TopBand: HC8N

[Trey Garlough]

Greetings Topbanders!

	We were delighted to be able to spend last night at the radio location
which
is an 18 km ride on a dusty road from where we are staying.  Tonight and
probably
Monday (after the ARRL contest) Trey will return and spend the night on 80
and 160.
The situation here is difficult to explain but we are doing the best we
can.  Last night
we had to deal not only with S9+ QRN but two carpenters hammering right
next to us
until about 0430 UTC.  I hope that explains why we were somewhat deaf last
evening!
Anyway we were able to make a number of EU, VK and JA happy so it was worth
the
effort!
	
	The HC8N location is simplly fantastic!   It is on San Cristobal Island at
an
elevation of >600 meters with sea visible over about 270 degrees.  We are
using a 
sloping elevated ground plane suspended from a 42 meter tower.  We also now
have
two Beverages up for NA and EU with lots of scratches and sunburn to show
for our
work.   They seem to work well but the QRN last evening was horrendous
here!

	Thanks to USA for standing by for EU and please do so again tonight...you
will have two nights on the weekend to work us in the contest.  EU, please
try tonight
and Monday since we will NOT be responding during the contest.  We want to
give
you all a good chance but please help us!

					73,

					Bill W4ZV, Trey N5KO & Steve K6AW
                                                            HC8N (QSL via
AA5BT)


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