Topband: Pratas Island, BQ9P

[Joe L Blackwell]

Greetings Topbanders, de Joe, aa4nn

Congratulations to those in the log for BQ9P, it was a rough trip!
My apologies to the callers whom I just couldn't hear.  Aligator?
Hardly, maybe.  400 watts from the AL572B and I could hear the
5.5kw generator groan.  Pratas Island power was typically 90vac,
so that was no good.  We had several generator failures.

XMT was the 87' Titanex vertical, kevlar guy lines except for the last,
longest guy, upwind, which was of unproven material, strong, light,
cellophane type material.  Within an hour of erection, the winds began
to rip this unproven guy line to shreds until eventually the guy became
useless, and the antenna bent over into the famous Battle Creek
Special configuration.  I have pictures.  Yet, VSWR was 1 to 1 on 40,
80 and 160.  Perfect.  After three days the antenna broke and fell.
We patched the break and used some nr14 wire with occasional
insulators to raise it up once again.

The second Titanex vertical was missing a section or two, plus
there was no kevlar for guy lines.  Ken, W4NZC, and I put together
six sections for a 12 meter vertical which Ken tuned for 40 meters.
The last couple of days Ken tuned this vertical for 30 meters.

REC was a single beverage, initially on the ground.  Any beverage
on Pratas Island is an exercise in futility.  The bushy growth is 
dense and filled with razor wire.  The roads weren't straight, yet I
managed a BOG favoring 22 degrees by zigzagging along and
across the roads.  500 ft.  Not good.  Never worked.  Terminate or
not to terminate, there was no experimentation after dark.  We were
advised to not leave the compound after dark as there were sentries
and dogs everywhere and let's not get shot at.  I'm serious.  I had
material for two beverages, but the second one proved impossible
to put into the SSE direction.  Additionally, I counted up to 18 beacons
from 1.800 to 1.830, not too loud, but enough to catch my attention as
perhaps a weak stateside station.  80m was full of local choppy CW
stations apparently in a local network of some kind.  SSB on 80 n 40
just about covered us up in the CW band.  9M0M killed me on 3.503
which was my published 80m freq.  Best for me was 3.511 & 3.513.

I put together some sections of the unuseable Titanex so that Ken
and I could push the beverage up, over and into the bush to achieve
an elevated beverage favoring 22 degrees.  Unterminated one night
proved somewhat effective, next night with a termination was much
better.  Crossed three roads at a height of 14 feet because of the
huge army trucks that continuously patrolled the area.  No way a
ground rod could be effective, so I used a 1/4 wave counterpoise
and 470 ohm terminating resistor.  ICE beverage box at the coax end.

At 1030z every day I would begin CQing on 1.826.5 listening for USA.
East coast was just not in there.  Typically I could work into Texas,
then a few 8s and 9s.  Then the 0s, 7s and 6s would prevail.  On occasion
I went to 80m at 1100-30z calling specifically for K4ESE and N4JJ with
no results.  Believe me, 160 was my concern. I was listening and I tried,
but I just couldn't hear.  Around 1500z I would relinquish the radio to
Alex, RK3DT, who wanted to run 160 and 80 toward his Russian friends.
I never knew if he did any USA during east coast sunset.  BTW, the
station I carried to Pratas was my Ten-Tec Corsair II & AL572B amp.

Big signal from Bill, K6GNX, worked him using CW and SSB on 1.826.5.
Also big 80/160 signal from KH6DX/M !!  Don, you are just  incredible!!
Gary, K4MQG, was our unofficial pilot station, with daily contacts on 20m.
Big signal from Gary.  All paper logging, no computer network.  Total Qs
were just short of 30,000.  (Yep, lots of JAs in there).

Speaking with Paul Pai, BV4FH, a most efficient DXpedition organizer
and one very well connected to pull off a DXpedition to the Military base
on Pratas Island, I learn that he is looking for someone to take the helm
for future DXpeditions.  There may not be a BQ9P in 2002.  2003 maybe.

The problem with Pratas Island is the sensitive Military operation there.
Mountains of paperwork must be approved.  The operation must be kept
secret until the final go ahead is issued.  Hence, the last minute call for
operators who can quickly join the team on short notice.  The operation
cannot be publicized to acquire support from manufacturers or to get
world class operators, so the Ops put money up front for all expenses.  All
Ops do their best.  We had five positions set up and just eight ops.  It
makes me sad to see on DX Summit a few spots that complained about the poor
ops or bad ops at BQ9P.  However it went for you, that's how it went for
you.

73, de Joe Blackwell, aa4nn


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