It will be interesting to find out more about the antennas being used by
these two DXpeditions. Both, as I understand it, are using Elecraft gear,
K3's and KPA500's.
K5P has been rather weak but copyable on most bands, at least here in AZ. I
had expected to hear them a bit more easily, since I usually get good
signals from VK/ZL on most all bands. I'm still missing K5P on 10 meters
(as far as my antenna capabilities go), but that could just be timing and
the usual uncertainty about 10 meters generally.
VP8STI has been relatively weak on most bands as well, but they are twice as
far away. Band conditions and timing could be a big part of that as well.
The exception has been 30 meters! They have almost been LOUD here on 30
meters, and much stronger than on 40 or 20 meters. I've worked them on 30
(actually I thought I had worked them earlier, but that's a long story!),
but am having difficulty on other bands. The biggest problem has been all
the confusion caused by others, plus the fact that they are being inundated
because they are such a rare location. I think they may be using
directional antennas on some bands, and AZ may not be where they are
pointing much of the time.
This 30 meter thing may not be as much of an anomaly as one might think at
first blush. 30 meters is a very good band, but not utilized all that much.
It shares many of the advantages of both 40 and 20--it's open much of the
time, and high enough to enhance longer distance communications. I have a
friend in the U.K. who has very nice antennas on both 30 and 20 meters.
More often than not, and again it may be timing, I hear him better on 30
meters!!!!
The "confusion" surrounding the VP8 is as bad as I've ever heard it. DX
cops and name callers, tuner-uppers, people who don't know what "up" means,
etc. This is what tends to kill the fun I would have otherwise trying to
work DX now and then. Sometimes I wish I could take a hammer to some folk's
radios! It only takes a hand full of idiots to make life miserable, but in
this case I think we have more than a hand full! The first time I thought I
had worked the VP8 on 30 meters I know he came back to me because he had 90%
of my call correct. I repeated it, and my report, but after that all I
heard was a bunch of QRM from people calling on his freq. rather than split
as requested.
Anyway, there seem to be some very good ops on both operations, so I suspect
they will do very well overall. Somehow I think I would rather be one of
the ops on Palmyra than on Sandwich, give the difference in weather
conditions! Hi. However, the VP8 guys will probably have a much more
interesting story to tell.
Dave W7AQK
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