Dear all, Thanks for the patient during the 7P8LB operation and particularly on the TB. This location is a challenge but doable if you have plenty of time. On the journey from Johannesburg to Lesotho, I experienced one of the heaviest lightning storms I ever have seen. I then understand that this will be a challenge and the days ahead conformed this. A lot of effort was done to get something going on TB but for sure it was not easy. We spent a lot of time to negotiate with the owners of the land surrounding the lodge, but when the “deal” is changing from one to the next day, it’s not easy. When first 160 antenna was up, I got a “standby” to continue our installation and I had to prepare we written agreement and we basically “lost a day”. When we finally had the agreement in place, we were ready to install element number 2 (2 el end fire broadside array) Same day antenna one broke due to the one of the guy wire pegs broke in a heavy storm and felt down. Now I had to use antenna number two as spare parts and repair antenna one and this was done the same day. In the afternoon same day, a horse was running around and hit the tophat guide wires, but this was reparable. Next days the 80 meter antenna felt down duo to a horse that was “running in circle” and hit one the guywire. The antenna did not get any damage and was an “easy fix”. Installed 2 x VE3DO loops that I phased but no luck since the loop closest to the lodge was just to noisy. Further I installed a VLB (very low beverage antenna) 130 meter long and I use a MFJ-1026 noise cancelling unit to cancel out S8 of the powerline noise from a nearby powerline. This setup worked somewhat, and I was able to work 100 EU stations and one JA stations that night. Further Svein LA3BO, managed to work a few NA stations as well after I went to bed. For the two last days we decided to prepare a 250 meter long terminated BEV that was laying on top of the cornfield. New BEV Antenna was now North of the powerline about 50 meter and reduced the Powerline noise a lot.I use the MFJ 1026 to get rid of the remains of the powerline noise. The following night was the first night with good wheatear conditions and we had good result to EU, one JA and a few NA. The last night before we shut down the conditions was not as good as the day before, one JA station a fair amount of EU and some NA at our SR. Its frustrating to see the wall of NA stations in the pan adapter but the signal is just so very marginal and deep QSB. This is what we were able to this time however, I guess that this location deserves a topband Expedition only :-) Before I left I got the email address from one of the owners of the land surrounding the lodge and I also pay him some money as a thanks you of using his land. The land north of the lodge have plenty of space for BEV antennas but permission is needed. Our permission was to install the antenna after darknes and sneak out and take it in just after day light 😊. Where do we go next, maybe the digit 9 or 2 in the prefix at the same time as we could do a TB operation in 7P. The clublog count says 561 QSO CW and FT8 for 160 meter band.
I am not a native English speaker or writer so apologise for spelling mistakes and how to build a sentence 73 for now LA7THA / 7P8LB team leader. _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
