Call: PJ2T
QTH: FK52kg, Santa Marta Bay, Curacao
Frequency: 50.195 MHz MHz +_ QRM/Birdies PJ2T always first, JT65a
Gear: 1x 5 element M2 6M5XHG Yagi, elevation, 500 watts, K3S
Note: Have Internet, and will come up on the ON4KST chat
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| 6 Meter EME for minimalists. All that's needed and not a db more! |
First moonrise session on February 19/20 resulted in one contact with OH6MIK (-25). ZS4TX and G8BCG were decoded nicely but the moon elevated out of my pattern before I could complete. I lost about 15 minutes tracking down nasty QRN. Turned out to be the house owner's bedroom A/C.
February 20 - moonset was better. I worked W7JW (-24), JG2BRI (-26), JA7QVI (-24), and KG7H (-25). Heard: VK3DUT, VE1FJ, W6UC.
February 21 - moonrise was a big fat zero, I was heard, but I didn't decode a soul. Moon set was better, I easily heard JS2CQA, N7NW, VE1JF, and worked W6UC (-21) for contact #6. WP4G in Puerto Rico worked easily on meteor scatter after moonset.
February 22 - Moonrise I only heard S59A, no contacts. Moonset was again much better, I worked JS2CQA (-23) and VE1JF (-24) to bring the count to eight stations. Also heard K1SIX, NN7J, JO1PSX.
March 16 - Moonset was a heart breaker. I saw both NN7J (-25) and N7IP (-21) well, responded to both, and was sending N7IP "RRR" for 20 minutes before I lost the moon, but no contacts completed. Degradation was above 3 db, so we'll see what the better conditions bring going forward.
Moonrise had good conditions, I heard ES6RQ (-19) in the speaker, OH2BC (-25), ZS4TX (-24), and ZS6NK (-24). Worked S59A (-22) and S57RR (-23) to bring the total contacts to 10.
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| Roberto, S57RR using his skill to complete with me. My 500 watts is EME QRP! |
Moonrise produced two more contacts. ZS6NK (-27) was the easiest QSO yet, and OH7KM (-21) was almost as fast. ZS4TX was heard and called, as was ES6RQ. ZS6NK was extra special as Paul had driven 300 KM today to get a replacement amplifier in time for my moonrise. 12 stations worked to date.
March 18 - Only N7IP (-23) heard and worked. The wicked local, intermittent QRN that started last MS session has become continuous. Grrr. The K3's noise blankers can knock it down, but I fear distorts the signals to impend decodes with the aggressive settings required. I was able to use the Yagi to pin-point the source as a power pole out to my northwest. This does not make it look good for more MS contacts. Moonrise produced another contact, K2ZD (-27) logged and SP7VC was heard well at times. That makes 14 stations worked to date.
March 19 - Moonset was an awful date with more local QRN, I did hear VK3DUT (-29) and NJ6P (-30). Moonrise did get me another contact, G8BCG (-31) makes 15 contacts in the log.
March 21 - I elevated to 50 degrees once I figured out how to clear my guy ropes and worked ZS4TX (-29), who knew you could elevate a small Yagi and make it work?! To finish off the operation I worked W7GJ (-21) at elevation 60 degrees. A fitting end to the operation as Lance lent me the 5 element Yagi I've been using. PJ2T is QRT 6M EME.
Stations worked: 17
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| Lance, W7GJ did all the heavy lifting on this contact! |