Topband: 5Z4DZ activity

[Bernie McClenny]

The following info is from 5Z4DZ, Alex, who will probably be in Kenya for at
least another couple months.  Bernie, W3UR

-------------

The Inv-L for 160m went up in a breeze, actually fits nicely in the bit of
real estate I have here - which surprised me. Even managed a good number of
radials. First run on 160 was very encouraging, with the first QSO with
FT5XO, and about a hundred EU's following at their sunset which from my
topband experience in Africa is quite unusual. However, it has been a real
struggle since that first great opening. Sunday night/Monday sunrise and
Monday evening/Tuesday sunrise netted relatively few QSO's with weaker
signals. Only N0FW and W3BGN made it so far. No JA's. I hope East-West
propagation is not already in the dull drums. Noise, as you can imagine, is
horrific. We are in the middle of the rain/thunderstorm season in the
tropics, so QRN sometimes runs wild. I understand there is interference on
1.818 from W1AW, so for my sunrise activity I will probably be near 1.833.
Activity earlier in the evening for EU and JA would be near 1.818,
especially because of the JA bandplan.

With this activity on new bands in 5Z, I do expect plenty of QSL requests. I
just want to ascertain the right route is used, as e.g. in Flying Horse (or
whatever it is called nowadays) they have listed my license address here in
Nairobi. I cannot process QSL requests here, and anything sent directly to
Kenya will evently be replied to but with much delay after such mail has
collectively been forwarded to PA1AW, which I usually do only once or twice
a year as I pass through Holland. Same story for buro cards. The correct QSL
route is PA1AW, Alex van Hengel, Bovenkruier 18, NL-2995CA Heerjansdam,The
Netherlands. Both direct and buro QSLs are replied to, but with priority
given to direct requests. Tips for successful QSLing 5Z4DZ can be found on
the 5Z4DZ web-site: http://www.pa1aw.nl/5z4dz/index.html.  This page also
has a log search. Please encourage your readers to check the log for
contacts to avoid duplicates. It is extremely time consuming to pick
callsigns through strong QRN only to discover a dupe - while someone else
could have been worked instead.

73 Alex 5Z4DZ

Bernie McClenny, W3UR

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