The weather forecast predicted an 80% chance of rain before midday, and a 100% certainty for the afternoon, so the tent and waterproofs were the order of the day. By the time Gary G0XAN and Peter M0PCR set off from the car park it was already raining with a strong south-easterly wind.
The operating site was once again Chanctonbury Ring (IO90TV) on the top of the South Downs. The weather was appalling on the ridge, with strong wind, heavy rain and low cloud. The tent was quickly pitched to provide some shelter, then the mast was erected almost inside the porch of the tent so that it could be adjusted without getting soaked!
The 7-hour PW QRP contest was going to be a test of stamina and determination given the weather conditions...
The contest started rather slowly, although we were glad to work TM7T (France) who was a strong signal with us. However, it wasn't long before we worked G1WOR/P, the Worthing Radio Club not too far away on Chantry Hill (IO90SV) – an even stronger signal!
The first half-hour was quite hard going with only 8 contacts in the log, but things picked up in the second half-hour with even a mini pile-up when we decided to call CQ in a very quiet part of the band. We finished the first hour with a fairly respectable 23 contacts in the log.
The second hour started well, but tailed off towards the end, with another 18 contacts in the log. With 41 contacts in 2 hours we thought we were doing OK.
The third hour started with several minutes of calling CQ and listening to the static of an empty band. Then all of a sudden we were called by GD8EXI on the Isle of Man. We were very pleased to hear him, and it confirmed that our signal was getting out, if only there were stations to receive it! Overall the third hour was very slow, with only 9 contacts added to the log.
At this point (about one o'clock) Martin G7RQD arrived with welcome supplies of hot soup and sloe gin. Given the poor conditions we had no hesitation in pausing for a lunch break. Consequently the fourth hour brought only 4 more contacts despite some persistent CQ calls and careful tuning up and down the band.
The Backpackers' contest had ended, but there were still three hours of the PW QRP contest to go so we pressed on. Conditions were terrible and we heard no new stations for over 30 minutes. All of a sudden we came across a commotion on the band and soon realised that ON8DM (Belgium) had appeared. Despite the pile-up we worked him second call and were pleased to know that there were new stations out there. Only 4 more contacts added in the fifth hour.
Conditions had been up and down all day, with MI0AYR/P being heard several times but never strong enough to get a contact. Finally conditions improved and we contacted GM4PPT (Scotland) and then, at last, the elusive MI0AYR/P (Northern Ireland) for our best DX of the day (573km and 574km respectively). We managed a brief flurry of contacts over the next 20 minutes and then everything went quiet again.
At times the wind and rain were so bad that the tent was leaning at an alarming angle with poles and guys straining, and it was almost impossible to hear the radio over the noise of the rain on the tent. However, the tent stayed up and we all stayed dry. Even the antenna survived, despite the mast partially collapsing a couple of times!
At 4pm with the rain still lashing down we decided to call it a day, even though there was still an hour of the PW contest to go. Sitting on a windy hill-top all day in the rain is not much fun, even with a tent for shelter. As we set of down the hill we were treated to the sight of a badger running across the grass. Most likely it was the same one we saw last month!
Our claimed score for the Backpackers' contest was a disappointing 108112 points, made up of 54 QSOs with 4 countries and 12 squares. Once again, our best DX was GD8EXI (Isle of Man) at 462km.
For the PW QRP contest, we managed a slightly better score of 186060, helped along by 3 extra countries and two extra squares. Our best DX was MI0AYR/P (Northern Ireland) at 574km.
The next 144MHz Backpackers' contest takes place on 3rd July 2011, coincident with the last 4 hours of the VHF NFD contest.