[UK-CONTEST] UKAC Contests

[Llewellyn]

As a regular entrant to these contests, usually from home but occasionally / P my opinion is that the duration is about right.

The start time allows me to get home from work (usually around 18.30) have some food and get the shack (literally) warmed up and the mast pumped up by 20.00.
To go /P before this would be impossible.

Being in IO83 means that I often cant hear the more distant IO91 / JO01 stations until after 22.00 when the QSO rate from other local stations slows and gaps appear in the local spectrum, either that or those distant stations turn their beams inland after the Europeans finish at 22.00. Whatever the reason I generally pick up 25 to 30 % of points in the last half hour.

I agree that /P operation alone on a hill after dark is not ideal and I also usually pack up early except in June / July despite points available late in the contest.

I do not represent a club in the contests but think that it would be more equitable to have fixed team sizes and then split them into A,B and even C teams for the bigger clubs, with the members of each team being selected by each month by their results, thus creating an intra club rivalry to get into the A team each month.

73
Tony G8ONK