I would be nice to include 70cm and higher in the challenge.
That’s unnecessary, Joe, there is already a permanent microwave award.
I agree Brian - but - while the 2020 schedule is set in stone, the 2021 Flavours are up for grabs. This will be informed by participation / popularity of the 2020 Flavours, proposals from participants and viability.
So anyone that wants to reshape how this looks for 2021, then get involved with the Challenge in 2020, and discuss your ideas here on the Reflector.
Ah darn, shame about the 1st Jan. Tricky date to work with as some of us are a little hung over for that particular date 
Looking forward to the rest !
Jonathan GW2HFR
There’s nothing like a walk up a hill to clear away the cobwebs and hangovers!
Not a bad first day for the challenge, though: I make it three 160m activations spotted and two dozen on 80 metres. The challenge lies in getting an effective antenna up, a half wave dipole on 160m is quite a problem! It is worth remembering that for many years Top Band was the preferred band for mobile operating and surprising distances were achieved with just the 10 watts of AM that were permitted and a centre-loaded whip!
Absolutely Brian, problem is Norwich (The home of Allan Partridge ) is nowhere near any hills and that is were the consumption took place !
Exactly, needed an excuse to try 160m for the first time.
160m mobile seems bonkers nowadays.
Jonathan
I remember the car park at Drayton Manor for the MARS/CARS rallies being a forest of towering whips!
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I tried to use my 80m dipole on 160m by matching it with the Elecraft T1 tuner, but it wasn’t having any of it! (Corndon Hill GW/MW-013)
Loading coils or wheeling out the monster 160m dipole might be in order. I did listen on top band before packing up, and it sounded quite lively at around 4:00pm.
It was just as well that I took the T1 with me, though, because the 80m dipole was rigged above a wire fence, which de-tuned it significantly.
Thanks for the QSO Brian, and to all the other chasers.
It was good also to meet Phil @G4HQB and Gillian @2E0OVW who arrived on summit to activate on 2m. A different sort of “complete”, we have now spoken over the air, and met face to face 
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Would be great if there was a category for Satellite here as well! 
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There very nearly was. Can’t remember the reason why it didn’t “make the cut” in the end. However, the 2021 Flavours Challenge schedule will not be finalised until towards the end of 2020, and Satellite could be a candidate for inclusion if well supported.
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Hi,
first 80m QSOs yesterday on GM/SS-083. Perhaps also the wettest activation I have experienced!
February is datamodes. What datamode would you suggest is likely to be the best for the challenge? I’ll be in Scotland from 1st to 7th February.
Happy New Year.
73s
I’d say FT8 is favourite.
Because it’s a challenge rather than a (potential) award and I’m not the competitive type, my participation will most likely be purely accidental. I think the various band-related “flavours” will be where I collect points, and unless I happen to do something about my antennas I’m unlikely to do any chasing covered by the challenge other than on 80 metres. There have been quite a few more activations spotted on 80 (and 160) than usual in the last week though, at least in Europe, so the challenge must be generating some interest…
Main catch with LF is the way D-layer absorbtion degrades it once the Sun’s been up for a bit.
I could certainly have done with FT8 from Gun last night. Lots heard by ear on Top Band but only Phil, G4OBK, made the log with thundering CW. Big struggle getting another 3 on 80m with experimental antenna.
The challenge table in the new database shows 146 participants so far.
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Hi Simon
Glad you made it on 80/160m. Listened on 80m but could not copy through the noise. 160m a quite readable 539 on 130 feet inverted L with 55 feet in the vertical section and close to 200 watts TX.
Earlier copied Tom M1EYP/P on 6m FT8 no problem operating from The Cloud, but could not get a response when I called him, I worked YO2LEA on FT8 instead - a nice surprise - that was at 1528z, only God knows what the propagation mode was then with no sporadic E evident at that time! No wonder they call 6m the magic band.
73 Phil
73 Phil
I’ve seen long burst meteor “pings” on 6m which have produced openings that last for 2mins or so. When VHF was alive and well (because only 40% of the world’s hams had HF access) 6m during bigger meteor storms could sound like 20m after a good meteor burst as stations all over Europe became audible for minutes. That was when 6m was much less available too.
All is explained on the “Radio Mysteries” thread Phil. Thankfully I’ve solved this particular mystery now, sorry I didn’t reply at the time. I heard several strong stations calling me from the north, but only decoded those that tried again under 1100Hz!
Hi Tom
Sounds like you may have turned on Fox-Hounds on in Hound mode. I’ll look at the other thread now having seen your comment.
For Andy the YO QSO - this wasn’t meteor scatter he was there for a good 5 minutes at least. Some sort of scatter or reflection I guess.
FT8 may be decried as a machine mode and not real amateur radio by some “purists” but it is proving to be a very effective low signal mode.
73 Phil