[UK-CONTEST] 50MHz 1st contest observations

[Alex GM3ZBE]

Hi
I've recently become a bit more interested in 6M again, I was one of the 
original 40 special licence holders and for many years almost 
exclusively on 50MHz.  So its interesting to see how things are now.

I've noticed two things in the last two inter UK contests I've dabbled in.

One - Is that, viewed from this end at any rate, a number of G stations 
seemed very deaf?  I'm running a Yaesu Quadra and am on an excellent vhf 
site, 200M asl with a clear shot over the sea to the south.  Yet  
stations which are genuinely reading S3 to S5 or more on my S meter 
simply do not hear me.  Despite repeated calls they continue to call CQ 
in my face!  Are they suffering from high noise level or running much 
higher power than me?  The only station who appeared to hear me at the 
same level as I heard them was G6YB/P.

Two - Is that I get the impression there are many stations running poor 
antennas and/or low power,  I hear the stronger G stations working lots 
of other G's who are simply completely inaudible.  In the couple of 
hours I was on I only heard about 15 stations who were making it up to 
Scotland.  By the way I lived in various locations in England for 17 
years so I am well aware of what conditions are like at both ends of the 
UK on VHF!

Compared to when I was last active on 50MHz, inter UK activity generally 
seems very low - I get the impression everybody is looking at the 
cluster and waiting for sporadic E or F2 Propagation or just listening 
all the time?  Its a bit like 10M, there is an almost HF like attitude 
to 6M now, unless there is spor E or F2 prop, nobody is interested?

-- 

Alex, GM3ZBE ~~~~ Kingdom of Fife ~~~ IO86lf ~~~
Member of:
De Montfort University ARS,
Kingdom Amateur Radio Society (KARS)
GMDX Group, CDXC, Aberdeen ARS
Previous callsigns GM8BYG, G3ZBE
Holder of GM4BRN club call.
 
Remember..............It's only a hobby!
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