[UK-CONTEST] 144MHz UKAC last night

[Ray James]

--- On Wed, 5/1/11, g6nhu at me.com <g6nhu at me.com> wrote:

> I wonder how people found the first
> 144MHz UKAC last night under the new multiplier rules?

Very poor conditions up here plus an antenna problem was found that limited my own participation
What was certainly apparent was a substantial increase in the number and geographical spread of "GM" activity which is an area I expect to see grow even further this year.
There was limited "DX entry" participantion which came as no surprise as it is mainly the remoter areas of the UK with no chance of a high position who need resources like KST/DXC to be able to have some fun with a smaller number of total contacts in relation to what can be achieved in populous areas.
 
We may see some element of regular "top spot" position changes each month. The contest has more feel of being a competitive event than ever before with a greater need to be tactical. Scores are going to be a lot closer so every contact counts and elusive squares have to be searched for rather than running for 2.5 hours.      

> it was quite a shock to be told that we were someone's first QSO
> into JO01 square almost an hour in.

Worked 2 in JO02, nobody in JO01.
Well done for flying the JO01 flag Keith.
Obviously some in JO01 have thrown their rattle out of the pram and prematurely in my opinion. We're only in the first day of claimed scores being submitted and already have more stations with contact numbers in excess of 100 than the final scores for any month in the whole of 2010. 


Jonathan G0DVJ wrote

>It was a pity not to work many of the regulars but I can totally see >their point. I hope it doesn't dis-suade the continentals to come on too.
>We are planning to do the first few months and review if its worth it >after that. Would be a pity if the rule change caused less UK activity!

Initial results appear to show the opposite Jon.

>We spent time looking for extra UK mults and didn't find any.  Did >finally manage to work Ray (CXM) and a station tagging along with him, >but neither were mults as we already had (only) that square in GM.  >Worked token GI and GU mults gratefully, but no GD or GJ last night.  >East coast stations still need to answer calls from EU to get any >distance QSOs (the trip through the hills of the north of England just >doesn't cut it) even though now we don't care if all the DLs are in the >same square.

Tactics Jonathan!
You were a very good signal on the one occasion I heard you here in Bearsden (pronounced Bears Den, not Beersdone as appears common south of the border!) and no reason contacts into IO85, IO86 and IO97 would not have forthcoming had you either looked or called this way more often or kept an eye on the DXC. Under M2, it was commonplace up here to mainly hear stations make a flitting search this way and become readable for a short time before beaming elsewhere the rest of the time. This will not work in your favour under M5. 
Not once did I hear anyone in G control a pile-up, they just took every s9 signal first and worked there way through others calling. I and other GM's gave up working quite a few working this way. Competitors should keep a map of UK squares to hand and cross off the ones worked and include calls within CQ's like "looking for IO84 and 95", "any GM, GD or GI", and if a pile-up results from a CQ......a quick "was there a GM or GI calling?". Silence would allow you to work those calling, if no silence then you'll likely be bagging a nice UK DX multiplier in your log rather than someone in a local square you can work any time. 
     

>I gather that some EU administrations have now organised additional >contests to co-incide with the UKACs in 2011 which is rather ironic given >that they are worth less to us now.

Phew, perfect timing then.
Under M2, that would have turned the UKAC's into a weekly version of the May/October VHF/UHF IARU contests and we're all aware how unpopular they are UK wide. That would have been a recipe of disasterous consequences for UK wide activity. M5 does nothing to disuade non-UK contacts and the claimed scores thus far show non-UK contacts predominently as ODX. What M5 does do is encourage greater participation within the UK and in making this long called for change, the RSGB Contest Committee are fulfilling a need to put UK VHF+ amateur radio needs first.


>I still think the best way to focus these events on UK would be to have >left the square mults alone and added postcode mults too, as is the case >for some other RSGB VHF contests.      

Jonathan, I did propose that as well as "Only UK Squares" a low power section to encourage foundationers or those who prefer low power, access to KST/DXC under an assisted (DX) category but as Mick Jagger sang, "You don't always get what you want"!
What we have been provided by Ed and his team is a recipe for success for VHF+ contesting in the UK and I now look forward with more confidence that we will see activity go from strength to strength nationwide.

Though it doesn't effect me personally, one change that does appear worth consideration is within the Club aspect. I think they would benefit by amendment to "teams" within a club rather than a total club team. The smaller the team number (5?) would allow clubs that can only muster a handful more opportunity to compete rather than being dwarfed.

A Happy New Year to one and all.

73 Ray GM4CXM