As usual I entered VHF NFD as a "Sweeper", but this year CQ calls are allowed. However I didn't call CQ much at all, preferring S&P to see what I could find. There certainly was some choice DX available in the small hours of Sunday morning, with good signals from OK on 144MHz and 432MHz. OK2A was a real 59 on 70cm. This year I entered on 144MHz for the first time in many years, and was pleasantly surprised with what I could hear when the local noise was off overnight.

I spent less time on 70MHz on Sunday than in previous years so missed one or two portables who were probably around. Being able to at least get them to QSY was a useful step forward from pure S&P operation. No Sporadic E was seen here this year.

144MHz was probably the star this time, with the 12 ele mounted on an extension pole above the 4m yagi for the first time. During Saturday evening OZ1ALS and OZ1BEF were very strong but there was little other DX from the NE. From around midnight conditions improved towards OK, and in the end 5 OK's plus SN7L made it into the log. I spent some time listening for OM6A and OM3KII, but no tropo was heard, only a lot of very loud MS pings and bursts. At 0150z I was tuning around and heard 9A0V with a good signal on CW, called him and he came straight back with all the QSO details. Unfortunately he didn't copy my serial number so it was not completed. I'm not sure if this was a very long burst MS QSO, or enhanced tropo perhaps. The distance was 1528km. Soon after I decided I had better turn in and get up early on Sunday. Starting at 0550z on Sunday yielded another OK but conditions were dropping away as the sun built in strength. As the sun activated the solar panels down the road to the East the noise levels came back up so the rest of the day was spent looking for UK portable stations when on 144MHz.

Activity on 432MHz seemed low for such good conditions. Highlights were OK2A worked on AS early in the event but heard very loud on tropo later, and DK2A (JN69) and OL3Z (JN79) before 2300z. SN7L was added at 0127z by getting them to QSY from 2m for the best DX of the contest. Conditions had dropped a little by the morning, but DJ7R (JN59), HB9N (JN37) and DH8WJ (JN59) were still coming in well.

To avoid any chance of TVI to the England football game I only operated 23cm and above for the first 2 hours. The majority of the registered UK portables were found and worked but a few remained elusive. OK1MAC was the best DX worked at 0613z, and also worked on 13cm, but nil was heard from co-sited OK1YA on 9cm. Some paths needed AS to work, such as OK2A near the start and SK7MW near the end of the contest.

There is virtually no UK activity on the higher microwave bands above 23cm for this event. I was pleased to provide some DX for DK0PU, DL0LN, DF0MU, PI4GN, DL3IAS and a few others on various microwave bands. DL0GTH/P (JO50TI) was a good signal on 5.7GHz aircraft scatter, but despite multiple attempts we didn't complete a contact on 13cm. It was nice to work Rene PA/DL6NAA right at the start of the contest on 3cm with excellent signals from JO23.

73

John G3XDY

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