[Mldxcc] FT4TA - West Coast Pilot Comments

[John Miller]

As you know by now, the FT4TA DXpedition is well underway.  They have been managing to keep 4 stations going efficiently for the last 24 hours.

Their antennas:

160m:  Vertical with hat built on 18m Spiderbeam pole
80m:   2x phased verticals built on 18m Spiderbeam poles & DVA-80 by DX Engineering
40m:   4 square array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
30m:   4 square array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
20m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
17m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
15m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
12m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
10m:   2-elements Vertical Dipole Array built on Spiderbeam 12m poles
They're using K3's + OM2000 amplifiers as the main stations.  They have logged QSOs on every Band, and have transmitted in all Modes.  They are currently on 160M -- pretty exciting if you can land them.  The ops are efficient and friendly.

Monitoring the Bands these last 24 hours, they've successfully targeted the West Coast several times, especially on 17M SSB.  They seem to be taking up most of the Band on 17M to spread out the pileup, which is causing some problems.  I've asked the team to consider using a max of 20 KC spread on all bands, but at this early stage, the pileups are unruly.

I've also requested that when they target the West Coast, to name a specific listening frequency for us, instead of a broad range.  Too much time can be wasted trying to figure out where to transmit.

In addition, I've asked the team to take advantage of the Long Path at their  sundown around 1430 UTC when there is a good window to the West Coast on 160M and 80M.

Bandplan is here:   http://www.tromelin2014.com/en/bandplan/

Online Log:  please check here for updates:  http://www.tromelin2014.com/en/online-log/

Propagation:  Generate your personal profile here:   https://www.k6tu.net/?q=node/add/dx-prediction-ft4ta

In checking my own log for past QSOs with Mayotte, Madagascar, and Reunion --- all in the neighborhood of Tromelin -- I note the following optimum UTC times and Bands:

10M	1600-1800 UTC
12M	1500-1600 UTC
15M	1600-1700 UTC
17M	1700-1800 UTC
20M	1800-1900 UTC
30M	0300-0400 UTC
40M	1400-1500 UTC

I pass this information on as FYI only.  When in doubt, (1) watch the DX Clusters and (2) listen to what's coming through your headphones.

Overall, I think the FT4TA DXpedition is off to a great start.  Hopefully the propagation Gods will stay with us for the next week or so.

If you have any specific requests for the FT4TA team, please let me know.

73,
John, K6MM
FT4TA West Coast Pilot