Hello Top Banders,
Traditionally (its third time already) after completed this time Temotu DX
pedition,
would like to share with TB cocmmunity my notices and experience gained on
that trip..
First of all let me remind you a some bakground. In Oct 2010, together with
my friend Jerzy SP3BQ
we were trying to reach Temotu with strong willing activate this entity on
`160m band.
Unexpected, huge plane delay on our first stage of trip ruined whole
project.
We noticed remarkable loss, just one ticket was refund, rest of payments
done to hotels and other airlines we lost.
But it only pressed me twice stronger to get this entity active on 160m.
Having deposit payed for
Ngarando Resort (Ngarando - local name for Pigeon Island) make decision was
easier.
After Tarawa Dx-pedition no one of my partners Jerzy SP3BQ or Jacek SP5EAQ
could go with me.
As a trip to Pigeon Island is pretty complicated, I decided beter go there
alone,
then with the person I dont know can lay on him.
This of course make all project even more expensieve then before, and
limiting my capability
to carry more equipment. Needles to say, could not get everything with me, I
might need on the island.
Puting my foot on this small Island I found that is no empty space which can
bee see on GOGLE map!
there is a lots of different building, and space avaiable for antennas is
limited.
I mean 160m antennas for other like 30/20m and up is perfect. Part of the
island is almost like jungle.
Northen shore is not reacheable for any kind of antennas. Width of Island
accesable for work with antennas
is never wide then 20 meters but is still occupied by differet buildings.
Vertical with TOP HAT was out of the question, no chance to spread TOP HAT!
to much palms trees
around interfering with wires. The elevated radials had to be bended few
times to have
them hanging 3 meters over the ground. Radials takes some of 1/2 length of
Island size.
Top Hat wires was connected together and extended to longth of quarte wave,
and used all like
inverted L quaretr wave long. In the middle of the Island is Cemetary with
graves of Ben Hepworth, Island owner, parents.
So there were no space for 4SQ to put it on. I simply could not put the
antenna in the someone house door!.
Concerning receiving capabilities, everything I can say is the worse
situation I met. Thought Tarawa was bad,
but here on Temotu was dreaming abot Tarawa situation. First of all, Ben is
using on the Island
a solar batery system for energising whole resort. But system works on 28V
DC and has a converters to 230V AC, wow!
s7-8 on S meter on 160m! Then, since I was on the island there was no one
night without storm, raining and lighting.
Every single night. Sometimes during a day to. With this triggers noise, K3
manage very well,
but with triggers noise and statics and strikes all together no radio can
manage, signals were ringing strongly making copy them more and more
difficult.
I started experiments with Pennant, but the end point of the pennant was as
close as 2 meters
from end of the one of the 160m radials. It could not work properly.
I noticed however small improovment, but only in case of EU direction. So
whole opperation on 160m was
like very hard work.
So final results is not amazing, 575 QSO on TB within 12 days of accitivity,
235 with Asia, 200 with Europe,
128 with USA 12 with Oceania.
Difficulty of receiving shows case of Bill W4ZV, his signal was relatively
strong with no QSB,
but to make me sure about his call sign took me seven minutes!!!
Only thing I was sure from begening was W4, rest of the call, just two
letters was ureadable,
ZM, ZF, MF could copy this in many ways. So W4ZV is an easy call so what you
say about WB6RSE??
Fast transmiting was killing readibilityof signals, QSB was painfull to,
answeringto
the station, happened many times, in next over station does not egsist!
Shocking for me is also fact how many Europieans can be find in my log
against USA,
this is first time when I logged more EU then USA! Who can explain why is
that? maybe beacouse Eastcoast
was not reachable for me in most the nights?
This part of world for Europe is really tough!
I know that all this explanation wiil not satify those who spent long hours
in the shack and din not work me finnaly.
But here, on the island, even table and chair was so uncomfortable, then
after 20 minutes I started feel pain in my back!
and during whole dx-pedition never slept longer then three hours. Sleeping
in a day was almmost imposible,
hundreds birds screeming loudly all time long!
Anyway, it was very nice experience, and I am happy to decided go there.
Best Regards for all of you,
73
Jacek
SP5DRH/3D2KJ/T30RH/H40KJ
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UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
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