[Mldxcc] PJ7E Update

[John Miller]

Greetings From Sint Maarten!

Tropical Storm Otto hit this place last week just before we arrived,
and caused some major problems.  Flooding and traffic gridlocks along
the only single lane road caused delays everywhere.  The biggest
problems for us were the 15 ft. waves crashing into the loading docks,
which made it impossible for the ship containing our equipment to
land.  It's sitting offshore in some mysterious location.  But we've
been told it should dock tonight at 7PM and, fingers crossed, we
should have our pallets in hand sometime Monday.

In the meantime, as hams often do, we've had to improvise.  The CW
team (11 miles away) lucked out -- Dave (K4SV) packed his IC7000 +
screwdriver antenna, which he installed on the roof of the condo
building they're operating from.  They were able to get on the air
quickly, racking up 500 QSOs as PJ7/XXXX, before they went live with
our PJ7E callsign at midnight last night.  Their team is taking turns
operating CW using this setup until the equipment arrives from the
ship.  CW team = K9CT, W6OSP, K4SV, W6KK, I8NHJ, and K9ZO.

Meanwhile, at our SSB location, about 500 ft. above sea level, we put
together this little makeshift setup:  IC-706 (not the MKIIg) borrowed
from a local ham + 20M dipole.  We found some RG8 at the local Radio
Shack (amazing) and grabbed some speaker wire (ie zip cord) -- two 24
ft packs.  Stripped one set to have two 24 foot legs, then added
another 9 ft. on each end, and created a 40M dipole.  Connected it to
the common feed point, and now had a multiband dipole for 40M and 20M,
which we strung up outside the house.  SWR showed 1.2:1 on both bands.
Fired up the 706 last night at midnight, and realized that we didn't
have the right connector for a boomset for the IC-706.  Only could use
the handmike.  First operator was Bill, N2WB.  Microphone in one hand,
laptop next to him -- he started the pileup.  Right hand = microphone,
left hand = entering data into N1MM.  Not a happy camper.  After one
minute I volunteered to be his logger, and for the next 3 hours, Wild
Bill worked the pileup while I logged his QSOs.  We got great signal
reports from the East Coast, with 100 watts into the speaker-wire 40M
dipole.  For the first two 3-hour shifts I logged all 500+ QSOs for
N2WB (and Charlie, NF4A), before heading back for some rest.  During
that time, I heard these friendly KBers, among others:  K6RIM, K6TA,
N6ML, NW6P, NI6T, K6KO, N6AJR, etc.

We're having fun but certainly can't wait for the good stuff to get
here:  IC-7600, Alpha amps, Hexbeams and DX Engineering verticals for
40M and 30M.

Soon, hopefully early next week, we'll be putting a bigger signal on
the air on all bands, from this beautiful island.  In the meantime,
look for us on 40M and 20M with our 100 watts of sunshine.  Our SSB
team:  N2WB, W8GEX, DJ9ZB, NF4A, K0RH, and me.

I should be on 20M SSB later today.

But -- you really should be planning for Sweepstakes 2010 -- right Chris?   : >)

73,
John K6MM

PS:  In case you haven't see the website yet:
http://stmaarten2010.com/index.html