David, K3LP is currently active from Falkland Islands (IOTA SA-002) as VP8DRC.
He is working on HF Bands.
QSL via N2OO.
Ads for direct QSL:
ROBERT W SCHENCK, PO BOX 345, TUCKERTON, NJ 08087, USA.
VP8DRC News 17 February 2016
I arrived at the hill top location ready to take on the evening on 160 meters. We have a Qty 2 1.3 KW amps that will be used with the ICOM IC-7000, IC-718 and TS-590.
The noise level this evening was worst than last evening about S10-15. Mario (VP8ALJ) stopped bye the location around 0100 GMT. We drove to his home to locate additional test equipment so we could thoroughly go over the site this evening. The cell site building is located close to two other buildings plus three 150 towers. I just wanted to check to ensure there is nothing else causing the interference.
The 160 m sloping 1/4 vertical is placed on a new tower that is 90' with no other antennas at this time and is about 800' from the other buildings and the 80 m dipole is on a 100' tower about 500' from the building with a 4 MHz antenna on it that is removed from use during our usage.
We checked the noise level at the base of both antennas using an HF radio on a car battery. Both were S10-15 noise. In addition, checked them back at the shack, no difference.
Tomorrow morning, we'll return to the building at 9:00 AM just to make sure we have no additional noise sources in the building.
The was reported to be a storming coming from CX/ZP area that is most likely causing the noise this evening.
I hoping we'll get an evening or two before my departure on Saturday to the USA for a nice 160/80 m effort.
I'll keep you posted.
David Collingham - K3LP
VP8DRC
VP8DRC News 16 February 2016
Working with Mario (VP8ALJ) and Arliss (VP8DXU/W7XU), we were able to set up a great 160 1/4 vertical with elevated radials plus an 80 meter dipole antenna at a 300' high remote cell site 2 miles outside of Stanley. The cell site small building is where we operate from and has two 100' towers.
When the sun went down last night, I was disappointed to find an S9 to 10 noise level. At 2200 GMT, I could hear so many EU's calling, but was only able to copy 10 stations, then at 0500-0700 GMT, W5/W7/W8/W9/W6/KH6 stations called with S15 signals allowing me to work a total 44 stations as VP8DRC.
I stayed on the 160 M band calling CQ until about 40 minutes past our sunrise 0915 only working 2 additional station in K5 land. After our team being able to work 1,500-2,200 stations from S. Georgia and S. Sandwich with great results at sunrise, it was pretty painful as you can imagine when I discovered the noise level only dropped from S9 to S7.
I have a couple issues, the radio I was loaned to use very basic with no features and does not provide notch or any other types of filtering plus 2nd antenna input for beverage not available. All our VP8STI/VP8SGI equipment left with the boat the day before yesterday in the container to S. Africa to be shipped home.
I just woke up now and will try to locate another radio for this evening allowing me to install a beverage. I hope to be on 160 meters early around 0000 GMT just before sunset to see if EU can be copied without the noise beginning. I'll try 1.8265 and listen up to 1830.
Axel (DL6KVA) was with me last night at the cell site using VP8IDX and worked about 380 stations on 80 meters with this TS-590 without an amp (we have no amp keying cable 7 pin connector for this radio). Paul (N6PSE) offered us to use his amp this evening for second radio, but we need to fix the amp keying issue - perhaps a foot switch the old fashion way.
Jay (K4ZLE) will be with me this evening using his amp and the IC-718 on 40/80 meters, so I will need to locate another radio before I head to the site in the next few hours.
I really didn't plan to operate from the Falklands, but clearly understand the need for 80/160 meter QSO's, so I'm trying my best with little equipment. I will be at the hill top each evening this week until I go home on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016.
Take care and hope some how to work you from this small island.
73's
David Collingham - K3LP
VP8DRC