CHRISTMAS CRACKER 2011

Competing Stations
Position	Unit Name	Phase				Scored	Claimed
		1	2	3	4
1	Hants & IOW ACF, C Coy	29	30	66	35	160	255
2	Bridlington School CCF	33	24	57	35	149	253
3	Hants & IOW ACF, B Coy	27	16	42	32	117	215
4	Maidstone Grammar School CCF	28	2	60	25	115	209
5	1213 Sqn (Andover) ATC	28	14	30	42	114	168
6	Warwick School CCF	16	20	36	33	105	167
7	1003 Sqn (Leighton Buzzard) Sqn ATC	26	14	38	20	98	220
8	Sir Roger Manwood's School CCF	8	8	45	19	80	184
9	Essex ACF, B Coy	11	10	33	22	76	138
10	Essex ACF, C Coy	22	4	15	29	70	105
11	Merchant Taylors' School CCF	13	2	27	26	68	146
12	Royal Russel CCF	29	2	30	5	66	152
13	1474 (Wickford) Sqn ATC	9	2	36	6	53	81
14	Dollar Academy CCF	14	4	30	3	51	93
15	Essex ACF, C Coy	11	2	6	21	40	110
16	2484 (Bassigbourn) Sqn ATC	14			14	28	45
17	Humberside ACF	2			7	9	28
Adult Operators
Position	Unit Name	Phase				Scored	Claimed
		1	2	3	4
1	Net Assistant - Blandford		16	27		43	63
=2	Net Monitor - CW	2	0	18	3	23	38
=2	Net Assistant - Basingstoke	14			9	23	30
4	Net Monitor - South	15				15	16
5	Net Assistant - Eastleigh	4			2	6	16
Active & No Log

Comments from the Organiser

This years competition was nicely spread across most of the table. It is always interesting to see how 10 of 15 points would affect each of the positions. I have always found this to be a great motivator for the following year as the accuracy of every contact counts!

The deadline for the results was as generous as last year yet there were still some missing logs. I was disappointed to see the general quality of the logs had deteriorated from last year as exchanges were written on differing frequencies on different logs! Please double check your logs when they are being written and please write them clearly. One log came back in a different format to the log sheet that was distributed. This caused quite a bit of hassle as the logs couldn't easily be checked against all the others. Timing throughout the competition was generally okay however two stations clocks differed by 3 hours within 45 mins! If a single clock is used throughout the competition and the time when the messages have been sent is written straight into the log, the times shouldn't differ by any more than a few minutes throughout the competition. On the whole, there were higher points scores than last year which must mean something went well.

Conditions appeared to be good throughout the competition despite the following from NOAA:

2011-11-26 16:23 Minor Solar Radiation Storm in Progress

An S1 (minor) solar radiation storm began a few hours ago and continues. The source of this event is not clear, although there has been CME and very small long-duration x-ray flare activity that preceded it. SWPC forecasters are looking for a return to more normal conditions over the next 24 hours.

It was obvious from the logs that the lower frequencies were only useable from 0001-0400 and no-one had much luck using them during the first day. The higher frequencies appeared to be working well, possibly due to the radiation storm.

Hopefully everyone learnt something from taking part in the competition and next years competition will be closer across the whole table. It is always good to have ACF, CCF and ATC stations competing regularly.

Congratulations to the winners. They have pipped Bridlington to first place after working their way up the table over the last few years. Next years competition should be very close with other stations edging up the table to join the group at the top. Should any station require a Certificate of entry, they can be sent out on request.

I may not be running the Christmas Cracker competition in 2012 as I am now heavily involved in the organisation and running of The CCF (RAF) South West Region Air Squadron Trophy and Section Commanders Conference. However, there may be some changes next year including electronic submission of logs and changes to the format and scoring to hopefully make logging and checking easier. Your comments are always welcome on possible improvements.

NB: Next Christmas Cracker is on 24 - 25 November 2012 and the organiser is tbc.

Competition Organiser - Flt Lt A May