3DA0WW team operation from Eswatini

Observations by Pavel, UU0JR: We have lost electricity for several hours today. It may happen again. 28 MHz is open every day, even in complete darkness. SSB on that band yields a QSO every 2 minutes. At the same time FT8 frequencies are a buzzing beehive, full of activity. One of the stations spent entire day today on 18 MHz

From Alex, UT7UV: FT8 is totally unique experience - being called AT THE SAME TIME by Brazil, Japan, USA and assorted Europeans. Total mad house, hard to operate. Heavy fog moves through the area and causes water condensation on the Spider Beam; SWR is going nuts and it circuit protection forces the Expert amp to go into stand by.

There you have it, dispatches from the trenches

73, Ed/NT2X

 

The "dog" story isn't over though. Earlier today, the cute doggie managed to escape from his confinement, by breaking the piece of welding that held the metal mesh you saw in an earlier image. That created an opening through which it got loose. Guess where did the dog go? To munch on the Spider Beam guy wire, instantly toppling it. Ah, the irresistible taste, once-in-a-life time experience. Damn you, doggie!



The dog was eventually caught and re-interned, we hope for good. DXpedition is a dangerous business if you ask me.

Below is the image showing a somewhat futile effort to protect the beam guys from sharp teeth



Dense fog caused water condensation - which also caused the Spider Beam to arc and catch fire. The same goes for 7 MHz vertical - the counterpoise was also on fire until extinguished. Fortunately, no major damage had occurred. Being 1206 meters above sea level, they are likely be catching the passing clouds which look like fog.

From Pavel, UU0JR: one other observation of the day: we can hear better and we are being heard better than the other DXpedition operating from 3DA0 at the same time, operating from a much lower altitude. It is most noticeable on low bands. By evening time, higher bands fold one after another, in succession. On FT8 the operators no longer see the calling stations on the waterfalls, but continue to make QSOs for another 40-50 minutes before the band is shot.

 

The item below was found at a local Eswatini supermarket. Is every team member of 3DA0RU OK? We are concerned, really

 

More images can be found at https://lral.lv/3da0ww/photos.html - stop by when you have time

 

Well, they actually like Russians in South Africa. Now we know!

 

Lots of action on the other end, as reported by Pavel, UU0JR. 80 and 160 are difficult to operate on CW and SSB on due to severe RF interference. 80m supports FT8 mode and they continued to make QSO's at a good clip. Last night they made an attempt at working 80 meters CW and made a total of about 50 c0ntacts (2 ops together strained to pick the calls out of the noise). A thunderstorm went by and messed up reception with static crashes. 1/4 wave 80m antenna was used for both Rx and Tx. Few dozen JA's were worked on 80, but it was before the storm rolled by.

160 meter antenna is connected to a station in another cottage, and only yesterday they managed to make it work. Previously wild SWR swings were observed, due to fog and rain. The multi-band vertical which also supported 160 m was re-made into an Inverted Vee antenna. A whole of 10 QSOs were made with it.

Their first beverage antenna was pretty useless and didn't work as expected. New beverage, 160 meters in length was installed today. They hope it will work as expected on both 80 and 160.

They promised me to be on 80 meters tonight and should listen to North America when the propagation is right. I will be waiting for them also.

The station in the cottage that is closer to that cellular/internet tower is experiencing unexplained disruptions, perhaps due to external RF. Yesterday they had difficulties on 24 Mhz, whereas Expert amp switched itself off continuously, as if SWR was high. But nobody did anything and the antenna was fine. Other bands were OK and not affected. Fog and rain do have detrimental effects on other antennas' SWR, but they managed somehow.

Now you know everything

Few photos and videos will be posted shortly

73, Ed/NT2X

 

Video of Yuris, YL2GM operating on 18 MHz

 

Alex UT7UV running a pile-up

 

And few new photographs for your viewing pleasure.

Alex UT7UV operating 3DA0WW



Yuris YL2GM operating 3DA0WW



One of the 3DA0WW stations doing FT8

 

Scram! A HUGE African grasshopper is here (locust?)

 

Correction - 160 m antenna is an Inverted L, not Inverted V, as reported earlier. My apologies

 

How to grow a beverage. Part I

 

How to grow a beverage. Part II

 

Conditions on 80 CW around 22.00 when they started were very noisy, even with new beverage. They promised to be back an hour before their sunrise, which is at 03.12 UTC. But their signal was nice on the East Coast, 559 to 569 (on 4SQ) most of the time, with lots of people calling, alas few have gotten through. Good luck guys