Many due to Christian (IX1CKN) who shares the next area report:
by Christian (IX1CKN)
…Day 1
The objective I had in thoughts was to benefit from early morning greyline from a POTA reference, combining the enchantment of an activating station with the propagation alternatives at the moment of day. On this a part of the season it means being energetic round 3/3:30 UTC, and though I didn’t handle it on day one, Saturday twentieth July 2024, I went out a lot sooner than typical and had just a few surprises, confirming the thought’s potential.
I selected IT-0120, the Tsatelet Nature Reserve, my “dwelling reference”, as a result of a brief journey is required to be energetic rapidly. I used to be completely satisfied to go, each interested by how it could prove and since it was the “Assist Your Parks” weekend. If there’s pleasure in being a part of this program, these are the 2 days to point out it. The setup was as typical: Xiegu G90 with a ground-mounted 1/4 wave vertical antenna. Given the lighter battery (I needed to stroll to the highest of the reserve), I lowered the facility to 10 watts for an extended length.
With these ideas in thoughts, at 6:44 UTC, I powered up on 20 meters. After a “park to park” with a colleague in Lithuania, which I took as a great omen, I moved to a transparent frequency and began calling. The primary 2-3 minutes had been silent, however then I bought a response that modified the day: “…KL7TC.” Alaska, for the third time! Invoice in Fairbanks was coming in at 5/7-8 with that unmistakable transpolar sign fluctuation. He gave me a 5/1, and once I advised him I used to be operating 10 watts, he congratulated me. I grabbed my telephone and filmed a part of the QSO, so count on a video. From right here on, each QSO was a bonus.
5 minutes later, because the skip began to Europe, KZ4CP, Brandon from Kentucky, answered. He got here in sturdy (one other 5/8 from me), and on the second over, he mentioned my sign jumped to five/8. It was 6:56z, I logged it, crammed with gratitude, and moved on, considering that this challenge needs to be realized as quickly as potential. From Europe’s perspective, issues had been slower, however responses continued, albeit at a low charge. I additionally managed one other “park to park,” the second (and final of this activation), with LA7TN. I couldn’t hear the others on the cluster.
Don G0RQL joined in, making it the tenth QSO. The activation was legitimate. Nonetheless, I regretted not exploring different bands. After checking and listening to just a few respectable indicators, I switched to fifteen meters, calling for 5 minutes with no luck. Then, I moved to 17 meters: no response to my CQ, however I heard VK3IO, Ron, close to Melbourne. It was 7:33z, and though he wasn’t very sturdy, he was nonetheless a stable 5/7. I waited for him to complete his QSO and known as. After some persistence, he bought my name. The report was 4/3, however even when it had been decrease, the enjoyment of overlaying over 16,000 km with 10 watts is incomparable (there shall be a video portion for this too).
At this level, it was near 10 native time (8 UTC). The solar was beginning to warmth issues up (together with the G90 chassis, which has a identified challenge with warmth dissipation), however I had yet another experiment. The Chinese language multiband vertical is designed for 20 to 10 meters, however with a coil I purchased earlier, it might do 40 meters too. I added the part, discovered a transparent frequency (7130), and began calling.
I had observed a few instances that this answer is a compromise, not very efficient. Nonetheless, it introduced in one other 5 QSOs: with Piedmont, Tuscany, Lazio, and France. So, it did one thing and was higher than nothing. I wrapped up after 68 minutes of activation with 17 contacts logged. The gradual charge signifies circumstances aren’t superb but, however with Alaska, Kentucky, and Australia (for the primary time from a park) within the log, and a wide ranging view of Aosta, there’s no room for complaints. See you subsequent time, and because of everybody!
Video – Alaska and Australia:
…Day 2
A thunderstorm hit Aosta at 5 AM. No thunder, only a steady rumble like an engine, with flashes of lightning each few seconds. Sufficient to wake me up, although sleep is at all times welcome (particularly on a Sunday). As soon as it stopped, I didn’t curse the rain however seized the chance to get nearer to my authentic challenge. So right here I’m, within the automobile, arriving at IT-0120, the Tsatelet Nature Reserve, at 6:44 native time, 4:44 UTC, on Sunday twenty first July 2024, for a POTA activation not precisely at greyline, however nonetheless early morning.
Clearly, I couldn’t use Saturday’s setup. The storm had created puddles and stagnant water, making it unattainable to arrange outdoors. So, I made a decision to function from the automobile, with the Xiegu G90 remaining the core of the transportable shack, however swapping the ground-mounted 1/4 wave vertical antenna for the Outback Falcon HF-1899 on the automobile roof. Positively much less environment friendly, but when we needed to do that as we speak, that is the way it needed to be finished.
Additionally, I had a much less succesful battery than the day earlier than, so I lowered the output energy to 10 watts to make sure longer operation. As quickly as I turned the radio on 20 meters, I used to be amazed by the variety of American accents I heard. I listened to VE3GXT calling CQ POTA from Ontario with a stable sign, however regardless of my responses, he couldn’t hear me. So, I discovered a free frequency and began calling. The tempo was gradual, as seen the day earlier than, however one thing occurred.
First, Joe WB2WKJ replied, explaining that it was his first time “searching” a park from Italy. Nonetheless, he solely gave me a 3/3 in New Jersey, making it clear that receiving is one factor, and transmitting (and being heard) is one other. I saved my spirits up, and shortly W3MJB, Mike from Pennsylvania, responded. This time, the report was 5/2, which sounded extra consistent with a QRP station. The “park to park” name that adopted was thrilling.
It took a second as a result of the sign wasn’t sturdy, however it got here from VK3YV Tony, activating in Victoria, Australia. I bought not more than 3/1, however the noteworthy half was that 10 watts and a vertical on a automobile had been reaching the opposite facet of the world (a primary for me with POTA). Feeling inspired, I searched for one more activating station from “Down Underneath,” VK2USH in New South Wales.
Once more, I used to be heard with issue (which was to be anticipated), however we accomplished the contact, and I felt that even when I didn’t attain 10 QSOs, the activation was well worth the day. Earlier than the skip shortened, I heard a station from New Zealand and, out of curiosity, on 15 MHz, the WWVH time sign from Hawaii, which, in a surreal twist, arrived concurrently with WWV (from Colorado).
You’d count on to listen to solely certainly one of them (the one from the Pacific) at the moment of morning, however there are propagation theories, and you then activate the radio and listen to what truly is available in. The calls continued, and I logged KZ4CP, Brandon from Kentucky, for the second day in a row, and KN4DY Randy from Georgia. From him, I even bought a 5/3, the best sign report of the day from throughout the Pond.
It was 6:50 UTC, and Europe began responding. The activation, beforehand an uphill battle, leveled out. Many Spanish mates and different acquainted POTA faces enriched the log. Once I reached a great 20 contacts, I attempted shifting to 40 meters. Once more, the antenna wasn’t very efficient on that band, however I managed about ten contacts, together with Belgium, the UK, and Austria.
In the long run, I made 31 contacts in 3 hours. The speed remained gradual, however as we speak, greater than ever, I noticed firsthand how greyline phases or sign enhancements on shortwave can maintain surprises. Positive, with extra energy, far more may have been achieved (in addition to Canada, even KD9VVS Nick activating from Indiana couldn’t hear me). I considered “solely” 100 watts, however there shall be time to maintain testing. Low energy is a philosophy, however it shouldn’t develop into a dogma, as a result of the great thing about radio is giving which means to what we do.
Immediately, no activation footage to accompany the submit (additionally as a result of IT-0120 has been featured on QRPer just a few instances now), however a video. Apologies if it’s not strictly about hamradio, however the two indicators from Hawaii (the one with the feminine voice) and Colorado (male voice), hardly ever acquired so clearly right here, exhibit higher than many examples how shortwaves are made to journey far, how thrilling it’s to chase them, and the way intense this “Assist Your Parks” weekend has been.
Video – Time Indicators:
