Topband: Some Operating Observations from JT5DX de K1ZM/VY2ZM (very long!)

[Jeff Draughn]

Enjoyed reading your post!
Thanks!

73, Jeff
N0OST


On Sun, Jun 4, 2017 at 6:00 AM Dennis <egan.dennis88 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Great job, Jeff!
>
>
>
> Dennis W1UE
>
>
>
> On 6/4/2017 6:02 AM, k1zm--- via Topband wrote:
>
> > Hi All
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > While it is still fresh in my mind and while I have a few moments this
> morning, I thought I might pass along a few OPERATING OBSERVATIONS that I
> made while over at JT5DX this past week.  I will organize these into
> GENERAL OBSERVATIONS, TOPBAND THOUGHTS  and HF THOUGHTS.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > GENERAL OBSERVATIONS - & What it was like getting there.......
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > First let me note that this was NOT a Topband Dx'pedition.  From a
> timing perspective, with no overlapping darkness to NA on either coast, the
> timing could not have been worse for NA.  What it WAS was an invitation to
> join a talented International team of old friends to operate the CQ WPX CW
> contest and to visit Hong Kong, China and Mongolia and JT1CO.  Despite the
> downside of SPRING conditions, there was still enough of an attraction
> there to say  - "HELL YES - I want to go!!!!!"  Plus it was a chance to
> visit CHAK and see his station up close and personal. And, even more
> important, it was a chance to help build some updated capability into the
> JT1CO lowband station for the upcoming Winter months.  While I was out at
> the farm, my wife and daughter accompanied K1LZ's wife on a wonderful tour
> of the Southern GOBI desert so they were totally cool with my going off on
> my own thing with the boys.... In some respects their experiences and what
> they got to see and do was as equal
>
>  ly
>
> >    exciting to THEM as was my experience out on the farming steppes to
> the NW of Ulan Bator.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Getting there...
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > The farm is around 220 miles to the NW of the capital city.  That is
> about the the distance from New York to Boston - but there are few paved
> roads in JT land.  And what exists could HARDLY equate to the I-95 corridor
> along the East coast of the US.  There are two PRINCIPAL roads in Mongolia
> - one North South and one East west.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Our route was on one of them for the first part of the trip - perhaps
> the first 4 hours of what was about a 6.5 hour drive in total.  At about
> the 4 hour point, Chak headed LEFT out into the mountainous steppes along a
> dirt road and, from that point onwards, it was total dead-reckoning using
> "this hill" and "that hill over there" - plus many rock outcroppings which
> served as guideposts along the way.  THERE ARE NO ROAD SIGNS!!!!!!!!!
> There were MANY dirt roads and Chak knew exactly which one was the road
> that would lead the last 45 miles or so out to the farm.  (Honestly - if
> you did not know where this place was located, you nor I would NEVER find
> it.  There was no GPS system I was told - I did not understand that - but I
> did understand that only Chak's expertise got us there!!!)
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > There are also few treed regions in JT.  We did pass through a few
> clusters of BIRCH - some evergreens now and then along the hillsides - but
> mainly sheep, goats, cows and the occasional hairy YAK.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > I kept looking out for the station and finally, we dropped down out of
> the hills into a valley below and there in the distance I could see 6 tall
> towers way off in the distance.  There were wheat fields everywhere - many
> of which Chak owns as that is what he does for a living.  There are 3
> million people in JT and Chak likes to say "I feed 300,000 of them every
> year!"
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > The farm is enormous with quite a few LARGE buildings about the size of
> aircraft hangers.  He employs a large number of staff - most of whom work
> the farm.  He works his tail off on the farm, and remember - he does NOT
> live there - and, with no home station back in UB any more, operating
> timeframes are hardly a top priority for him - he gets on when he has
> time.  He is hardly retired.....
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Some years ago, he bought the land and then built a compound on it - the
> MAIN structure has 4 main connected components:
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > The family residence
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > The business side of the operation where his accountants and office are
> located
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > The station component which has 4 rooms (one which is a HUGE workshop),
> two operating rooms, a full bathroom and a lounge at the rear.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > The last connected component is what he calls the HOTEL - which has 4
> upstairs guest bedrooms, a kitchen and a dining room where we took our
> meals.  Three ladies looked after us - and if you came into the dining
> room, within 30 seconds you were handed a cup of coffee or tea and two
> minutes later a plate of food.  So we were well taken care of - that's for
> sure.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > A fridge was stocked with BEER, COKE, COLD WATER and the coffee mess was
> ALWAYS there with a full pot of coffee.  I do not care if you came in at
> 0200AM local - someone had made a full pot of coffee - which I personally
> took full advantage of as I was up each night from about 0300 local until
> grayline sunrise.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > So much for the PROLOGUE....
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > TOPBAND HIGHLIGHTS
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > All of us dedicated topband afficiandos know what 160M is like - usually
> there is a well-defined peak in signals as SR approaches - sometimes it is
> not there - but it USUALLY works that way.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > I would get on at about 0300 local - which was 1900z - and start
> listening on 160M.  It was an interesting time to be on the air as JA SR
> was occurring at about the same time as SS was moving from RW2F westward
> towards Central EU and towards the UK.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Of course UA9/UA0 and the JA's were pretty loud.  Then came the UA4 and
> UA6 boys.  You had to work the 8 circle array all the time because after
> each CQ,  JA's might be calling and/or EU stations and depending on where
> your RX antenna was aimed, you would not hear both.  The JA's would
> ultimately disappear and then it would be all EU as one reached 2000z. and
> beyond
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Here's what it was like:
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Scandinavia was pee-weak.  I did work a few OH and SM stations.  OH1RX
> was one.  I do not remember working an LA.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Clearly, the LOUDEST EU signals were from SOUTHERN EU - mostly IK7JTF,
> I2TAO and the well-known SV stations which had the front door into JT for
> sure.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Eastern EU was copiable - usually 559/569 or so but with alot of QSB.  I
> did work some SP's, OM/OK stations, some S5 and 9A and one loud EA6.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > I recall, working a handful of DL - but probably less than 10 total.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > I did not work a single FRENCH station.  I worked ONE G station on sked
> - G3XHZ I think who called me on ON4KST chat and had I not sent him to 1829
> outside the pile, I never would have worked him - he was in the noise but
> we did manage a difficult QSO.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > It is clear to me that the UK on 160M suffers greatly into JT land - &
> unless it gets better in DEC/JAN/FEB - (maybe it does) - hard for me to
> tell in late May - these guys seem to struggle on this path.  Signals were
> really weak and more than a few were trying.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Via CHAT I learned that ZL3IX was hearing me both nights and VK4MA asked
> for a try - and I made it with Paul who had a 579 signal - I worked nothing
> else down into the Pacific.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > At 0500 (one hour before local SR) the band peaked into Eu and then it
> dropped like a rock for the last hour as SR occurred.  There was no
> traditional SR bump.  The I and SV stations did hang in there to the end
> but the rest of EU was totally just not there - I did manage a qso with
> 4X4DK five minutes into daylight - the last night I was on before the
> contest.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > HF THOUGHTS and OBSERVATIONS
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > One of the things I wanted to check was what NA signals sounded like
> over in JT and 20M was really the only place that I knew would likely be
> open.  I also knew 1130-1230z might be a good time for over the pole prop
> into W1.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > On Wed evening before the contest I had made a sked with VY2GF, George
> Dewar, who has a modest station and low power on PEI and we had planned to
> work at 1230z.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > But around 1115z I found W1MK CQ'ing with a LOUD signal around 14015 and
> worked Rob.  He was pretty surprised when I told who I was.  A few minutes
> later I found Nate N4YDU who was just playing around with the remote
> EASTPORT, ME RHR stacks - using his laptop in his kitchen.  He was so loud
> I could not believe it - and I do not remember anyone louder either - but I
> did not have too much time to check either.  I also worked K1RM a few mins
> later with a good signal.  KP2M with KT3Y operating was a good signal as
> well a few mins earlier.  I did work VY2GF on sked which was a new one for
> George - so I am sure he was delighted.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > On 20M I tried to see who had the front door - K3LR was in there the
> longest - but not that much louder than the best E Coast stations.  VY2TT
> held up for quite a long time as well - he has some SUPERB 20M stacks and
> it showed.  These guys, again, were not what I would call DOMINANT - they
> just held up longer as the prop waned into the East Coast during the
> contest.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > THE CONTEST and JT5DX's configuration
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > As primarily a 160M specialist and a SINGLE OP/ALL BAND guy  most of my
> life - the state of Multi Single that exists today is truly mind-boggling.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > K3JO and 9A5K had configured the station for either a M2 or a M/S
> entry.  We all decided that WHATEVEVER P33W did ***not do** would determine
> what WE WOULD DO.  Easy choice....really - a no brainer.  P33W had
> overlapping prop in NA on all bands and we had only 20M to shoot for
> towards NA - also they were at EUROPE's back door - & we were a whole
> hemisphere away to the East.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > They wernt M2 - so we went M/S.  Again - this was an EASY DECISION and
> the right one - they made 40Meg or so - we managed 15MEG  or so - being in
> Asia on our side is clearly not the place to make a TOP WORLD SCORE with
> P33W in the game!!
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Again, the scope of the state of the art in M/S today is mind-boggling
> to an old fart 160m op like me.  After reading this you will better
> understand the INCREDIBLE results of P33W, CN2AA, EF8R and ED8X (and
> others).
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Chris 9A5K and Velimir K3JO (who works for K1LZ in MASS) - designed a
> switching/interlock system that can accommodate up to 12 stations and 36
> antennas - with the whole system is totally interlocked and running like a
> fine SWISS timepiece.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > In the most competitive M/S stations like P33W, and now JT5DX, here is
> how one approaches a M/S operation:
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > 1) Two stations handle the RUN on the RUN BAND - with a power divider
> splitting the power into stacked yagis aimed in different directions at the
> same time.  Each CQ goes out in two directions at the same time and each
> operator listens in his direction for callers.  In our case we had 7/7 OWA
> long boom 20M yagis at something like 150/75 feet aimed at EU.  The second
> RUN operator at his station had another pair of 20M stacks aimed at JA.
> Good operators like K1LZ and 9A5K work together to maintain huge RUN rates
> - as they know how to do this.  Whichever operator grabs the INTELOCK first
> answers what he hears - then the SECOND station can call what he has heard
> calling from the other direction.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > 2) In a M/S operation like this - there are usually two OTHER stations
> on the same band - using DIFFERENT antennas and DIFFERENT amps etc.  These
> are called IN BAND stations.  I was on one of these - K3JO, S52M often were
> on the other in-band station.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > This means that 4 stations are all on the RUN band - with each station
> SIMULTANEOUSLY putting points up on the scoreboard.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > At each position Chris 9A5K's DX Logger logging program has 2 windows on
> the computer - one window has choices of XMIT antennas and the other WINDOW
> has choices of RX antennas.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > On every band we usually had as many as 5 to 6 antennas to choose from.
> The RUN guys had the BEST antennas - but what we had left to choose from
> were not TOO SHABBY either - just lesser stacks and/or two 125 foot high
> STEPPIR 40-10m yagis, for example.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Available antennas not in use were GREEN shaded - antennas in USE were
> RED shaded - and could not be selected.  One merely needed to POINT and
> CLICK on the screen to switch antennas.  Also there was a 3rd window which
> indicated RED or GREEN which indicated the status of the interlock.  If it
> was GREEN (and with the RUN guys going at 200 per hour) that meant that you
> as an IN BAND op needed to be really CLEVER AND FAST to be able to grab the
> interlock to call what you were after.  It was usually RED so you had to
> wait for your chance.  If you dallied too long calling a mult - you might
> occasionally hear a STOP STOP shouted out at you from the RUN guys -
> especially if you were taking down their rate - HI.  So this required
> TEAMWORK and the guys at P33W and CN2AA are probably the best teams in the
> world who attempt this.  We are still learning at ED8X - so were are "TEAM
> AVIS" - but we are getting better - HI.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > It took some patience to learn how to optimize this - but for each
> hour,  the IN BAND guys on these two other stations would usually manage to
> add from 60-80 additional qso's to the RUN guys total - elevating an hourly
> total to well over 200 per hour during optimal hours. We would go after
> prefix mults FIRST and then LATER anything regardless of where it was for
> QSO points.  The second day as things wound down there was NOT much left to
> work.  Certain stations were really hard to work too - especially Z37M and
> CN8KD whom I called for hours on end over both days!
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Some other notes:
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > As an East Coast op, I am not used to hearing BY and YB stations all
> over the band - for example, on 10M and 15M that is about all we could hear
> - plus a smattering of JA stations.  I did work a ZL/KH6 and 5W1SA on 15 as
> I recall -  & the RUN guys did manage some decent RUN openings into EU.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > The first night we did almost no operating on 80M and 160m - as the
> rates were far higher on 20M and 40M all night long.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > We had planned to hit 80 HARD the second night and an hour or so on 160M
> - but the FLARE - wiped 160M completely and hurt our chances even on 80m -
> but we did have a few decent hours after midnight into EU on 80M.  I spent
> some time operating with JT1CO on the RUN and boy - Chak is a great CW
> operator.  He can hear a pin crop, busted almost ZERO callsigns that I
> heard and handled the pile at 38-40 WPM CW rate for hours.  Every now and
> then he would stretch and say - "I am getting old...."  I really enjoyed
> listening to him as he ran the lowband pileup.  HE KNOWS HIS TOMATOES - as
> one might say!!!!
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > One other comment to add  is how CHAK ran out his feedlines.  He had
> constructed elevated channels on 14" high posts - think of them as
> aqueducts - into which were placed up to as many as 12 runs of 2" diameter
> hardline.  These ran all over the farm out to the towers.  At the base of
> each tower was a LOCKED panel - and from there LMR400 smaller coax would
> run up the tower to the yagis.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Some towers were as LARGE as cell towers - and on these towers 10m and
> 15m yagis just could not be placed  - unless they were mounted vertically
> into stacks on masts spaced way out away from the tower face -  the tower
> diameter was just too fat for these small yagis - which is something K3ZO
> once told me about down at his station.  The vertical polarization did not
> seem to matter though - EVERYTHING worked.  We only suffered one failure -
> one of the STEPPIR's had some kind of problem - but everything else worked
> without fail.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > As the contest ended, we on the IN BAND stations really struggled to
> find something to work - we did not miss much we thought.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > One other point - Chris and Velimir finished the station wiring at
> MIDNIGHT on Friday night.  Lucky for us the contest started and ended at
> 0800 local time (0000z) - thus we all managed about 6 hours of much needed
> sleep - then a shower and breakfast  SATURDAY morning- and we were all
> hunched over our radios promptly at 0800 local as the contest started.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > For me - this was a thrilling experience - I am grateful to K1LZ and
> JT1CO for allowing me to be a part of it all.  I personally am starting to
> enjoy 12 hour runs on the HF bands at 200 per hour LESS and LESS in favor
> of more relaxed rates on 80m and 160M - so the BETTER OPS did most of the
> HEAVY LIFTING on the HF bands - and asked me to do some nighttime running
> on 40M and 80M - which suited me just fine - HI HI.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Pity that 160M was a total washout the second night - I only managed to
> work HG8R in the noise and absorption from the flare made and runs there a
> total impossibility.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Guess that is all to say here - hope it was fun reading - and thanks for
> all the Qso's from the JT5DX team.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Cu down the road in the next one I hope.
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > 73 JEFF   K1ZM/VY2ZM
>
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> > _________________
>
> > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>
>
>
>
>
> _________________
>
> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
>
>