for 15-17-20 meters
March 1, 2008
N0LX/mm on Prospect Lake. 1 March 2008.
This was the first marine mobile day of the year. The ARRL Worldwide DX contest was in full swing, and I knew there would be little chance for any nice, long chats. I wanted to try 15 meters, so earlier in the day I made up an end-fed wire for the band using 24-ga. stranded wire. The photo above shows my usual 17- and 20-meter wire, using a Molex connector to change bands, supported by an MFJ 33-foot pole. The new 15-meter wire is mounted on a Cabelas 20-foot pole. I detected neither assistance nor interference with the close proximity of the two masts. The next picture shows the minimalist rear seat arrangement. My radio, an FT-817, hangs out of the photo at the edge of the middle (rowing) seat.
I was out on the water by 1:50 p.m. Mountain Time (2050Z), and operated until 6:00 p.m.
Here is a rundown of the day's contacts:
15 meters:
21.370 VP5H Turks & Caicos Isl.
21.370 KH6LC Hawaii
21.352 KH7X Hawaii
21.305 KH6MB Hawaii
21.290 AH6RR Hawaii
21.254 LV5V Argentina
21.236 HP3BS Panama
21.221 CE1KR Chile
21.227 XE1XOE Mexico
21.335 KH7Y Hawaii
21.338 PY5HOT Brazil
21.303 PW2D Brazil
21.295 YV1CTE Venezuela
21.373 PY2EX Brazil
21.262 ZX5J Brazil
21.242 HK3JJH Colombia
21.270 LT1F Argentina
21.300 LP1H Argentina
17 meters:
18.148 JO1DZA Japan
18.165 JH1OCC Japan
20 meters:
14.342 KK4PQ Georgia
14.314 6Y1V Jamaica
14.310 KH7X Hawaii
14.300 NP2CB Florida: Maritime Mobile net
14.294 P40V Aruba
14.277 P40A Aruba
14.266 8P1A Barbados
14.248 KH7B Hawaii
14.224 XE2WWW Mexico
14.215 HC8A Galapagos Islands
14.301 KH6MB Hawaii
With five watts, I reached 13 DX countries (plus Hawaii) and 31 total contacts in four hours. Not too bad for QRP at the bottom of a sunspot cycle.
Here is a rundown of the day's contacts:
15 meters:
21.370 VP5H Turks & Caicos Isl.
21.370 KH6LC Hawaii
21.352 KH7X Hawaii
21.305 KH6MB Hawaii
21.290 AH6RR Hawaii
21.254 LV5V Argentina
21.236 HP3BS Panama
21.221 CE1KR Chile
21.227 XE1XOE Mexico
21.335 KH7Y Hawaii
21.338 PY5HOT Brazil
21.303 PW2D Brazil
21.295 YV1CTE Venezuela
21.373 PY2EX Brazil
21.262 ZX5J Brazil
21.242 HK3JJH Colombia
21.270 LT1F Argentina
21.300 LP1H Argentina
17 meters:
18.148 JO1DZA Japan
18.165 JH1OCC Japan
20 meters:
14.342 KK4PQ Georgia
14.314 6Y1V Jamaica
14.310 KH7X Hawaii
14.300 NP2CB Florida: Maritime Mobile net
14.294 P40V Aruba
14.277 P40A Aruba
14.266 8P1A Barbados
14.248 KH7B Hawaii
14.224 XE2WWW Mexico
14.215 HC8A Galapagos Islands
14.301 KH6MB Hawaii
With five watts, I reached 13 DX countries (plus Hawaii) and 31 total contacts in four hours. Not too bad for QRP at the bottom of a sunspot cycle.
Here is a picture of the boat taken the very next morning. Typical Colorado weather!
2 March 2008
.....