Well what a change from the past few years! Hot sunny weather, no wind to speak of - and some good tropo too. Of course a few things didn't go quite to plan, but the gods were smiling on this year's IARU Region 1 UHF contest.

I focused on 1.3 and 2.3GHz on Saturday for the UK Trophy contests, and then looked on 432MHz after 2200z Saturday and through Sunday, working search and pounce on 70cm whilst calling on 23cm, SO2R style.

After a slightly slow start, the scoring rate picked up. Conditions across the North Sea were up but the enhancement was coast-coast and not so good inland, with rather weak signals on the higher bands from DK2MN and DF0MU. DR9A (JN48) was a genuine S9 on 23cm though. A total of 24 contacts in the first hour, 13 of them on 23cm.

At the start of the second hour DK6AS was above normal from JO52, then OZ1FF (JO45) called with a huge signal on 23cm, was almost as loud on 13cm, but much weaker on 6 and 3cm. Mainly UK contacts went into the log in the next hour, plus a few Germans on 23cm from JO30/31 with loud signals, and an aircraft reflection contact with SK7MW for the ODX on 23cm at 860km. A 13cm test with them drew a blank.

By 17.00z the duct was strengthening further, LA3EQ (JO28) went in the log, then PI4GN (JO33) very loud on all bands, and more strong signals from JO30/31. When I worked G3ZEZ about 25km away I was having difficulty copying him even when beamed directly at him due to QRM from very strong signals to the East. PA6NL was end stop on all bands to 3cm when we worked soon after.

DL0GTH (JO50) had good signals on 23cm and were a solid QSO on CW on 13cm, aided by aircraft reflection. DM7A and OK2A (JO60) were in the log on 23cm soon after 22:00z, plus OK2A on 432MHz for the best DX on that band.

QRM was the limiting factor on 23cm by this stage - a mix of very strong signals and radar, it was a choice between using the noise blanker to eliminate the radar and suffering from splatter from the resulting intermod, or try to pick out information when in the nulls of the radar beam with the blanker off.

Another hour of S&P on 432MHz saw some reasonable DX such as HB9DUR (JN36), DL0GTH (JO50), DR9A (JN48) before closing for the night soon after 0000z.

Next morning I was back on soon after 0500z, starting with DL5YWM (JO61) on 23cm, then a mix of bands. OK1KIR (JO60) were worked on both 23 and 13cm, for the best DX on the latter band. Just after 0700 DC6UW was a massive signal on four bands from 23cm - 3cm from JO44, providing the best DX on the highest two bands. He was joined by DK1ZD from the same square as best DX on 9cm.

Calling CQ was not producing too many takers by now, so more contacts were arranged on KST, which brought in GM4LBV (IO86) worked on weak aircraft reflection and F6DWG/P for 13, 6 and 3cm contacts on SSB. F6FHP (IN94) provided some nice DX on 23cm from SW France. GM4CXM (IO75) was worked very quickly on 23cm with strong aircraft reflection signals, an immediate test on 13cm resulted in a brief exchange of signals but not enough for a contact.

On the final run to the end ON4SHF/R provided some nice contacts on 13, 6, and 3cm, and the event finished with a four band run with G3LRP (IO93).

As seen from here, this years contest undoubtedly had the best conditions since 1995, with 47 locator squares worked on 23cm. In 1995 the tropo was by elevated ducting and there was a lot of very long DX to chase. This time it was more of a surface duct and so distances covered were lower. There were no new squares worked on any band, the nearest was the failed attempt with GM4CXM on 13cm.

There seem to be many fewer PA stations around these days compared to previous years, particularly on the higher bands. Many stations that appeared to be logged into KST were missing messages sent to them. In my view using KST2ME is essential during contests to retain visibility of your messages, as the web page interface scrolls too quickly to see who is calling.

73

John G3XDY

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