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G2N Sept 2023
Welcome to week two hundred and thirty of NARC’s contest news.
Submissions or comments for this news to thedoctorphil@gmail.com. I particularly need any contest related photographs, you may be prepared to share, to head the news each week.
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 whatsoever 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!
Results:-
On VHF
The results of the 432MHz UKAC of 10th February were released on 20th February. We managed 5th place in this one and as a result have moved up to 5th place in this 70cm series. We managed 7 entries once again. Link to results here
The results of the February’s 432MHz FT8AC were released on 21st February. Roger EI8KN came 5th in the 2h open section. Terry G0BIX came 4th in the 2h and the 4h restricted section. Link to results here
The results of the 50MHz UKAC of 12/2/26 were released on 26th February. We had a particularly good turnout for this one with 10 NARC members on the air. 2 in the open section and 8 in the restricted section. We came 4th in this one and are 4th overall in the 6m series after 2 tests. Link to results here
In the overall UKAC we are currently 5th. Link here
On HF
The results of the recent RSGB FT4 contest of 23rd February are already out. Gordon G3PXT came 20th in the UK 100W restricted section. I didn’t spot any other club members in the results. Apologies if I did miss anyone. Link to results here
Now in the overall AFS which includes HF and VHF sections the scores are at this link here
We have now moved up to 3rd place overall.
This year’s HF championship results to date are at this link 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
On Thursday 19th February the 70MHz UKAC ran. I am reporting this a week late as I was on holiday when it ran. 4 NARG stations entered. G4PFZ, EI8KN, G8VPE and G4DYC. On claimed scores, it looks like our top scorer will be John, G4PFZ. Link here to claimed scores
The SHF UKAC ran on Tuesday 24th February. I entered on 13cm. Once again conditions were poor and it was a struggle to work 10 stations. It seems, however, that I was not alone in this and have ended up reasonably well placed. Link here to claimed scores
On HF
I’ve received this email from Tracey 2E0CEY about her entry in the CQ WPX RTTY contest of 14th February:-
Hi Phil.
CQ WPX RTTY 2026
I entered the contest this year with the intention of improving my 2025 score which I managed to acheive submitting 507 QSOs.
I had beforehand, increased the height of my G5RV antenna which appears to have made a noticable difference.
I found conditions throughout the weekend extremely noisey with much QRM but percivered from midnight Friday onwards , as you do. I mostly ran with minimum S&P.
I did however miss the opportunity to operate during the day on the Saturday, after being descended upon by the grandchildren unexpectedly. ..The joy of being a Ham Gran!
Therefore, I submitted my log as a classic 24hr entry this year and was satisfied with my results. Raw scores currently place me 20th world and 2nd uk in the classic section.
Tracey 2E0CEY
On Saturday and Sunday 21st/22nd February, the ARRL international DX CW test ran. The only NARC station I am aware of who ran in this was Peter M0RYB he sent me this report of his activity:-
I had hoped that I would be able to increase my Worked All States (WAS) score this weekend, but propagation on 10 and 15m was fickle, and 40 and 80m were so noisy as to be dire. So 20m was the mainstay; the best hour netted 97 Qs (still not made 100 in an hour). All with 100W into an off-centre fed dipole, just over 8 hours operating.
And after all that, my WAS score remained the same!
Peter
M0RYB
On Thursday 26th February the 80m CC CW test ran. Conditions for this test were mostly good with a variety of both local and continental stations participating. NARC turnout was excellent with 20 known logs. There were also some excellent scores despite what seemed to be slightly lower activity than usual. At the time of writing our highest scorer was Roger G3LDI but not all logs were up at the time. Link to logs received here
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.
Apologies if I have missed any emailed reports, some go to spam and some get lost in the huge quantity of junk mail! I try to be diligent!
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 1st Mar. 0700-1100 UBA Spring 2m Contest CW and Phone – link here to rules
% Tue 3rd Mar. 2000-2230 144MHz UKAC
% Wed 4th Mar. 1900-2100 144MHz FT8 AC 2h and 4h sections
% Sat 7th Mar. 1400 for 24h March 144-432MHz contest – part of the VHF championship – link here to rules
% Tue 10th Mar. 2000-2230 432MHz UKAC
% Wed 11th Mar. 1700-2100 432MHz FT8 AC 2h and 4h sections
% Thu 12th Mar. 2000-2230 50MHz UKAC
Also of interest for some on the vhf / uhf bands are the EU FT8 activity tests – see the following link 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
% Fri 27th Feb. 2200 for 48h CQ 160 Meter Contest SSB – link here to rules
% Sat 28th Feb. 1300 for 24h UBA DX CW contest – link here to rules
% Sun 1st Mar. 1800-2200 WAB 3.5MHz Phone contest – link here to rules
% Mon 2nd Mar. 2000-2130 80m CC DATA
% Sat 7th Mar. 0000 for 48h ARRL International DX SSB contest – link here to rules
% Sun 8th Mar. 0700-1100 UBA Spring CW contest – link here to rules
% Wed 11th Mar. 2000-2130 80m CC CW
See Link to WA7BNM for other contests not mentioned above. There are several to choose from!
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 CW OPS 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 CW OPS 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
A link to John 2E0TWQ’s site’s Narc contest history page – 2E0TWQ’s NARC contest results page
73 until next week,
Phil G4LPP