Update September 16, 2023: Good run on 17m last night. Until now had not been able to use 17m much at night because of noise from street lights, however my LMR400 came from Fiji and this cut the noise on 17m dramatically. It didn’t do anything for 12m so still looking for a solution there. Antenna is now up much higher at both ends. Still working on getting EFHW or 80m OCFD up. Have a much longer endfed up right now hence I’ve been on 80m some times. Lots of EU both west and east last night which is promising. Will probably give it another shot tonight at 17m as it lasted a lot longer than 15m. I was still working calls at 3:30AM (local) whereas 15m and 10m usually done by 1-2AM. Super hot here today, hoping for some rain soon. Past 18K QSO last night. Remember this is a spare time operation. My LMR4000 ex KH1/KH7Z so has some history.
Update August 28, 2023: 15M is where I having the best luck with EU for now but that will change. So far the software that’s worked best for me is MSHV with “special message” option, single stream on standard frequencies. 40m 80m and perhaps 160m will come when my second rig and antennas arrive from Fiji. I am using MyAntennas 9:1 Endfed 51′ feet / 15.5 metres long in a inverted V setup at the monet with barefoot FT-891. I have coming from Fiji my 2 main antennas from 3D2TS being MyAntennas 80m OCFD and from same company 80m-10m EFHW. I’ll probably go with the EFHW first up as end fed will be easier to setup here for now.
I am currently only doing FT8 and maybe FT4. I will be using MSHV, so call with signal report if you want. HOWEVER I do NOT recommend that you do this. If you are EU or NA / SA always call with grid square. If I am using MSHV, with a queue sorted on distance, it needs the grid square for the distance calculation. Like that EU, NA and SA will take precedence over Asian callers. EU openings are not that often so if I see they are struggling with a wall of JA, I will go to preference for distance. I go out of my way to work JA as they are almost 24/7 here. EU is not. I also sometimes flip the queue if I have some OC callers. I try to be fair to everyone. I will start on normal FT8 frequencies and if it gets busy move elsewhere. I hope to do some SSB as conditions pick up towards the end of the year. Remember, I am here for the long term so don’t get too excited about missing me or sending me 1000 emails. We are coming into the best part of the year. Just be patient and keep at it. Please don’t ask for scheds, I just don’t have the time as yet.
Update May 29, 2023: It seems that all is going well for this operation, although the dates, length of stay and exact location are still unknown.
Update April 1, 2023: C21TS should be QRV again late July to August 2023. A longer and better equipped operation is being planed.
Update March 24, 2023: QRT. Time to pack up. Will update next week if I am coming back or not to Nauru. 1100 QSOs in the log from 1.5 days of operating.
Update March 15, 2023: It took some time to get everything sorted to visit Nauru and at the moment they are in the middle of a big COVID outbreak, so what I can and can’t do remains somewhat fluid. I’m staying at the only hotel that answered my emails and I don’t know what I will be able to put up antenna wise. Will see when I get there but will take a few options with me, mostly end-fed. I am only taking this time around my FT-891 barefoot and a trusty HP laptop. With a PowerWerx PSU. I have my LoTW certificate for C21TS but nothing is going to happen until I return home. At this stage no plans to use Club Log this time around. Look for me on Sunday the 19th on high bands with some luck.
DX-World publishes the following from Phil, FK1TS: I will be in Nauru from March 18th the 24th 2023. So 6 days on the ground. There is a lot of unknowns but I will have my FT-891 plus my trusty HyEnd Endfed with 22m wire and will take 44 metre wire also. And just in case all else fails a 6m /10m mobile whip with mag base. Worst case scenario I might pop up on 6m and 10m only. Am hoping I can string up some wire though. I will find some way to get updates – probably via a Facebook page or whatever works from there – as internet is a bit of an unknown at this stage. This will be FT8 only, don’t ask for SSB or CW. No skeds. I will be using MSHV on secondaries in multi stream mode. If all goes well I will be moving to Nauru for an extended period, as in more than 1 year some time after June this year.
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