[UK-CONTEST] RSGB UK Activity Contest August - 1296Mhz Report

[Ray James]

Last nights UKAC on 23cm was great fun!
It still doesn't feel that long ago I was lucky if I ever reached double figures.
Gradually activity improved and 20 was the next level of the bar to aim for.
Last night I reached 30 for the first time, actually finishing with 31 and this was without a sniff of good conditions. In fact conditions were pretty dire and I know I had a number of gotaways.

Looking at the claimed scores it is great to see so many stations managing 30+ or 40+ contacts on a regular basis on 23cm. Bodes well!

The evening started well with 16 contacts in the first hour and a nice selection of short and long haul distances being worked.
A aircraft passed the mid-point between myself and Kjeld OZ1FF a few minutes before the contest started so we had to wait another 35 minutes before Ryanair came to the rescue and made our regular quick exchange. It is unfortunate there aren't more stations active using aircraft reflection on the continent that are around a 800Km range from me like northern DL, PA, ON and F in order to make a few more of these interesting contacts.

GM0USI   IO75       7
GM7GDE   IO75      22
GM4PPT   IO75      56   KST
GM4GUF/P IO85      60
GM4YLN   IO85      68 CW
GM4JR    IO85     111
GM4JTJ   IO86     138
G3JYP    IO84     196
GI6ATZ   IO74     199   KST 
G8KBH    IO83     247
G4HGI    IO83     294 CW (1.5w)
G8XVJ    IO83     307
G8GXP    IO93     310   KST
GW8ASD   IO83     332
G3YJR    IO93     337
G4CBW    IO83     347
G3NEO    IO93     350 CW
G4AGE    IO93     361 CW
G8OHM    IO92     425
G4ODA    IO92     447 CW
G4KIY    IO92     466
G4BRK    IO91     517 CW KST
G8DKK    IO91     518 CW KST
M0GHZ    IO81     521    KST
G0MJW    IO91     523
G8CUL    IO91     525 CW
G4RGK    IO91     541 CW
G0JJG    JO02     543 CW
G3XDY    JO02     565 CW KST
G4EAT    JO01     572 CW KST
OZ1FF    JO45     782 CW KST

A Map of contacts can be found at http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/kml_files/2010/NMrsMIh0z9pEDmgj6GeMTTQ6cOIHiIU

Despite only a third of contacts being schedules arranged by the ON4KST GHz chat, this resource is certainly a valuable aid to widespread UK utilisation of the spectrum.
I like to note the number of contacts made on my favourite mode, cw, but it is an area of concern so few "2" or "M" prefixes appear.
The combination of this raises some rather uncomfortable conclusions for what the future holds as much of the increased activity, though really welcome, is coming from the direction of older hands looking for an interesting new challenge on 1.3GHz than a rush of new or relatively new blood into the hobby.

73 Ray GM4CXM IO75TW
150w 4x44 LNA