Hi Gang
I have just returned from ZX0F and I thought I would summarize our story
while it is still fresh in my mind.
First - ZX0F QSL cards will be handled by PY5EG - Atilano de Oms - in
Curitiba, Brazil. A special ZX0F full color qsl is being arranged by K1LZ of
ACOM amplifiers for this operation. But it will take some time to prepare in
Bulgaria - so please do be patient - it will take some time (eg MONTHS to do
this - not weeks!)
W9VA is the PY0FF QSL manager - but NOT for ZX0F - so please do NOT send QSL
cards to Bill, W9VA - as this will only delay your reply. Bill will have to
forward any cards received at his QTH - and this is not fair to Bill. Please
QSL via PY5EG for the ZX0F operation - tks!
I have a full set of 160m logs in my possession - so if anyone has a problem
with a QSL for this operation (eg: probs with a reply - etc) - pse get to me
(in time) as I will probably be able to help in the "one-off" situation. I
am requesting some cards of my own for this purpose as a BACK-UP qsl resource
- so pse make a note of it.
Now to a few remarks about our operation.
PY0F is located a couple hundred miles EAST of Brazil in the Atlantic and we
had a superb shot out over water to the USA and Europe. While this was GOOD
news, the BAD NEWS was that we were a LONG WAY from the USA (even the EAST
Coast) and more than 3400 miles from Europe. Thus, we knew we would have
some difficulties being heard under marginal conditions or through pileups
during contest conditions.
Here's a summary of our 160m operations:
Arrival Tues 26 October - 7:30PM local time
Late arrival on the island - only time to check-in with W9ARV on 75m SSB.
Bob says we are 20 over S9 while xmitting on a Force 12 rotary dipole at 75
feet.
Wed 27 October
Jim Hoffman, N5FA, wakes me up at 4:30AM to get going on the lowband
beverages. UGH!!! So we work all day together in a veritable JUNGLE to
erect the beverage RX system for 160M and 80M. We laid out two phased
beverage systems toward the USA and Europe each 580 feet long/spaced 200 feet
apart - fed through Amidon 50 ohm to 25 ohm UNUNS. Towards Africa and the
Pacific we erected single 580 foot wire beverages fed with ICE matching
transformers.
Toward the end of Wed, as sunset approached, I feverishly tried to get an old
inverted L going - but ran out of daylight and energy - and missed my first
sked with VK6HD and VK6VZ at 2115z due to a lack of available daylight to
complete the project and simple exhaustion.
After dinner, we made another QSO with W9ARV on 75SSB and learned that a
recently erected three element wire yagi for 80M was going to outperform the
Force 12 rotatable dipole by a wide margin.
After dark, we hooked up the four beverage feedlines (some over 600 feet
long) down into the jungle using a flashlight. We subsequently learned our
EU and USA phased beverage systems were going to be absolutely KILLER RX
systems. When listening towards the USA, Europe was totally **invisible**
and when listening to Europe, USA pileups simply vanished. It was the most
remarkable listening experience I have ever seen - really! The simple flip
of a switch revealed two distinct pileups on the same frequency - you could
listen to one without even hearing the presence of the other!
Thurs 27 Oct
Today I spent the whole morning laying down 5,000 feet of wire for what was
planned to be the radial system for a 160M 1/4 wave baloon supported vertical
overlooking the beach at the edge of a cliff. I quit when I reached 60
radials - each more or less 100 feet long.
In the early afternoon, I resurrected the old 160m inverted L and hung it
from the 70 foot level of the 20m tower. This night I added a few radials
bringing the evening's total to about 16 radials under this antenna. By
sunset, this antenna was ready to go with a 1.3/1 SWR at 1830Khz.
I got on just at sunset and looked for VK6HD and VK6VZ on sked quitting at
2120Z. At about 2100z, I heard a UY0/MM off the coast of Mauritania calling
VK6HD - and I heard 5C8M work VK6HD about 2030z or so. I did not hear Mike
but called steadily on 1832 using the L as an Xmit antenna and listening over
Africa for a reply. This night was not good into VK - Mike could not hear
the MM station nor me - as far as I could tell.
At ZS5K's sunrise I called Greg repeatedly on 1824 - we never heard each
other - but G3PQA could hear both of us calling each other at his QTH -
bummer! - but that is 160M! You just never know.....
Backing up just a bit, just after sunset, Jim, N5FA and I along with Don
PY5ZBU and Geo K2DM all tried our first attempt at raising a 1/4 wave 160m
vertical supported by a 7 foot MONSTER helium Wx balloon - from Fair Radio
Sales in Nebr. I carried down two of these things in my luggage.
This sucker took a whole 3000 PSI tube of helium to fill - and we filled it
twice. We believed it had a slow leak - but did get it filled well after
sunset. We used #14 wire for the radiator and attached 3 tag lines to help
control the vertical under the steady breeze that NEVER stopped blowing on
the island.
On our second attempt, the balloon went right up - to about 80 feet - then
the wind caught it and it stayed pushed out at a 45 degree angle - in spite
of the 3 tag lines.
We tried very hard to extend the remaining 50 feet of wire for the VERT - but
to no avail.
I was turning to go back to the station (1000 feet away) when a gust of wind
caught the balloon and lifted the entire radial system OFF the ground to
about 6 feet - and I caught a glimpse of Jim in total darkness as he tried to
hold the thing down by means of one of the nylon cord tag lines.
MISTAKE! - The ballon ripped the cord through Jim's hands (causing a severe
burn) and broke the wire right at the feedpoint and the last time we saw it
in the moonlit sky was about the time it passed Jupiter!
It was now well after dark - and we quit very disconsolate about the entire
affair.
I later worked a bunch of W's and a few Eu stations on Thurs night on 160M CW
using the 1/4 wave L for XMIT - quitting around 02z to get some much needed
rest.
Fri 28 Oct
Awoke early again - and set up the 160m and 80M stations in final form. In
the late morning, I worked with K1LZ, N5FA and LZ1JY to erect a loaded four
square array for 80M - using 40 foot PVC poles for supports - and four
elevated radials under each radiator. This antenna was erected on a plateau
overlooking the ocean to the USA - and seemed to hear well. But the 3el wire
yagi for 80M beat the pants off it on XMIT on 80M - oh well! Bummer!
At sunset, Jim Hoffman, N5FA, and I tried again to hang a 160m 1/4 wave
vertical using a helium balloon system.
This time, we used the WA7UQV balloon kit for 160m and tried using **two** 4
foot balloons - one attached at 60 feet and one at 140 feet. SUCCESS (well
sort of!)
This time all the wire went up and we used one nylon fishing cord line to try
to control the balloon in the wind.
Doing a helium balloon CAN WORK (I suppose) - but I will NEVER try again in a
windy environment. The full 140 feet of wire always stayed up but MOST of
the time oscillated within a range of 30 to 45 degrees with respect to the
ground. We could watch the SWR change as the balloon neared the ground (it
went UP) and we could see the balloon's xmit performance deteriorate whenever
it was pushed over by the wind to less than a 45 degree angle with respect to
ground. It NEVER extended straight up - due to the wind - and I watched it
from a distance of 1000 feet in the moonlight as we transmitted on 160M with
it before the contest started.
The simple reality was this - when it was close to vertical EU stations heard
us reasonably well on it. When the wind took it to 30 degrees over the
ground we were just not able to be heard ANYWHERE on it - even over a 60
radial ground screen!
FRI night 29 Oct - the start of the contest!
I looked hard for VH6HD and VK6VZ at sunset - but no luck hearing their CW
this night.
Peter Bock-Sprengel, PY5CC, started the first two hours on Topband while I
ran 20M SSB. I relieved him at 02Z and did 160m for the rest of the night -
and Peter reported that **nobody** had heard him on the balloon vertical -
everything he was able to work was worked on the inverted L - now up to a 30
radial on-ground system - which I had improved during LUNCH on Friday
afternoon.
By the end of the first night, we had worked about 150 stations on 160M -
around 15 zones and about 46 countries. We were able to hear a PIN DROP on
160M this night and it was enormously frustrating to call LOUD EU stations
all night long - who continued to CQ in our face - for hours at a time! OT9A
and OT9L get the "BRONX-cheer award" for never being able to copy our full
call - on either night.
On the other hand, RW2F and LY3BS get the "K1ZM superior-ears award" for
hearing me calling them on the first or second call (and then telling us we
had a GOOD signal!)
Most stateside ops seemed to hear us well - W2VO and W8JI seemed to have the
LOUDEST signals at ZX0F - with honorable mention going to KC1XX who was
almost as loud all night long!
Sat night 30 Oct
The balloons had deflated during the day - and we did not refill them. We
xmitted on the L exclusively the second night of the contest and managed to
work another 100 stations and about 10 more countries. It was hard getting
XE2DV to hear us and HC8A was tough as well - but eventually we were able to
be heard. At PY0F sunrise, I worked NI6T (twice!) along with NK7U and a
bunch of other West coast USA stations. W0FLS was loud as was K0HA
(expected!)
Sun night 30 Oct - four hours to go in the contest!
We rehung the balloon just at sunset - this time with four ballons at the
30/60/90 and 140 foot levels. We almost got it vertical - but only when the
wind calmed - most of the time it stayed pushed over at 45-60 degrees with
respect to the ground.
When it was nearly vertical, PI4ZLDcould hear us well as did OT9C and 4U1VIC.
OT9A and OT9L (deaf as a doorknob!) alas did NOT!
George, K2DM, operated the last 2 hours while I did 20M SSB - and reported
that he called Eu stations for 20 mins at a time - only to be CQ'd in his
face time and time and time again.
Mon 31 Oct/Tues 1 Nov
All beverages were taken down this day but I still got on at sunset
listening/xmitting on the INV L with preamps to help on Rx.
Worked many Eu stations at sunset and then the USA when it became dark there.
I stayed on from 2000z to 0130z - logging about 261 stations in all. Most
were between S0 and S1 at ZX0F (in the absence of beverages) and it took many
many repeats to work some of them.
Late in the opening, W6DAO, EL2WW and N6FF were LOUD - as were K7CA and W7LR.
Tues 2 Nov
My last night on 160M from 2000z - to about 0130Z. I worked MANY EU
stations, and a handful of W's - about 60 in all I think. We had a late
dinner and then started packing for our departure on Wed at Noon 3 Nov from
the island.
It should be noted that PY0F is a Brazilian National Park - and as such,
there is almost NO infrastructure on the island. There are NO HOTELS, no
resorts, no real stores and only two **small** tourist shops. Andre Sampaio,
PY0FF and our host, enjoys a special status as a former PY government
employee - and, as such, is able to "occupy" his land and use it as he
wishes. However, he cannot rent it or sell it - and if he were ever to
leave, it would revert to the PY government.
Andre, like MOST of the 2,000 residents on Fernando, uses his leased site as
a "bed and breakfast" - which is allowed under the use agreement granted him
and other residents by the Brazilian government. His POUSADA (or bed and
breakfast as they are called) is the BEST equipped on the island - complete
with a fantastic Italian restaurant.
Each night at 7:30PM when it opened, there was a line of at **least** 50
people waiting to gain entry - so we took our dinners around 10PM when the
crowd thinned enuff to accomodate our gang of 10 for dinner and drinks.
While on the island, we found time Tues to "swim with the dolfins" in the
Bahia de Golfhinos - and LZ1JY, K1LZ, K2DM, K1CC and I had a veritable blast
snorkeling in several bays on the North side of the island.
I would recommend this place as a family visitation site - but only to those
who are willing to accept a place with NO AMENITIES - where life is truly
simple - and you are there just to take in the fantastic marine life and
scenery. There are no pools nor golf courses nor 4 star restaurants on the
3.5 x 1.5 mile island paradise.
Just simple, friendly people - where lunch costs $3.00 USD and a complete
dinner at the Pousada de Morena (PY0FF's place) can be had for less than $15
(including drinks). Lodging (with breakfast) costs less than $40 per day.
(After a week on Bermuda from 17-24 October - I can tell you this was a
fanstastic deal!)
Thanks to all those 160M friends who worked us during the contest - we
greatly appreciated all those who listened to our relatively weak signal -
even though we were always running FULL LEGAL power output - before and after
the contest.
Again, QSL''s are via PY5EG - ***not via W9VA** - and I have a copy of the
logs at K1ZM should anyone run into problems with a QSL via the announced
route.
Pse be patient with the QSL's - it will be MONTHS before they arrive from
Bulgaria.
In closing, I wish to note that as I arrived home today - the first ZX0F 160m
QSL was in my mailbox - this from Ted Cohen, N4XX.
I will hold onto this card - and probably answer it myself - when I get a
small stock of ZX0F cards from K1LZ later next year.
It was fun to work all of you - see you in three weeks from ZONE 21 - where I
hope to work many of you again as A61AJ's 160m op.
73 de Jeff
K1ZM@aol.com
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