[UK-CONTEST] October RSGB 23cm UK Activiy Contest - Report

[Ray James]

Last night's 23cm UKAC endured flat conditions with an abundance of QSB but despite this was blessed with very good activity throughout most parts of the UK.
Cold and windy weather effected many areas and resulted in a number of potential portable operators staying in the warm and dry of home though a number did brave the elements.

Alan GM0USI/P operating from IO67WD in Skye appeared to suffer more than most with the poor conditions and also a lack of aircraft to reflect signals off to make many contacts.
The G3PYE/P Cambridge Group have been observed this year trying different locations and experiencing numerous equipment failures but have perseveered and had a successful evening. We managed to complete our first contact on the band.  

The first hour produced 12 contacts but with a wide geographical spread including GM, GI, PA, IO81, 91 and 92. Almost 20 minutes was taken up trying an aircraft reflection contact with Kjeld OZ1FF but to no avail as the particular jets flight path was more north of our mid-pont than usual. We managed a complete but brief contact in the second hour thanks to a jet being in exactly the right location. The contact with Hans PA0EHG in JO22HB produced what I consider the best aircraft reflection contact we've both had together with a very solid CW QSO. Hans has sent me a recording which I will shorten to include in my "Aircraft Reflection" talk at next months Scottish Microwave Round Table in Burntisland but he advises me it and the subsequent CW and SSB CQ's went on for 4 minutes!

The second hour, with the exception of IO75 and two contacts into JO02, plus Kjeld OZ1FF in JO45BO, it could honestly be referred to as the IO83 hour with 8 stations netted. I struggled with a couple of the low power (10w) stations on SSB though Richard G4HGI's 3w of CW added more proof (if necessary!) that CW reaches parts other modes do not hi. 

Despite just 5 contacts in the last half hour it still felt attempts with other available stations could have been tried had there been the time but this is a much better position than twiddling thumbs.

My QSO map can be viewed at http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http://www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/kml_files/2011/AiVklJaCfu3IGkWn6AKAeEY2MPgLs2B

Details of the Scottish Microwave Round Table are at http://www.rayjames.biz/microwavert/index.html

73 Ray GM4CXM IO75TW
150w 4x44 + LNA