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Re: Topband: KP1

To: "Charlie" <charlie-cunningham@nc.rr.com>, "'Herbert Schoenbohm'" <herbert.schoenbohm@gmail.com>, <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: Topband: KP1
From: "Milt -- N5IA" <n5ia@zia-connection.com>
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 15:21:36 -0700
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Her,

Thanks for the photo, and it sure does appear to be a superb location for the Top Band stations.

Charlie, It took Robin and I approximately 2 full, long days to deploy the entire Beverage system at VP6DX. That is 3 x 2 wire/ 1 WL bi-directional Beverages, one phased set of bi-directional 2-wire/ 1 WL Beverages, appropriate band filters, signal splitters, preamps, and remote 8 position switches. Then we laid out 3 x 400 Meter feed lines and control line to the two camps; one set each for the 80 M CW, 75 M SSB, and the 160 M stations. Plus a bunch more that takes too much time to tell.

Was it worth it? YES, YES and YES!!!!!!!!! All it takes is planning and commitment.

A number of the unkowning/ not understanding operator members of the VP6DX team verbally questioned "WHY are those two spending SO MUCH time on those RX antennas?" But when it came their turn to operate those stations equipped with those RX antennas they became believers immediately. After one particular night the 160 M station op commented at daybreak while nursing 'bleeding' ears, "No Beverages, no contacts". Yet that op put more than 200 more DX contacts in the 160 M log that night. Tropical QRN is a real killer. You have to go prepared to properly combat it.

Even though the 75 M station was equipped with a full size 4-Square, the Beverage RX antennas were what made it NOT an alligator.

A properly equipped and deployed RX antenna system for the low band stations will double or more the quantity of contacts on 160, 80 & 75 Meters over the nominal 2 week life of a DXpediton.

If they don't have room for Beverages then the terminated loops are a great 2nd choice. If this DXpedition has permission to install at the lighthouse location, and if the DXpedition leaders are into the 2 camp install a la Ducie, Malpelo and Amsterdam, then the helicopter delivered equipment should make it a snap.

Here's to a good one!!!!!!!!

73 de Milt, N5IA

-----Original Message----- From: Charlie
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2014 2:50 PM
To: 'Herbert Schoenbohm' ; topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: KP1

I surely agree, Herb! Although, putting up a field of Beverages would be a
lot of work for an expedition! I might opt for a few terminated loops or one
that could be rotated! That's what they used on the FO0AAA expedition a few
years back (a KAZ terminated loop designed by ON4UN) - and it worked very
well!!

I expect it will be lots of fun!!

73,
Charlie, K4OTV



-----Original Message-----
From: Topband [mailto:topband-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Herbert
Schoenbohm
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2014 3:59 PM
To: topband@contesting.com
Subject: Re: Topband: KP1

Since the landing is planned by chopper the light house would be a great
place to set up the operation.  Sure would be a super place for low band
antennas with Beverages in many directions.  Here is a great pix of the
lighthouse.

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/userfiles/file/IBAs/CaribCntryPDFs/navassa.
pdf

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