W7GJ 6m EME DXpedition
September 12 - October 1, 2024*

Tristan da Cunha

(Grid Locator IF32uw, CQ Zone 38, IOTA AF-029, ITU Zone 66)
                          
  
* Dependent on shipping schedules and space availability.

  Antenna Location at 200' above the ocean on the northwest corner of the island in the settlement of Edinbuurgh of the Seven Seas
  

AN OPERATION TO ACTIVATE ANOTHER DXCC FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 6M EME

Tristan da Cunha is a British Overseas Territory; it is one of the remaining former colonies which have not yet asked for independence, and wish specifically to retain their link with the United Kingdom.  For Tristan, the link dates back to 1816, when the island was garrisoned by Britain.  It has never been activated on EME on any band, and remains quite rare around the world on 6m. It is home to under 250 residents, who live in the small settlement of Edinburgh Of The Seven Seas, located on the northwest corner of the volcanic island. Its proximity to Antarctica places it in an extremely isolated and stormy region in the south Atlantic Ocean.
INTRODUCTION

Continuing the efforts to provide the first ever 6m EME contacts from rare DXCC, this is probably the most difficult and challenging I have faced so far. I have tried for some time to go to ZD9, but was told at the end of 2022 that my berth from Cape Town to Tristan da Cunha had to be re-assigned to a government contractor who had been delayed due to the previous Pandemic travel restrictions. I have been placed high on the waiting list to travel to ZD9 in mid September, 2024, after being bumped again from the August voyage. I am trying to provide sufficient advance planning for stations wishing to contact me while I am in ZD9, within the bounds of certainty. All my gear is packed and I am ready to go - I am just waiting to hear that my six day passage can be confirmed from Cape Town, South Africa.

As you know, a good location can mean everything to the success of one of these DXpeditions. Ideally, the site must be quiet, provide enough open space to erect and operate the large antenna and - especially from a location as distant from potential contacts as ZD9 - must provide a good view of the moon rising and setting out over the ocean. I am hoping to be able to secure a spot for the antenna that will at least provide a good view out over the ocean on moonset.  The location on the northwest tip of the island is shown on the map above. The other maps show where in the world this remote place is located.  I hope you will make the effort to look for me!




 
LOGISTICS

Much of the trip depends on the availability of berths aboard the ships occasionally making the approximately one week trip sailing from Capetown, South Africa. These spots are very limited, and there are seven categories of travelers that have higher priority than me. So, anybody in those categories could once again block my ability to get a spot on the ship. You can see these different categories here:

https://www.tristandc.com/shipping.php

I am now traveling to Tristan da Cunha on the SA Agulhas II during its annual September voyage, and I hope to return to Capetown in early October on the MV Lance. That should provide over 2.5  weeks of operation from ZD9. If I am not able to return on the MV Lance, I will have to stay there until the end of October and return on the MFV Edinburgh.

I hope to have everything operational in plenty of time for the optimum EME conditions in September.  Much of my operation will depend on the ship's actual schedule and the weather, which I expect to be brutal! I expect to have only occasional internet access from another building and hope to be able to announce my status via email and the ON4KST EME CHAT or HB9Q LOGGER pages, and periodically update my log of EME contacts on this web page.  This period does include the lowest Degradation days of the month.  For me, at least on the best days, this means EME operation during the night, which is the ideal time to avoid high TEC interference from locations so close to the geomagnetic equator. And I hope to be QRV over several weekends, and in the middle of the night, so no need for callers to take time off from work! 




I will do everything in my power to set up on the west side of the settlement so I can at least have an unimpeded view out over open fields toward the ocean on moonsets. The diagrams above show  a view out over the water through the north between azimuths 70 and 263 degrees. I should have good common moon windows with horizon-only stations all over the world at one time or another during the operation. I know many EU stations have already worked ZD9, but I will have mutual moonsets with many stations there.


EQUIPMENT

As you can see from reviewing the results from my previous 6m EME DXpeditions, many contacts were made with single yagi horizon-only stations.  The smallest station contacted from all the DXCC so far was N3CXV with his single 6M5X yagi.  If you have a good yagi, good ground gain, a quiet QTH, good power and lots of patience, we should be able to complete!  This is especially true in  the many situations in which we should both have ground gain at the same time! A complete description of all the equipment being used on this DXpedition can be found here.
OPERATING SCHEDULE

My tentative operating schedule as an Excel spreadsheet is here. The ZD9 local time is  the same as UTC.  I am not planning on elevating higher than 45 degrees, and have not indicated any time periods on the tentative EME operating schedule. I may not try to operate EME during afternoon or early evening times when there is likely to be terrestrial propagation. I also may not be able to untie the array  if the weather prevents me from operating.  Please check on the ON4KST EME CHAT page or the HB9Q LOGGER for updates regarding my activity during such periods. Please just keep watch on 50.223 and I will try to stick to the published schedule as closely as I can. I am expecting extreme weather that also may very well limit my ability to untie the antenna. A file with my moon positions during the trip is here.

If you copy me, please spot me on the DX Cluster so people will know the correct grid locator, as well as the frequency and my status.  I will diligently try to be QRV during all my moonrises and moonsets as published on the operating schedule.  The antenna should have a good view at a height of around 120' over the ocean, and it will soon become clear after a few moonpasses which elevations are best for my ground gain lobes.  Please watch the ON4KST EME page and/or the DX Cluster for updates on what people are copying and when. 

Please keep calling me even if you copy me working someone else.  As long as you are not on the same frequency as the other station, you will not be interfering with them.  I will be using Q65-60A in the "Q65 Pileup" mode in the most recent version of WSJT-X. This averages callers on their particular offset frequencies, so NEVER change your transmit frequency after you start calling - pick a clear frequency nobody else is using and stay on it!  With Q65 Pileup, it is very important for me to decode you so you will then go into the current version of my "Active Stations List" so I can decode you during other sequences with maximum sensitivity. Please coordinate your calling frequency with others on the ON4KST EME chat or HB9Q LOGGER pages to prevent interfering with each other - ideally, stations should be spread out every 100 Hz (remember that your doppler shift can be up to 100 Hz during your moonrise and moonset). I will try to contact any callers I can copy, but first priority will be given to people who are copying at that particular time, contributors, and stations with shorter common moon windows.  
 
CONTACT INFORMATION
As explained above, I hope to be able to send out updates periodically to the MAGIC BAND EME email group and revise this website with a list of the stations worked.  Please watch the MAGIC BAND EME email list for updated information.  Please also share any updates with others on the ON4KST EME CHAT page.  If there is some question regarding a contact, please DO call again.  However, once you have confirmed a contact with me, please do not call for a second contact - some of the common moon windows  are very limited, and many stations are expected to be calling.  
QSL INFORMATION
Sorry, no eQSL or other newfangled ways of confirmation. I will upload all contacts to LOTW upon my return home. Please let me know of any logging discrepancies, as I can correct any errors by referring to my paper logbooks as well as the WSJT-X ALL.TXT file. I also will be printing photo QSL cards.  If we have completed an EME contact, I plan to send you a QSL card to your QRZ.com mailing address. Other stations, please QSL DIRECT with SASE (foreign stations include a current IRC or $5 USD for postage) direct to:
Lance Collister, W7GJ
P.O.Box 73
Frenchtown, MT   59834-0073
USA
FREQUENCY, MODE AND SEQUENCE
For EME, I plan to operate at 1500 Hz on 50.223 MHz. I will always transmit in the first sequence Q65-60A using "Q65 Pileup" mode.  Please call me using either Q65-Pileup or NA VHF Contest Mode  from the most recent version of WSJT-X. Please DO NOT call me using any other modes. I will not be sending signal reports - in NA Contest Mode, only the grids are exchanged! So if you want to get in the log, make sure to spread the word to get on WSJT-X and operate in NA VHF CONTEST mode, which is the most sensitive for me to decode with Q65 Pileup mode on my end, and also results in faster contacts. And this will NOT work well with compound callsigns!!  That is why I will have the ZD9GJ callsign and I suggest that you just send me your callsign and grid, even if you are operating portable. Do NOT call me with a /P or /R or /# after your callsign - your grid will show where you are!

Here is the link to download the most recent version of WSJT-X:

https://wsjt.sourceforge.io/wsjtx.html

Often, more frequent updates are included in the WSJT-X IMPROVED version, which is here:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/wsjt-x-improved/
Here is my step-by-step checklist to setting up Q65-60A for success on EME:

http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/Q65SETUP.pdf

And here is a more detailed explanation of the DXpedition procedure I am using:

http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/DXpedition%20Procedure%20with%20Q65.pdf

Remember, PLEASE, DO NOT USE A SINGLE RR73 to try to complete a contact with me! Change your messages so you send RRR instead, for as long as it is needed! (Just double click on message # 4 to toggle back and forth between RR73 and RRR).

 Please check the ON4KST EME CHAT page for news from other hams in case I have to change this frequency due to receiver birdies at my end !  It is very inconvenient for me to switch modes while I am calling CQ or working EME stations, so please do not call me on CW or SSB or FT8 and expect me to switch over to answer you. If you should copy me on some ionospheric mode while I am pointed at the moon and am calling CQ on Q65-60A mode, please answer me in that mode and let's make a quick contact! Please do NOT call me on anything other than EME unless I am calling CQ! Please only contact me once! Do NOT interrupt me if I have already contacted you before!

When I am not aimed up at the moon, I very well may be on SSB or FT8 mode.  For FT8, I will be using the most recent version of WSJT-X on 50.313 MHz.  If propagation is good and there are many callers, I may switch to FT9 F/H on a frequency to be announced. PLEASE be sure to download the most recent version of WSJT-X IMPROVED!
CONTRIBUTIONS
It is extremely expensive to haul a 6m EME station halfway around the world to this location. Too many times, we hear DXpedition stations say they can't take a 6m beam and/or amp because "they are already overweight and cannot afford the excess baggage fees".  If you want to do a good job and are committed to going halfway around the world to succeed pm 6m EME, this unfortunately is a large part of the necessary expense.  Although I always keep my costs as low as possible, my travel, excess baggage and lodging costs for this operation will be staggering. And there are no amateur radio clubs or associations that provide funds for EME DXpeditions (they only support HF DXpeditions). Therefore, any contributions toward this DXpedition are greatly appreciated! 

If you would like to contribute, please send your contribution by check or cash to my QRZ.com mailing address, or directly via PayPal using the "FRIENDS AND FAMILY" option to my email address, which is my current PayPal account. I am only able to do these long distance 6m EME DXpeditions every year because of the continued generous support from the 6m community and I am extremely indebted to you for your continued support! I have the time and equipment to go more often than once a year to new rare DXCC, but I just don't have the finances available.  Many thanks to the following hams who have already very generously contributed to this DXpedition:
KJ9I, SM7FJE, KB7Q, K5QE, N7NR, K5XI, K7CW, N0TB, OH7KM, SP4MPB, K2ZD, G4BWP, G8VR, N4BAA, W6UC, ZL3NW, JE3GRQ, SP3RNZ, EA8DBM, JR3DVL, KL7HBK, GM3POI, TX5S Clipperton DXpedition Team, GD0TEP, K6QXY, W6XU, NV9L, WB9Z. JG1TSG, K6EME, S57RR, K8CX,  W8TN, PY2XB, K1UU, JA7QVI, DK8NE, IW5DHN, G8BCG, W9JN, N7IP,  I4YRW, W7EW, N6JV, N9PGG, 9K2GS, S51DI, AJ9C, K4ESE, W4IMD, K9EL, KR5E, N1DG, AB3CV, K7RWT, K4PI, K9RX, DL8YHR, KA1R, N8RR, W5WP, K3SWZ, N4II, K1HTV, YL2AO, SP7VC, OG2M, 9K2GR, ZS4TX, JA9SJI, PA9RX, K4RX, JO1PSX, KB3SII, WA1NLG, K7KX, 9K2OD, N8DX, OZ4VV, YO9HP, W5ADD, N8JX, K9CT, CT1FCX, F5UKW, EA3AKY
 
     MNI MNI TNX for your continued support!!

             http://www.advancedreceiver.com/101.gif         M2 Antenna Systems, Inc            
PHOTOS AND UPDATES

(more photos and updates may be available on my FACEBOOK page)

Saturday August 31 - Arrived at the MSO airport at 3:30 pm (2130Z). They took plenty of time taking my carry on apart and re-scanning the 6m amplifier. Fortunately, I was early enough so it did not cause me any problems. Plane departed for DEN on time at 5:05. There were many empty seats on the plane, and the views were good for most of the flight. I saw some strange spots in the middle of nowhere over WY that I didn't recognize - missile installations? After a relaxing dinner at the United Club at the Denver airport, I gave in and walked over to the Westin hotel and got a room to sleep for about 6 hours. Lots of time overnight for the four 50 pound bags of equipment to be properly staged for loading onto the correct plane in the morning.
Sunday September 1 - Got up at 3:30am and walked over to the airport. I was surprised by the size of the TSA inspection line at 4am, but things moved along quite quickly and the amplifier inspection was much less invasive than at MSO ;-) The flight to Newark left around 6:30am, and I think I got some sleep, as the flight didn't seem that long. The flight arrived around noon, which again provided over 8 hours for the luggage to get to the right place for the next flight. I used my remaining "one time free pass" to have a relaxing lunch at the United Club in the very nice and new Newark airport terminal C. While waiting in the boarding area, I learned how to use the United cell phone app to track my luggage, and I saw that only three of my bags had been loaded around mid day into a container to go on board the plane to Cape Town. As it turned out, the fourth bag was finally loaded while we were cued up to board the plane - whew! The plane finally left Newark around 6:50pm and it was very full.
Monday September 2 - It was very difficult to get much sleep on the plane because my row was full and the flight was very bumpy. We landed in Cape Town right at sunset. By the time I cleared immigration, my luggage was already in baggage claim. I loaded everything up and, based on previous advice, exited through the "nothing to declare" line (although nobody seemed to be manning the other line anyway) and headed out into the lobby. I stopped by an ATM and got some local ZAR currency so I could pay the driver that was arranged for me by the hotel. He arrived at the information desk the same time I did, and we headed off to the Gardens Center Holiday Apartments. The reception closes at 1800 but they had left a room key for me at the 24 hour security desk, making it easy for me to move in. 
Tuesday September 3 - I spent much of the day struggling to get internet service so I could coordinate with the people at the pier to arrange for delivery of my luggage to the ship. The Apartment building is a 20 floor high rise with the lower floors available for rent to visitors and the upper floors reserved for long term residents. The lower two floors are a large shopping mall with upscale grocery stores and many other specialty shops to provide just about all that local residents would need. There are several banks, coffee shops, pharmacies, cell phone sales and repair stores, delicatessens, a shipping store, hair salons, stationery and clothing stores, tobacco and liquor stores, etc. At the mall's hardware store, I found an inexpensive compact plastic tripod and clamp to hold my cell phone.
Wednesday September 4 - I reorganized my luggage and put some clean clothes in a backpack to take with me to my berth about the ship. I also bought a few packages of granola so I will be able to make myself breakfasts - as least for a couple weeks. Am all set to get up early in the morning and depart for the ship. I was unable to connect my laptop to the marginal internet at the Gardens Apartment. 
Thursday September 5 - Headed out for the pier at 7 am. We loaded up all our gear onto the ship moved to the other side of the bay where the immigration center was located. Everyone had their passports stamped for leaving South Africa, and reboarded the ship. After lunch on the ship, we were advised that we were going to wait for a late passenger who would not be joining us until 10 pm. Despite our delay in leaving port, our ETA in Tristan da Cunha is afternoon on September 10. The weather looks very good for the voyage. Because of the limited bandwidth available - especially when we are out on the open sea - we were advised not to try to upload photos or use other high bandwidth applications.
Friday September 6 - Meal times are a great opportunity to sit with new people and get to know more about them. At breakfast this morning, I sat with the radio technician for Marion Island and I learned about the distributed hut system they have around the island and the terrible weather they have down there. And my lunch partner was the helicopter pilot who unloads team members and supplies on Marion Island. I also chatted with a husband/wife team who spent a year or two on Marion Island studying birds, It was very interesting to learn more about how Marion Island was invested with mice so they introduced cats to control the rodent population. The cat population grew quite rapidly and they discovered that birds were much more preferable meals than rodents, so they stopped eating mice. The cats were successfully eradicated but the mice are still a problem there, just as they are on Gough Island (which is properly pronounced so it rhymes with "cough"). I also chatted with a fellow who is responsible for repairing a roof that was torn off a building on Gough This morning, we had a "muster drill" where half the passengers gather in the Dining Hall and the other half in the ship's Auditorium. It is there that survival suits and life jackets will be distributed before heading to their respective life boats. My Dining Hall muster headed to the port side life boat and we practiced getting in and buckling up inside the life boat. Hopefully this ice breaker will be able to hold together for at least a few more days until we reach Tristan! This afternoon, an oil tanker ship passed us heading the opposite direction. Although this route does seem to intersect the travel between Buenos Aires and Cape Town, it does seem that it is pretty rare to encounter ships out here. Tonight the ship's clocks are being adjusted from GMT+2 hours (South African time) to GMT +1 hour, so we must be making good progress (Tristan da Cunha is on GMT).
Saturday September 7 - The weather was overcast with rain much of the day. I am not sure if it was the rocking of the ship, but I became sleepy after lunch and spent a couple hours napping. Internet was inaccessible until evening because the ship's auditorium was streaming the rubgy world cup finals between South Africa and New Zealand. It was a passenger's birthday today and we all celebrated after dinner in lounge on Deck 6 with some delicious red velvet cake. I purchased a buff memorializing the upcoming Gough Island bird research team, G70. In addition to the researchers who are going to Gough for the coming year, there are a number of construction workers on board who are just going there for a few weeks to reinstall a roof on one of the buildings there. These contractors as well as a number of maintenance people landing on Tristan will be returning to Cape Town in early October on the Agulhas II with last year's crew from the weather station there.
Sunday September 8 - Today before and after lunch there were brief presentations in the ship's auditorium by scientists on board explaining their research and what they were planning to do during their current trips. The day started out overcast with the wind behind us as we surfed the waves. By noon the sun came out and white caps appeared on the sea. After lunch I met with Andy Repetto and he provided information about guy stakes for my mast. He also informed me that KC0W is planning to come to ZD9 for 6 months next year.   I suspect he will be focusing on HF as he has on his previous DXpeditions, but hopefully we can convince him to also make an effort on 6m ;-)  No internet.
Monday September 9 - Helicopter safety briefing was at 10 am. At 1 pm, those of us departing at Tristan reported to the Helicopter Operations room and were weighed so they could plan for balancing the helicopter loads. At 3:30, there was a tour of the bridge and the engine room. The bridge of course was very impressive and had an amazing view! The engine room tour was overwhelming! Room after room after little cubicle after another room in a whole maze of compartments filled with specialty equipment to handle the water supplies, waste treatment, ventilation, generators, engines, propeller shaft, transmission, and myriad of controllers, ducts and cables! At 5 pm, we settled our bills at the bar in the lounge so we would be able to get our passports back and be able to leave the ship. We have been going full speed toward Tristan to take advantage of the calm seas and get there and unload before the next bout of bad weather sets in.

I finally was able to get a good enough internet connection this evening to download emails from the last three days and am pleased to report that NCDXF had a change of heart and issued me a key to be able to try Superfox ;-) Thanks for all the help everyone provided in convincing them that this IS a real, serious DXpedition despite the fact that it does not warrant NCDXF funding and does not guarantee 100,000 QSO's! I don't know if Superfox will prove effective on the 6m terrestrial paths involved from ZD9, but at least I now can try it if cndx appear to warrant it ;-)
Tuesday September 10 - Arrival off Tristan at dawn and transfer to the island by helicopter. Photos and videos are on my FACEBOOK page. After all the gear was delivered (also by helicopter), I began unpacking. My ham shack is in the same room as Yuris ZD9W used last year. As is often the case with these DXpeditions, the available space for the antenna was not ideal. In addition to requiring room to mount the 43' long yagi on the mast and raise the mast without hitting the building, I would have liked to have been able to get over onto the other side of the fence to the north to provide a better place for tie-down lines. However, after some time evaluating different scenarios, I finally decided on a location for the mast and Prop that would provide enough space to mount the yagi. I would have preferred to locate the mast further from the building so I had the opportunity to elevate it when it was aimed north but that was the space I was given. As usual, I started out assembling the mast, Prop and Falling Derrick and by the end of the day had them all assembled.
Wednesday September 11 - I spent the morning setting up the prop and guying the mast so I could successfully raise and lower it back down into the cradle on top of the Prop. Then I loosely assembled the front and rear sections of the antenna boom and carried both halves outside. I borrowed several buckets from an organization up the hill so I could raise the boom off the ground as I finished building it. After sunset, inside my room, I assembled all the elements, carefully measuring all the lengths.

Thursday September 12 - I was up at dawn and started mounting all the elements on the antenna boom. Then I tightened the hinged elevation mount and the new extension mast (which holds the fiberglass cross arm that supports the yagi guy lines). Everything was ready by 11 am, so I wandered down to the police station and finally got my passport stamped as officially arriving here, and then changed my USD to GBP at the Finance department in the Administration building. Helpers arrived at noon as pre-arranged to assist me in mounting the antenna on the mast. The coax was installed and the antenna was up and secured by 1 pm ;-) Next, I added a second safety guy anchor to each of the four mast guy lines. I then set about connecting all the equipment inside the shack. Everything seemed to work fine, but the Degradation and moon elevation were too high for EME and the Kp index was 6, so there was no sign of life on 6m. Just before sunset, I noticed a huge cow had escaped somewhere from the pasture and found its way way to the thicker grass in my small antenna area. Fearing that it might step on the LMR600UF feedline or run into the tie-down lines or guy lines for the Prop, I steered it away from the Creche area and through the small gate into the main pasture. After dark, I strung my extra rope and nylon tie-down line across the entrance to the antenna clearing in the hope of discouraging wayward cows from returning. The Agriculture Department says they are going to relocate the cows to a different pasture on Monday...
Friday September 13 - I guess this was a fitting start to a Friday the 13th! I experienced the first really strong wind gusts and rain out of the southwest. I tied down the antenna pointed toward 40 degrees azimuth (toward eastern Mediterranean) as securely as I could. I also tied off the halyard rope (used for raising the mast) which is just under the antenna, to provide additional force to keep the antenna/mast secure against the gusts. I don't know if the wet lines, where I was aimed, where the cow stepped on the cable or something else resulted in the high SWR, but I measured 1.25:1 with the NanoVNC. The match did seem better when I first tested the system.

I still have very marginal WiFi, but finally was able to download a few of the 444 emails on the server before my computer timed out! I had not been able to download anything since arriving on the island. This certainly is NOT a preferred way to get in touch with me if the need is current. I made dozens of EU contacts on TEP this afternoon using FT8, despite the fact that I had to keep the antenna very securely tied down.
Saturday September 14 - I put up an inverted V for 6m, using the Falling Derrick as a mast. It is oriented to radiate north/south. I figured a broad northern pattern might be optimum for TEP. I spliced all the extra cables I brought down with me and came up with around 50', which just reached the rig after 4 splices! Glad I brought all the adapters to join all the cables together! I worked another 30 EU stations on TEP. I quit early to take a nap before the Island Administrator's reception party for people who had arrived on the recent S.A. Agulhas II voyage. Most of the town was there, and it was a grand celebration with an open bar and more baked appetizers than one could eat!

Sunday September 15 - I tried out EME during my moonset for the first time, since the Degradation was down, the Kp was down around 3, and the moon was starting to become lower. Faraday Rotation caused non-reciprocal signals between many stations but it was an ideal time for me, since it was in the middle of the night and there was no high TEC in the way to interfere with the EME signals. It also was dead calm here, which is HIGHLY irregular. However, as my moon was setting, a wind out of the south started up and brought light snow flurries with it. Here are the first 23 6m EME stations worked so far: N7NR, N8RR, NU4E, N7IP, N0TB, K1UU, KJ9I, AA7A, K4PI, W9GA, PY2XB, W5ZN, N9IW, K9RX, K2ZD, NJ6P, N1DG, N6JV, W6UC, W7JW, K7KX, WA5VGI, NG7E. The weather forecast is frightening for the coming week, and I hope I can keep the antenna in the air!

Tuesday September 17 - I got up at 2:15 am to operate 6m EME during my moonset, but the wind was howling so strong that I could barely stand up. There was no way I could untie the antenna (which was secured facing with the wind from the west) and operate the opposite direction facing into the wind. Of course, there was no internet available at home, in the Creche (where the ham shack is set up) or outside the Tourism building (where I had sent emails Monday). However, I found that in the hospital entryway, somehow I was able to send a text message on WhatsApp (even though their WiFi routers were all password protected) and let Bernie ZS4TX know that I could not be on the air this morning. Miraculously, by 7:00 am, the clouds had cleared and the wind was unusually calm! I guess whatever it was that was roaring through all night long was finally past the island! Weather permitting, I hoped to be able to get on the air for my first moonrise late this afternoon, when the moonrise finally clears the mountain to my east.

I was blessed to have a professional make drone videos of my antenna around noon. Then at 3 pm, we drove out to "The Patches" (where the potatoes are grown and all the sheep and cattle are kept). We went down to the beach to try to find some penquins, but didn't find any. I was back in plenty of time to get the antenna pointed toward moonrise.  I started copying stations when the moon was 7.5 degrees high and came up over the edge of the mountain. Tonight on my first moonrise session, I worked 18 stations, bringing the total 6m EME contacts so far to 52: JG1TSG, GM3POI, SM7FJE, G4BWP, ZS4TX, ZS6NK, G8BCG, ZS6NK, JA9SJI, G8VR, OZ4VV, HB9Q, DL8YHR, SP3RNZ, DK2PH, SP7VC, SP4MPB, HA8FK, S50A  

It was visual aiming the entire evening, which I always love! I had to stop when the moon was around 35 degrees elevation because it became quite windy from the east. And then early tomorrow morning I will again try for my third moonset activity!
Wednesday September 18 - I started out this morning at 0344 when my setting moon was at 35 degrees elevation. There was only a light breeze, but it was overcast most of the time. I contacted 12 stations on EME, bringing the total up to 64: K5XI, W7GJ, W8PAT, KB7Q, W8IW, WA5TKU, N8DX, PA7MM, W8OI, N6WS, K6ND and K7RWT. I met this morning with the head of the Agriculture department and showed him the 20' long rope "fence" I rigged up to try to discourage cows from wandering through the antenna area. I requested some type of more successful material such as barbed wire, but he didn't seem very keen on that. By 3:00 pm, I had four cows wandering around under the antenna, rubbing their backs on my mast guy wires, tripping on my LMR600UF coax and stepping on it. I took a video of this activity and sent it to the Tourism administrator. I am not sure what happened after hours, but all the cows were gone from my antenna area by my moonrise after dinner ;-)

The cold wind from the east continued (with blowing snow) for my moonrise, so I kept the antenna tied down and only operated from about 4 degrees to 16 degrees elevation. I worked 9 more stations to bring my 6m EME total up to 73: GD0TEP, IW5DHN, HA7TM, ES6RQ, JO1PSX, HA8CE, OH7KM, YL2GD and S59A.
Thursday September 19 - The morning started windy with snow flurries but the wind eventually became less and by moonset, the snow and sleet had turned to rain. I started out when the moon was around 40 degrees elevation. This was the first day that the antenna could see the moon setting out over the ocean. The Degradation was a very attractive -1.4 dB but the Kp index was over 4. I worked the another ten new stations on 6m EME: OH2BC, OH3SR, PA5Y, PA3CMC, EA8DBM, GM0GAV, OH1LEU, DK8NE, F1IXQ, EI4DQ bringing my total up to 83 so far.

I don't think my moonrise ground gain is as good as on my moonset, because of all the buildings in the village to my east. During my moonrise, I seemed to have very little ground gain and only completed with JA7QVI, S57RR and KA1R (on his moonrise). I finished the day with a total of 86 stations to date.

Friday September 20 - The Degradation was a good -2 dB, but the Kp index being so low at 1.0 meant that there was very little Faraday Rotation. The result was that polarization of signals often seem to be unchanging for extended periods of time. That is a real problem especially for horizon-only stations, if the "one way propagation" lasts during the duration of their short ground gain window. On previous nights with the higher Kp index, it was easy to watch signal strengths change and provide replies to each station under different signal strengths, to guarantee that they had a chance to receive me. When the Kp index is low such as it was last night, the signal strengths didn't really change very much - they were either there or they weren't - pretty much for the entire period the horizon-only stations had access to the moon. So as the moon rose across North America, there were many stations copied here (18 were added to the Q65 Pileup Active Stations List), but few who responded to my replies.

During the NA moonrise, I completed with PJ4MM, WB9Z, NV9L, N4BAA, N8GTI, KY7M and NJ6D, bringing my total to 93 6m EME stations so far. The evening had been windy with sleet and rain, but I finally had to shut down when the moon rose on the USA West Coast because a ferocious storm intensified and it was not prudent to try to continue while my antenna was elevated. I was very sorry to miss out on the European stations who were waiting to contact me during their moonset. But with the antenna tied down with the wind, it survived the night! Thank you for your patience and understanding difficulties I am enduring down here!





SUMMARY OF RESULTS


FOLLOWING ARE THE LOGGED 6M EME CONTACTS DURING the ZD9GJ DXPEDITION




This page last revised on 18 September, 2024


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