[UK-CONTEST] 144mhz UKAC 3/11

[Andy Swiffin]

Hi

There never seems to be any reports on VHF UKAC contests so here is one:

Conditions in GM seemed pretty dire with the Kent Beacon down on normal as well as the NI one, very deep long period QSB, with fast chop QSB on top made it a bit of a challenge!   Even when you could hear a station the fast chop removed letters from callsigns!   Please please give callsigns more than once!

This time I didn't manage to work everyone I heard, due to stations vanishing from under me, even G2BQY in IO81 didn't last long enough to work (usually a mainstay of my log).  2E0WTZ/p was another lamented gotaway in JO01, I heard them too late in the contest to have the time winkling them out.   As per usual the large crop of possibles in IO83 and environs never materialised, I know you're all there but I seldom hear many of you?

I tried running for a couple of periods but it never seems very successful and as usual I got cold feet and went back to S&Ping,  with more emphasis on the S than the P.  Although one run did elicit a few good calls including my best dx with Dave g7rau at 653kms so maybe I should stick at it more?    I got called a couple of times while calling someone else who was vanishing into the noise,  Ok, it was their frequency but I don't suppose they noticed and I needed the qsos!

One of the most difficult QSOs was with gm4ppt who when he was beaming south sounded almost tone A and oddly peaked with QTF due south from here (he's about 220 degrees from me).   He turned his beam to work me and it was difficult to get a clean signal until the heading was just right - very odd.

There were some good signals coming up despite the conditions, g8cul is usually pretty consistent (I think I've worked them every time I've been on), Bob g0kpw is a regular anyway, as is Bryn 'dez.   M0BRA was the only non local who I gave a 59 to although I think it was the peak of the conditions!  2e0ney was also a good signal at the time.   g3zvw down in IO80 wins the prize as the most consistent signal, each time I tuned past I could hear him from the start to the end of the contest.

I did try having a hunt around north of me a few times but never found anyone - has anyone ever worked north of IO86 in one of these dos?  I also never heard anything from the continent, condx didn't inspire me to spend too long looking.

So that was my pretty usual 31 QSOs  (actually better than June and July!) although I do have the advantage of getting an average of just shy of 400 pts/qso!  

Here's hoping for a bit better conditions for December (please Santa, an aurora would be nice :-)...

73
Andy
gm8oeg
io86nm




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