Captions top, L to R G3XTJ, 6Y6YI, G4SGX/6Y, ZL3P, 9H1CG certificate 1974, G4SGX/6Y site, Trevor VK2NS 1931, G3VYI/6Y suitcase verticals, ZF2CA , G3VYI home, Mark ZL3AB, Joe 9H1CG.
Participation
As reported earlier broadly speaking participation is stable and follows the pattern of recent years.
But several entrants commented that participation ‘overall activity seemed lower’, VK6T. And ‘Support from much of the Commonwealth seems to be waning a little more each year’, G3LET. But ‘This year seemed a little busier than last year; but only 5B 5Z 6Y 9H and ZF worked outside Gx VE VK and ZL’, VK2IG.
A little more delving into the results confirms that the percentage of Commonwealth stations outside the G/VE/VK/ZL group has fallen off. This is something to be addressed before next year.
And the percentage using Assisted continues to grow,
Conditions
I suppose that I, like most other entrants had rather hoped that 2024 would be a re-run of the excellent HF conditions of 2023. But it was not to be, certainly they were better than in the early 2020s but 10m which had been spectacular in 2023 was very patchy. The North Atlantic path seemed pretty weak. I think expectations were especially high following the excellent propagation at the end of February but the aurora put paid to things.
But as always the perception of conditions varied a lot across the world, ‘Condx were poor here‘, ZL3P and ‘Condx disturbed and overall activity seemed lower‘, VK6T.
As to 10m, ‘Nice to see 10m doing good service.’,G4ENZ but ‘10M was very disappointing’, from VO1HP and ‘a shame 10m never opened here’, from ZL3AB. Someone asked ‘OK, who gave 10m the day off?’.
On 15m, ‘plagued by variable propagation and fierce multipath echoes making it hard to copy callsigns and serials’, VK2IG.
And on 20m ‘Good conditions especially 20m to UK both directions’, from VK3YE/P QRP on a beach near Melbourne.
On 80 and 40m conditions were poor too. ‘Only ZL3AB on 80m’, G4FAL and G3PJT.
The following call areas were active but did not submit logs: 9J, 9M, 9V, 9Z, C6, J8, V3, V4, V8, VE4, VK8
Open section Unassisted
The winner of the Senior Rosebowl was Colin ZF2CA (G4CWH). This result was a really superb effort. Colin’s points score (8985) was the highest of any entrant, exceeding that of the leading station in the Assisted section, VE3EJ (8945)! Colin told me that the station on Cayman is one of the most sophisicated he has ever seen, let alone been allowed to operate, SO2R, naturally, and lots of station automation. Its unrecogniseable as the station I operated from in 1996.
In second place was XL3T Ron (VE3AT) and in third place was Kevin,VK6T (VK6LW) click here for the podcast.
As far as the UK trophies are concerned The Col Thomas Rose Bowl for the leading UK&CD was won by Nick, M5DX (G4FAL).
The VP8GQ Trophy (Leading 12 hour non UK&CD) is awarded to 5B4WN. The Ross Carey Rose Bowl (Leading 12 hour UK & CD) to G4PIQ
Restricted – Single Operator Unassisted Section
1st place Junior Rose Bowl was won by Joe 9H1CG. He says ‘This comes 50 years after making it to 5th place in the 1974 BERU Contest.’ 2nd place was won by seasoned Traveller Mike 6Y6YI (G3VYI) operating from Discovery Bay which is a town in Saint Ann Parish on the northern coast of Jamaica. So a pretty much direct sea path to UK and eastern Canada.
The John Dunnington G3LZQ Trophy (Leading UK & CD) was awarded to G4CZB, leading 12 hour UK & CD was GM4JYB and the leading 12 hour non UK&CD was VE3KOT.
Open – Single Operator Assisted Section
The Rosebery Shield (1st place) VE3EJ and in 2nd place was VE3JM. Leading G station was Dave, G3TBK in 3rd place, ’10m diappointed after recent weeks, other bands up on last year.’ .
The leading 12 hour non UK&CD was Barry VK2BJ 4th highest VK in all sections and the leading 12 hour UK & CD was G3XRJ from south Cornwall with the sea in the background, see above..
Restricted – Single Operator Assisted.
The leading station was G4SGX/6Y (G4SGX) and you can see the site in the photos above.
In 2nd place was G3PHO and in 3rd place was G3RLE
Leading 12 hour UK & CD G3WW and leading 12 hour non UK&CD VE1ANU
Commonwealth Medal
The Commonwealth Medal this year is awarded to Allan, VK2GR.
Commonwealth Travellers
Entrants travelling to less active parts of the Commonwealth have become a feature of the contest over many years. Being bonus QSOs for every entrants makes them very popular indeed. It is right then that we should award certificates to them when they go to the trouble and expense of these trips year after year. Two certificates are awarded this year, to G4SGX/6Y and to 6Y6YI(G3VYI).
Having made about 25 of these trips over the years I would encourage any of you who fancy a trip to somewhere a bit more exciting to get planning for 2025. For example what about Provodentiales!
Teams
Normally I would paste the Teams Table from the results pages here but I am at the moment unable to do this as WordPress seems to do a pretty good job of mangling tables. ( any help appreciated !).
So you will have to use this link.
Suffice to say that Canada Ontario head the table this year closely persued by World Traveller Plus and Team GE, one of the best results from the UK for sometime!
HQ Stations
15 HQ stations were active and they provided much interest for all entrants. There were 3 from VE, 6 from VK and 6 from UK&CD. Leading station was GB5CC operated by Chris,GM3WOJ, ‘Thanks everyone who worked GB5CC. Highlight was working Phil ZL3P on 10m on the Long Path. Need more activity, esp. from Africa.’. You can read some of the background of GB5CC and the Golden Anniversary Contest in 1987 operated by Don G3BJ and Alan G4DJX.
5W section
This section attracted 17 entries and although conditions were not of the best it appears to have been enjoyable. The leading stations were, VE3KI followed by VE2IW and GM4M,’Nice conditions, seemed to be less VE and call areas than last year and it shows in my log. Being unable to work other G calls is a definite handicap.’. VK3YE was again active from the beach near Melbourne.
Soapbox Index
As a good number of entrants (30) sent in comments I have indexed them here
VE3BR, VK2IG, 9H1CG, G3WRR, VK6T, GW4J, G3KZR, M5O, VK4M, ZL3P, VK7GN, VL6M, VK5WIA, G4FNL, M5DX, GB5CC, ZF2CA, G4SGX/6Y, VO1HP, VK5WIA, VK4M, 6Y6YI, VK6T, G4KNO, GM4YXI, G3WPH, G0W, G3BJ, G4PIQ, ZL3AB
Last words
Thanks to everyone who sent in comments and photographs – please make a note to send them to me directly ( bob at mycall .com) not via RSGB HFCC as I need high def ones for RadCom and other write ups.
See you next March
Commonwealth Contest 