NARC Contest News 176 Friday 31st January 2025

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Welcome to week one hundred and seventy six of NARC’s contest news.

Results:-

On VHF

The results of the 432MHz UKAC of 14th January were released on 25th January. Our 8 entries landed us in 5th position overall, which so-far seems to be our default setting in every UKAC this year!. Leading scorer was Stewart G4AFF with best DX OZ1BEF at 666Km. Of interest, Wilson G6WQN managed 25 QSOs with only 8 watts and best DX GD8EXI at 427Km which landed him 3rd on score in our group. Link to results here

The results of the 70MHz UKAC of 16th January were released on 26th January. Our 5 entries once again landed us in 5th place overall. Best DX for us in bad conditions was GI4SNA. Link to results here

The results of the 50MHz UKAC of 9th January were released on 30th January. Conditions for this were very poor. Our 6 entries landed us in 5th place once again!. Leading scorer was John G4PFZ once again showing that entering in the Restricted section can be very rewarding! Link to results here

On HF

The results of the AFS DATA contest of 12/1/25 were released on 24th January. I am always baffled by why so many contacts I’ve clearly made at the time are not in other people’s logs in these data contests. 4 this time and 2 UBNs from incorrect serial numbers. There were 8 reverse errors. I’m not sure what else can be done to try to minimise this. We ended up in second position behind Gloucester AR&ES A team Our A team was G3LDI, M0NKR, G3PDH and G3WRJ. Our B team who came 6th was G4LPP, G5E, G4OZG and G3YLA and our C team who came 14th was G6WQN M0KKM G4DYC and 2E0YAO. Our D team comprised G8OO, M1AFQ and G0TZZ and came 34th. Link to results here

The results of the AFS SSB contest of 18th January were released on 26th January. Our team of 11 entries was a good turnout coming in an overall 3rd place. The A team in 3rd was G5E, M0NKR, G4LPP and G3PDH. The B team was G3WRJ, G4OZG, G3YLA and G3LDI who came in 11th place. The C team was M0KKM, 2E0CEY and M7YRU who came in 27th. It was good to see input from intermediate and foundation licensees. Link to results here

If people are entering other contests of whose results I am obviously unaware please e-mail me to let me know the outcome and I’ll mention it here.

Contests

On VHF

The SHF UKAC ran on Tuesday 28th January but unfortunately due to illness our usual entrant was unable to participate. He is making an excellent recovery and should hopefully be fit next month. He tells me he has new equipment for 5GHz as well as 10GHZ and 2.3GHz.

On HF

There were no RSGB contests on HF this week and I’ve received no reports of other contest activity.

I’ve not had any reports of other activity although there were several good contests to choose from!

Please let me know if you were on in any other VHF or HF contests and I’ll put a summary in next week’s news.

Upcoming contests in the next 2 weeks (all times in UTC):-

On VHF / UHF / SHF

Before each of the 2m and 70cm UKACs there is an FM leg starting 1 hour before for 55 minutes. I hear almost no activity in this from here but others may have more luck! Rules etc on RSGBCC site.

* Sun 2nd Feb. 0900-1300 432MHz AFS (AFS Super league) Link to rules here. 
* Tue 4th Feb. 2000-2230 144MHz UKAC
* Wed 5th Feb. 1700-2100 144MHz FT8 AC 2h and 4h sections
* Tue 11th Feb. 2000-2230 432MHz UKAC
* Wed 12th Feb. 1700-2100 432MHz FT8 AC 2h and 4h sections
* Thu 13th Feb. 2000-2230 50MHz UKAC

Also of interest for some on the vhf / uhf bands are the EU FT8 activity tests – see the following link for more information. These are on the first (144 MHz), second (432MHz) and third (1.3GHz) Wednesdays of each month. 1700-2000 Hrs EU FT8 series website

On HF

NB:- Note the RSGB has changed several of the rules for HF contests in 2025 – Link here to changes.

* Sat 1st Feb. 0000 to Sun 2nd Feb. 2059 LABRE-RS Digi contest FT4/8 - Link to rules here.     
* Sat 1st Feb. 0001 to Sun 2nd Feb. 2359 10-10 International Winter Contest SSB - Link to rules here.     
* Sat 1st Feb. 1200 to Sun 2nd Feb. 2359 Mexico RTTY International contest - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 1st Feb. 1200 for 24h European Union DX contest CW and SSB - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 1st Feb. 1200 for 24h F9AA Cup CW contest - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 1st Feb. 1400-2400 FYBO Winter QRP sprint CW, SSB, Digital - 5W max power - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 1st Feb. 1600-1900 AGCW Straight Key Party CW 80m - Link to rules here.     
* Sun 2nd Feb. 1300-2300 Marconi Club ARI Loano Slow CW QSO Party - Link to rules here.     
* Mon 3rd Feb. 2000-2130 80m CC SSB contest - the first in this years CC series - Link to rules here. 
* Sat 8th Feb. 2000-2300 1st 1.8MHz Contest RSGB (HF Championship) - Link to rules here  
* Sat 8th Feb. 0000 to Sun 8th Feb. 2359 CQ WW WPX RTTY contest - Link to rules here 
* Sat 8th Feb. 0000-2359 FISTS Saturday sprint - Link to rules here 
* Sat 8th Feb. 1100-1300 Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint, CW 40m and 20m - Link to rules here 
* Sat 8th Feb. 1200 for 36h SKCC Weekend Sprintathon CW - Link to rules here 
* Sat 8th Feb. 1200 for 24h KCJ Topband Contest CW (Japan based) - Link to rules here     
* Sat 8th Feb. 1200 for 24h Dutch PACC Contest CW - Link to rules here     
* Sat 8th Feb. 1200 for 24h F9AA Cup CW - Link to rules here     
* Sat 8th Feb. 1900-2359 WAB 1.8MHz Phone contest - Link to rules here     
* Sun 9th Feb. 1300-1700 Balkan HF contest CW and SSB - Link to rules here     
* Tue 11th Feb. 0100-0159 Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest SSB - Link to rules here 
* Wed 12th Feb. 2000-2130 80m CC DATA

See Link to WA7BNM for other contests not mentioned above.

Wednesdays throughout the year, CW ops 1 hour mini tests 13:00, 19:00, Thurs 03:00 and 07:00, exchange Name and G if not a member or CWOPS number if you are a member.
See CWOPS website for more details.
Also on Fridays 2000 to 2100 and Mondays 0000 to 0100 each week CWops runs the K1USN slow speed CW contests. Any speed up to 20wpm is acceptable. For rules see :- CW OPs SST page these contests are open to anyone.

All RSGB contest rules and further details plus log submission at RSGB contest site
Look to WA7BNM’s contest calendar for other contests and links to rules etc at WA7BNM weekly contest calendar
A link to John 2E0TWQ’s site’s Narc contest history page – 2E0TWQ’s NARC contest results page

Contesting can be great fun but I know there’s a reluctance to step into unknown waters. It’s a great way of improving many aspects of our hobby including one’s own performance and the quality of your station. If you have any interest whatsover please call in to the contest net on Friday evening at 9pm on 145.250MHz FM or speak to any of the regular contesters on 450. Or indeed email me!

Submissions or comments for this news to thedoctorphil@gmail.com

73 until next week,

Phil G4LPP

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