VHF NFD 2024

In the UK VHF NFD is this weekend. It is a pity the weather is wet here! This is a chance to work some new squares on the VHF/UHF bands up to 23cm as activity can be good.

See https://www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/rules/2024/VHFNFD.shtml.

UPDATE 1422z:  The impression I am getting is that activity is down.  This may be due to the poor weather in this part of the UK or just that SSB is less popular than it once was. Local noise levels are higher too.

VHF NFD

This is one of the major contests. It is on over the weekend. It used to be in September years ago, but it was changed. Often portable stations put on a big effort with high power and big antennas. On my return from Devon I went on, briefly, this morning, but quickly went QRT as my voice was finding it hard work!

VHF NFD this weekend

Usually I just forget, but this year we have a visitor, so I cannot go on. This weekend is VHF NFD in the UK.

Years ago I took part in VHF NFD with the Pye Group from the Quantocks in Somerset and were 2nd I think. This would have been in the 1970s.  I joke that there is still a very rusty Kingshill PSU up there somewhere under the heather! We slept in tents and getting the gear up there was a logistical nightmare! On my own it would not be my idea of fun, so I have great respect for SOTA operators who activate rare peaks.

There are lots of well equipped stations with big antennas on hilltops for VHF NFD, so it is a good chance to work some new squares. I think (but check the rules) it covers the VHF and UHF bands up to 23cm.

70cm VHF NFD with a simple QRP station

4 ele 70cm yagi on car

Just for a little fun in the sunshine I took my FT817 and "coathanger" 4 el yagi onto a local high spot (actually nothing is high here in East Anglia!) to try just over an hour of operating on 70cm SSB during VHF NFD. Conditions were average, but I heard EI, F, GM and PA and worked 12 stations in just 70 minutes of casual operation with the best DX 262km.  Power output was either 2.5W or 5W.

The 4 el yagi is mounted on a 22mm PVC pipe mast that is simply wedged in the car rear window and manually rotated. The whole set-up can be erected and taken down in about 2 minutes: I don't take contests THAT seriously you see :-)  The map shows the stations worked before going back home for tea.

70cms QSOs in 70 minutes with 5W to a 4el yagi

After tea I parked the car outside my new QTH and erected the 4 el as shown in the photo. Signal strengths from DX stations (PA0 and a station in SW England) were very similar to those on my local /P site, suggesting the new QTH, on a local bump, is promising for VHF/UHF/microwaves.

70cm is a great band and sadly under-used these days on SSB. It is also sad that there are so few 70cms beacons on the air in the UK now. I believe the Bristol 70cms beacon - it was a good conditions indicator here in East Anglia - has recently gone QRT too?

VHF NFD next weekend

Next weekend it is VHF NFD so there will be a good opportunity for some QRP DXing on the VHF bands. In past contests I've managed to work way up to Scotland from here with just a small halo and 5W. This sort of DXing sometimes requires going on to CW to complete contacts though. Best times, ignoring conditions, are usually early Sunday morning as the sun is rising, when tropo conditions are good, or late in the contest when stations are looking for new stations to work.