50MHz CW CONTEST - 26/6/22

The number of entrants in the 2022 50MHz CW Contest was 28 (13 section AO, 14 section AR and one section AL, plus one check log), five of which were from non-UK&CD stations. Although the number of entrants was down by 18% compared with 2021, the number of stations appearing in entrants' logs was, at 103, 20% up on last year. Likewise, the number of big squares appearing was up by 69% at 54 (17 UK&CD and 37 outside) and the number of DXCC entities by 90% (9A, E7, EI, F, G, GM, GU, GW, HA, I, IS, LZ, OK, OM, OZ, PA, SM, YO and YU). These large increases were due to the fact that the propagation gods obliged the RSGB this time with an extensive sporadic E opening, with all but four of the entrants achieving at least one sporadic E contact. Six entrants had best DXs at over 2000km and a further sixteen best DXs between 1000km and 2000km, the best being between GM3POI (IO88) and IK7LMX (JN80) at 2499km. Interestingly, although the results indicate a high level of sporadic E activity, entrants' comments tell a rather different story. While many of them do refer to Es, they tend to qualify this with remarks such as 'limited', 'from time to time', 'patchy' and 'very brief'. Other downsides were that apart from the sporadic E, conditions were reported as 'flat' and 'poor inter-G', activity was frequently reported as low or very low, and problems were experienced with noise, QSB and wind!

Thanks to all the entrants and congratulations to the certificate winners in each section.

Quin G3WRR

g3wrr@rsgbcc.org