[UK-CONTEST] G3UES/P Echelford ARS NFD 2011

[Olof Lundberg]

This was a classic old-style (but high-tech) NFD effort at the club's
standard corner of a rugby field on an island in the Thames between
Weybridge, Shepperton and Walton in North Surrey.

 

There were however a couple of highly unusual aspects. Firstly, the setup
went fast and smooth and after a couple of hours everyone was free to
descend on the rugby club pub. Secondly, the station and the paraphernalia
worked flawlessly for the full contest.

 

Our simple objective besides having fun and play with radio was to make 1000
qsos. We made exactly that. A big thank you to all the dupes we worked and
thus helped us meet the goal.

 

We used a traditional 260ft doublet and a K3 radio. The K3 is a superb CW
radio but too small to do big-knob/small-knob s&p. We would have liked to
use an additional receiver (on our single antenna) to provide an opportunity
for contest-shy club members to feel that they can participate.

 

With the last-minute clarification of the rules we scrambled to find a way
to get internet access. We found it in the form of a MiFi dongle that
provided 3G access and a WiFi access point in one tiny essentially
self-configuring device. Using RBN was fun and provided added interest. 

 

Last year we were operating on a half doublet (a singlet?) but this year we
had more solid connections and a full doublet. Early on Sunday morning we
were ahead of last year in spite of one slow hour but then we fell back
slowly. Top band was filled with QRN from the thunderstorms that were
somewhere but not on top of us. Sunday was bad with 10 and 15 pretty dead
and we had long skip and big noise on 20/40.

 

Operators were M0CFW, K1BG (a visitor from Boston), G3SXW (a visitor on the
way to the pub) and G0CKV.

 

Many club members participated in the setup and take-down, in the brisk
business in the bar and in our Saturday evening BBQ: G3HYT, M0SAR, G3EAO,
M0AAC, G3TDR, 2E1IDK+XYL, G4GSC, G3XTZ, G0VDZ, G3JUL, G4AWZ, G0OSX, G0JSH,
G2HS, G8CUG, G7TOF (all mentioned in random order and probably some more not
included).

 

A big thank you to all the club members that contributed and to everyone we
worked (especially the dupes that made us reach our goal ...).

 

73 Olof G0CKV