SSB Field Day 2017
As expected as this stage of the declining solar cycle there were fewer contacts overall than last year and most were made on the three lower bands. 28MHz did yield some useful QSOs and Eu multipliers, 21MHz was a little more productive with a sprinkling of DX helped by the All Asian DX contest. Weather conditions were reported as generally good on Saturday but with some wind and rain on Sunday.
Logs were received from other European societies which allows more rigorous cross checking. These were particularly useful in identifying callsign and received serial number errors which were the major sources of lost points this year. Errors in band were very much lower so participants appear to have noted last year's observation by the adjudicator.
This year for the first time there were a number of random inspections by representatives of the HFCC and CSC, every station inspected was found to be fully compliant with the rules.
For 2017 there are different sections from previous years including for the first time a fixed section. The leader in the Low Power Unassisted Portable section is the Sussex Downs CG G4FNL/P who are awarded the Northumbria Trophy, followed by certificates for runner-up Cray Valley RS G3RCV/P and third place Yorkshire Amateur Radio Friends M0YRF/P. In this section there is also a certificate for the highest placed single operator which goes to Staffordshire Portable ARC M0SPA/P. The top spot in the Low Power Assisted Portable, with exactly the same number of QSOs as G4FNL/P, is Bristol CG G6YB/P. However Bristol had a greater number of multipliers so achieved a much higher score. In second place is Scunthorpe Steel ARC G0HDV/P and in third is Gordano ARG M0TSL/P. In the new Fixed section, the leading station is G8X (G4FJK), followed by MU0GSY in second and MM1E (MM0GOR) in third.
Another new section for 2017 was the QRP Portable which attracted only two entries. The leader was G4ALE/P operated by G3VYI followed by I5/M1LCR/P from Italy. Unfortunately neither entrant pre-registered before the deadline so are not eligible to receive an award. There is a Trophy available for this section so let's hope for more entries next year!
;
Inv L @ 10m',0,250)">
FT857',0,250)">
Poor condx on saturday very hard with 5w QRP just a token QRP \ effort in the garden with car battery and a wire up a tree had \ to stop when dark or raining! Mike G3VYI',0,250)">
G4ALE/P 1st',0,250)">
Trapped dipole @ 20 Feet',0,250)">
FT817',0,250)">
QRP: 2.5 watts to a low trapped dipole.',0,250)">
I5/M1LCR/P 2nd',0,250)">
The Northumbria Trophy (1st place)',0,250)"> 1
Doublet @ 15m',0,250)">
K3',0,250)">
G4FNL/P 1st',0,250)">
2nd place',0,250)"> 2
Diamond loop @ 50ft',0,250)">
IC756PROIII',0,250)">
Enjoyable weekend shame about the radio conditions! Had plenty of help from Cray Valley members to put things together and 18 members were on-site to tear down at the end. This enabled us to be packed away and off site just 45 minutes after the en \ d of the contest',0,500)">
G3RCV/P 2nd',0,250)">
3rd place',0,250)"> 3
End fed long wire about 80 m long between 2 9m poles @ 9m',0,250)">
FT1000MP MkV',0,250)">
Used SD as contest log - v simple straight forward \ Had Help for Heros fete going on around us Saturday \ Bands seem quieter than previous years \ At least wx was kind - we were washed out in 2016',0,250)">
M0YRF/P 3rd',0,250)">
80m Loop @ 50 feet',0,250)">
K3',0,250)">
G0FBB/P 4th',0,250)">
Doublet @ 13m',0,250)">
FT1000MP',0,250)">
Conditions seemed poor, nothing on 10m and almost nothing on 15m. WX good on Saturday. Drizzle for tear-down.',0,250)">
G3ULT/P 5th',0,250)">
160m carolina windom @ 11mtrs',0,250)">
TS570DG',0,250)">
Another good contest enjoyed by all the team',0,250)">
G8FC/P 6th',0,250)">
80m doublet @ approx 11m',0,250)">
Icom 7300, LDG atu, 4:1 hb balun, laptop N1mm',0,250)">
First time for a long time that the club has been in \ in a contest. 80m doublet 100w IC-7300 generator in the day \ and battery power during the night. Lovely weather on Sat rain \ on Sunday. Had to do lots of SnP everyone seemed to calling CQ ! \ Very enjoyable indeed. Great to give the old call an airing.',0,500)">
GW8GT/P 7th',0,250)">
Spiderbeam OCFD @ 15m',0,250)">
Icom 746',0,250)">
Conditions were excellent this year. Weather was kind. Bands were mostly free from noise on Saturday but a \ little noisier on Sunday. Kit all worked well until mast came down on Sunday but this was soon fixed and we \ were back on the air again. Probably the nicest Field Day we have had for years. \ Kit this year was Icom 746 Spiderbeam OCFD on Spiderbeam poles',0,500)">
G4SJM/P 8th',0,250)">
OCF dipole @ 10 metres',0,250)">
Elecraft K2',0,250)">
G7SAC/P 9th',0,250)">
G5RV @ 10m',0,250)">
Yaesu FT-1000D',0,250)">
Had antenna problems at the begining ended up using an \ old G5RV. Tough going weather turned bad Sunday \ morning so gave in and packed up. Try harder next year :)',0,250)">
G4FBS/P 10th',0,250)">
80, 40, 20 & 10m Fan Dipole @ 10m',0,250)">
Kenwood TS-2000',0,250)">
Sunny and warm on Saturday but Sunday was cool, wet and windy. Pretty good conditions on 20 40 & 80 but higher bands were very quiet. Tried a fan dipole this year which was very successful. \ We all enjoyed a weekend playing radio.',0,500)">
G3ZTT/P 11th',0,250)">
HF doublet @ 10m',0,250)">
K3s',0,250)">
A challenge with 100w',0,250)">
G3WKS/P 12th',0,250)">
80m 1/2 wave doublet @ 12m',0,250)">
IC-7600',0,250)">
Slow going at times, especially through the night where only 80m open. Great training exercise for our newer operators. IT/hardware problems created 4 un-noticed (until it was too late) dupes. Great club social weekend.',0,500)">
G3UES/P 13th',0,250)">
G5RV @ 7m',0,250)">
IC-7100',0,250)">
G2XV/P 14th',0,250)">
Full size doublet @ 35ft',0,250)">
Kenwood TS2000',0,250)">
Bands variable but ATU issues. \ SD Logger was as reliable as ever',0,250)">
G4ATH/P 15th',0,250)">
80m dipole @ 7m',0,250)">
TS-590',0,250)">
Conditions could have been better. \ TS-590 and 80m dipole at 7m',0,250)">
GM7A/P 16th',0,250)">
doublet @ 10m',0,250)">
Icom 7300',0,250)">
G8QR/P 17th',0,250)">
OCFD @ 12m',0,250)">
Yaesu FT-450D',0,250)">
OCFD Dipole running NW-SE',0,250)">
MX0SKR/P 18th',0,250)">
80 meter Windom @ 10m',0,250)">
FT-897',0,250)">
Very few inter G contacts on 40M',0,250)">
G0KDV/P 19th',0,250)">
G5RV between two masts @ 12m max',0,250)">
IC7300',0,250)">
G8AOE/P 20th',0,250)">
W3DZZ @ 7m',0,250)">
TS-590',0,250)">
Scoring rate slow going.',0,250)">
G0IVR/P 21st',0,250)">
Doublet @ 15m',0,250)">
Icom IC756',0,250)">
Good time had by all that attended nice dry weather. Forest limited \ antenna choice due to trees getting in the way. \ Camping in natural forest was novel',0,250)">
GX4YRC/P 22nd',0,250)">
Doublet at 30ft @ 30ft',0,250)">
ic756pro2',0,250)">
Found bands very poor and only one G station. 40 \ was the main band with nil on 8015 and 10. Our Auto \ packed up so had to use manual ATU for balanced feeder \ We used Sd for logging and WX was good but windy. \ We could only manage Sunday morning.',0,500)">
G3SAD/P 23rd',0,250)">
Leading single operator station',0,250)"> 24
carolina windom @ 5mtrs',0,250)">
yaesue ft 950',0,250)">
M0SPA/P 24th',0,250)">
atas 120 @ 2m',0,250)">
ft 857',0,250)">
MM1AVR/P 25th',0,250)">
Lightweight doublet @ 9 metres',0,250)">
Elecraft KX3 with okyo-Hypower HL50B linear',0,250)">
Only able to operate for a short period. Minimal setup operated from batteries.',0,250)">
G3TCR/P 26th',0,250)">
1st place',0,250)"> 1
Optibeams + 40m Vertical + 80m Dipole + 40m Dipole @ 20m',0,250)">
K3 + IC7300',0,250)">
Good fun, as always! Good HF conditions at least up to 21MHz but 28MHz disappointing. New 100W rule makes holding a run frequency challenging!',0,250)">
G6YB/P 1st',0,250)">
2nd place',0,250)"> 2
Trap dipole TET el beam @ 50ft',0,250)">
Icom 746',0,250)">
G0HDV/P 2nd',0,250)">
3rd place',0,250)"> 3
2el SteppIR, Doublet @ 10m',0,250)">
IC-7300',0,250)">
M0TSL/P 3rd',0,250)">
TH5 for 10/15/20m - Delta loop for 40/80m @ Th5 at 17m - Delta loop',0,250)">
Kenwood TS590',0,250)">
VERY BAD CONDITIONS - to say that the conditions were challenging would be a gross under statement. At first we thought our own equipment was at fault until we realised everyone else was in the same boat! We found out much later that the sun had a \ flare.',0,500)">
G4EKT/P 4th',0,250)">
Fan Dipole @ 12m',0,250)">
FT900',0,250)">
Much excitement including being narrowly missed by a falling oak tree on site. A leisurely entry but a good introduction to contest operating.',0,250)">
G2DX/P 5th',0,250)">
Hexbeam - Dipole @ 12m',0,250)">
IC756Pro',0,250)">
G6TW/P 6th',0,250)">
Windom, 40m Dipole, TGM Beam @ 10m',0,250)">
TS-590S',0,250)">
G3MDG/P 7th',0,250)">
Fan diplole @ 12m',0,250)">
Icom IC756',0,250)">
Quite a learning curve for our contest newbies (most of us) but very enjoyable. Lots to learn about doing better next time - which is exactly what we set out to achieve. Main activity was on 80 and 40 Metres.',0,500)">
G3EFX/P 8th',0,250)">
G5RV @ 9 Mt',0,250)">
Kenwood TS 870s',0,250)">
G6OI/P 9th',0,250)">
20m endfed + 40-20-10m endfed @ 5m',0,250)">
FT-707',0,250)">
Thought we would join in for the first day at last minute so no registration \ three of us lugged 150kg+ of equipment 1.4mi into southampton common from the university \ ft-707 endfed 20m @ 5m e-w triband endfed 40-20-10 @5m n-s \ paper log',0,500)">
G3KMI/P 10th',0,250)">
1st place',0,250)"> 1
3ele Tribander, 40m+80m dipoles @ 15m',0,250)">
FT2000D',0,250)">
TX power turned down',0,250)">
G8X 1st',0,250)">
2nd place',0,250)"> 2
Dipoles @ 10m',0,250)">
IC 756 pro3',0,250)">
MU0GSY 2nd',0,250)">
3rd place',0,250)"> 3
2-el yagi plus LF dipoles @ 8m',0,250)">
IC7300',0,250)">
Limited time entry this weekend, hoped to get portable, but sadly had to enter from home shack. Thanks to all /P stations for their efforts!',0,250)">
MM1E 3rd',0,250)">
TA33Jr/WARC Beam - 40m Dipole @ 25ft',0,250)">
Yaesu FT dx 3000 - 100W',0,250)">
Condx poor lots of deep Qsb on most bands not one \ G /P stn worked only one GM/p no short skip on 40M \ couldnt make 80M Sat evening for the G/P still all. \ good fun.',0,250)">
G3LHJ 4th',0,250)">
Full Size G5RV @ 6m',0,250)">
Yaesu FT 950',0,250)">
First time entered SSB Field from home as fixed.Enjoyed a relaxed event serching and pouncing.Would recomend haveing a go if only a few hours.',0,250)">
G0IJM 5th',0,250)">
Western HF 10 @ 18 feet',0,250)">
yaesu FT817ND',0,250)">
part time only due to family commitments. \ conditions good apart from poor inter G.',0,250)">
G3PRI 6th',0,250)">
80m Dipole & 1/2 G5RV @ 5m',0,250)">
Yaesu FT450D',0,250)">
GM9C 7th',0,250)">
Trapped Dipole @ 30ft',0,250)">
Yaesu FT 3000',0,250)">
I enjoyed using SD \ Thank you',0,250)">
M0HHG 8th',0,250)">
dipole @ 30ft',0,250)">
ts570d',0,250)">
G3RSD 9th',0,250)">
Pro Whip Multi Bander @ 10meters',0,250)">
Kenwood TS-480 SAT',0,250)">
M3ZZF 10th',0,250)">
20m Dipole 20m Vertical 40m Loop and 40m Dipole @ 10 Metres',0,250)">
YAESU FT1000MP',0,250)">
Great contest and very Gentlemanly QSOs!',0,250)">
GM0UKZ 11th',0,250)">
66 End Fed Wire @ 5m',0,250)">
Yaesu FT847',0,250)">
G8NVX 12th',0,250)">
sloper at 60ft @ 20m',0,250)">
ftdx3000',0,250)">
G2AA 13th',0,250)">
Vertical wires @ Ground',0,250)">
Icom 746',0,250)">
MW0BRO 14th',0,250)">
Cushcraft R6000 @ 8m',0,250)">
Kenwood TS-480 SAT',0,250)">
M6YTU 15th',0,250)">