DATE: 28th June 2020
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RSGB HF and VHF Contest Rules - Further Changes due to COVID-19 (Andy G4PIQ - vhfcc.chair@rsgbcc.org & Nick G4FAL - hfcc.chair@rsgbcc.org)
As we’re all aware the changes to COVID-19 restrictions have been coming thick and fast recently, but they have also remained inconsistent across the different parts of the UK. Single Operator Portable operation now appears viable in England, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands / Isle of Man, but both Wales and Scotland currently retain 5 mile movement restrictions which make portable operation impractical for most entrants. However, we expect these restrictions in Scotland and Wales to both have been lifted by 6th July, and so we are preparing to allow Single Operator Portable entries to our contests again from Tuesday 7th July – in time for 2m UKAC and FMAC contests and the HF Low Power contest (19th July).
All activities must be properly socially distanced with all station activity, including station assembly being carried out by the operator, or only with support from people who are living at the same house. We are not opening up ‘normal’ multi-operator contesting as in section ‘O’ entries at this time. Also, any local COVID-19 restrictions, such as any limitation on access to particular public locations must be strictly observed.
We are making this announcement on the basis of expected changes in Wales and Scotland. Should these not happen, or if there were to be any significant re-introduction of movement restrictions by one or more of the UK Governments, we may need to maintain / re-introduce entry restrictions. Please keep a close eye on the Contest Committee web site – https://www.rsgbcc.org and on the e-mail reflectors / Facebook groups for any urgent announcements, but we sincerely hope not to have to make any!
The Governments’ changes have not been made in time for ‘VHF NFD weekend’, and so ‘Lockdown VHF NFD’ will go ahead as a fixed station contest, and the 3rd Backpackers will also not run that weekend. We are currently discussing how to approach the remainder of the portable contest season, including the Backpackers and are thinking about running one or two extra Backpackers during the summer though we recognise that getting a sufficient volume of activity is the challenge. One possible date is the afternoon of Saturday 18th July to align with the French Bol d’Or Low Power contest (we have the 4m Trophy on the Sunday). We’d be interested in hearing whether you would be interested in a couple of extra Backpackers events.
Minutes of Contesting Committees Meetings
The
minutes of RSGB Contesting Committees meetings are available here.
RSGB Contests in 2020
The full 2020 RSGB contest calendars and rules for all RSGB contests are available here (HF) and here (VHF)
Other
HF Contests in 2020
For
more data on a wide
range HF contests,
the websites of WA7BNM,
PG7V
and G8JYV are very useful sources of
information.
Another useful source of HF contest information is on the website of HB9DHG which can be reached by going to http://www.hb9dhg.ch, and selecting "Contest Calendar".
That's all for this edition of the Newsletter
73,
Ian Pawson G0FCT
Chair, RSGB Contest Support Committee
(csc.chair@rsgbcc.org)