I'm flying back down to Curacao explicitly for the Stew this year, arriving
12/14 and departing 12/20. I've been wanting to operate the Stew from the
Signal Point PJ2T station since my first Curacao tip in 2002, but never had
the opportunity. This will be my 19th visit to the Signal Point station.
I got word today that my permission to use the PJ2T callsign for the Stew
has been granted. Unlike many of the familiar contest callsigns, PJ2T is not
permanently assigned to our station, and we must apply for and be granted
the use of the call on a contest-by-contest basis by the Curacao Bureau
Telecommunicatie en Post (BT&P). The performance by BT&P was some sort of
record: the application was carried to their office and paid for by Geoff
W0CG on Friday afternoon, and the license was forthcoming by email to us
this morning!
I was distressed that PJ2T was spotted on Topband during CQWW CW with
comments like "Deaf", "EUs calling but only CQ", "alot of callers doesn't
hear we", "strong no ears", and "DEAFFF". Please be aware that conditions at
12 degrees North of the Equator are often not always friendly to lowband
DXing, with 85 degree temperatures and frequent thunderstorms. During CQWW
CW we were watching lightning on the horizon over Venezuela while we
operated, and had one of the heaviest rainstorms I've ever seen. Very rapid
QSB was also a problem.
Our 1000-foot Europe Beverage and 650-foot US/JA Beverage usually allow us
to work low-power stations with good success when the local weather
conditions allow. Unfortunately, I will not be able to deploy our DX
Engineering 4-square RX array for this contest to provide for other
directions.
Please be patient and listen for me, and I will do likewise.
My goal is to beat the score by Jerry PJ2/WB9Z from 2005: 5059 points (385
QSOs in 229 grids).
73, Jeff K8ND
_______________________________________________
UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
|