Update September 29: September 28, 2019. (7th Moon Pass) The Degradation was under -1.4 dB all pass, but the Kp index was 5. I completed with 8 more stations today.

September 29, 2019 (8th Moon Pass) The Kp index was 4 and the Degredation was -2.2 but the Kp index was still up at 4. As predicted, the high Kp index, and high TEC over S79, coupled with the extremely high moon (almost directly overhead), made contacts toward the end of the DXpedition very difficult.  It also didn't help that I had no visual sighting of the moon all week :-(

On moonrise, I only worked one station - FK8CP.  I had to take take a break for several hours during the middle of the pass, when the moon was simply too high for me to reach. Then in the middle of the day, a birthday or wedding reception party started just to the northwest of the antenna. But thankfully I didn't seem to interfere with their live band's PA system.  It was very easy to monitor it, since it was VERY loud inside the ham shack!

However by moonset, the Kp index had dropped down again to K=2, and I was able I complete with t  wo more stations, bringing the total worked to 106.

Contrary to my published schedule, I will NOT be QRV on moonrise Monday.  I have to spend the day taking down the antenna and packing for departure to a different place.

Thanks to all who made the effort to get out of bed in the middle of the night to take advantage of the good conditions earlier in the week! My operations from the tropics are always much better if I can operate during the local night time, unhampered by high TEC activity during the daytime.  I greatly appreciate your dedication and the time you invested in trying to contact me ;-)  I will be updating the web page to also include all the "copied but not contacted stations" as time permits.

Until the next rare DXCC, MNI TNX and VY 73, Lance

Update September 27: The moonrise here started out rainy and overcast again. but the Degradation was down to a great -0.1 dB   However, I think it was the low Kp Index that caused me to be totally locked out from the moon by stalled Faraday Rotation for the first 2 hours at moonrise.  Because the moon is now rapidly moving in southern Declination, I had to stop operation around  0630Z and wait for the moon to come back down close to the maximum elevation of the antenna.

By the time of the NA moonrise, the Degradation had moved up a tiny bit to -0.2 dB - still outstanding conditions - and ended at moonset at -0.4 dB I was not able to operate on the horizon at moonset, and had to go QRT at 17 degrees elevation because there were too many people on the beach directly in front of the antenna for me to lower it to the horizon . However, that issue was academic anyway because we lost power for an hour right then.

The good news is that during the power outage,  I tied down the antenna toward moonrise tomorrow morning, and see that the moon should come up just to the south of the big granite outcrop :-) So, I am planning to get moon around 5 degrees elevation in the morning instead of 10 degrees!

The day ended with 8 more contacts and a number of additional stations copied but not worked.  The total now stands at 95, with the complete log shown on the website.  I will be active for two more moon passes only.  Hopefully moonsets will be late enough in the afternoon for the next two days that people won't be on the beach in front of the antenna during my final hour each day.  I will announce the situation on the ON4KST EME CHAT page.

GL and VY 73, Lance

Update September 26: 6m EME this week is like a feeding frenzy, with 3 rare DXCC (S79GJ, HB0/S59A and A35JT)  all being activated at the same time! ;-)   I haven't had a visual sighting on the moon for several days now, because of the continued overcast and rain...and now it is of course getting closer to the sun, so during the daytime it will be very difficult anyway.  But the Degradation was below 0.2 dB all day, and I was able to complete 11 more contacts.  This brings the total contacts so far to 87

- thanks to everyone for making the effort to get up early for a contact!  The entire log is shown at the bottom of my web page

As my moonset moves into the late afternoon hours, I am concerned that the high TEC region in the ionosphere may interfere with the EME signals when I lower the antenna to the western horizon.  This is especially becomes a problem for North American stations, since our only common moon window is when my moon is near moonset.  If you have a choice, please try to contact me when my moon is higher and my antenna is elevated.

Good luck to all, and see you tomorrow on moonrise!

GL and VY 73, Lance

Update September 25: (Fourth Moon Pass) Degradation was down to -0.6 dB at moonrise, and headed further down to an amazing -0.2 dB at the end of the pass, which was really great! However, the day was totally overcast with rain on and off all day (sometimes VERY hard), so there was no visual tracking at all.  Also,  I made no contacts while aimed at the horizon on my moonrise - possibly because all the trees and foliage was so wet from all the rain. I did complete with 12 more stations, bringing the total worked so far to 76 stations.  The complete lot is shown in the SUMMARY on my web page

We were pleased to hear that the potential problem with the hotel management about the unusual (and quite marvelous, in my opinion) antenna that we put up for 6m moonbounce was resolved, and we are planning to continue operations through Sunday as scheduled (and previously approved by the hotel management when we made our reservations 6 months ago).

Hope to contact many more of you in the coming days!  Please don't delay if you still would like to work S79 on 6m, because

1. A geomagnetic disturbance is forecast for next weekend
2. The high TEC regions here in the tropics will be moving to the west of me in the coming days, which can disrupt moon-bound signals when I am aimed on the horizon for my moonset.

GL and VY 73, Lance

Update September 23: I have been very busy constructing the antenna, station, running EME, & trying to catch up on some sleep!  I know people may be waiting until next weekend when cndx look better, but there may be a geomagnetic storm next weekend, so I encourage people not to delay trying!  Here is a list of stations worked so far:
S79GJ LOG September, 2019
S79GJ LOG OF
COMPLETED CONTACTS
TOTAL MOON QSO/ SIG
QSO # PASS PASS DATE UTC CALL DB
1 1 25 September 21, 2019 2136 ES6RQ -19
2 2140 OH6MIK -18
3 2150 OZ1DJJ -25
4 2326 OH2BC -24
5 2224 ZL3NW -23
6 2228 IW5DHN -19
7 2256 G8BCG -18
8 2318 ******* -18
9 2326 ON4GG -23
10 2336 SP4MPB -20
11 2344 ON4IQ -20
12 September 22, 2019 0010 UR0MC -19
13 0020 S57RR -23
14 0042 ZS4TX -24
15 0046 UT7QF -17
16 0102 UW7LL -25
17 0320 EA8DBM -23
18 0406 VE1JF -20
19 0428 K2ZD -21
20 0432 KJ9I -21
21 0438 SP3RNZ -25
22 0446 OH7KM -25
23 0512 W7JW -22
24 0620 K5NA -22
25 0748 W6UC -27
26 2 18 2228 JA7QVI -26
27 2240 OZ4VV -25
28 2222 SP7VC -23
29 2346 G4FUF -21
30 2352 UB7K -23
31 September 23, 2019 0000 US0LW -18
32 0006 VK4MA -22
33 0022 YL2AO -25
34 0216 S50A -24
35 0444 K1SIX -23
36 0452 N1DG -23
37 0606 N8JX -22
38 0624 K8CX -20
39 0816 W7GJ -26
40 0823 KB7Q -26
41 0826 W5ADD -28
42 0836 N8RR -24
43 0856 K4PI -26
I also copied a number of other stations that were not worked, but hopefully they will go into the completed list in the coming days as the Degradation goes down.  I will also try to put a few photos up on my S79GJ web page if I get a chance:
Hope to give out many more ATNO this week!  GL and VY 73, Lance

Update September 21, 1300z, by W7GJ: Antenna is up and tied down toward  moonrise at 8 degrees elevation...Plan to be QRV for moonrise at 2045Z today

Update September 20, 1500z, by W7GJ: Well, I sited the antenna, and properly set up the guy lines for the mast so they are NE,SE, NW and SW I to give me more freedom to elevate further without hitting them when I am aiming due north. There is a tall bush just by the SW guy anchor but I don't think it will bother me that much...more info coming if it turns out to be a problem when I am elevating and aiming to the Northeast.  The mast is guyed and resting on the prop.  Antenna is partially assembled...I will finish that and raise it tomorrow.

Turns out the bungalow we are renting is in a national park, and I am optimistic about the noise situation...all the power is underground. The building to the northwest shown in the aerial view on my website is an empty, open pavilion ;-)  More news when the antenna is in the air and the station is completely set up ;-)

Update September 20, by W7GJ: Arrived in Mahe with all the luggage at 0300Z.  Now waiting for a bus to go to the ferry terminal to take the Ferry to La Digue. Should arrive at the La Digue ferry terminal at 11:30am local time (1530Z).

Update August 21, by W7GJ: This is just a reminder that in ***ONLY FOUR WEEKS*** from today, I will leave on my next 6m EME DXpedition - this time to La Dique Island in the distant Seychelles Islands. All the details are on my web page

Yesterday, I purchased the ferry tickets to and from La Dique Island, finishing all the transportation arrangements. The planned operating schedule is shown on the revised links on the above web page. I hope to be QRV on 6m EME by my moonrise at 2045Z on Saturday September 21. I plan to install the antenna just shy of 24' above the ground, which allows me to elevate to 65 degrees. Please note that my moon gores higher than 65 degrees after September 25, so I probably will not be QRV on EME during those periods. Hopefully I will have worked the Region 1 and Region 3 stations before then anyway ;-) Of course, Region 2 stations will only have a common moon window near my moonset (except for KL7 and KH6, which I hope to work during my moonrise when the moon finally rises above the mountain to my northeast).

Today I finished refitting all the 6M8GJ element mounting clamps for #10 stainless steel hardware and engraved them all with identifying codes and the colors of the elements that go into them

Further details about these modifications can be found at the bottom of this page

In the coming days, I will be hooking up all the equipment, testing it, and then moving it directly into the suitcases for transit with me to S79. I urge you to carefully read the S79GJ DXpedition webpage and the referenced links for information on how to contact me. Please note that, because of the very limited common moon windows, I will be giving priority to North American stations as soon as their moon rises. Further updates will be made to the above web page, as well as posted to the Magic Band EME email list.

I hope to give many of you an ATNO on 6m! GL and VY 73, Lance

Lance, W7GJ, will be QRV on 6m EME from Seychelles from Sep 18 to Oct 5, 2019.  Details in his web site