[3830] Commonwealth 9H3ET(G3LET) Restricted-24 LP

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                    RSGB Commonwealth Contest

Call: 9H3ET
Operator(s): G3LET
Station: 9H3ET

Class: Restricted-24 LP
QTH: Gozo, Malta
Operating Time (hrs): 23

Summary:
 Band  QSOs
------------
   80:   88
   40:  186
   20:  309
   15:  302
   10:   80
------------
Total:  965  Total Score = 10,385

Club: 

Comments:

9H3ET was set up on Ghammar Hill, Gozo Island, Malta, having driven 5 masts, K3
/ P3 and a small diesel generator to Malta from the UK the previous week.  This
involved traversing France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, italy and
Sicily and a total of 4 ferry crossings each way.

The site was used by kind permission of Fr. Gerard Buhaglia, Rector of Ta'Pinu
National Shrine.  It is a most beautiful location, approached by a Via Crucis,
lined by 14 statues depicting the crucifiction and resurrection of Jesus.  A
special fold-out QSL will be sent to all stations worked via the bureau.  If
you can't wait for this, I will reply direct to cards received to G3LET (see
QRZ.com) including an addressed envelope and return postage.

The station was set up in the back of our SEAT Alhambra MPV.  5 separate
vertical antennas were installed on the summit of Ghammar Hill as follows:

Elevated 5/8 wave verticals for 10m and 15m
Ground mounted 5/8 wave vertical for 20m, fed against 8 ground radials
GP for 40m, total height 60 ft.
Loaded 60 ft vertical for 80m, fed against 8 ground radials

All antennas were selected direct from the K3 via a Top Ten 6-way switch box

The ground was very dry and well drained and more radials would have been
desirable, especially for 80m.

Conditions were in general excellent, although the path between Malta and the
UK on 10m was quite limited, loosing a lot of easy Qs.  80m suffered from a
competing contest and rather poor propagation, so little real DX was workable
with the rather inefficient vertical.

Everything went well until 0050 on 9 March, when a ground short occurred in the
primary transformer of the main 13.8v DC supply feeding the K3.  This was an
unexpected and rather obscure fault and took an hour to recover from, using a
spare smaller supply.  This limited output to 25 - 30 watts for the last 8
hours of the contest in order to keep the K3 from shutting down due to low
supply volts.  Hence, mainly S&P working thereafter!

                  160m  80m  40m  20m  15m  10m  Total

      Valid QSOs:    0   88  186  309  302   80   965
      Bonus QSOs:    0   23   63   78   68   46   278
          Points:    0  440  930 1545 1510  400  4825

Excellent signals and openings on the higher bands made this a very enjoyable
event.  Thanks to all who called or responded!

There are a few photos of the station at

https://picasaweb.google.com/101526936254167090791/GozoTrip2013

73, Peter G3LET


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