Sunday 17 August 2014

The multiband vertical

Here is the multiband vertical used as main antenna for EU on 20m and used on all bands from 30m and up. 8,5m random wire,  9 radials on the beach and 4:1 unun at the feedpoint.
As main antenna for DX we used the VDA shown earlier. Both antennas have been great.
Mast is the 10m fiber glass pole made for traveling from DX-wire in Germany. handles the wind without any problem.


Working 20m

Ronny SM7RRF working 20m SSB.


Saturday 16 August 2014

Operator's View

This is the view from the 80m operating position. Just finished a CW QSO with DO7LHS, Lars.

Sunrise

Sun is rising above the horizon and the VDA certainly doing its job as expepted and more.


VDA antenna in sunset

We built a VDA antenna on the beach for 20m facing north at the moment. Brought a nice pile up from JA


Friday 15 August 2014

Activity indeed

After almost four hours the antennas are up and the stations are running on 80 40 and 20 meter bands.

We are experiencing a promising beginning of the weekend.

The picture shows a concentrated and happy SM7PXS handling a 20m SSB pile-up with callers from EU, NA, AS, and OC.

Ready to go

Everything is loaded now we are just waiting for the captain. The lighthouse is out there between the boats.

All set

Every year we say we will bring less stuff. Every year it looks the same. 
This is just my luggage, two more operators also bring their stuff. 
Luckily the boat is large enough. 

Take off from harbor at 15.00 GMT today. First station QRV at about 17.00 GMT


Tuesday 12 August 2014

Preparation continues...

Room for sleeping, OK
Room for radios, OK
Transportation to the island with boat, OK
Fiberglass poles from DX-wire in Germany arrived, OK

Discussions about antennas going on. We will for sure use a sloping dipole for 80m sloping north from the Lighthouse. That antenna have been our all time favourite.  We will also use vertical loop for 40m. top corner at the Lighthouse platform 29m AGL.
There might also be a dipole for 40m 
For 20m we will probably build a VDA on the big 12,5m fiberglass pole.
On 30m and some other band we will use a non resonant multiband vertical

Rigs will be:
2x IC-7400
IC-706MK2G

We will be QRV on bands from 80m up to 10m depending on propagation.
Modes will be CW SSB and PSK-31

Sunday 3 August 2014

View from the lighthouse

This is the view to the south from the top of the lighthouse tower. 30m asl. Very hot today. the weather station sitting on top of the tower showing 30.3 C.

Garpen 2014

Preparations are now going on for the upcoming lighthouse weekend. We are on site today looking for New antenna posibilities and New location of the shack. We will use the same small house Dominic, M1KTA used when he was here 2 weeks ago working the IOTA contests.