Peter I DXpedition Team - On the Air! [Archive]

M5AKA

02-09-2006, 07:55 AM

From http://www.southgatearc.org/news/february2006/peter_one_090206.htm

Updates from the Peter I DXpedition team! They're on the air! 8th February - 2215 UTC:

We're just about where we were yesterday with the weather being even worse. Three Team Members (Carlos NP4IW, Al K3VN and George N4GRN) are still on the ship along with about 20% of our gear and supplies.

A view of the Peter One Island
The winds today have been as high as 60 knots and now are 30-40 knots. Temps are in the low 30s; it's raining (not snowing) and it makes tough going as we sink in about 6" into slush with every step.

The conditions are difficult to work in and Ralph KØIR says it's worse than in 1994. In 1994, firm ice was about 6' down; now it's only about 18".

The final shelter is up (Operations Shelter A, 12' x 24'). We're all wet and semi-miserable (and our chief cook, George N4GRN is still on the ship!)

We've made about 2,500 QSOs so far, about 60% on CW. The Qs are about 1/3 Europe, 1/3 Japan and 1/3 US.
Tonight we'll have four stations on the air as the 30M and 40M verticals are now operational along with the two SteppIRs. The 75 meter and 160M antennas will be worked on tomorrow.

We've been unable to transmit the logs for the website so far because the antennas to do that are (you guessed it) still on the ship. Please be patient and bear with us.

73's to all from The Peter I team!
----

73 Trevor M5AKA
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wa4dou

02-12-2006, 04:54 AM

60% of the qso's are on cw? I thought that was an obsolete mode?

AE4FB

02-12-2006, 05:25 AM

Quote[/b] (wa4dou @ Feb. 11 2006,21:54)]60% of the qso's are on cw? I thought that was an obsolete mode?
It is an obselete mode unless you really need to get through from the south pole under bad conditions;-)
73,
de AE4FB SK

PE1RDW

02-12-2006, 12:24 PM

Quote[/b] (wa4dou @ Feb. 11 2006,21:54)]60% of the qso's are on cw? I thought that was an obsolete mode?
Don't worry, we have stopped testing cw and lots of hams still learn and use it, a mode only becomes obsolete when nobody uses it.

KC0W

02-12-2006, 02:29 PM

We are in for yet ANOTHER code vs. no-code debate. Some things never change.

You guys are so predictable,

Tom kcØw

ky7f

02-12-2006, 03:45 PM

I wish the moderator of this forum would delete this thread and start it over again. I'd like to find-out info about the 3Y0X operation, and not have to wade thru volumes of mindless sh*t about "code-no code", "echolink isn't ham radio", "suitsat isn't dead", "I'm-A-Tech-You're-A-Tech"...Good Grief!!! #

Why doesn't the moderator just create a special catagory for those posts, so everyone who's interesed in the "same-old debates" can dive-in and submerge themselves without having to subject the rest of us to it.

Doug KY7F

ad5os

02-12-2006, 04:48 PM

Just posted a link to peter one island on google earth... go see where Peter one Island is in google earth.

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb....#310655 (http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/310655/an/0/page/0#310655)

N3NOP

02-12-2006, 08:53 PM

I am looking to work the team. I would love to get their conformation!!! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

k5rks

02-12-2006, 09:15 PM

I have not really started working DX seriously until about a year ago. I have been looking forward to the 3Y0X operaton for months.

I didn't know if I could actually break through the pileups or not.

Those guys there are REALLY running a FB DXpedition.

73 Roger K5RKS

kb7uxe

02-12-2006, 11:07 PM

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

sounds like it's pretty clear that it's really not a debate on code vs nocode..
sounds like it's simply a matter of:
code works when all else fails.......
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

What frequency are you using on 75-80m?

I'm on 3.696 most nites some time between
about 1am utc (6-7 pm PST) to 6amutc ( 10 pm )
hpe cul 73
-.- -... --... ..- -..- . -.-

WA3KYY

02-13-2006, 02:06 PM

Over the weekend I heard them on all bands 80-12 but had no luck breaking through. I think my best bets are 30 or 40 CW but it is tough to find their listening pattern when you can't hear the stations they are going back to.

A couple of problems with their operation have emerged. Last night for 40 SSB they were transmitting on 7.070!! Needless to say the ongoing digital QSOs all but wiped them out. They could not have picked a worse transmit frequency on 40M if they tried. They really should pick a spot above 7.080 to use. The other problem is the huge listening range on some of the bands. Instead of trying to keep a modest window they are letting the pileups expand over large segments of the bands. It is particularly bad on 40 and 20 M where the window can get to be 25KHz or more, trashing numerous QSOs that were there first. Of course this leads to folks jamming their transmit frequency which isn't right either. They should announce a narrower range they are listening in and then stick to that range. It seems to work well on 17 and 15 so I'm not sure why they are letting the pileups spread out so much on 40 and 20. Better propagation and more callers I guess.

Oh well, back at it. I hope to get them on at least one band before they go QRT.

73,
Mike WA3KYY

W2IRT

02-13-2006, 04:54 PM

Quote[/b] (WA3KYY @ Feb. 13 2006,07:06)]The other problem is the huge listening range on some of the bands. Instead of trying to keep a modest window they are letting the pileups expand over large segments of the bands. It is particularly bad on 40 and 20 M where the window can get to be 25KHz or more

Yeah, that's my only beef with them. 40's been insane from word go. Other night he was listening from 7024 to 7048 on CW, then working 1 every 30 seconds or so. I think that's the one band they really need to go all-out with this week, with their best ops. 17 and 20 are both pretty easy now, thankfully.

If I could have one wish with these guys it's on 40: put their best CW ops on the air as much as they can go, limit the range and go by numbers and continent occasionally to maybe work down the pile to manageable numbers.

Overall, I'd say that they're one of the better operations I've worked, although the MicroLite Penguins on Kerguelen, IMHO, were better at pileup control.

WA3KYY

02-13-2006, 04:57 PM

Quote[/b] (W2IRT @ Feb. 13 2006,09:54)]Overall, I'd say that they're one of the better operations I've worked, although the MicroLite Penguins on Kerguelen, IMHO, were better at pileup control.
I'll agree with that but then I have my Kerguelen QSL card on the wall. Still waiting to work Peter I.

73,
Mike WA3KYY

W2IRT

02-13-2006, 05:02 PM

Quote[/b] ]Over the weekend I heard them on all bands 80-12 but had no luck breaking through. I think my best bets are 30 or 40 CW but it is tough to find their listening pattern when you can't hear the stations they are going back to.

Probably not 40 CW (see above post). 15, 17 and 20, SSB and CW, are all fairly easy now for the most part from my QTH in New Jersey, and with 600W and some modest aluminium at about 70' up, I've gotten them 1-call on a few bands. If you're 100W/dipole, I think your best bets are 20 SSB and 15 SSB, believe it or not. He's begging almost on 15m right now, simplex!

Good luck.

k5rks

02-13-2006, 06:13 PM

I have been a ham since 1958 but never really gotten "bit by the DX bug" until about a year ago.
I have a moderate setup here with Log Periodic at 40 feet. My operating skills are "mediocre".

I have worked them on 5 band/modes including RTTY.
However, as others have commented the situation on 40M CW is more challenging because of the huge pileups and also because of others calling the DX right on top of him rather than up. I have not yet broken through on 40m. It seems that one "problem" on 40m is that from about 10PM to 4AM Central Time (local time here in Oklahoma) Peter I is open to most of SA, NA, and EU all at once so "everyone" is in the pileups. On the higher freq bands (20m, 17m, 15m) band conditions cause selective openings on more or less of a "continent at a time" basis and therefore serve as a pileup filter.

I am going to try to crack through on 40 CW but I don't know how successful this will be.

73 K5RKS Roger Oklahoma City

WA3KYY

02-13-2006, 07:00 PM

Quote[/b] (W2IRT @ Feb. 13 2006,10:02)]Quote[/b] ]Over the weekend I heard them on all bands 80-12 but had no luck breaking through. #I think my best bets are 30 or 40 CW but it is tough to find their listening pattern when you can't hear the stations they are going back to.

Probably not 40 CW (see above post). 15, 17 and 20, SSB and CW, are all fairly easy now for the most part from my QTH in New Jersey, and with 600W and some modest aluminium at about 70' up, I've gotten them 1-call on a few bands. If you're 100W/dipole, I think your best bets are 20 SSB and 15 SSB, believe it or not. He's begging almost on 15m right now, simplex!

Good luck.
Unfortunately I do only have 100W and a low dipole. Also, only the evenings during the week to try and work them. I suspect they are simplex now because most everyone is at work. They will likley be back split this evening when activity picks up. I've been trying to just sit on one spot in the middle of the listening range and keep plugging away in hopes they catch me on the way up or down. Hopefully as more and more folks work them it will get easier.

73,
Mike

KB3LIX

02-13-2006, 08:53 PM

I finally got them on 17 SSB, What a HOOT.
Using 100 watts into an inverted "V" finally paid off.
I got SO shook up, I forgot my callsign.
Took several tries to get it corrected. Hope they got it correct.

ky7f

02-13-2006, 10:21 PM

Yes, 40m has been a complete madhouse on both SSB and CW. I think one of the biggest problems are hams not checking their VFOs before they transmit, resulting in their xmitting on the 3Y0X xmit frequency. The barrage of cops, lids, jammers, etc renders his frequency useless at times. This killed my first contact 2 nites ago on 40m SSB. Heard him say my call, then the "wrong VFO-op" covered him up. I answered, but don't know if I made the log on that one or not.

Finally got them on 30m late last nite after 3 hours of trying. Don't underestimate 30m! Then, on a lark, I went up to 21.023 this morning and heard 3Y0X faintly coming-in. Cranked the AL-811, put the cans on, and got him on the first try. Not many people were listening on 15m. Some were working him with just 50 watts.

I can only imagine the mess those guys are hearing down there! My hat goes off to 'em!

Doug KY7F

kc8vjd

02-14-2006, 04:09 AM

Quote[/b] (wa4dou @ Feb. 11 2006,21:54)]60% of the qso's are on cw? I thought that was an obsolete mode?
Nothing obsolete about CW. I've only been on the air about 3 years and recently have logged more on CW that voice. My limited experience tells me that you are more likely to get a contact on CW than voice under any condition.

By the way, I worked the DXpedition on 30M CW, 100W and a 600' delta loop Friday night.

KB1KIX

02-14-2006, 05:00 AM

Quote[/b] (KB3LIX @ Feb. 13 2006,16:53)]Hope they got it correct.
I believe you can check on their website and see if you are in their log.

I think Iridium donated services so they can upload logs and such.

Jonathan

k5rks

02-14-2006, 08:11 AM

I FINALLY worked him on 40M CW at 1:37AM Central Time on Tuesday morning (i.e. 0737 UTC 14 Feb).

A nice Valentine present.

The pileup from about 9PM to 12:30AM was huge but the excellent op really handled it and pruned it down. After running EU for about 1/2 hour at the EU daylight (i.e. 1AM to 1:30AM Central Time) he switched back to NA. By this time the NA competition was not too bad.

If you want to work him on 40M CW from NA try 2AM to 4AM local time. He will probably be there again tomorrow same time and same freq -- 7023Khz listening up 2 to 10Khz.

I run an Inverted "V" for 40 meters with apex about 40 ft and ends are about 20ft off ground. Power is 800W using ICOM 756ProIII and PW1 linear.

73 Roger K5RKS

ky5u

02-14-2006, 09:24 PM

Congrats, Roger. Had to remove my message claiming contact although there was contact. But my call did not make the log. Easier to just try again than to fight city hall.

ab8ma

02-14-2006, 10:28 PM

Quote[/b] (AG4YO @ Feb. 14 2006,21:24)]Congrats, Roger. #Had to remove my message claiming contact although there was contact. But my call did not make the log. Easier to just try again than to fight city hall.
Could be that they haven't gotten uploading your info yet. "Be sure to check the "as-of" date and time for the online logs".

kb7uxe

02-14-2006, 11:04 PM

Can someon pls post how they are calling?
what call sign, or "cq de artic dx" or http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?
I listened for them , but with out know any frequencies,
well, per verbial neadle in the hey stack...

I'm running an Icom 736, an SB-220, and a simple 3.7 mhz dipole up 85 feet in the trees, I hope thats enough to make the contact.
That would be "almost" as cool as the space station contact!!!!!
Dan kb7uxe.

3.696Mhz cw most evenings 6 to 10pm, PST.
Don't forget to try the Roy repeater
at 444.275 + (203.5) The KB7UXE/R
Serving the town of Roy, Wa.

This message originated from:
DAinc003 on DAincnet
Sent using high speed wireless internet access!

"Artificial intelligence is no match for MY natural stupidity."

ab8ma

02-14-2006, 11:09 PM

Quote[/b] (kb7uxe @ Feb. 14 2006,23:04)]Can someon pls post how they are calling?
what call sign, or #"cq de artic dx" #or http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?
I listened for them , but with out know any frequencies,
well, per verbial neadle in the hey stack...

I'm running an Icom 736, an SB-220, and a simple 3.7 mhz dipole up 85 feet in the trees, I hope thats enough to make the contact.
That would be "almost" as cool as the space station contact!!!!!
Dan #kb7uxe.

3.696Mhz cw most evenings 6 to 10pm, PST.
Don't forget to try the Roy repeater
at 444.275 + (203.5) The KB7UXE/R
Serving the town of Roy, Wa.

This message originated from:
DAinc003 on DAincnet
Sent using high speed wireless internet access!

"Artificial intelligence is no match for MY natural stupidity."
http://www.peterone.com/p1freqs.html

"3Y0X listening up"

k1lwi

02-15-2006, 03:37 AM

well guys cw is the best mode for dxing hi any way i dont need peter island #qso 3Y0PI back in 1994 0n 28 mhz cw and ssb. dxcc worked 350. cw is not dead #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

wendell a old cw opr
good luck to the oprs on peter island dxpedition hope wx will get better guys get some sun # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

k1lwi wen 73

kb7uxe

02-15-2006, 06:17 AM

tnx ab8ma for link..

I'll be on the 80m lookin !!!!!

Dan.

n7spy

02-15-2006, 05:47 PM

Quote[/b] (ad5os @ Feb. 12 2006,09:48)]Just posted a link to peter one island on google earth... go see where Peter one Island is in google earth.

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb....#310655 (http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/310655/an/0/page/0#310655)
Thanks for the Goggle Earth Mark, I'll definitely download it when I get home http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

wa4dou

02-15-2006, 05:49 PM

Many callers aren't going to get even 1 qso with this station. They've announced they've got to QRT by 2100 local time on Feb. 20th. That is assuming their plans work. Weather conditions could change and force them out sooner. This weekend is the ARRL International DX CW contest. There's going to be even more competition for qso's and many of the contesters are seasoned vets at dx'ing and will make their qso's. According to what I've read, 3Y has only been activated 3 times, ever. Its likely not going to happen again for a long time.

What I see in the cw pileups is literally thousands calling, calling, incessantly, not listening. In order for the dx to manage the pileup effectively and make the maximum number of qso's its imperative that every calling station get in tune with the dx operator. The dx calls a station and gives him a report. The called station acknowledges and sends his report. The dx acknowledges and sends TU (thank you). Thats your cue to send your call. Only once, pause. Is the dx transmitting? Maybe send your call quickly again. Stop. Wait to see if the dx is ready for another call.

If the pileups don't become more manageable and if the qso rate doesn't improve, there are a lot of you who are going to be empty handed when its over. The calling, calling, incessant calling isn't doing anything but slowing things down a lot. Many of you are calling and at the wrong time before the dx has received his report and acknowledged the station he's just worked. You'll never get a qso that way. Only an orderly and disciplined approach to dx'ing will get it done. You can't substitute hysterical calling and calling repetitively for calling at the right time and waiting for conditions and circumstances to smile favorably on you. Good luck!

WA3KYY

02-15-2006, 07:09 PM

DOU,

Very well said, sir. Although I wonder how much operating on the contest CW bands the group will be doing this weekend. It seems to me this would be the perfect time to empasize the WARC bands and modes other than CW on the other bands. With a lot of the big gun DXers in the contest, the chances for the little pistols will hopefully improve. While I will be operating the contest primarily, I will be keeping a ear to what is going on elsewhere for my chance to snag them before the go QRT.

73,
Mike WA3KYY

w1yw

02-15-2006, 07:11 PM

Brave men in an unworldy hell of cold and wind.

One of the last countries I needed back in 1994. Glad to see they did it again.

73,
Chip N1IR

k5rks

02-15-2006, 07:57 PM

DOU:

I agree with your advice.

It is crazy that there are so many calling him at random on CW when he is not even listening. People are wasting time unless they call him when he is actually listening such as when he says QRZ or when he says "TU".

He usually says "UP" fairly often so you know to call him up. Set "SPLIT" on your rig and then listen up for a while and you will find out the limits of where the pileup is where people are calling. Generally depending on the size of the pileup it could be up 2 to 4Khz or maybe 2 to 10Khz up.

Sometimes he will say something like UP EU -- meaning listening UP for only Europe. Or UP NA -- meaning listening up for North America.

Never call him on his frequency. He is not listening there. Also, you are QRMing him so other guys can't hear him. This just slows everything down so he works less QSOs per hour.

A prime example would be with the 3Y0X operation on 40M CW. Earlier in the week it was chaos with guys calling him at the wrong time and on top of his freq. In the last couple of days things settled down and his QSO rate has gone way up.

I am still learning the ropes of DX myself as I have only been really concentrating on this for a couple of years.

73 Roger K5RKS

K4JF

02-17-2006, 01:34 AM

Actually, they are doing a nice job in my opinion, with a good signal. I heard him on 20 CW today. I listened, found who he was answering and where, found out the pattern, then one call and I was in the log and out of the way of others. Good job, guys, and thanx!!

W3MIV

02-17-2006, 02:19 AM

I worked them on 20m SSB with my wire in the tree branches, but when the call failed to show in the log, I decided to go for a protection and worked them again.

Lo and behold, both showed up in the log, so now I feel a little guilty for having dipped twice while so many others were also trying.

Astonishing amounts of intentional interference. I cannot understand why anyone would want to prevent another ham from obtaining a contact. One bozo with a 7 call would come on 3Y0X's call frequency with some power and proceed to ask several times if the frequency were in use, then proceeded to announce that he was testing propagation and beaming to Africa and calling CQ. Several minutes later the same bozo came back and repeated the routine, only this time "beaming to Eastern Europe testing propagation," etc. This continued for a good while, blocking many from hearing the DX.

Sad.

ky7f

02-17-2006, 04:35 AM

W3MIV...I heard the "7-call" you referred to last nite, as well. This bozo knew what he was doing. Several sent "QSY" when he sent "QRL", but he then just sent "?" and started calling anyway. Nothing like making an intentional ass of yourself on a world stage! I wonder if that was really his callsign or not? #

From watching the "blizzard" video on their website, my hat's off to them!! Tough dudes!!

Doug KY7F

kb7uxe

02-17-2006, 04:57 AM

Does anyone know when they are active on cw 80m???
I have listened several days now, havent heard them at all.
I don't do voice, so only mode fer me is cw.. .

Also, do they operate cw, not in split mode???
I'm new at this dx thing, so this will be my first dx contact (if it werks)
Also what spped are they operating at ?
will they qrs?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif?http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

Thanks, Dan.

k5rks

02-17-2006, 09:43 PM

UXE:

Dan --

Go to the Peter I website to get the complete
list of their frequencies where the normally hang out.

www.peterone.com/p1freqs.html

They have a preferred CW frequency on each band and they seem to hang out there 80% or more of the time when any given band is active on CW.

They now have their full complement of stations up and running. Because this weekend is going to be the CW contest they are going to primarily concentrate on the WARC bands over the weekend. Probably, your best luck on CW will be on 30m and 17m. As far as I know they only work split.

This is an excellent DXpedition and they are doing a great job under very extreme conditions down there!

Good luck. 73 K5RKS