 | ||
|
[+] Mailing label | ||
Lookups: 8672
| ||
| Email: Use mouse to view.. QSL: UA3DJY | ||
20140112 1839UTC 10120kHz S79ACR
Date : 12/Jan/2014 1839UTC
Freq : 10120kHz CW
Rig : SDR(PI4THT)
ANT : Mini-Whip(PAORDT)
PC recording
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
QSL information: preffered way is LoTW and eQSL. QSL also can be sent via buro to UA3DJY. Please consider direct QSLs to my home address in Russia as exception: there is high probability that direct QSL will be lost by russian post. Please do not put US dollars inside if you sending QSL direct, IRC is better choice to let your QSL card come through the russian post.
Logs are usually loaded to LoTW & eQSL not later than next morning after operation.
Activities from Mahe Island: using CW for portable operation, KX3 transceiver with 10W output power, quarter wave vertical for 15/12/10m bands made from fishing rod and wire, four elevated radials. Various points in mountains are planned for portable operation.
Planning to use JT65 digital mode to operate from the Sun&Resort properties hotel, QTH Beau Vallon, have already instaled quarter wave vertical antenna for 20m band, two elevated radials. 5W power will be used for JT65.
I am most grateful to Kenny, KB2NOD, who interested me to come here to Seychelles, assisted in getting S79 license and now guiding me through the mountain trails. Kenny was very active in CW/RTTY from UK3ACR MIPT student club until 1992, then have had long brake, I hope one day he will come back to the radio. In the picture below Kenny is filling in bottle with drinking water on the way to Mare Aux Cochons valley:
Sun Resort properties, the place we are staying in:
There is map of the activated points:
December 21st, 2013
Operation from Bel Ombre, 235 meter height, latitude 4.62404 south, longtitude 55.4063 east.
142 QSO on 12m band made between 06:20 and 08:00 UTC.
On top of hte hill:
Antenna feed point:
December 23rd, 2013
My shack:
Shack inside, everything is wet including logbook:
Got out of battery, it is time to return back to the hotel:
Southwest part of Mahe Island:
Morne Blanc is in center of the picture:
West part of Mahe Island through the could window:
evening activities:
Tried 30m band using vertical for 20m band in the hotel, with surprise discovered that some stations from Europe can hear me, 14 CW QSO were logged. Tomorrow I will try to retune 20m quarter wave vertical to 30m band.
January 10th, 2014
Evening activities from the hotel on 30m band, still using vertical antenna for 20m band. 16 QSO put down in the log.
Logs are usually loaded to LoTW & eQSL not later than next morning after operation.
Activities from Mahe Island: using CW for portable operation, KX3 transceiver with 10W output power, quarter wave vertical for 15/12/10m bands made from fishing rod and wire, four elevated radials. Various points in mountains are planned for portable operation.
Planning to use JT65 digital mode to operate from the Sun&Resort properties hotel, QTH Beau Vallon, have already instaled quarter wave vertical antenna for 20m band, two elevated radials. 5W power will be used for JT65.
I am most grateful to Kenny, KB2NOD, who interested me to come here to Seychelles, assisted in getting S79 license and now guiding me through the mountain trails. Kenny was very active in CW/RTTY from UK3ACR MIPT student club until 1992, then have had long brake, I hope one day he will come back to the radio. In the picture below Kenny is filling in bottle with drinking water on the way to Mare Aux Cochons valley:
Sun Resort properties, the place we are staying in:
There is map of the activated points:
December 20th, 2013
Attempt to operate from valley Mare Aux Cochons, 430 meter height,
latitude 4.63809 south, longtitude 55.41263 east.
On 12m band heard VK6, ZS, Russia and Europe, but no one answered to my CQ.
Seems all directions from this point are closed by nearby mountains.
On the way, view of Beau Vallon, Mount Howard is ahead:
On the way to Mare Aux Cohons:
Mount Jasmin view from the valley, left peak is planned for climbing:
First attempt to operate S79ACR:
December 21st, 2013
Operation from Bel Ombre, 235 meter height, latitude 4.62404 south, longtitude 55.4063 east.
142 QSO on 12m band made between 06:20 and 08:00 UTC.
On top of hte hill:
December 22nd, 2013
Operation from Mount Howard, 430 meter height.
Latitude 4.57642 south, longtitude 55.44463 east, near Vista Do Mar.
There is concrete bunker built at WW II time on top of the mount.
Equipment and antenna were installed on roof of this bunker.
Operation started at 08:40 and finished at 10:11 UTC.
122 contacts were made on 12m band and 1 QSO on 10m band. Most EU stations
were coming with signal strength S7 to S9, much stronger in
comparison to the previous location.
On the way to Mount Howard:
Jack fruit tree:
View of Victoria:
Old bunker on top of the mount:
Antenna feed point:
December 23rd, 2013
Operation from Anse Nord D'est, beach at northeast part of Mahe Island.
Latitude 4.57135 south, longtitude 55.45958 east.
Operation started at 11:45 and finished at 12:55 UTC.
128 contacts were made on 15m band. Most stations
were coming with signal strength S9.
First contact is made in JT65 on 20m from the hotel at evening.
December 24th, 2013
It was raining for most part of the day and bad weather interfered to our plans to climb new mountain. We focused on JT65 activities being in the hotel.
We have found that 5W power is not enough to make contacts in JT65: spent more than 2 hours calling CQ we were lucky to make only two contacts with UA3YBW and VU3DJQ, with path balance somewhere between 11 and 15dB. JA3POT answered to my CQ but did not receive report from me later. We heard many EU and USA stations coming with SNR from -2. to -15dB but were not heard on other side. It led us to conclusion that we need up to 20dB more power to our 5W to bring us in balance.
December 25th, 2013
Operation from Mount Copolia, 560 meter height.
Latitude 4.654 south, longtitude 55.456 east.
Operation started at 07:15 and finished at 08:30 UTC.
65 contacts were made on 15m band. Signals from Europe were not strong in this point although direction to Europe is not closed by nearby mountains. Looks like my V-pol wave is compensated reflecting from walls of the nearby mountains. This was the first time I would prefer to use the horizontal polarisation.
On the way to Mount Copolia:
Northeast part of Mahe Island, Victoria:
View of south Victoria:
Multiple spots of the pitcher plant are on top of Mount Copolia:
My shack:
My shack inside:
We are not alone there:
December 26th, 2013
Operation from Anse Nord D'est, beach at northeast part of Mahe Island.
Latitude 4.57135 south, longtitude 55.45958 east.
Started at 07:25 and finished at 08:40 UTC. 152 contacts were made on 15m band.
Now using 45AH lead-acid battery for operation from car and hotel.
December 27th, 2013
Operation from Anse Majore beach, we got there via mountain trail.
Latitude 4.62645 south, longtitude 55.3853 east.
Operation started at 08:45 and finished at 10:20 UTC.
Rain, strong wind and loud noise from stormy ocean tried to intefere this activity,
logbook and equipment were wet, we had to relocate antenna and hide in the
located nearby pavilion, but rain got there too.
217 contacts were made on 15m band.
Strong signals: mostly S9, amazing propagation.
Unfortunately this operation, like many others, was limited by capacity of the battery,
my transceiver just turned off at some moment.
On the trail to Anse Majore:
View of Anse Majore:
My shack:
Shack inside, everything is wet including logbook:
Got out of battery, it is time to return back to the hotel:
December 28th, 2013
Operation from Anse Royale beach, southeast shore.
Latitude 4.7447 south, longtitude 55.5163 east.
Operation started at 06:40 and finished at 08:20 UTC.
24 contacts were made on 15/12/10m bands.
Huge difference in propagation in comparison to the previous
points: most contacts were with VK/ZL/HS/JA/HC and only one QSO with Europe.
There is some threshold existing in direction to JA, like at end of the propagation: many stations
calling me with S9 strength but often do not respond me if I giving them report.
December 29th, 2013
Operation from Anse Majore beach.
Latitude 4.62645 south, longtitude 55.3853 east.
Operation started at 07:38 and finished at 08:56 UTC.
Seems this time I put vertical antenna on beach too close to the hillside, to let
multiple visitors to occupy the beach this day.
I did hear many stations but had problems to be heard.
32 contacts were made on 17/15/12/10m bands.
December 30th, 2013
Operation from Anse Royale beach, southeast shore.
Latitude 4.7447 south, longtitude 55.5163 east.
Operation started at 08:05 and finished at 08:44 UTC.
Only 5 contacts were made on 15/12m bands. It was second attempt
to operate from this point, showing that this location is not suitable
for communication to Europe.
January 1st, 2014
Operation from Mount Jasmin, 535 meter height, west part of Island Mahe.
Latitude 4.6371 south, longtitude 55.4047 east.
Operation started at 08:12 and finished at 09:01 UTC.
17 contacts were made on 15/12m bands. Directions to Europe and Russia
are closed by nearby mountains.
We have climbed the mountain there were clouds. A bit later rain started and we have
had to leave the position quickly going down on the slippery slopes.
On the way to Mount Jasmin:
Using ladders to get on top of the mountain:
My shack, a bit cloudy inside:
Southwest part of Mahe Island:
Morne Blanc is in center of the picture:
West part of Mahe Island through the could window:
January 04th, 2014
Operation from Anse Nord D'est, beach at northeast part of Mahe Island.
Latitude 4.57135 south, longtitude 55.45958 east.
Started at 11:35 and finished at 13:42 UTC. 268 contacts were made on 15/12/10m bands.
Reinstalled and matched vertical antenna for 20m band in the hotel, evening activity from the hotel on 20m CW: 20 contacts with North America, will try JT65 next evening.
January 05th, 2014
JT65 activity from the hotel. 11 QSO recorded in the log.
January 06th, 2014
Operation from Anse Nord D'est, beach at northeast part of Mahe Island.
Latitude 4.57135 south, longtitude 55.45958 east.
Started at 10:59 and finished at 13:29 UTC. 215 contacts were made on 12/17m bands.
January 07th, 2014
Operation from Anse Majore beach.
Latitude 4.62645 south, longtitude 55.3853 east.
Operation started at 08:01 and finished at 09:32 UTC.
203 contacts were made on 15m band.
January 08th, 2014
We have climbed Morne Blanc, 636 meter height. I had to leave radio in the hotel, but did use camera instead of the radio.
Next time I will probably go there along to operate from this mount, if weather will allow to get there again.
Morne Blanc view from west side of Mahe Island:
Wet forest on top of Morne Blanc:
Top of the mountain is marked by this metal plate:
Staying on edge of Morne Blanc in front of Morne Seychellois, 900 mh, highest point on Island:
View of southwest part of Mahe Island:
View of west part of Mahe Island:
January 08th, 2014, evening activities
We have found good position on Bel Ombre beach, close to the hotel. Prepared vertical antenna extension for 17m band, going to try it soon from Bel Ombre beach.
JT65 on 20m band and tried 17m CW from hotel, 10 contacts recorded in the log.
January 09th, 2014
Operation from Bel Ombre beach, latitude 4.6168south, longtitude 55.4144east.
Operation from 06:43 till 08:03 UTC on 10m band, from 13:31 till 14:10 UTC on 17m band .
99 contacts were made on 10m band and 105 contacts on 17m band.
Tried 30m band using vertical for 20m band in the hotel, with surprise discovered that some stations from Europe can hear me, 14 CW QSO were logged. Tomorrow I will try to retune 20m quarter wave vertical to 30m band.
January 10th, 2014
Evening activities from the hotel on 30m band, still using vertical antenna for 20m band. 16 QSO put down in the log.
Last modified: 2014-01-11 03:37:38, 23534 bytes cached
