[UK-CONTEST] RSGB 80m CC SSB

[dave]

Peter,

Pleased to know that you enjoyed yourself, we do this for pleasure (or 
so I am told!)

You also learnt about the vagaries of 80m during the winter evenings. I 
am sure you will find it very different on Saturday afternoon.

During the first part of the contest I also found skip was very long 
from Lincolnshire, with few G's worked (but you were one!), most QSO's 
were with GM or Europe. Like Graham I only made about 10 contacts in the 
first 10 minutes. However, the band changed, and for me there was a 
steady acceleration right through to the end. Strangely, for those 
Members of our Club 40 miles to the North East, propagation changed for 
the worse in the last half-hour. That was not the case for me, with the 
last 5 minutes being my most frenetic. Finished with 172 Q's. I worked 
mostly "run", which accounts for me not working several other high 
scorers - they were presumably able to do the same. During the first 
half of the contest I was doing "s&p" on the second RX, but later on it 
became too hectic to do that.

In these situations with long skip, a high antenna helps enormously - my 
dipole was up at 70 feet in anticipation of the conditions. In the 
shorter skip conditions found in the summer months I sometimes lower it.

I am fortunate that my QTH is in a very rural setting, miles fron 
super-grid power lines and with low local noise level. Also the ground 
slopes away very rapidy into the Trent Valley to the South &West which 
also contributes.

Stick with it Peter, and possibly consider using a trap dipole if you 
can arrange that the centre is at the high point. If you have room for a 
30m long wire you can maybe squeeze in a trap dipole for 80/40. I always 
favour self-resonant antennas.

Hope to hear you again on Saturday.

  73's Dave G3TBK