[UK-CONTEST] NFD 2012 - GU4YOX/P

[GU4YOX]

NFD 2012  GU4YOX/P

 

 

After months of thinking about taking part in NFD Dick - GU4CHY, Mike -
GU4EON and Bob GU4YOX decided to get together for a meal out and some beer
and decided to make an effort to enter NFD 2012 and have some fun.  As we
are all busy working we decided for a single band effort to have a go at the
Frank Hoosen 20M trophy. We tried to get an operating position as far north
as possible on the island of Guernsey and found a super spot adjacent to
Fort Doyle on the north east tip. The position was very exposed so we
decided to hire a van (Fiat Doblo) and this option worked well except
something a little larger would be better next time as there was not much
space to sleep when not operating.

 

GU4EON and myself arrived on Saturday morning in glorious sunshine and built
a 20M vertical quarter wave ground plane on the cliff edge with the sea just
10 metres away. The feedline was 100m long which was not ideal but the
closest we could get. GU4YOX had restored a 3 cylinder 10kW generator and
this was pressed into action. It was superb and having kettles and fan
heaters kept the operating position in the van perfect. The Elecraft K2 was
our transceiver and was struck up on 14.100 beacon frequency. Amazing that
we could here the KH6 beacon at lunch time and we were hopeful. The band was
flat dead - just radio signals which was so pleasurable to operate on. So
after a few hours setting up and so many visitors asking what we were doing
(about 100 over the weekend!) We flew a Union Jack flag and explained it was
loosely linked in with the Jubilee weekend but was a big European contest
weekend. Everyone was very interested indeed.

 

1500z arrived and GU4YOX opened up for 4 hours. We were all surprised how
slow going it was and when we were called or we called distant stations we
made good contact but very few G's in the log and we struggled to get good
runs going. We stuck at it though and also S&P'd at the same time when runs
were slow. The weather turned in the evening and I looked to the west whilst
Mike GU4EON was operating and saw very dark clouds approaching, I popped
over to a public convenience area some 200m away and the heavens opened in
almost monsoon conditions. So much rain in 15 minutes, it seemed as if it
was raining in biblical proportions. On the higher parts of the island it
hailed and left a blanket of white everywhere! I got soaked and never really
dried out all night. When I got back Mike said he could here the 20 over 9
static approaching before the storm arrived. After this the wind got up to
force 7 battering the van on the cliff edge and GU4YOX and GU4EON took turns
to operate through till 0600 when GU4CHY took over. We think a tent would
have blown away! 

 

The generator had operated flawlessly and fuel looked good at daybreak so
GU4EON and myself decided to leave GU4CHY plodding away for an hour whilst
we went to St.Peter Port to join the night fishermen for a big breakfast at
a greasy spoon in town - heaven. We just sat down with a full English and
the phone went. All power had been lost at GU4YOX/P. The genny had a
miscalibrated fuel gauge and more diesel was required. GU4CHY single
handedly got all back on within 15 minutes and there was no damage to any
equipment. GU4EON and I got indigestion bolting our breakfasts down!

 

So we carried on and enjoyed some sun in the wind on the Sunday and
everything was fine just slow running.

 

We finally worked 671 QSO's with 20 dupes. The continent split was 78% EU,
14% NA, 7% Asia and 1% for the remaining continents. 169 DL's, 64 USA, a
lowly 31 G's. We worked everything we heard and dried the band up but it was
slow.

 

A few JA's were in the log and 3 VK's and a 3 ZL's too. WinTest shows 57
countries worked and 1853 Points.

 

Many thanks to all that worked us, we had a great time and so much fun that
we are considering a more enterprising entry next year. We don't think that
this is a winning score but better antennas and propagation would have
helped. Watch this space...

 

73's from the

 

GU4YOX/P team

 

(also known as the Castel Contest Club)

 

Dick - GU4CHY

Mike - GU4EON 

Bob - GU4YOX