Just reviewed the DV portion of the thread (concerned the jibe might be aimed in my direction). But I don’t see anything from me or anyone else that isn’t useful discussion in the context of being able to participate in the March flavour.
“A Tom test is a good test” - a leading amateur radio equipment supplier said that 
Yes, I’ve noted that, Tom. It makes it worth a second look if my present handheld dies.
We have already gone down the VX-7 route (with added filters for 2m) and don’t want to start collecting another set of spare batteries/chargers/etc. Except that I would be prepared to lash out £70 for a pair of these so we might have a go at the DV part of the challenge - IF there is any activity on 2m DMR - and would otherwise carry on as we are.
73,
Rod
Thanks, Andy, for this reply. The question remains - is there any point in getting one (or two) to work the Challenge DV weeks? With C4FM and D D-star well established I very much doubt it unless a lot of other activators get on board. They would need to be people not contacted during the 70cm week as there is no multiplier for “Week”.
73,
Rod
It isn’t quite as simple as that Rod. If you work a call you’ve already worked in the Challenge you won’t get a new QSO partner point, but if it’s your first (and possibly only) Flavour-qualifying QSO on a new unique (in the Challenge) summit, then the QSO still increments your multiplier - and thus boosts your score.
Best way, as Andy @mm0fmf always tells us, is to activate normally, log everything, and let the Database do the work.
Yes, Tom, but if I activate normally I will not be using DV. I am trying to decide whether to give it a try and, if so, at what cost/benefit.
73,
Rod
I wonder if this - DMR GPS Retevis RT82 Digital Radio Dual Band Compatible w/Motorola TierⅠ&Ⅱ+USB - would be better value; dual band at £92.99. Again I suppose it depends on whether anyone else uses DMR.
73,
Rod
This is the core of the problem. Several different and incompatible DV modes, which do you choose?
I see what you did there! What I meant was, as I’m sure you knew, if taking part on DV, work your callers and log them and don’t concern yourself with whether they’re going to add to your Challenge score. One that you think isn’t a scorer, when you’re tired, cold and wet atop a windy summit, might turn out to score as per my illustration above.
There’s definitely C4FM activity to be had up and down the country. This I can personally vouch for. Other than that, time for a survey…
Hi everyone.
I use a Yaesu FT2 mostly on summits which gives me the capability of keeping Viki happy with a 70cms S2S 
This hh is C4FM enabled and I’ve had loads of contacts and a few S2S on this mode, however, these contacts have been made up in G/LD with the ever faithful chasers such as Sue, Douggie, Mark and Derek to name but a few and members of the North West Fusion group. These contacts were mostly requested by them although I had alerted that I had the capability. To date I have been disappointed with the audio quality of this mode as compared to FM…could this be the FT2 as I have heard reports that the FT3 is better?
Down in this part of Wales we have 3 Fusion enabled repeaters but FM is the main mode of operation with requests to move to Fusion on request and only as an ‘experiment’ . None of my friends are listening on the DV calling frequency and as other activators will know most of my local chasers are monitoring the FM calling frequency and don’t have DV capability…or do they…quite a few Yaesu 991 rigs out there now.
When Viki, Rod and myself activated Cadair Idris the response on DV was zero contacts despite an Alert and Spots…Viki had a pile-up on 2m and a good run of chasers on 70cms. I was using an antenna comparable to Viki’s system.
Maybe I’m not doing the right thing and should be doing ‘a Viki’ by posing the question of ‘any possibility of a DV contact also’ to promote activity. I had 21 FM contacts on Foel Cwmcerwyn on New Year’s day…lost opportunity maybe? Maybe the challenge will change my perceptions or kick start activity.
Do I purchase a cheap DMR for the challenge…I think not. My perception is that I have more of a chance on C4FM if I drum up support in my locality from now on.
Anyway…just my thoughts…
73 Allan GW4VPX
Aye, there’s the rub. As a man from the midlands once said.
If it was me then in this order: dual band analogue/C4FM handy then a UHF DMR.
DMR
For the February challenge I have been thinking about using the built in capabilities of my KX3 and using RTTY and/or PSK31 as my data modes. Time for me to dig out the manual since I use my KX3 primarily for HF CW and occasionally SSB and VHF for FM, SSB, and CW.
Then for March I can use my Kenwood Th-D74A for DSTAR - another trip to the manual since I have never programed the HT for DSTAR.
For both February and March I will need to find interested chasers. And spend some time in the shack practicing to increase the opportunities when on the summits.
I wonder if anyone would be interested in doing RTTY and/or PSK31 on 23cm - combining digital with microwave might be very interesting!
With the DV flavour coming to a close on Saturday, we are now a quarter of the way through the 2020 Challenge. The next Challenge session will be 1st-7th April 2020, and the Flavour is LF: 160m & 80m once again.
Of the three flavours held so far, LF was clearly the favourite, so hopefully there will be another big turnout of 80m/160m activators in April.
160m/80m | 64
Datamodes | 24
Digital voice | 19
160m/80m | 197
Datamodes | 60
Digital voice | 18
Certainly the only one I’ve nibbled at. At present the long wire at my QTHr seems to work best at the lower end of 80 (and the top end of 60) metres, so if propagation continues to behave as it has this last month, I might get some more chases in April. If I get time to work on the antenna then I might just manage to work on bits of 160 metres as well.
Thanks for the latest statsTom. I see you are one of the Front Runners in the Activators section. Looking forward to the next 80m/160m round as a Chaser as I missed out on the January one due to time away from my home station. The weekends seem to be when most of the action takes place, when the economically active have some time off and head off into the hills and mountains…
Weather improved a lot here this last week. The days are lengthening nicely and condx on 20m were better today than last week. First time I have heard EA8/G1INK Steve on 20m in Lanzarote out of about 5 activations was today.
73 Phil
I note that only 7 activators have participated in each of the first 3 Flavours.
I’m looking forward to the 12/10/6m Flavours section later in the year! RSGB HF CW NFD on 6/7th June could boost Activators scores on 10m - always 100s of G & DL and other EU Countries stations on in the contest. The same weekend the UK Six Metre Group have their 50 MHz summer contest on from 1330z-1300z should also help the Flavour Activators build a nice score. Always brings plenty on the 6m band that contest!
Nightly prayers for Sporadic E then for the first week in June…
73 Phil
I think you mean 85 unique activators have taken part. Including many European countries, USA , Canada, Japan, Australie and New Zealand.
Joe is correct, but we this side of the pond would perhaps have written “all” rather than “each”. 63 activators took part in the 160/80m challenge, 24 in data and 19 in DV.
Only three chasers have taken part in all the first three flavours, although in total chasers far outnumber activators with something like 240 so far. I see that 195 chasers took part in the 160/80m challenge, as against 70 in data and 18 in DV, though late logging may see that change.
Dear Brian & MT
We are now only one week from the next Flavours Challenge leg. Due to the presence of Covid-19 what will happen to it please?
73 Phil