TopBand: XZ1N 1998

[wb6tza@compuall.net]

Hello fellow topbanders!

>From the Golden Land of Myanmar, XZ1N returns to the air November 21, 1998.
 Much the same crew will be there along with some new folks, and we will be
active on all bands with 4 stations.

We anticipate continuous nightly operation on top band from November 21
through December 13, give or take a day on each end. (not all of the 4
stations will operate for this extended period)

It will take a day or two at the beginning to install the beverage RX
antennas.  This time, we are taking more material for as serious a beverage
set as we can accomplish, along with noise cancilling boxes & the like.  It
will be necessary to feed the antennas some 700 ft or more from the hotel
to obtain reasonable azimuths and building avoidance.  We do not anticipate
that they will perform in a classic manner in the jungle, but are likely to
be superior to almost anything else we could install. This will also allow
operation at or before sunset, where last trip I had to roll out the RX ant
feeders each evening after dusk... We are making our best effort to be able
to HEAR!

Anticipated operating pattern is on the air before sunset, concentrating on
US/VE until approximately 16+Z (WWA & VE7 sunrise), then pacific, followed
by JA from approx 17Z -19Z give or take.  North and West toward EU until
23Z SHARP when we will stop working EU and call for only NA (or more
precisely, NO EU!) until sunrise at 00Z. During the first and last hour of
each night, calls from stations outside the designated area of focus will
not be answered.  This is not a problem during the sunset hour, but is a
serious problem at sunrise.  We will call NO EU and mean it!  (NO EU means
no Europe, or anywhere EAST of Europe!)

We expect to use the same transmit antenna and 2+KW we used last trip.

Transmit frequency should be 1825.5 listening up 2-4 KHz, hopefully to
allow others who use the 1825 region to have a little space, too!  If you
are in (or know of) a country which does not authorize use of this window,
please let us know (here!), and we will try to accomodate you.

Thanks to the many folks who were patient with our horrid RX conditions,
and made it throught to work us last trip.  To make it possible for as many
new stations as possible to qso us, please avoid calling again if you
already have a confirmed contact.  It usually takes several minutes per QSO
in the noisy conditions, so every duplicate qso is that much less time for
others to get through. PLEASE do not call us each night.  If you heard us
send your full callsign and an RST (together), you are in the log! 

I will attempt to answer a limited number of off line e-mails, and will
post addendas approximately weekly, as needed.  Please confine the
questions/discussion to top band matters.

We HOPE we will be able to post a list of topband callsigns worked to our
web site (URL pending) each day.  It must be done by FAX at about $10 per
page, or on higher HF frequencies.  There is NO internet access in Myanmar.

Principal top band operators will be WA6CDR and N5IA.

See you on top band!

73, 
robin critchell, wa6cdr   xz1n 160 band captain.

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