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Topband: VK9LX final report

To: <topband@contesting.com>
Subject: Topband: VK9LX final report
From: watchman@tig.com.au (Nick Hacko)
Date: Sun, 07 Nov 1999 01:37:40 +1100
VK9LX '99 Report

Here is a brief report of my last VK9LX operation.
The trip started with terrible weather on Lord Howe and
due to flight restriction I was forced to spend
36 hours on Sydney airport waiting for the plane.
Of course, it was boring and nervous start and great waste 
of precious and limited time...
But the trouble didn't stop there; once on LHI I've found
that VK9LA who is looking after my equipment has to leave
to mainland without giving me a warning; actually he though
I'm coming in November, as in previous years. Lucky enough,
no one lock houses on island, so I was able to sneaky in
and take my stuff but that took me another 4 hours.
By then, the sun was already down and with no help
I only manage to erect l/4 wave 80m vertical. 
The MLA was heating up; TS930 sound ok and SWR was excellent,
but for some reason I couldn't key the amplifier.
I wasn't worried at all, since I've had another TS930 and quick
swap of radios get me on the air in no time.
The band sounded very quiet and before the sunrise 500 QSO's
were logged (over 250 EU).
(This may sound too easy; the fact is that I've spent most of the
time laying radials, unpacking 500kg of equipment and antennas in dark
and rain with no sleep or food. But I felt no pain - just wanted to get 
on the air as soon as possible - I have been waiting for this
all year long! )
Next day brought more rain. I decided quickly to get some rest in hope
that weather will improve. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case and
most of the day have been spent assembling tribander and mast, 
stretching 80m long beverage to US on heavy rain. 
Second night came to soon; I wanted to be on 160m- there was 
no other option but to bottom load
80m vertical and give it a try. Not a bad idea; about 30 East coast
sation were worked and appears that they could copy me better than
I can hear them. Unfortunately, QRN was much worse than on 80m
and there was nothing to work until sunrise. Another 3 hours of
sleep brought needed refreshment. It was 1 hour before my sunrise;
I switch the amplifier on and at that very same moment big BANG,
mini-lightening and smoke came out of damn box!!
I couldn't believe my luck, however there was no one else to blame 
but myself. I knew I must have the amp on all the time; 
it was simply so humid that if you leave it to cool down, 
you are risking power supply damage.
I wanted to scream loud. I knew I have no spare parts to fix 
the amp which I needed badly! Something was definitely broken
and no easy fix would help. But I switch it on again  
(from the safe distance!) just to find out what  else is going 
to explode! Funny enough, no bang; no smoke and HV was showing
firm 2.5KV! Drive produce no plate current so I've decided
to open the box. And there it was: burned down resistor near
RF choke. But even the silly resistor is unavailable
on remote island! Hey, wait a second: the parts list
say it is 1 Ohm/5W bastard. Thanks God, I have no electronics
background so I just bridge it over with piece of 
#14 wire, put all back together and from then on
I haven't had any amp problem...
Since the sun was high in the sky, I went to
work some RTTY. Lack of signals on 20m indicated
damage in RF amp. Of course, 20-30 dB attenuation is
no problem on 160m but this was too much; looks like 
I'm going to spend all week fixing broken radios.
Back to TS930 no1 with broken amp keying. 
To cut the story short, I manage to fix that as well
(found 12V from transverter out pin and hooked it to
external relay in beverage box!) and finally got
decent run on high bands...
Third day I finally put up 160m vertucal; it is actually top
loaded duobander 40m/160m with trap coil described by K1ZM.
It was ready just 30 minutes before my sunset. Quick tune
around 1830 and bingo: LU/KY0C with 569 on bright day!
I quickly start my tape recorder but even bigger surprise
was W8JI who called him with honest 599!
This was very, very promising so after exchanging report
with Tom, I went few KC's up and start calling CQ.
I have worked 10-15 Pacific stns, N7DD with 599+,
KH6/NL7Z, T33CW and VE1ZZ, but for another 2 hours no one
else answered my cq's...
However, I could smell excellent propagations and I keep
calling US until sunrise in W6. Around 30 stations
were logged, mostly W0 and W6/7, all with very good signals.
I work everyone that was on the band that night, which
was later confirmed by N0AH tape. I work Paul 3 times,
since no one else bother to call...
Ja's are fairly easy to work, typical South-North part so I 
started working them after US sunrise. Again, 30-40 ended
in my log and for them it was just a matter of patience. 
The JA show was over in 30 minutes...
3 hours of endless CQ's but nothing heard until 1:30 min before
sunrise when UR5KFT came back with solid 579. Then it 
was the time for the best ever signal I heard on 160:
RK2FWA/UA2FF came with 599+10 dB! I couldn't believe it;
he was so strong and unreal; stronger than most EU's
on 20m! After quick CW qso, he asked for SSB and we chatted
for good 15 minutes - his signal was 59+10 all the time and
he could hear me 59. I got him on the tape as well,
this is something one must hear to believe!
Of course, that grab attention of many Eu's but
it was still to early. In the next 45 minutes only die-hard
topbanders made it to LHI: DJ2BW, SP5EWY, YL2SM.
The hell broke loose 5 min before sunrise with G3SED and
another 15 EU's in contest-style exchange; all with 599 signals!
The band opens to DL-OZ-F-G-SM and Russia but again, I felt
I could work many more if they were there...
Interesting enough, no OH heard at all this year.

CQWW was waste of time; big signals totally covered
with QRN and deaf MWatts of RF pollution. I think this
is my last CQWW SSB from Pacific... 

I've spent another night on 160m after the CQWW.
Unfortunately, propagations were not there anymore.
Two hours of CQing to EU on sunset and another 2 hours
on my sunrise with absolutely no results. When ZL2REX
came in with my 549+QSB I knew I'm wasting my precious
time... 

The 1999 total is 100 Q's, which added to '97 effort
with K8RF gives 660+ Q. For those of you who missed
it again, better luck next time. The fact is that
VK9L is now in low demand on 160m and it may take 5 
or more yrs to attract another crazy topbander to go
through the trouble I went for past 3 years, but you never
know - keep listening!

Full color QSL card is ready. If you need one, please
send your request + $2 or 2 IRC to 
VK9LX PO BOX 730 Parramatta 2124 NSW Australia.
Sorry, no bureau.

My special thanks goes to people who stayed around and
chat with me when the band was dead; to those who
spotted me on cluster/packet, and of course to N0AH
who send the audio tape which give me grate joy and 
pleasure.

The audio recording from my side will be shortly
available to those who want to hear their signals
from down-under. 

The VK9LX summary is: 6000+ Q, 100 on 160m, 600 on 80m,
1000 on high WARC and 400 on RTTY, plus 2900 in CQ WW with
30 hours of sleep in 7 days; 48 hours of traveling and
40+ hours in assembling/disassembling the station, 10 hours
of radio "repair" work, ONE dinner at "Auntie Sue's".

Where do I go next?
Well, I need your help on this one. My next pacific
trip is planed for early Oct. 2000. I'm thinking of
C21 or ZK2, but there may be a surprise as well. 
Please let me know which one is more attractive for you,
or any suggestion you may have...

Best 73 & good luck, and see you all in Dayton!

Nick, VK2ICV - VK9LX



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