Hello Top Banders, Traditionally (its third time already) after completed this time Temotu DX pedition,
would like to share with TB cocmmunity my notices and experience gained on that trip.. First of all let me remind you a some bakground. In Oct 2010, together with my friend Jerzy SP3BQ we were trying to reach Temotu with strong willing activate this entity on `160m band. Unexpected, huge plane delay on our first stage of trip ruined whole project. We noticed remarkable loss, just one ticket was refund, rest of payments done to hotels and other airlines we lost. But it only pressed me twice stronger to get this entity active on 160m. Having deposit payed for Ngarando Resort (Ngarando - local name for Pigeon Island) make decision was easier. After Tarawa Dx-pedition no one of my partners Jerzy SP3BQ or Jacek SP5EAQ could go with me. As a trip to Pigeon Island is pretty complicated, I decided beter go there alone, then with the person I dont know can lay on him. This of course make all project even more expensieve then before, and limiting my capability to carry more equipment. Needles to say, could not get everything with me, I might need on the island. Puting my foot on this small Island I found that is no empty space which can bee see on GOGLE map! there is a lots of different building, and space avaiable for antennas is limited. I mean 160m antennas for other like 30/20m and up is perfect. Part of the island is almost like jungle. Northen shore is not reacheable for any kind of antennas. Width of Island accesable for work with antennas is never wide then 20 meters but is still occupied by differet buildings. Vertical with TOP HAT was out of the question, no chance to spread TOP HAT! to much palms trees around interfering with wires. The elevated radials had to be bended few times to have them hanging 3 meters over the ground. Radials takes some of 1/2 length of Island size. Top Hat wires was connected together and extended to longth of quarte wave, and used all like inverted L quaretr wave long. In the middle of the Island is Cemetary with graves of Ben Hepworth, Island owner, parents. So there were no space for 4SQ to put it on. I simply could not put the antenna in the someone house door!. Concerning receiving capabilities, everything I can say is the worse situation I met. Thought Tarawa was bad, but here on Temotu was dreaming abot Tarawa situation. First of all, Ben is using on the Island a solar batery system for energising whole resort. But system works on 28V DC and has a converters to 230V AC, wow! s7-8 on S meter on 160m! Then, since I was on the island there was no one night without storm, raining and lighting. Every single night. Sometimes during a day to. With this triggers noise, K3 manage very well, but with triggers noise and statics and strikes all together no radio can manage, signals were ringing strongly making copy them more and more difficult. I started experiments with Pennant, but the end point of the pennant was as close as 2 meters from end of the one of the 160m radials. It could not work properly. I noticed however small improovment, but only in case of EU direction. So whole opperation on 160m was like very hard work. So final results is not amazing, 575 QSO on TB within 12 days of accitivity, 235 with Asia, 200 with Europe, 128 with USA 12 with Oceania. Difficulty of receiving shows case of Bill W4ZV, his signal was relatively strong with no QSB, but to make me sure about his call sign took me seven minutes!!! Only thing I was sure from begening was W4, rest of the call, just two letters was ureadable, ZM, ZF, MF could copy this in many ways. So W4ZV is an easy call so what you say about WB6RSE?? Fast transmiting was killing readibilityof signals, QSB was painfull to, answeringto the station, happened many times, in next over station does not egsist! Shocking for me is also fact how many Europieans can be find in my log against USA, this is first time when I logged more EU then USA! Who can explain why is that? maybe beacouse Eastcoast was not reachable for me in most the nights? This part of world for Europe is really tough! I know that all this explanation wiil not satify those who spent long hours in the shack and din not work me finnaly. But here, on the island, even table and chair was so uncomfortable, then after 20 minutes I started feel pain in my back! and during whole dx-pedition never slept longer then three hours. Sleeping in a day was almmost imposible, hundreds birds screeming loudly all time long! Anyway, it was very nice experience, and I am happy to decided go there. Best Regards for all of you, 73 Jacek SP5DRH/3D2KJ/T30RH/H40KJ _______________________________________________ UR RST IS ... ... ..9 QSB QSB - hw? BK
