Where's my UBN?

CW is certainly my favourite mode but when it comes to contesting it can be rather nerve wracking. I am more of a slow but sure kind of operator and just find writing fast enough for the speeds involved in serious contesting a bit mind boggling. That's even before we mention my typing skills which are two fingered at best (one on each hand, just in case anyone gets the wrong idea). 

For logging HF contests I have settled on N1MM+ for both the logging and 90% of the sending. If the station on the other end of the QSO asks a question I have to intervene manually with a key, even my laboured pace is faster than typing. Transcribing a paper log after a contest always seems to induce errors so live logging is a must for me.

The RSGB 80 meter CC Contests are my favourite Contest by quite a long way. They are friendly and quite relaxed affairs. The maximum power level allowed is 100 watts, so it is possible to compete on a fairly level playing field. Some stations rattle away at a fair old pace but my 20 wpm limit is tolerated amicably by the big boys.

The first CC Contest of 2016 was 18th February and conditions were extremely poor. I only managed 10 QSO's in the hour and a half. Even strong sounding stations had so much distortion on their signals that all stations were quite difficult to copy accurately. I was tempted to only enter a check log as I had scored so pitifully but it seemed that I was not alone so duely placed my entry to find that quite a few other stations had not reached double figures.

The second Contest was in 16th March and conditions were much better and I worked 52 other stations just by S&P through the band. Not a great score but a most enjoyable hour and a half.

UBN's are adjudication reports that inform you of any errors in your submitted log and it is normal to receive  a couple of error reports in any given Contest. So far this year in both of the above Contests I have received no UBN's, a fact that gives me great satisfaction and recompenses  for my lowly place in the results table. Being a member of FISTS I embrace their policy of "accuracy over speed" and no UBN means my accuracy is improving.

I probably should not tempt providence as the year is yet young with many more opportunities to tarnish my unblemished record. But - So Far So Good.

73 de Jim G0HGH 

Update 15/04/2016
The results from the 3rd leg of the Contest have been released and my clean slate has been tarnished. Just one UBN with a serial number being out by one. I am not too upset by that, especially as my score was much higher than the previous two Contests.

73 de Jim G0HGH