Update Jan,13: Video Available: Update Mar,11: Hello all,
Few days ago we arrived safe home again after the very exiting trip to Guatemala.
First (nice) surprize was when we checked in at Amsterdam airport; we became the 2 last seats in business class of the KLM airplane and had a very comfortable flight to Mexico city!
The next flight was from Mexico to Guatemala and unfortunately one of our suitcases was missing when arriving at Guatemala airport…… the one with: preamp box, lots of coax, tools and other essentials parts.
We soon found out it was left in Amsterdam and they promised to send it with the next flight, one day later, as ‘urgent and rush’ material.
Luckily all antenna parts and the tripod, packed in 2 golfbags, did arrive and we were able to build up the complete antenna system for 2 mtr. on Friday 23 Febr.
In the afternoon the people from Guatemala airport called us with the good news: suitcase has arrived and it was on the way to us by taxi.
We only needed to mount the cables and do a final check of the system now; all was OK and the first 2mtr. QSO was made with I2FAK just after midnight, Febr. 24 at 00:35 UTC.
At the same time we found out there was QRM….. we had lines every 100Hz all over the screen which were moving slowly up and down in frequency, so a good trace of a calling station in one period was gone the next period.
Some ‘fox-hunting’ with a small receiver gave no results and QRM produced 4 to 12 dB. noise in most antenna directions. Fortunately the QRM disappeared sometimes and usually it was less after 22 hour local time.
But we are happy with the results, a surprising amount of USA stations was worked this time, very nice!
Febr. 25 was our 23cm. moonpass; we mounted the 67el. antenna in-between the 2mtr. yagi’s on the same horizontal boom, added an extra preamp-box and made 27 QSO’s in this moonpass.
Our antennas on the flat roof were very close to ‘the shack’ just below in the room. This made it possible with the use of the spare lengths of coax we had to operate on 2 mtr. and 23cm. at the same time, so we did this the next days.
The last weekend we took down the 2mtr. antennas and mounted the new 30el. 70cm. antenna on the boom. It can be easy controlled manually between horizontal and vertical polarization by turning the boom into the mast clamp. On Sunday 4 March we had some problems with the local internet connection and during the night we had no internet at all. Because of this some stations missed us unfortunately.
Final results:
- 144 MHz: 261 QSO’s, with 2 x 20el. X-pol. homemade (DK7ZB design) antennas, this is about what you can expect with the local QRM we had.
- 432 MHz: 42 QSO’s, with a 30el. homemade (DG7YBN design) antenna, like expected, but more might have possible with better internet to announce our activity
- 1296 MHz: 47 QSO’s, twice the amount we expected ! with just the 67el. yagi.
We are very happy nothing was broken at all and we did not forget anything, it was a real challenge for 2 people to become QRV on 3 bands.
Thanks to our very good host: Hostel Las Marias in Taxisco; a perfect place to be and very cooperative.
And many thanks to all our sponsors, without some help it is not possible to organize this kind of DXpeditions (we paid over 800 euro only for transport of antennas etc, hi )
All QSL’s, for both calls, will be handled by Jos, but this can take up to May because of another planned trip.
The logs, list of sponsors and some pictures are uploaded to QRZ, see: PA3FYC.
All sponsors will receive a direct QSL.
Hope to CU from another nice location/DXCC in the future, best 73’s,
Jos, PA3FYC - TD9FYC
Chris, PA2CHR - TD9CHR Update Mar,2: Some confusion about our activity on 70cm. tomorrow:
We might not be QRV at our Moonrise, but maybe about 2 hours later during the rest of the moonpass.
So a long time is left during EU window.
Call: TD9CHR Grid: EK44sb
Best 73's and GL,
Jos and Chris Update Feb,28: We have uploaded the log for all bands to QRZ.com. Look for TD9FYC
You can also find some pictures here.
Today, Feb. 28 we do 2mtr. from Moonrise at 23:30 UTC until ....... as long as stations are calling.
On March 2 we do 2 mtr. and 23cm. from Moonrise at 00:30 UTC until .......
On March 3 we do 70 cm. BUT maybe not QRV at Moonrise, FOR SURE later during this moonpass until Moonset.
VK / JA / ZL stations: Try to work us during this moonpass !!
On March 4 we do 70 cm. from Moorise at 02:00 UTC until ...... as long as stations are calling.
On March 5 : The party is over, we have to pack and prepare for leaving.
We still have big local QRM, 5 - 10 dB on 2 mtr. Sometimes it is gone for a few minutes.
Our internet is very slow and sometimes gone, but we try to stay on N0UK for 2mtr and HB9Q logger for 70/23cm.
Good Luck to all and best 73's,
Jos and Chris Update Feb,24: Hello to all,
When arriving in Guatemala, one suitcase was missing, fortunately we received it yesterday and we became QRV yesterday evening (24/2).
We build up our antennas on the roof of the apartment. Only some trees can possibly block our moonset when moon is below 10 degrees; moonrise is clear.
First QSO’s on 144 MHz were made just during moonset in Europe with USA, JA and VK stations.
Next full moon pass we will do 144 MHz again and tomorrow we do 1296 MHz.
Our internet connection is very slow and sometimes gone…… don’t expect too much reactions on the loggers from us.
This is our expected time table for coming days:
Moonrise/moonset timetable in UTC for TD9FYC & TD9CHR in EK44SB
If we can put the antennas close to the shack, it is possible we can
operate on 144 and 1296 at the same time.
(This depends on cable-length: we use same cable’s for both bands)
Please look on: http://www.mmmonvhf.de/latest.php
for latest updates, we will upload some pictures also.
Log’s will be uploaded to: QRZ.com. No LOTW.
Paper QSL’s are appreciated to PA3FYC home address.
Best 73's, Jos and ChrisUpdate Feb,23: We are still waiting for one suitecase, it was left in Amsterdam, but has arived today in Guatemala city. So we don't have relaybox and some other importand equipment yet. We hope to receive it this afternoon.
Antennas are up.....
Maybe we become QRV later this moon pass, hope so !
Vy 73's,
Jos and ChrisUpdate Feb,19: Hello moon-friends,
We have packed nearly all equipment this weekend.
Operation will be between Feb. 23 and March 3 on 144, 432 and 1296 MHz.
Coming Wednesday we leave from Amsterdam and with a stop in Mexico City we hope to arrive at La Aurora airport in Guatemala City on Thursday afternoon.
The total trip will take about 30 hours from our home’s to the TD-QTH !
We try to become QRV on Friday Feb. 23 ( maybe not at moonrise) but have to build up the station, meet some officials and local temperature is above 34 degr. C……
Our logs will be uploaded to QRZ: https://www.qrz.com/lookup see: TD9FYC Other info can be found on this MMM on VHF website.
Many thanks to our sponsors so far:
G4DDK, IK4UWL, I2RV, DK5EW, JH0BBE, DL9KR, DG8NCO, OK1IL, OK1RD, N7NW, VE1KG, PE1MPL, NC1I, DK4TG, K1OR, DF2ZC, OH2BC, PA9RX, PA5Y, IK4PMB, DL8SCQ,
If you like you can make a donation via PayPal to make trips like this possible to: post@pa2chr.nl
Please don’t forget to mention your call !
Hope to CU soon from Guatemala, best 73’s,
Jos, TD9FYC
Chris, TD9CHRUpdate Feb,6: For our operation from Guatemala we received the special calls TD9CHR and TD9FYC !
Our grid is EK44SBUpdate Jan,10: Chris PA2CHR reports about the current status in The 144 MHz Newsletter: “Since a couple of weeks I am preparing for the upcoming DXpedition to Guatemala, TG3MB, at the end of February. I have built a completely new portable antenna for 70 cm: type GTV 70-30 designed by DG7YBN. This antenna is 7,3 m long and has 17,6 dBd gain. It is possible to change polarization by hand; it is very important to have this option on 70 cm especially when you operate near or below the equator. A test with a small motor to turn the antenna from horizontal to vertical failed because the motor was not strong enough. A bigger motor is too heavy to transport. The results in my home QTH are good: All stations I heard where stronger on this antenna then they where during last trips to E44, Z21 and 3DA0 !
I also built a new preamp box with 2 high power relays and space for filters and preamps with different size. We will use this box for 2 m and 70 cm. This weekend (Jan 7) I finished the modification of the 67 ele yagi for 23 cm. The preamp/relay box is mounted directly behind the reflector and there is only 30 cm of ½” cellflex cable between dipole and the preamp now. The extra weight in the back is compensated by moving the support boom more to the back. The support boom is on top of the antenna and the front of the antenna has a rope to prevent it from bending down too much; the boom is only 20x20mm. Testing QSO’s where successful this weekend.
During coming days/weeks I will build up the 2 x 20el. xpol antennas for 2 m just to make sure everything is still OK. Maybe the phase-lines need some inspection and we have to measure all cable losses for sure. Also the tripod has to be modified and perhaps it is possible to reduce the weight of the tripod, actuator-mounting, telescopic mast and the horizontal support tube. The azimuth rotor weights 7 kg.... but I have not found a smaller one with good readout and strong enough. If someone has an idea about this: please contact me!
Up to now the total weight of our equipment exceeds 185 kg and the maximum allowed by the airline company is 180 kg so far...hope to CU from TG3MB in February, best 73’s, Chris PA2CHR.”We plan to be QRV between February 23 and March 4, 2018.
Equipment: 2 x FT857
144 Mhz: 2 x 20el. X-pol. 16 dBd. and SSPA
432 MHz: 30 el. 17.8 dBd. and SSPA
1296 MHz: DB6NT transverter, GPS locked 67 el. 19.9 dBd. and SSPA
DX news and calendar: TD9CHR (Also TD9FYC)
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