[UK-CONTEST] M5

[Ray James]

Surely there wasn't anything to argue about?

M5 has produced the greatest increase in total UK support for VHF, UHF and Microwave contesting we've seen in years.
UK Activity Contests have become UK inclusive rather than UK exclusive.
Participation has hit substantially greater numbers throughout the whole of the UK despite the self exclusion of some operators, mainly in JO01 and JO02.
The results thus far identify that competition is keen with no area in particular having a one sided advantage month on month as experienced in the past under M3.
Claimed scores are much closer overall and final results often too close to call until adjudication is complete. In other words, it has now become really competitive.
Bryn G4DEZ on the east coast in JO03 retains most top "open section" spots including 6m and 2m and proves the point I told him privately when he threatened to stop entering UKAC's, that he could still maintain his winning position working EU for "points per QSO" only as long as he also concentrated on picking up as many UK square multipliers as possible. He's done just that but he's now got competition have never had before on his heels.
The same can be said for many of the stations in JO01, JO02 and probably IO91 who no longer enter for whom 600km - 800km UK contacts are as possible as what they achieve beaming into the continent. Most are just not that used to trying it as often.
70cm appears the greatest mixed bag with  SBRS G8OHM (IO92) and David M0GHZ (IO81) pitting battle in the open section, Peter G4CLA (IO92), Cambridge Group G3PYE/P (JO02) and Tony GW8ASD (IO83) battling the Restricted section and IO83's in dominance in the low power domain.
23cm UKAC was a primary concern to myself and in particular as the south east is a hot bed of microwave activity including many fellow committee members of the UK Microwave Group who (with other signatories) complained to the CC about M5.
Any concerns I had were eradicated thanks to the massive increase in participation in all other areas of the UK on 23cm under M5.
Last year, 13cm UKAC participation was combined with 23cm and usually mustered around 4 or 5 entries. This year on in the new SHF (13cm, 9cm, 6cm and 3cm) UKAC's a total of 33 different stations have entered the 13cm section whilst like all the other bands UKACs run on, there's a lot more who participate but don't actually enter.
A moments pause for some quotes!

One hundred and seven entries were received this month - an all time  record. The number of UK stations active was also the highest of the year  so far. - Roger G4BVY - 50MHz UKAC
This month 161 logs (including check logs) were received (151 in 2010, 139  in 2009) and 27 out of the 45 UK locator squares were activated. 33  different UK locator squares have been activated so far in the 2m UKAC in  2011 - G0FCT 144MHz UKAC

A very good level of activity with a total of 41 entries for August  - G4WFR 1.3GHz UKAC

278 different entries for the 432 MHz UKAC so far this year, 217 last year.
437 different entries for the 144 MHz UKAC so far this year, 151 last year.

You can't argue with success!
Well done to Ed GW3SQX and his contest committee for the turnaround. You listened when others didn't.

73 Ray GM4CXM


  



________________________________
Regrettably the totally inadequate time for the Contest Forum (dominated 
by the "M5" argument re VHF events) did not allow the matter to be raised.

73 Dave G3TBK
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