Last year I wondered if participants might find this year's 90 minute RoPoCo contest too short, but of those who commented there was a majority in favour of the revised duration, and the total scores achieved by the leading stations are only marginally less than in 2009.  There were some suggestions that starting 30 minutes later would give the benefit of more time in bed on a Sunday morning, but this might be a disadvantage to those located away from the centres of activity. 

This year's clear winner Jim France G3KAF submitted a perfect log of 63 QSOs, and thus takes the Verulam Silver Jubilee Trophy and the certificate for the highest error-free log.  There were just eleven other error-free logs from a total of 53 submitted.  The average number of errors per log was 1.8. 

The majority of the errors found were single letters/numbers, generally confusion with B, D and 6, S, H and 5, and so on, but there were also unusually for this event quite a few callsign errors and once again a small number lost all the points for the contact by copying callsign and post code perfectly only to incorrectly record the RST sent to them.  This contest continues to challenge everyone with exchanges considerably more variable than a routine 5NN plus serial number. 

John Cockrill G4CZB

SOAPBOX:
 

G0IBN very disappointing either my aerial is getting worse or no one is searching?

G0LZL would have prefered half hour less to be at start not end of contest, need my beauty sleep!

G0TZZ Most enjoyable 90 minutes is about right for me anyway.

G0WBC An interesting and fun start to the day!!

G0WHO Messed up G3LHJ code at 0801 he disappeared before I could get a repeat. My fault entirely. Nice to see my own postcode come back correctly at the contest end!

G3GLL Yes SD worked well

G3GMM TS520S + 3.5MHz Inverted-Vee  Rather than taking off the last half hour could we make the start 30 minutes later to enable older sleepy-head ops to rise out of bed?

G3IGU TCVR. IC706  Pwr 30 Watts. Ant End Fed 138ft

G3IZD Very late on parade following late night child minding. ATU way off tune and found one half of doublet broken off in wind so signals way down.  I regret my lateness as this contest is always enjoyable.

G3JRM (G4RLS) shortened format worked well for me (socially) but still an average score ( for me) claimed

G3LDI Still slow despite just 90 minutes! I think most of the regulars were

G3LHJ good fun as always - condxs good

G3LIK Always a friendly contest.  Lots of normal people active  Pity it only last 90 minutes this year  Great to have SD for logging

G3MZV Stayed up all night working the SP DX Contest then switched to ROPOCO before going back to work a few more SP's.  I know I'm mad but it was great fun.

G3OLB Half an hours fun!

G3RFH Quite busy seemed to be more than the old usuals on.

G3TBK FT1000MP 300W dipole at 50 feet A few severely mutilated post codes! I still maintain the "space" is part of the code!

G3VMW Ten-Tec Orion and Doublet

G3VYI Got my own code back at last!  Good  condx on 80 for a change!  SDC very good but kept key going!

G3XTT Only missed one station I heard - GW3SQX :-)  Even slower than BERU :-)

G3ZGC Rig IC7700 200w to 132 ft of wire wrapped into 55 ft garden.  This is the first ROPOCO I have ever received my own code back CORRECT!  Conditions very good but my usual moderately high noise level did not help.  However a very enjoyable contest and better in the shortened version!

G3ZRJ Some problems with aerial causing RF feedback this morning so had to use hand key.  SD worked fine as always

G4AFS Nice steady contest, keeps you on your toes with the Post Codes, never got mine back for some reason?

G4ARI As usual great fun  Didn't miss those last 30 minutes of previous contests  Thanks to all who provided repeats or confirmations

G4BLI Great Contest! SD was brilliant as ever. Roll on August for ROPOCO2

G4BVY Why did we go from 2 hours to 90 minutes?  Plenty of activity to support 2 hours!  Please arrange times around the Grand Prix!

G4CKH Enjoyable morning on the key

G4CWH First time in 1.5 hr format - much more of a race definitely left some stations unworked though.

G4DDX Nice length so was able to take part. I was surprised after 1 hr to get my own post code correct! Great fun and used SD a usual

G4DJX Some very strange post codes right from the start!

G4FAL Got my postcode back 50 QSOs later – uncorrupted

G4FNL Not too many mashed-up postcodes received. Hope that I didn't cause any! Conditions seemed good but there was a real lack of activity. Consequently I think

that the 90mins duration is OK.  FT1000MP + TL922 + 80m horizontal loop at 35ft

G4LMW FT-897/PC link kept dying - so gave up. Not a good contest to revert to a paper log after 3 years of PC logging!

G4MEM New contest length just right.

G4OGB Everyone must have slept in.  SD did it's usual good work

G4RCD Enjoyable start to Easter Sunday.  Nice to work my Dad G3JYP.

G4RCG Had pc problems at the start then after a re-boot it all went well. Much prefered the new 90 min format I thought the activity was ok enjoyed it as normal

G4XPE A very enjoyable contest.  Nearly caught out by the only 2 ops who didn't send 599!

G6CSY Managed to get my own postcose back....and it was correct!  Running QRP 5W to a trap vertical which didn't like the heavy rain.

G7DDN First time in this contest so thanks to all who QRS-ed to assist. It is surprising how much one's copy improves during the event but I wonder if that is also due to waking up as one goes along! :)

GM3YEH IC751A and dipole at 20 feet.

GW0ETF That was a real struggle! Got in on the last train last night after a stag weekend in Stoke(!). Got up early to set up - went back to bed afterwards. Even forgot I could run the amp...

M0NQN Not very busy and I do wish Royal Mail would standardize postcodes!!

M0RYB I didnt get my postcode back, not even corrupted!

MM0ROV Enjoyed the contest. Used SD logging which performed perfectly