Thursday, 14 February 2013

CT7/M1KTA diary so far





10/2/2013


Ilha Deserta
Island south of Faro

IZ8TDP 15:25 SSB RX 57 TX 59 21.262
W9FFA 15:29 SSB RX 53 TX 59 21.260 Bill QSO??
4U1GSC 15:37 SSB RX 57 TX 59 21.252
G4NVY 15:56 SSB RX 51-57 Deep QSB TX 59 18.142 Mike 110W Gloucester, amazed by QRP signal
kept cq cq cq batteries low... dropped to 3W from 5W
G1UKZ 16:10 RX 21-53 Deep SLOW QSB TX 59 Phil 100W Manchester TS850 Loop antenna, also amazed by qsp qso.



 
Video of the SSB keyer being used and the s/w bugs!

Missed OX3MC, M1AQD, 7X5JF all 14.260-14.263...

batteries died. QRT 16:25

11/2/2013

Beach west of Albefura (what a pit that place is!)

14.285 called CQ - nil
18.142 called CQ - nil
21.285 called CQ - nil

Heard a few stations calling but no responses.

OZ7YY, KE4SW, LX1HD (21.289), also PY3, IV3...

Was all about 4:30pm.



 12/2/2013

Beach by Quateria about mile East of the main front so no buildings, about 15m from sea and antenna W3EDP E-W with rig at W end, centre at 6m and counterpoise to sea at 90 degrees from antenna.

KX3 internal (old) batteries and just 3W to make them last a bit longer.

11 AM start

18.130 heard MI0SDR call CQ tried but no response.

11:02 14.285 called CQ - nil

11:07 21.26739 heard PY1ZRT (Bob) working UR5ZFU. Bob had HB 5 el monoband on 12m boom, elements were wire on fibre glass poles, kenwood rig with Ameriton PA. Both 59+
11:14 21.270 PY1ZRT worked Nigel GW4FOK (400W) WX in Uk near Swansea was 4 degrees. Both 59+

11:18 started to call CQ 21.285
11:20 G1EBW Pete in Rugby gave me a 55. He was 30W initially and gave him 57, dropped to 5w for 2xqrp and he was 42. Ant was dipole. He visits CT either 4/4/2013 and 6/4/2013
11:24 M0YBC David from North Yorkshire thought we had finshed and broke in... gave me 57 he was a 43
11:29 G0TRB gave me 58 he was 57-58 QSB
11:29 G3WYN gave 56 Ken was a 57
11:30 very loud signal from ON9CFG Bjorn gave me a 5658 he was 59+10 with me, 100W and 100% sure his antenna made all the difference.
quiet for a bit few more CQ then
11:38 CU7CG (Azores) Gomes gave me 55-57 QSB he was a good 58.
Called CQ on 15m for a while but no response

11:45 18.130 called CQ
11:54 SM5X sent 57 I gave him 58 but then he evaporated.... batteries died shortly after.

New 8xAA put in place

Called CQ on 14.285 12:05 for a while - NIL
Called CQ on 7.090 12:10 for a while - NIL
scanned 40m 7.1561 heard EA1GXX calling CQ 59+ tried but no response.
Called CQ 18.130 12:15  - NIL
Called CQ on 21.285 12:17 -nil then IK4JPK started calling CQ right over me... getting cold and few rain drops so QRT.






13/2/2013

Drove over to the Spanish border and walked about the Castle near Castron Marim, walked onto the beach at Manta Rota.

Started with a CQ on 21.285 @ 13:00 - NIL

18.130 huge pile up calling someone I could not hear, picked out G3SJH from the scrum I listened but could not hear who it was.
18.133 F5BBD calling CQ but no response.
18.1423 ES1QX/5 (500W, 3 el yagi) called CQ no response but heard him work G7TPL (Simon, Manchester 13:24), KI4YY (Blair, Virginia 13:26 100W 2el quad), SP7ATA (13:28), W3UA (13:29)
18.14510 Called CQ 13:30 - NIL
Back down the band a heard a loud signal PA3GSU 18.140 so called him once, back he comes! R 59 S 59+60 Op IETSEN 120km from Amsterdam, 4 el monoband and big PA... laughed when said was QRP
18.143 Called CQ 13:42 NIL

21.285 Called CW 13:47 NIL

18.110 TM850N was in QSO with YO8YW (Op Iulian) 13:52
18.110 TM850N 14:00 850years of Notre Dame... email to confirm contact. I think he thought my call was  CT7/GM1KTA!

18.113 CQ NIL
18.117 14:11 Heard OE5GYL and GU4OUK Op Alan in QSL... tail ended and worked OE5GYL Op TONY QTH Linz, KX3 user but had 200W PA attached. Signal report R39 to R54 but deep qsb and sometimes down to noise.
18.117 called CQ 14:22
18.117 14:22 after 3 calls G0NEY Mike sent 58 I was just under noise but if concentrated could hear me. He said was 100W

Very sad as frequencies clear either side of 21.285 load of idiots all at least 100W some 400W+  G0TGR David, G0LVX Tom, G7NLP and W4IOW Ray talking all over the QRP SSB frequency about 14:40.

A guy walked up whilst on the beach and said hello. Turns out he is PD1MC and on holiday, his antennas also fishing poles but campsite in further inland and he said could not hear much, I showed him the bands were very lively... the W3EDP antenna was E-W rig at west end on WET SAND right at high tide mark.

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