Topband: JW5HE Situation report

[ragnar otterstad]

Math JW5NM told me not to expect anything as the band had not really been
very good this season.

Of course the odd OH and SM 2-3 would emerge but not much else.
So, one night 160 opened to Contintal Europe and I worked a string of
stations, including our friend Rys before the band went dead again.

On the last night I decided to give it a try again and called CQ on a dead
band around 01 Z.

Suddenly WB9Z came back with a super signal. I guess the jungle drums
started to work (I think it is called DX clusters these days) and the
follwing stations were worked :


N1AC
W3YX
VE1ZZ  (  surprise . surprise !!  hi )
W1JR
W3GH
NR1DX
K8MFO ( who never seems to sleep )
W9ZR
N1EV
VE3ZI
N8LJ
W1FV

Then the band was dead again. I heard another weak signal but could not make
out any callsign, perhaps you Jon AA1K ?


The big problem on low bands from there is lack of a proper ATU which can
andle power.  I have placed an Alpha 91B up there permanently.  The club
station has a MFJ "3KW" tuner, which can handle about 500 W without flash
overs or coil melting. After a while the whole thing breaks down and SWR
goes crazy. That happened when I was working W3GH on 80.

Does somebody know of a QRO ATU for at least 80/160 which can be made
available for the JW club station?  Home made is OK of course as long as it
can handle 1.5 KW!!!

The club has limited funds, for obvious reasons.

73 and thanks for 2 exciting nights on 160 .

Ragnar Otterstad   LA5HE Also JW5HE OZ8RO.


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