RoPoCo SSB 2011

This was the first RoPoCo contest using SSB and a new time, a Sunday evening. There were 107 different callsigns in the logs and 66 sent in an entry or checklog. As expected many of the entries were from participants who had not experienced RoPoCo before.

In joint first place are Steve White G3ZVW and Graham Bubloz G4FNL with scores of 710 points and therefore share the Verulam Silver Jubilee Trophy. Steve also receives a certificate for the highest placed error-free log. There were only 13 logs with no errors.

The mean error rate was 1.8 per log, marginally lower than last year’s CW event and one third of these were callsign errors. The remainder were mainly errors in received postcode, but there were a few ‘not in log’ and in received RS. One station I contacted that I could not hear at all well I sent a (generous) 58 report, only to be told that it ‘was a rule in RSGB contests that you always send 59’. There is no such rule, but there is rule 4a so in this case the points were lost. One log had several cases where whenever ‘CW’ appeared in the postcode field it was replaced by ‘SSB’!

Probably because this is a new contest format, there were numerous difficulties with log entries, initially getting them through the robot, but also with the received logs. Several logs were resubmitted after the closure date by invitation as they contained log formatting errors making consistent adjudication impossible, but because this was the first SSB RoPoCo these were accepted without penalty. There were also some individual errors which would have been spotted, along with the complete logs, by a routine check of the log file before submission, or examination of the log file returned by the robot. Entrants take note!

Thanks to 2E0RKX, 2E0WAW, G0LLG, G4LMW and GM4ZUK for their useful checklogs.

John Cockrill
G4CZB


SOAPBOX:

2E0SEW
Good Clear Contest Good standard of operators

G0FYX
Something different. Conditions quite good and lots of checking of postcodes so probably a lot easier than the CW one for me anyway. SD program used adapted for SSB.

G0KYS
Good fun

G0MTN
Why was there only a third of the 80m CC SSB entry base? An interesting experiment.

G0VOF
Good fun on SSB,I can see CW being a real challenge.

G0VOK
Great Fun. Thanks RSGB for having a ssb RoPoCo.

G0VQR
We had family round for the evening so only spent a short time on so as not to up set my wife. I think the SSB leg was a big success. Well done RSGB contest committee another good decision

G0WHO
Didn't get the correct N1MM contest program hence the resend

G0WWD
A very friendly contest with a lot of activity.

G3JJZ
An interesting contest on phone. Still prefer to use Morse but it was fun nevertheless! If only people would listen!! I gave G6MC an AB- code which was not what I heard him give the next chap!!

G3LHJ
Activity Fair condx just about right - Paul's tweek to the ROPOCO SD prog worked a treat.

G3LIK
Do not like it on SSB a retrograde step by HFC Some good inter G conditions though Good to have SD for logging


G3SVL
Interesting! Surprised at the obviously busted postcodes floating around. A lot of new faces - and many CW RoPoCo regulars absent.

G3TXF
Most Postcodes seemed to survive OK, although one or two appeared busted when they came back. Never saw my own Postcode again. Glad to see that no-one appeared to be "flooding" the contest by sending their own Postcode each time.

G3VYI
Lots of new calls taking part Must deem this a success trying this mode The skill in listening is similar!

G3XYF
Too many old hands using "Roger" instead of "Over" Roger means received NOT Over

G3YXM
Good fun but had to miss the last half hour.

G4DDX
My post code disappeared never to be seen again. I think the first staion I worked was not in the contest! It was great fun but crowded. Managed to run for most of it. Made a couple of mistakes pushing enter too soon soon corrected.SD made it possible and so easy.

G4FAL
More fun than I thought it would be but not such a test of skill as the CW version

G4KNO
Should have used the 2nd VFO. Good fun! Ten Tec Orion inverted-vee windom feedpoint at 30ft.

G4MKR
FT950 quarter wave inverted L

G4PIQ
Not enough activty to be interesting or testing. Last minute decision to take part. 2 mins before contest realised Win-Test didn't support it so back into the memory banks for how to configure TR! K2/100 Dipole @ 65ft

G4RCG
Very disapointed in the turnout where were all the SSB Op's I only worked about 10 more than I would have worked in the CW I really enjoyed the SSB Format just a pity not more people tried it

G4TQF
Very enjoyable, not sure SSB fits the bill, would prefer to revert to CW. For those of us not active on 2m, why not more RSGB HF contests on Sunday and dare I say, even Tuesday nights? Straight key cw would be a very good start for new cw contesters to enjoy and be encouraged. I don't think 80m CW and 2M clash do they?

G4XPE
Plenty of activity but much qrm from EU stations. Good fun but I think I prefer CW mode for RoPoCo contests!

G6NHU
Lots of fun and a giggle to hear corrupted postcodes.

G6UBM
Great fun more gentlemanly than normal 80m scramble sd worked ok other than old version insists on cw

G7DDN
A fun evening with all the usual mix-ups! I wonder if lunchtime might be a better time for this event at this time of year however. There were a lot of EU nets on and we were seemingly trampling on each other for a lot of the time. Not so bad when they can join in the fun.

G7DPE
As this was the first time this contest appeared for SSb I thought easy- What did i let myself in for! Cant wait for next year!!!

G7VRK
First time in this contest enjoyed very much

G8APB
IC756Pro3 Inverted V at 60' agl first time in ropoco contest remarkable how many times my postcode came back to me... corretly some got really mangled in the process. Good fun anyway.

G8JXV
Excellent contest - the postcode exchange makes it much more interesting. Lots of activity - please keep the SSB event in the calendar!

GI4AAM
Had difficulty with ALC on radio Computer problem as well. Not a good day.

GW0NPL
Fun for first time

GW3SQX
A different challenge from the CW version but some equally strange postcodes were going round. Many CW regulars on the band plus some welcome newcomers.

GW4BLE
Didn't get on until three minutes to nine; fumbled a bit with first contact but then found it quite good fun! Received my own postcode back plus two others looking very close.

M0COP
Good fun

M0GJM
G5RV at 25ft

M0JWB
SD Logger

M0RBY
Great fun contest. Would be better not held on mothering sunday!

M0SAR
Most enjoyable contest. Glad it's now on SSB too!

M0VFC
IC-756ProIII Long wire. Operating at G3VFC's QTH ME73TSIC-756ProIII Long wire. Operating at G3VFC's QTH ME73TS

M0XDF
My first RoPoCo - interesting and fun

M5ALG
1st time enteriing RoPoCo. certainly a tongue twister Looking forward to the CW event later in the year

MW0MWZ
First SSB RoPoCo - Really enjoyed it, conditions great on 80m, hope they continue to improve for the 80m CC!