2 Feb 2016

2m UKAC contest this evening

2000-2230z tonight is the second leg of the RSGB's 2m activity contest. I missed this last month still thinking we were in December! All being well, I shall be on 2m SSB (5W to the omni big-wheel) this evening. Because of my poor voice, 1 hour is about enough for me. I usually manage 5-10 QSOs with best DX 150-200km. At this time of the year there are fewer portable stations. I cannot blame them! These are very friendly contests which are aimed at focusing activity.

If you come on, you are almost bound to work someone, unless you are on some remote Scottish island. If you have 50-100W and a small beam, the whole of the UK is in range. Even with my QRP set-up, it is a bundle of fun.  I shall be using the FT817ND at 5W. Activity levels are usually good in these sessions. Even if you don't send a score in, it is a good way to work new squares (and maybe new countries) on 2m.

Next week is the 70cm leg.

Logs can be transcribed on line. If you are like me and usually work 5-10 stations only, this only takes a few minutes.

UPDATE 2130z:  I had to give up after about an hour as my voice was finding it very hard. Although I worked only 4 stations, I heard stations in France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, as well as stations on the Welsh borders. Most of the strong locals I usually work were not on and one was on but using "pounce and capture" so I never did manage to work them (G2XV). An enjoyable experience but another 10dB of power and 6dB of extra antenna gain would have made it a lot easier! My best DX was the Isle of Wight (216km).
Stations worked on 2m with 5W SSB and big-wheel this evening

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3 comments:

  1. FuzzyUKWed Feb 03, 09:03:00 am GMT

    I'm getting old and lazy so I did not go to the CDARC Tuesday shack event though it is only a 7 minute bike ride from my QTH. I have an 80m doublet up now fed with 450 ohm twin feeder which seems to tune up OK on 80, 40 and 20m and possibly a few other bands except 10m so I've enjoyed making a few SSB contacts so far this year. 73's ....G3TFX

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  2. Roger G3XBMWed Feb 03, 11:05:00 am GMT

    Maybe we'll work each other on 40m SSB Richard? We should try a sked sometime, although I can only run 5W on 40m. G2XV was never in the same place twice on 2m SSB last night so I never did work them! They would have been an easy QSO, but I heard few locals. G3PYE/P seems to have given up.

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  3. David (G0LRD)Wed Feb 03, 04:59:00 pm GMT

    Hi Roger
    Sorry we (G2XV) missed you, but as you noticed we were only doing S&P. We were, for a bit of a change, trying to see how many different squares we could work in the short time we have before the school gets locked up and we have to leave the club shack.
    73 David G0LRD

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