'ing
which was OK but was dismayed to be working G’s with 4 times number of Q’s
as I had after 30 minutes. SWR went belly-up and we pulled the antenna
down and realised it was covered in ice. It worked better (for a while)
after the ice was cleared off the element’s but it was still terrible
conditions with really low signals and QSB. It’s amazing to see that
others had such variable conditions. Some claiming best condx of the
year!! Andy OEG, I beamed your direction and never found you.
So, a disappointing end to the year but this is a great fun contest and
thanks to all that worked me this year. Also thanks to Phil GM0LIR who
travels every month and helps me to put the antennas together.

73

Gordon
MM0GPZ


PS It was a nightmare getting back down the hill with 2 – 3 inches of snow
on the road.
Home at 00:45.

 BAND   QSO DUP LOC  POINTS
----------------------------
  144    69   0  16  344336

   TOTAL SCORE : 344 336

Avg QSO Distance 312km's.