[UK-CONTEST] 144MHz MMC

[Ray James]

I've not entered MMC for a year or two and after noting how poorly the 2008 CW contest was supported, I decided to have a non serious participation this weekend. Opted for the 24 hour single-fixed section as that permitted me to get on with other chores like the garden, shopping with the xyl, dog walking, sleeping and watching the live feed from the Martlesham Microwave Round Table via the BATC streaming facility.

Came on for the first hour and was pleasantly surprised with the first contact being F5KBM in JO00, followed up by a good number of southern G's.
Conditions took a dive by the time I returned in the early evening with PA6NL being the only contact of exception.
I was available for a longer duration on Sunday and had anticpated a good number of 6 hour participants would either be around for the 0800-1400 slot or finishing off slots partly taken on Saturday, but only 9 further contacts were made. 
Worked 6 GM's. Nothing heard from GI, GD, GW or South West England and 26 contacts made in total. Lots of meteor reflections were evident with us being in the middle of the Taurids meteor shower during the weekend. Most reflections were loud but far too short to enable a contact.

GB3VHF is normally audible with me but for much of the contest it was either borderline or inaudible. In the last hour it shot up in strength. PC5M was the final contact and ODX of 808Km. 
I copied DF0MU at almost 900Km but he had LNA problems and couldn't hear me. 

73 Ray GM4CXM IO75TW