[UK-CONTEST] IOTA 2011 - GJ6YB - Expedition multi-operator - Bristol Contest Group

[geoff plucknett]

The Bristol Contest Group paid its second visit to Jersey in 2011 to take
part in IOTA. We also visited in June to participate in the 50MHz Trophy
Contest.

This year saw a team of 13 of the usual suspects plus two "better halves"
take the ferries and flights to EU-013. The main convoy including the towers
and caravan set off on Tuesday evening for an overnight stay in Weymouth
prior to the Wednesday morning ferry. The trip didn't get off to the best of
starts when one of the tyres on a tower decided it didn't want to take part
and blew on the A350 near Blandford. Fortunately it was a 4 wheel trailer so
stopping was no problem and the convoy swiftly reformed to fit the spare.
The spare itself was not particularly well inflated so it was a reduced
speed journey to the nearest garage to spend 20p on some air. Needless to
say a new tyre was one of the first purchases when we arrived in GJ!

Unlike June when the channel crossings were somewhat exciting, the weather
was fine, the crossing was calm and we arrived on site on Wednesday
afternoon to immediately begin locating the towers and begin the assembly.

Location was as last year. No cows, sheep or electric fences to keep us on
our toes this time so we had free reign over the site. Similarly most of the
equipment was as in previous years. We made a few changes to the locations
of certain antennas and added a further antenna to the mult station. The
only new part of the infrastructure was a big green tent for the mult
station to replace the bright blue dome that had formed the mult station in
previous years. Sadly the dome was somewhat terminated in June by the wet
and windy weather. Preparation went as it usually does; antennas, cables,
generator, software and infrastructure all contributing to the woes. We also
performed what seems to have become an annual event drilling tower head
units to take new rotators. However it all came good and we were ready to
start on schedule.

Conditions were generally better than last year with QSOs, mults, average
points and therefore the overall raw score all up on last year. We enjoyed
some good runs to JA with over 150 Qs to those islands. Also the usual
selection of Oceania and Pacific islands to top up the multipliers. All the
usual confusing QSOs took place with some stations somehow finding it
difficult to send "a serial number beginning with 1"; sending IOTA
references of islands they weren't actually on; and not sending IOTA
references of the island that they were on! All part of the fun.

Weather was sunny and dry all week which made a pleasant change from 50MHz
weekend when it was somewhat wet and windy.

There were some good QSO totals from other stations this year so with some
obvious competition it will be interesting to see the provisional results in
October.

Contest over and it was time to take it all down. This was done by mid
afternoon on Monday which left us a day to see the sights before returning
on Wednesday. A similarly calm ferry crossing and uneventful journey saw us
home on Wednesday evening and there was time for a celebratory drink after
the caravan and trailers had been taken back to their top secret storage
location.

Thanks to all for the QSOs. Thanks also to the people of Jersey for
welcoming us yet again.


Geoff G4FKA