Topband: A25KW Botswana

[Ve7mid]

The A25KW Botswana 160m operations were not a success with only ZS6LH being worked. What was more of a surprise was that no other stations were heard on either 160m or 80m!

The equipment was a K3 with diversity receive capabilities (Using the 80m vertical 30m away. A beverage was brought but the thorn bushes discouraged its deployment and it is unlikely that it would have survived the nightly foraging of our local Hippo anyway!) with a 600 watt amplifier (only operating at half power due to some fault) when available. The 160m antenna was an inverted L with FCP but unfortunately the expected 15 to 25 m trees were nowhere near the shack so Frosty did what he could to use the two story lodge and available 10m trees. 

I expected the best conditions to be at the mutual EU and A25 gray zones. We did do skeds on request between but without hearing any signals I was not keen on sending CQ to myself all night like in Zone 2. Not having solid internet was also a problem. 

I think that the long overland path killed our chances. The local noise was reasonable. I would be interested in any heard reports or comments on our setup (keeping in mind that all of us were maxed out on baggage allowance!) The lack of 80m signals using two different antennas puzzles me. There were EM storms and this maybe isn't the best season but still?

73 Keith