[UK-CONTEST] 432 UKAC 8/11/2011

[Tony Pugh]

Well that was an interesting night.  :) 
Total number of contacts down, total score up. 
Good activity, from all directions, but no DX.
The usual deep QSB and, I suspect, a few of the contacts aided by AS.
There were still stations, that I had heard during the evening, unworked at
the end.

I ended up with 46 QSOs spread across 17, UK, locator squares and an ODX of
470km to F8BRK in IN99vf.

A good fun night yet again.

>From within IO83 these contests can be a challenge.
I have obstructions, from almost North through to South, through West.
There is a slight gap towards GI and GD.
So the majority of my contacts are restricted to 180 degrees centred on
East.
Unfortunately a good part of the sector is where I have local stations, many
of them very close or on hilltops.
16 I worked but many more on.
During 2M sessions there can be as may as 50 or 60 locals.
Working them earns me, perhaps, 60/70 points but for the likes of G4RRA they
are worth 300 points each.
So, for me, it's few points plus the added disadvantage of lots of strong
signals making hearing the more distant ones more difficult.
So, generally, any GMs have to be picked out from several stations on, say
Winter Hill.
All S9+, with me, and many of them unable to hear the stations to the North.
It can be quite frustrating when you can hear someone replying to you but
can't tell what they are saying because of the strong signals.
The change in rules seems to have produced an increase in operations,
particularly from GM and the South West, over all the UKACs with a slight
drop off in the South East although, often, it seemed, that under the old
rules, that some in the South East didn't beam North until they had
exhausted all the continental stations.
In some cases that means they didn't point my way at all and seeing them in
the results was a surprise.
I'm not sure that situation is conducive to a UKAC.
It's just a contest!

Cheers

Tony

GW8ASD
50MHz and above from IO83lb

> -----Original Message-----
> From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:uk-contest-
> bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Ray James

> Sent: 09 November 2011 14:51
> To: UK-Contests
> Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] 432 UKAC 8/11/2011
> 
> Hi Bob,
> Interesting to read the perspective from your end.
> I also found IO83 a tough nut to crack from IO75 and had to wait 1.5 hours
> before ticking the box. 3 more followed. Just one in IO93 and no IO82, 84
> or JO02 this month.
> I would also welcome knowledge of the IO83 perspective!
> 
> G0XDI/P on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent was often heard 612 km distant
> throughout the evening, usually enhanced by aircraft reflections.
> There were at least 10 GMs actively looking for contacts during the
> contest.
> 
> I heard many of the G stations who called Andy GM4JR (Dumfries) who was in
> the AX section and were never to be heard again.
> 
> 
> Finished with 21 Q's and 10 mults.
> Lots of CQ calls, in particular on CW. Few replies so I mainly resorted to
> S&P for those beaming towards IO75.
> 
> 
> My contact map can be found at
> http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/kml_files/2011/mAT
> NcbRQBAHg6Nkjh2io7hQG5GWCDsn
> 
> 73 Ray GM4CXM
> IO75TW
> 
> IC910HX, 100w + MGF 1402 LNA, 23el @ 16m.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Rob Harrison <robharrison at g8hgn.freeserve.co.uk>
> To: UK-Contests <uk-contest at contesting.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, 9 November 2011, 0:05
> Subject: [UK-CONTEST] 432 UKAC 8/11/2011
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Not much reported on here over the year for this series, so I'll start it
> off.
> 
> Section AX (DXers), station:- 50w & a single 24 ele G0KSC for the last 2
> months, prior to that 2x21 Tonna, hence AX rather than AR.
> 
> In all 42 QSO's netting 18 squares, only 9 UK ones, which is 2 more than
> my average of 7 for the 8 entries this year so far.
> 
> Map here
> http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/kml_files/2011/naD
> mAGuUoJdtsW1vgWTGzp9xCsO0kZh
> 
> Pretty flat, with AS helping at times, rather than true tropo' for most
> contacts over 100km. For instance G4NBS in JO02 at 75km, was a good signal
> only to disappear into the noise, and back up again just as quickly. Not
> many genuine 59 signals from anywhere.
> 
> Activity has increased in general, but down here we're not getting the
> benefit of all the activity in IO83. Not one station heard or worked
> tonight from there. Possibly due to a WX front up the spine of the
> country. Although at the death worked GM4JR in IO85 by AS enhanced
> conditions, heard GD8EXI briefly earlier, but no QSO. GJ was worked after
> a sked was set up via 'KST chat, we really struggled, but a friendly
> aircraft got the job done. The only sked of the night.
> 
> One more session left to go, lets hope for some better conditions to
> finish off with, in general the 432 series has been poor from here. Wasn't
> active Jan', Aug' & Sept'.
> 
> Would appreciate any observations of 432 UKAC from the perspective of
> someone in IO83 or surrounding squares.
> 
> 73
> 
> Bob G8HGN
> 
> 
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