[RTTY] VK9LW Status/Problems

[jduerbusch at charter.net]

The following is part of an e-mail received from the VK9LW Dxpedition.  I sure was looking forward to working them on RTTY for a new one.  Resent with permission.

From: LAURIEMAR at aol.com [mailto:LAURIEMAR at aol.com] 
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2004 9:11 PM
To: ALL
Subject: Re: DX-pedition Status


HI , VERY SLOW CONNECTION WITH WEIRD KEYBOARD, HENCE CAPS!

HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME BUT THE RADIO IS VERY FRUSTRATING.WE ARE BADLY SHIELDED BY HILLS TO THE US, JAPAN  AND EU SO THE SHORT PATH IS QUITE HARD. QUITE GOOD ON CW BUT SSB A REAL PROBLEM. CHOICE OF QTH REALLY DUMB, THOUGH WE HAVE LOTS OF GEAR AND ANTENNAS. DO A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR 'MILKY WAY' + "LORD HOWE" AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND! OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT CONDX ARE JUST AWFUL, 87-3O-3 TODAY. 17-15-12-1O VIRTUALLY USELESS. CAN JUST HEAR THE REALLY LOUD W'S CALLING TX9 THIS MORNING on 15. 

I'M CONCENTRATING ON 4O SSB. WORKED A LOT OF W'S ON SSB LAST NIGHT, THAT'S THURS DAWN YOUR TIME.

I TRY TO GET AS NEAR TO 7O45 AS POSS,OTHERWISE 7O78, LISTEN USUALLY 7165 OR 7254, FROM EAST COAST GREYLINE ONWARDS TILL WEST COAST GREYLINE. GIVE IT A GO AT YOUR DAWN, I WILL DEFINITELY BE THERE.  OTHERWISE, TRY CW -- WE HAVE 2 VERY GOOD OPS.

FRUSTRATING THING IS I CAN HEAR ABSOLUTLY EVERYTHNG DOWN HERE -- BUT THEY OFTEN CAN'T HEAR US THROUGH EU/US QRM. HEARING G'S ON 8O LONG PATH, BUT ONLY 2 CONTACTS.

YOU CAN PUT THIS IN YOUR DX BULLETINS IF YOU LIKE.K2

DESPITE ABOVE HAVING GREAT TIME -- SYDNEY IS FABULOUS. GO TO VK4,THEN VK2 AGAIN OCT 23, HOME NOV 4. WILL RING YOU WHEN I GET BACK.

VERY BEST AND HOPE TO CATCH YOU.   

73, 

LAURIE,ON LORD HOWE!!