[UK-CONTEST] IOTA 2009 Single Op Mixed 24 hr - G3BJ

[Don Beattie]

It's been a while since I did the single operator category in the IOTA 
contest, as when we've done it from here in recent years, it's been as 
multi-op. So this year was yet another (re-)learning experience. I had 
forgotten how much had changed since I last did single op, and how this 
contest has really grown up.

Firstly, for once, all the equipment worked well, and I have no excuses in 
that area. All the shortcomings are those of the operator !

I suppose I really did not think enough about strategy before the start, and 
sort of made it up as I went along. But I misjudged the fact that, as an 
island station (even on boring old EU005) I would be in demand. So the first 
six hours or so were a balance between running and S&P. In retrospect I 
should have been much more disciplined, and focussed on running. I think 
this cost me quite a bit. It's very clear from the QSO totals of the 
multi-op stations, which can devote one station to running all the time, 
that there is big demand, and I should have planned on that.

Entering the unassisted mixed mode section also makes for a few additional 
challenges, as it is too easy to get seduced into a nice quiet life working 
stations on CW, which does tend slightly to lower the QSO rate. I fell into 
this trap for a while. However, the contest was an opportunity to have some 
more SO2R practice, and it seemed to go quite well.

The surprising (and pleasant) thing is that the demand was insatiable, and 
even through the traditionally dull parts of a contest (like the early hours 
of the morning), the demand kept up. The night passed almost without being 
noticed, so busy were the bands that I looked up for a moment and it was 
light outside. The good news was that potentially problematic summer static 
stayed away for the most part, and the LF bands were in good shape. High 
spots on LF were the far east and Oceania contacts on 40 and 80 (including 
being called by an FO5 on 40) and the general level of activity. On HF, even 
ten and fifteen yielded useful rates and multipliers, with some surprising 
openings.

Perhaps most surprising was how difficult it was to find the UK island 
multipliers - and I only made it with a small percentage of the possible 
slots. Partially my fault, I am sure, but partly a reflection of the 
strength of many of the Eu stations on the contest, which made it difficult 
to break the pile.

The teams who go out to islands to put them on the air for this contest 
deserve special praise - there were some big signals from portable efforts, 
and this makes the contest all the more fun. Thanks to everyone who made the 
effort to go somewhere special and to everyone for the QSOs.  A great 
contest, which should be mind-blowing when we get some sunspots back.

For the record, here's the result here (apologies if the e-mail throws the 
formatting out):

 BAND  SSB/IOTA   CW/IOTA  POINTS   AVG
----------------------------------------------------
   80         204 37        78 27           1854      6.57
   40         394 48       340 40          3630      4.95
   20         548 46        116 13         2988      4.50
   15         276 30          93 12         1683      4.56
   10           79 17          60   9           789      5.68
---------------------------------------------------
TOTAL   1501 178    687 101      10944     5.00
==================================
        TOTAL SCORE : 3 053 376

Usual equipment: 2 x FT1000MP + linears, 40-10 yagi at 80ft, 10-20 yagi at 
60 ft, vertical, dipoles, K9AY and beverages.

Win-Test its usual bomb-proof self. I didn't risk using version 4, as it's 
so new, but will be interested to hear the experiences of those who did.

73 to all

Don, G3BJ