[UK-CONTEST] 144MHz Trophy - lack of UK activity

[John Crowder]

It is not just VHF contests that apparently have a lack of support. Whilst no longer active on VHF I have heard complaints I do not have first hand experience of this but comments from various sources seem to suggest a general lack of activity on the higher frequency bands.  
 
Having originally held a class B call before passing the Morse test when I operated exclusively on 2m and participated in a number of VHF contests with a local club which was generally active in all sorts of contests. The club eventually ceased to exist and the number of operators prepared to turn out for contests declined. A small number still turn out for HF events such as NFD and SSD FB which can generally be run with a relatively small number of people. 
 
Might I suggest one significant reason for the decline in support for VHF contests might stem from the decison to remove the requirement for a Morse test. This gave all class B operators access to the HF bands and many of these, some of whom had previously taken out a Foundation licence for just this reason, are now to be found at most times (contests or otherwise) on the HF bands instead of being restricted to bands above 30 MHz. 
 
John (G0GDU)