Issue 185 – Friday, April 4, 2025
Steady Progress in UKAC & 80m CC as NARC Eyes Key Positions
It’s been a quieter week in contesting, with results coming in for the 50MHz and 70MHz UKACs on VHF and the 80m CC on HF. If you’ve sent reports or scores to Phil recently, rest assured they will be posted upon his return from his travels.
With fewer contests on the immediate horizon, this could be a good opportunity to carry out some antenna maintenance and station improvements. A well-tuned aerial can make all the difference in the next round of competitions.
VHF UKAC Results
50MHz UKAC
The latest 50MHz round took place on March 13, with results published on April 2. NARC submitted nine logs, with several strong performances:
Stuart G4AFF placed 5th, moving up two spots to 6th overall in the series.
Phil G4LPP finished 8th, holding on to 2nd place overall.
Steve M5BFL secured 9th place, maintaining 7th overall.
In the restricted section, Mike G4KQY led the NARC scorers, placing 43rd, which moved him up to 37th overall. Jim G3YLA followed in 60th place, advancing to 61st overall, while John G8VPE came in 75th.
At the club level, NARC continues its close battle with Harwell for 4th place. This round saw Harwell edge ahead, pushing NARC down to 5th—but with a gap of fewer than 500 points, a strong performance in the next round could reverse the standings.
70MHz UKAC
The 70MHz round on March 20 saw NARC submit four logs, with notable individual rankings:
Phil G4LPP placed 4th, improving his overall ranking from 4th to 3rd in the series.
In the restricted section, G4KQY finished 32nd (now 25th overall), G8VPE placed 42nd (now 50th overall), and G4DYC finished 54th (now 55th overall).
In the club standings, NARC remains 5th in the 70MHz series, but the gap to 4th place Harwell is widening. A stronger turnout in the next round will be essential to close the distance.
UKAC Overall Standings
In the overall UKAC rankings, NARC holds 5th place, leading Gower/Gwyr CG by just over 200 points. However, the challenge remains to catch 4th place Wirral & DARC, as the gap is proving difficult to close.
Top individual rankings in UKAC overall:
Phil G4LPP – 32nd
Stuart G4AFF – 38th
G4PFZ – 71st
Additional contributions came from 2E0JGV, EI8KN, G3LDI, G3SGC, G3YLA, G3YOA, G4DYC, G4KQY, G6WQN, G8VPE, M1AFQ, and M5BFL.
80m CC – NARC Strengthens Its Lead
The 6th round of the 80m CC took place on March 27 (SSB round), and NARC continues to lead the series convincingly. Twelve logs were submitted, with Andy M0NKR, Malcolm G3PDH, and Roger G3LDI achieving the top scores in the 100W section, while Peter M0RYB/P led the way in the 10W section.
This performance allowed NARC to extend its lead over 2nd place Bristol CG, as shown in the latest standings:
NARC: 54,012 points
Bristol CG: 29,079 points
Newbury & DARS: 23,054 points
With a commanding advantage, NARC remains well-positioned to maintain its lead in the 80m CC series.
Looking Ahead
While contest activity is lighter at the moment, now is the time to fine-tune setups and prepare for the next rounds. The UKAC battles remain closely contested, and NARC will need strong showings in upcoming events to push higher in the rankings.
Stay tuned for the next round of results, and good luck in the contests ahead!
Calendar for the next week
80m CC CW 7th Apr 1900-2030 (UTC)
432MHz FMAC 8th Apr 1800-1855 (UTC)
432MHz UKAC 8th Apr 1900-2130 (UTC)
432MHz FT8 AC 4hr 9th Apr 1700-2100 (UTC)
432MHz FT8 AC 2hr 9th Apr 1900-2100 (UTC)
50MHz UKAC 10th Apr 1900-2130 (UTC)
Dont forget, the clocks changed last week so check the contest start times!
Thats all from me – 73 Wilson G6WQN