[WWYC] M4A: IOTA Contest

[Dominic Smith]

This IOTA contest entry for the Cambridge University Wireless Society showed
the value of preparation time before the contest starts.

Equipment used was two FT-1000MPs, a Quadra and a TL-922.  One of the
1000MPs was kindly supplied by G4AXX who joined us for the operation.
Unfortunately, however, he was unable to bring the rig to the shack until
just ninety minutes before the start of the contest.  This gave us very
little time to do the theoretically easy job of getting the keyers and rig
control boxes to work with the rigs and WriteLog, and ensure the network was
stable.

1200UTC came and we were able to get the run station on the air but a number
of configuration problems meant that we were unable to get the mult station
on from the start.  In addition, we also discovered a lack of spare RS-232
computer ports for all the ancillary equipment, which meant that two hours
into the contest we were still running around trying to find USB-Serial
converters.  The first QSO on the multiplier station was not able to take
place until 1340UTC, which must have cost us many points.  In the panic we
also forgot to assign the status of Run and Mult station to each copy of
WriteLog, and the resulting problems were compounded by keyer problems which
meant that some of the CW operators preferred running on the mult station,
meaning a reassignment of station function was necessary on a number of
occasions during the contest.  Our other problem was that we lost all DX
Cluster access for the whole of Saturday until Sunday morning, thus limiting
our competitiveness still further, probably due to interference from one of
the stations.

As seems to have been common throughout North-Western Europe, conditions,
particularly on the high bands, were non-existant, as can be seen from the
breakdown below.  Overall, however, it was a fun experience, despite the
fact that we certainly will not have won anything for our efforts.  We are
already planning to have a station setting-up practice two weeks in advance
of CQWW SSB, however, to avoid a repeat of the organisational problems.

Thanks to the guest operators, Mark G4AXX, Danny M0GMT and Marios 5B4WN, who
joined CUWS' team of Martin G3ZAY, Stavros M0BBB, Tim M0TDG and myself.

Dominic M0BLF.

 CW   PHONE
BAND QSOs Points Mults QSOs Points Mults
80 250 1422 32 107 861 29
40 225 1179 32 105 867 43
20 490 1986 33 372 1836 44
15 38 198 6 56 552 29
10 1 15 1 3 45 3


8961 X 252  = 2258172
points  mults  score