[UK-CONTEST] ARRL 10 Mtr Contest.

[Steve Reed]

Interesting set of reports for the ARRL 10m test - here's mine:

168 QSOs - phone only
35 countries
15 states/provinces

Best DX: DU1JI, VK3XQ
Best state DX: LA
Most rewarding contact: GM4WJA via MS - 6 minutes to complete
Most interesting propagation: BY to GM long path (tnx GM3WOJ)
Most frustrating propagation: Sunday evening tropo lift (GB3RAL a huge
signal, only 1 QSO).

Saturday was clearly much better than Sunday for the far east stuff and for
the stateside opening. Steve GW4BLE cleverly picked the right hour to
operate getting the best of the NA opening.  This started for me with V25R
at 12.30 with VO1 following shortly after.  But I didn't get any reasonably
strong signals until 14.00.  When I compared notes with Darren (at M7X) and
he reported S9+ from USA the only signals I could hear were at the noise
level - so what you experienced was probably very much dependent on your
location.  At no time did any US signal here get to S9+ - actually I think
only 5B4AIF had a true 9+ signal with me all weekend.

I had a short chat with DK5QN on Saturday evening for the only sporadic E
candidate - Europeans were via meteors or during a couple of periods of
reasonable F2 scatter - but rather few stations making use of it.

MS is not a mode to try and explain you want to make another QSO because the
previous was incomplete!  Lost me the OZ multiplier.

I listened to the CW section for propagation pointers - they had it much
easier down there!  CW was often busy when it was quiet on SSB - a function
of F2 MUF within band.  Lots of stuff never made it to SSB - particularly
from South and Central America.  I heard a few reasonable signals from W/VE
on CW early on Sunday afternoon but not a peep on SSB.  Should have tried
mixed mode, I guess...

I don't suppose anyone in G worked any of the new XE multipliers did they?

Steve G0AEV