[UK-CONTEST] 144mhz UKAC 3/11

[Ray James]

--- On Thu, 5/11/09, Jonathan G0DVJ <g0dvj at amsat.org> wrote:

> As one who contests wit many different teams on both HF & VHF+ ... and  
> without getting territorial about either ... I too am pleased to see a  
> report of the 2m AC on this list.

Ditto.

> I operate as one of the G4IRC/p team from JO02 square in 2m UKACs.
 
There's no listing for G4IRC/P having entered any 2m UKAC's this year so despite previous years success under the old "1 pont per qso rule", I assume your comments and views are really based on only one showing this year?

> We beamed all around as usual (and not just to the east as some folk seem to think!) and were rewarded with 3 GM Qs within a matter of minutes, some good DX of 700Km+ into DL, and also EI. 
> Interested in the posting from the north which mentioned Average QSO
> distances we can only dream of ... around 200Km is about all we can
> expect. Just shows how the benefits are different wherever you are in
> the UK ... we have the benefit of the near continentals but not the
> higher points per Q average of stations further away from JO01. 
> This is why I personally favour the current scoring regime rather than
> some of the alternatives discussed recently.

It balances itself out Johnathan.
Stations in the UK furthest away from JO01/02 etc may get a higher PPQSO average but work far fewer stations. They don't just miss the continental stations well within your own troposcatter range but miss many of your UK "200 Km average" contacts. One reason the latter is not possible is that the troposcatter range of many stations active is not that great. In particular if they run low power and a small antenna, even verticals.
Those in populous areas of amateur activity can bag all these relatively local contacts and rake up contact numbers those in more distant parts of the UK can only dream about but you will have a lower PPQSO average.
Another reason is the dangling carrot of continental Europe.
Those 700+ Km contacts you can enjoy into DL from Ipswich are more than double that figure from other parts of the UK plus you get square multipliers to boot. I'm all for you getting points for working those stations but getting a square multiplier as well is a carrot too many in what is after all, a UK Activity Contest. 

The UKAC's stand alone with their duration, exchange and participation. 
No other country hosts an identical event.
I believe the CC should use this regular monthly event to encourage greater inter-UK activity from GM, GI, GD, GW, GJ/GU and South West G.
Having only UK squares count as a multiplier would probably move any potential winning bias to the middle of England rather than it's current predictable south/east or mid-east (coastal) bias and does nothing to inhibit working continentals for points should they be in range.

73 Ray GM4CXM