3YØX HAS LANDED

[WA5KRP]

THEY MADE IT! (http://www.peterone.com/updates.htm)

Quote[/b] ]0245UTC: #"The Eagle Has Landed"! #The first helicopter load landed on Peter I Island at 1830UTC 7 Feb. #All but three members of the Team are ashore; the last helicopter trip for the day was at 0230UTC. #80% of the gear has been transferred; the rest (and the remaining three Team members) will be flown ashore in the morning (local). #All the shelters are up except OP Shelter A.
Two SteppIR antennas are up along with a 40M vertical. #This is a beautiful place but visibility is presently poor. #We've seen the tops of volcanoes but only for a brief period. #The camp is located a bit north of the 1994 location, closer to the sea. #Snow is slushy and you sink in about 6" with every step; makes moving around tiring. #Temp is 30°, wind 30 knots and visibility is low. #We expect to have 8-9 stations on the air in the next 24 hours.

We plan to be on the air with two stations at around 0400UTC 8 Feb.

Let the fun begin!


If all has gone well, this team has hit the ground running and on the air as I post! #God bless these guys for their adventurous spirit and guts..........this is NOT the average DXpedition to a remote corner of the world. #This is a risky undertaking.

WOOHOO! #Let the DX begin! #http://smilies.vidahost.com/otn/realhappy/luxhello.gifhttp://smilies.vidahost.com/otn/realhappy/luxhello.gifhttp://smilies.vidahost.com/otn/realhappy/luxhello.gif


WA5KRP
Texas

[N9XR]

Thanks for the info Dude. That is way cool.

Might give me something to do besides doing QRZ posts all day.

N9XR

[K9STH]

Except that they have stated in one of the daily bulletins that everything is securely packed and that it will probably be like 36 hours after they land that the first signal will be on the air.

Also, I moved the topic to the more appropriate forum.

Glen, K9STH

[K3STX]

They are ON the air. Finally, something to do in the evening!

GL guys, might not happen again in your lifetime.

paul

[KC0W]

I was listening to their 17 meter CW pileup going on this early afternoon. Not too bad. They were workable if you stuck with it.


Tom kcØw

[kj5t]

They were spotted on 14.195, but I have no copy on them there. I would like to get them on atleast one band, hopefully I will get them. I will keep looking for them and if I find them and I can manage to copy them I will certainly attempt to bust the pile-up. Right now, it won't be happening.

[K9STH]

They are coming through on 14.195 MHz right now (2237Z). I did work them at 2225Z but they were really weak. The QSB is now taking them from an S-0 to about an S-3 to S-4. Now this is on a receiver with the "S" meter calibrated for S-9 = 50 microvolts. On many rigs these days they are going to read at least S-9 if not "20 over". Of course they are still going to be very difficult to copy.

They are "listening up" and that means from about 14.200 MHz to 14.215 MHz, at least right now. I was on 14.207.460 MHz according to the ADE digital display that I put on my Collins 75S-3A a couple of months ago. Was running right at 1000 watts output to a 3-element monoband 20 meter yagi at 55 feet above ground.

I am really wanting to get them on 40 meters to see how well my phased verticals are really working.

Glen, K9STH

[KC0W]

Never heard so many 5NN + 25 over signals from guys on 30 meters trying to work 3YØX. Now I know why the Alpha 99 (and others) have a 30 meter position. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif


Tom kcØw

[ve2nsm]

There is a 6KHz wide pileup arount 10107...I guess it's him, but I can't hear him. Don't even know where he transmits :-(

Quote[/b] (ve2nsm @ Feb. 08 2006,20:24)]There is a 6KHz wide pileup arount 10107...I guess it's him, but I can't hear him. Don't even know where he transmits :-(
He's at 10.103 and I can hear him just fine on my 30 meter vertical. It's hard to tell where he's listening though. I called a few times and it is possible that he came back to me, at least I heard part of my callsign, but I could not be sure because some LID started transmitting on top of him.

You might be able to hear him OK in between the LIDS who don't seem to understand what "up" means and are transmitting on top of him or are tuning up on top of him.

I also have never heard so many S9+20 signals from all over the US and Canada on 30 meters before. Do you suppose people have forgotten about the 200 Watt limit on that band?

Well, I believe I read that they plan to be there a week or two. I hope after a few days the LIDS will get tired and go away, and maybe the crowd will thin down enough, and I'll try it then.

[ve2nsm]

I heard him _I think_ but very faintly.
I won't try to work him because first I have no antenna, second, my is around 4wpm, if you repeat many times http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[XV2PS]

I think they forgot the rotators somewhere, or they got frozen, because I haven't found them beaming somewhere else than America. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

To ensure an equal beaming to the entire world, I suggest (because available) they fix their beam on the helicopter rotor. Ensure to have enough coax for 5 minutes operations.
Should sound like:

Xray....Sierra.....Yank..Xray.. you.... n'nine...ty three...RZ?

[AC0H]

I heard the furball on 30m last night and KCØW is correct, my K2/100's S meter had 9-10 of the eleven segments lit across the entire pileup.

[K3STX]

I was in the fray for about an hour and a half last night on 30 meters too. really hard to figure out where they were listening, for a while it was primarily up 12, then all of a sudden lots of QSOs up 3 then back up to up 12 or even up 18. The sigs from 3Y0X were GREAT. I wonder if they have a 200 watt limit? I guess I'll try some more, but waiting till the big boys get their fill might not be a bad strategy. Of course, like the KP5 DXPedition things can change and they could have to QRT right away.

paul

[K9STH]

They were "booming in" on 40 meter CW. Unfortunately, for over an hour and a half they were working only Europe and then QRT to work OSCAR. I went to bed! They are going to be there for a few more days.

I have no problem with them working a particular area. However, not for that long and then going QRT. There definitely were some VERY upset North American amateurs.

They are right in the main lobe of my phased verticals. Way strong when phased towards them and way weak when phased the other way.

Glen, K9STH

[WB2WIK]

Heard their 30m signal, didn't bother calling yet through the din.

The din, at my place around 0200-0300 UTC last evening, occupied the lower half of the 30m band. At any given moment, at least 2-3 stations were calling right on top of them also.

Great stuff.

On a clear band, probably could've worked them in about two seconds, since they really were 599.

WB2WIK/6

[n5tjd]

.... yet another reason to buy an HF rig that has split capability. Of course I could call on their TX, but they aren't listening there, and being where they are, I'd start an international incident of angry amateur ops calling me a LID. What is a TenTec Scout user to do? lol. Methinks I'll just listen.

[w8wlc]

Quote[/b] (kc0w @ Feb. 08 2006,20:00)]Never heard so many 5NN + 25 over signals from guys on 30 meters trying to work 3YØX. Now I know why the Alpha 99 (and others) have a 30 meter position. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif


# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Tom kcØw
amazing isn't it. Me I am just gonna sit back and wait to grab it like I do with the others. In the meantime I got all this free entertainment listening to lids, and power mongers trying to kill each other over a piece of paper. Oh my God I just thought of something! Since I am recovering from knee surgery and the doc sez my football , baseball, and S&R run days are over does this mean I am gonna turn into one of these?

[kj5t]

No copy on 15 SSB this afternoon.. I will try tomorrow and again this weekend (when I will be on earlier in the day).

[K9STH]

WZB:

In most transceivers the R.I.T. will move the receiver far enough so that the CW signal will be inside the General / Advanced portion of the band. They typically have been transmitting on 023 KHz above the bottom of each band.

Now SSB is a different matter. For that I usually use a separate receiver for listening to the DX and then using my main receiver to transceive with my transmitter. That way I can often hear the station that the DX just worked and figure out what pattern the DX is using on receiving.

Glen, K9STH

[KC7UP]

I heard the pileup on 40M this evening however could not hear them at all.
Curt

[kr2d]

I couldn't hear them either. I've got something local making an awful buzz right on 7023 - the noise is at S5. I did hear the usual DX cops sending "UP UP" right on 7023, and a huge pileup from 7023.5 up to who knows where.

My gawd. The behavior of some of these people is disgraceful.

People sending "JERK", "ASS" and other commentary, people sending carriers or strings of dits and dahs, right on top of the DX, in addition to the LIDS and Cops. I can't even hear the DX!

As well as the people listed in the databases as Generals operating below 025.

Insanity!

And this lunacy is taking out almost 20 kHz of the band! I can hear people calling all the way from 023 to at least 043!

[AC0H]

Quote[/b] ]People sending "JERK", "ASS" and other commentary, people sending carriers or strings of dits and dahs, right on top of the DX, in addition to the LIDS and Cops. I can't even hear the DX!

Ditto here, or I should say I could hear 3Y0X occasionally through the intentional jamming but never enough to hear who he was calling.

[K9STH]

I heard 3Y0X work Steve, WB2WIK, on 40 CW last night. I just tuned in and the first station that he worked after I tuned the station in was Steve.

Glen, K9STH

[kl7aj]

Quote[/b] (AC0H @ Feb. 10 2006,05:54)]Quote[/b] ]People sending "JERK", "ASS" and other commentary, people sending carriers or strings of dits and dahs, right on top of the DX, in addition to the LIDS and Cops. I can't even hear the DX!

Ditto here, or I should say I could hear 3Y0X occasionally through the intentional jamming but never enough to hear who he was calling.
I said, PLEASE, and he STILL didn't answer me. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

eric

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (K9STH @ Feb. 10 2006,08:59)]I heard 3Y0X work Steve, WB2WIK, on 40 CW last night. I just tuned in and the first station that he worked after I tuned the station in was Steve.

Glen, K9STH
Yep. Actually, at 0230 UTC last evening I said to myself, "What the heck, I'll go work those guys at 3Y0X."

By 0320 UTC, I had worked them on 17m, 20m and 40m, and it didn't take more than 2-3 calls on any of those bands. I just had to "find" them, since I wasn't using any spotting or cluster. On 17m and 20m, they were very easy to find, as almost the only signals on those bands (bands were mostly closed, but somehow 3Y0X was coming through just fine -- it was my "grayline," and N-S propagation was very good).

On 40, it was a different story. I could hear a big pileup spread out over about 20 kHz, but didn't know where 3Y0X was. Finally caught their signal on about 7022, found the last station they worked, and tuned up a bit higher to call them. I got them on my third call, on 7025.

Then went for dinner.

WB2WIK/6

[K3STX]

I hate you.

paul

[K9STH]

With all of the intentional QRM and all of the "helpers" telling people "up up up", I had to do some "fancy tuning" to get the 3Y0 station "Q5". But, once I went to my 200 Hz CW filter, turned on the variable BFO instead of the crystal controlled BFO, turned off the AVC, and adjusted the rejection tuning, I was able to copy without any problems. This was on 40 meters.

Of course the K2 who insisted on calling CQ and then trying to hold a lengthy ragchew didn't help. He knew exactly what he was doing. In fact, I never even heard the station that he was supposedly working.

Glen, K9STH

[WB2WIK]

Paul, if you haven't worked 'em on 17 or 20 yet:

1. Wait for gray line at your place, which I'll guess is around 2300UTC or so.

2. Look for them, they may be almost the only signal on the band.

3. Work 'em.

Last night, it was literally that easy. On 17m (18.145, he was listening up at 18.150), the 3Y0X operator sounded lonely. There was no pileup. Almost the same on 20m.

On 40m, there was a big pileup but it wasn't difficult to figure it out.

On 30m the pileup was very big and too wide. I might try there tonight, but Wednesday and Thursday I listened for maybe 5 mins and said the heck with it.

I think some of the 30m ops might be running a tad over 200 Watts...

WB2WIK/6

[K9STH]

Steve:

Your comment "I think some of the 30m ops might be running a tad over 200 Watts..." must be in jest. You don't think that there are some California Kilowatts being used in the 30 meter band do you? No one would ever "cheat"!

My Tempo 2001 linear will go to 30 meters (and it works well on both 12 and 17 meters) even though there is not a position on the bandswitch. However, it uses a rotary inductor and the bandswitch only switches in fixed capacitors across the plate end of the pi-network. The loading capacitor is variable. Thus, it can pretty much tune any frequency between 3.5 MHz and 30 MHz.

However, I do NOT use it on 30 meters or on 60 meters.

Glen, K9STH

[WB2WIK]

Glen, I've never even thought about using an amp on 30m, and certainly not on 60m.

My amps will work 30m, I'm pretty sure, and are even specified to work there by the manuals because in some countries they're allowed higher power on 10.1 MHz than we are here.

But it's never crossed my mind to do it. My TR-7 runs about 150W out on 30m, and so far, that's been enough to work anything I can hear. Except possibly 3Y0X, and if I miss them, too bad.

My general operating rule for myself at home is to keep the power down on CW, almost always just barefoot. 100W on CW is about the same as a kilowatt on SSB, and warms up the shack less.

73!

Steve WB2WIK/6

[K3STX]

Steve,

I hear 'em just fine, they are SCREAMING loud here on 80, 40, and 30. But it is so hard to find their listening frequency, cuz nobody ever shuts up in the pile-ups. All I want is ONE QSO, not 10 band/modes. I'm sure once things calm down after a day or so it will ease up. But I have never heard pile-ups like this in my life, not even for KP5. It is especially depressing cuz they are so loud. I can not imagine how they can not be at least 579 in all of America on 30 meters in the evening, they are over 599 here and all I have is a dipole.

p

p.s. I don't REALLY hate you, I am just jealous. No operating before 0000 UTC here, makes greyline tough.

[K9STH]

Steve:

I have a friend up in Iowa who has been complaining of the kilowatt plus stations on 30 meters since that is the band that he operates about 90 percent of the time.

It is unfortunate, but there have always been a number of amateur radio operators who run illegal power. The "California kilowatt" has been the term that has been used for decades to describe the amplifiers although there definitely are other states in that the amplifiers reside.

A number of years ago there was a fellow in Dallas who used a 4-1000 for his driver stage and it was running pretty much full tilt. One day he got his arm across the final power supply and was so badly burned that he died the next day.

Glen, K9STH

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (K3STX @ Feb. 10 2006,17:35)]Steve,

I hear 'em just fine, they are SCREAMING loud here on 80, 40, and 30. But it is so hard to find their listening frequency, cuz nobody ever shuts up in the pile-ups. All I want is ONE QSO, not 10 band/modes. I'm sure once things calm down after a day or so it will ease up. But I have never heard pile-ups like this in my life, not even for KP5. #It is especially depressing cuz they are so loud. I can not imagine how they can not be at least 579 in all of America on 30 meters in the evening, they are over 599 here and all I have is a dipole.

p

p.s. I don't REALLY hate you, I am just jealous. No operating #before 0000 UTC here, makes greyline tough.
That is tough, 'cause gray line's the best time on the higher bands at least.

If they're so strong and you can't find their listening frequency due to the high Bozo level, you might try using a second receiver so you can listen in two places simultaneously, instead of switching VFO A to B and B to A, which takes time and is more work. Using two separate receivers, one just to listen to them (which can be a receiver only, and doesn't need to ever transmit) and one to hear who they're working, makes it easier to pick out the last contact. That receiver (the one listening to the pileup) should also be the transceiver that you can transmit with.

Last night on 40 CW I was able to hear their "last contact" every time they made one, because I could hear everybody they heard. It's not always like that, of course. On 20 phone last night I worked them easily and quickly by guessing where they were listening, because I could not hear who they were working -- because they were working 6's, too close to me. I just took a stab at "5 up" and called them there, and sure 'nuff, that's where they were listening!

Good luck, you'll make it.

WB2WIK/6

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (K9STH @ Feb. 10 2006,17:42)]Steve:

I have a friend up in Iowa who has been complaining of the kilowatt plus stations on 30 meters since that is the band that he operates about 90 percent of the time.

It is unfortunate, but there have always been a number of amateur radio operators who run illegal power. #The "California kilowatt" has been the term that has been used for decades to describe the amplifiers although there definitely are other states in that the amplifiers reside.

A number of years ago there was a fellow in Dallas who used a 4-1000 for his driver stage and it was running pretty much full tilt. #One day he got his arm across the final power supply and was so badly burned that he died the next day.

Glen, K9STH
The best revenge on 30m, I would think, is to outwork all the kilowatt guys by simply having better antennas than they do.

I could put up a killer antenna system for 30m, just never have. It certainly wouldn't take much space, and I have a tower that could hold it: Maybe a 3L linear loaded beam at 65 feet. That would be better than what 75% of everybody on 30m is using, and it's feasible. Just haven't done it. Maybe this summer if I get bored...

Unfortunately, I don't have enough property for a good 4-square vertical system to develop steerable gain at a frequency as low as 10.1 MHz. Well, maybe, but then two of the verticals would be in the pool and front yard...even I would object to that! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

WB2WIK/6

[KC0W]

I have a 3 element 30 meter yagi made by Force 12 that I will sell this summer. Just purchased a 2 element M2 75/80 meter yagi that will go up in place of the 30 meter yagi this summer at 105'.

Keep me in mind early summer if you are interested, Steve.


# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Tom kcØw

[K9STH]

One of the "features" of the 3Y0X operation was to be the fact that they would update an on-line log at least twice a day so that everyone could see if they had really worked the 3Y0. Unfortunately, the first upload of the log to the Internet was through 1600Z on 10 February and nothing has been added since that time.

There is definitely a wide range of skills of the various operators. Yesterday there was a CW operator who couldn't work more than one station every minute to two minutes whereas they had been running between 3 and 5 stations per minute on other shifts. Same with the SSB operators. There was one that was taking over a minute per QSO and others that were running like 5 or more per minute.

This is not to criticize the operators, just an observation as to the varying skills of the persons operating from Peter I.

Glen, K9STH

[N5BO]

I worked them on 80 CW the other night....man the lids and jammers sure make it tough. I'm still pumped though because 80M is the only antenna I have up and it's only an Inverted V at 35 feet...man I love this new QTH already.

[K9STH]

I don't know if the stateside representatives of the 3Y0X operation read QRZ.com, but within a short time after I put up the note about the log site a notice appeared on the site about the situation.

I think that being able to see if you are in the log is great. It is unfortunate that, so far, it has been difficult to get the information posted.

Glen, K9STH

[N6WK]

Well, I've worked them on 30 ( CW of Course), 20 CW, 20 SSB, 17 SSB, 15 CW, 15 SSB, Heard them on 12, but couldn't find exactly where they were listening.

I also worked Max, KH6ZM on 160 thru 10... All 9 Bands !! With a Straight Key to boot !!

As Steve said, You need to find out where they are listening, then it's very EASY to work them.
By The Way Steve, See you in 2 weeks at W6FY's place.

I bought Ben's Force 12 Antenna !!
Looking Forward to actually meeting you !
Gordon
N6WK

[WB2WIK]

Hi Gordon,

Sorry you didn't make it to the breakfast last week, it was fun. I do expect to be at Ben's place taking down his tower on 2/26 at 10:00 AM. With all the people Ben invited, I expect this job ought to take about a minute.

I don't really do any daytime operating, so haven't heard or worked 3Y0X on 10-12 or even 15 (although I heard them on 15 CW on Saturday evening), but did complete phone and CW with them on 17-20-40m. Heard them plenty of times on 30m, big sig on .103 but usually they were favoring the east coast or Europe and by the time they got around to working W6's they QRT'd to go hit 160 or something. That was kind of annoying...but I'll give them another shot on 30m tonight.

I never chastise any DXpedition operators, since I'm not there and they are. I've been on DXpeditions but never any place as cold and remote as Peter I, and my hat's off to those guys for being there.

WB2WIK/6

[WA5VQM]

I picked a great time to build a QRP rig with a 10.106 mhz rock huh?

I'd like to work them but doubt I'll have a chance with all the chaos going on. Guess I'll just sit this one out. I'd hate to key down my two watts and blow all ya'll off the band! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

73, Mark

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (WA5VQM @ Feb. 13 2006,11:57)]I picked a great time to build a QRP rig with a 10.106 mhz rock huh?

I'd like to work them but doubt I'll have a chance with all the chaos going on. Guess I'll just sit this one out. I'd hate to key down my two watts and blow all ya'll off the band! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

73, Mark
10.106 is actually exactly where they're listening.

They're QRV 10.103, QSX 10.106 and a bit above that.

Give it a shot. If you hear them well, that's half the battle.

They've been very strong here on 30m around gray line time, then weaker later in the evening. Legal limit in the U.S. is 200W; if you ran 2W, you're only down 20 dB from "max" that any of us can run.

WB2WIK/6

[kj5t]

I could hear them on 15 cw, but they were sending so fast that it was very difficult and I am really not ready for a cw pile-up. Of course from my station hearing DX on SSB isn't so very easy, and I have yet to work 3Y0X, I heard them the past couple of days on 15 in the afternoon, but it was so weak I could only pick up the "59's" they were handing out. MAYBE this evening I will put down some temporary radials. Anything is better than zero, and above ground radials would be better than nothing. I have the wire that I could use I just haven't done it.

SCR is this week, but I think I will only put in a couple of hours tonight and I will see if I can go out and put down some radials, might be kind of cold and dark, but it would be worth it if that means Wednesday (I have plans tomorrow evening) afternoon I could log 3Y0X. I don't know, but I really doubt without some help from radials that I will eer get any copy on SSB from Peter I; however, I have doubts if above ground radials will improve well enough on the receive end for me to be able to hear them.

[N6WK]

I also got them on 17 CW today !! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Yep, I tip my hat to those Guys, I would LOVE to be on a Dxpedition, But No place where it is Cold. I think they are doing a GREAT job down there.
Steve, I'll see you on the 26th at Bens. I'm looking Forward to it !
Yes, With all the guys he has invited, it should only take a few minutes to get it down. I'll have to drill out a few rivets to break the Beam Down for Transportation, But that should not take long either.

Gordon

[K9STH]

The temperatures may not be that bad on Peter I Island right now. Remember that this is the height of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Should be like north central Canada or the panhandle of Alaska during mid August.

Glen, K9STH

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (K9STH @ Feb. 13 2006,14:13)]The temperatures may not be that bad on Peter I Island right now. Remember that this is the height of summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Should be like north central Canada or the panhandle of Alaska during mid August.

Glen, K9STH
If you look at the photos on the 3Y0X website, it sure sends shivers up my spine.

The WX there is hanging close to 0C, which isn't all that cold I guess, but there's lots of snow on the ground and it doesn't look very inviting. Their last 3 ops finally landed on the island yesterday and they should now finally have 7-8 stations on the air, which is more than they had.

Hat's still of to them for making this trip and getting on the air. They're running zero-gain antennas mostly (verticals and such) and have pretty good signals considering where we are in the sunspot cycle.

[K9STH]

Shoot, during January and February when I was living in northwestern Indiana when it got up to 0 degrees F you felt like taking off your coat since it was so warm!

0 degrees C (32 degrees F) felt like sunbathing weather!

My father (who was definitely more accustomed to the cold than I ever became) would wear a "windbreaker" type of jacket until it got below 0 F and then would go to a slightly heavier coat until it got around 15 to 20 below 0. Then he would start to "bundle up" since he would be driving a fuel oil truck during those times. In fact, during Christmas vacation from high school and college I was at least helping on a fuel truck if not actually driving one.

Myself, by the time it got to 0 F I was wearing a Mackinaw!

Glen, K9STH

[ab8ma]

Finally. Worked on 17.

Glen, you were right. Not sure where you posted but you said that the pileups would lessen. Finally us "barefoot" stations are being heard. Plus, 17 seems to be strong right now.

Not bad for an CW40 antenna.

Does this mean I qualify as a DX COP and can now tell the lower ranks that the teams are working split and so forth? And throw in a few choice words as well? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[ab8ma]

They dug me out on 14.190 as well.

Folks, this can be done. I just have one wire up there. No beam no amplifier.

[ab8ma]

Hey Danny,

I wanted to share this with you. I know you started the "3y0x has landed" thread.

Well, I tried. I had heard them on one band or another since they landed. I tried and felt deaf (or is that supposed to be dumb?).

Then the weekend came. O Boy! Saturday and Sunday. I will get them.

I heard them

Bravo Sierra, They did not hear me. I tried for hours. My back still hurts. Leaning forward to the mike requires a certain amount of stretching, and this is winter in Michigan.

In other words, no luck. All weekend. I lost my voice.


OK. WELL. I was getting pissed. I was seeing on the posts "Worked now on 7 bands".


Well, I am better now. Today I came home from work and worked 3Y0X on 17 and 20.

Just wanted to share that with a fellow rogue.

73 - Bob AB8MA

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (ab8ma @ Feb. 13 2006,16:37)]Bravo Sierra, They did not hear me. I tried for hours. My back still hurts. Leaning forward to the mike requires a certain amount of stretching, and this is winter in Michigan.
As I've told people all my life, or at least for my 40-year ham career, desk mikes are stupid.

Congratulations on the contacts, and you can probably work them some more, too.

But ditch the desk mike, they make everyone's back hurt and they never sound any better than hand mikes or boom mikes.

They really are stupid.

WB2WIK/6
...sold all his desk mikes a long time ago and is much happier now

[WA5KRP]

Quote[/b] (ab8ma @ Feb. 13 2006,17:37)]Well, I am better now. Today I came home from work and worked 3Y0X on 17 and 20.

Just wanted to share that with a fellow rogue.
Keep doing cool stuff like that and you're done being a rogue!


HAW!©



WA5KRP
Texas

[ab8ma]

Quote[/b] (WB2WIK @ Feb. 13 2006,23:45)]Quote[/b] (ab8ma @ Feb. 13 2006,16:37)]Bravo Sierra, They did not hear me. I tried for hours. My back still hurts. Leaning forward to the mike requires a certain amount of stretching, and this is winter in Michigan.
As I've told people all my life, or at least for my 40-year ham career, desk mikes are stupid.

Congratulations on the contacts, and you can probably work them some more, too.

But ditch the desk mike, they make everyone's back hurt and they never sound any better than hand mikes or boom mikes.

They really are stupid.

WB2WIK/6
...sold all his desk mikes a long time ago and is much happier now
Thanks Steve.

I do have the Heil Pro set plus, but only use the speakers.

[ab8ma]

Quote[/b] (WA5KRP @ Feb. 13 2006,23:57)]Quote[/b] (ab8ma @ Feb. 13 2006,17:37)]Well, I am better now. Today I came home from work and worked 3Y0X on 17 and 20.

Just wanted to share that with a fellow rogue.
Keep doing cool stuff like that and you're done being a rogue!


HAW!©



WA5KRP
Texas
With your permission,

I will continue to be a rogue as long as my Carolina Windom CW40 works, and I can continue to work the QRZ bands hi hi.

Seriously, I cannot believe my luck tonight.

Thanks de Bob AB8MA

[K9STH]

Now I still have my "trusty" D-104 that I use mostly when I operate AM or am testing a transmitter on the work bench.

But, for any serious work including contests and DX I definitely use a boom microphone and a foot switch.

Glen, K9STH

[K9STH]

Finally got through on 40 meter CW. Only had to call about 8 times this evening. It has been brutal getting through on 40.

Glen, K9STH

[K3STX]

OWO,

Your best bet might be 30 meters, in the early evening. They are really working 30 hard, and the pile-ups are thinner. Remember, I had trouble getting through on my dipole, but finally succeeded by switching to my 80 meter vertical (it is just about 3/4 wavelength on 30 meters).

GL, there might not be activity on Peter I again till you are 25 years old!!!

paul

[kr2d]

I finally heard 3Y0X this morning on 30m and 20m RTTY. They were way down in the noise, only got about 25% copy on them, barely audible and barely visible on the waterfall display. Didn't even try to work them, because the decoder took too long to sync up - I never saw a complete callsign of who they were working, so if they called me, I'd never know it. I wish they'd use Olivia, I've seen perfect copy from weaker signals.

I've tried listening for them a few times on CW and SSB (40, 30, 20, and 17) but couldn't hear them through the LIDs and frequency cops. The RTTY pileup was much better behaved.

A better antenna would definitely help. I'll try again near sunset today or tomorrow, and see if that helps. And if I don't work them, oh well, it's just a hobby.

[WB2WIK]

Quote[/b] (K3STX @ Feb. 14 2006,08:11)]OWO,

Your best bet might be 30 meters, in the early evening. They are really working 30 hard, and the pile-ups are thinner. Remember, I had trouble getting through on my dipole, but finally succeeded by switching to my 80 meter vertical (it is just about 3/4 wavelength on 30 meters).

GL, there might not be activity on Peter I again till you are 25 years old!!!

paul
I called 'em last evening on 30m on and off for nearly an hour and never made contact. Problem is they were working EU and the east coast of the U.S. repeatedly and never once answered any west coast U.S. station, although hundreds of us were calling.

Just as propagation would have peaked for the path at about 0400 UTC, they QRT'd on 30m, as they have consistently done. I have no idea why that is, because their signal was building in strength and they still had "many calling," including me.

Just as a sanity check, as soon as they QRT'd on 10.105.2, I called CQ there and immediately raised a station in Florida who gave me a 599.

Nutty.

WB2WIK/6