Topband: S9SS 160M plans

Wed, 28 Aug 2002 19:15:11 -0400

Fellow Topbanders,
I received this email note from Charles, S9SS (formerly S92SS) who gave 
me (K1HTV) and many others a new country on 160 Meters.  Charles is 
transmitting station manager of the Sao Tome relay station of IBB,
the International Broadcasting Bureau which transmits VOA programming 
to that region of the world. Also attached to the email were a few 
pictures (not included here because of file size) of his new QTH and a
huge Baobab tree from which he plans to run a 'T-top' antenna on 160M. 
Its nice to hear that S9 will soon be on the air again on the Top Band.
 73 de Rich - K1HTV 
 dz@voa.gov

- - - 

Charles writes:
Rich, 
Lesley and I are back in São Tomé. 
We were given the call signs S9YL and S9SS.  That's same as last time 
minus the "2". 

I have begun work putting together a T-top for 160 meters.  
The antenna itself should be a bit more efficient than the one I had 
before.  My supports will be taller, so I will have a longer vertical 
radiator.  I will also have a few hundred more watts of power. 
My position, however, is not as good for the path to the states.  
Previously, along that path I had only about a quarter mile of land 
between me and the sea.  This time, though I still live by the sea, 
there are around 20 miles of intervening land along the path to the 
U.S. before it reaches the sea.  

You can tell your 160 meter friends that I expect to be QRV on that 
band by the end of October. It remains to be seen how well I'll get 
out from this new QTH on the VOA site. 
 73, 
 Charles - S9SS 

      (picture, not included)
S9YL at the Base of a Huge Baobab Tree That Will Support One End of 
the T-Top 

      (another
picture)                                                      
I live in the house in the center.  You can imagine how bad the 
QRM is from those curtain antennas just across the street!  You can 
just make out the old  HyGain TH-2 above the palms to the left rear 
of the house.