FJ/WW2DX Feb 15-22nd 2020
First 144mhz EME Activation from FJ
Latest Updates!
03/21/202 – 1718z
All FJ/WW2DX logs have been uploaded to LOTW. QSL cards will be next over the coming weeks.
1755z 2M EME QRT
02/21/20 1900z – 98 total QS’s made, would have been nice to hit 100 but 98 is better than 97 🙂 Considering that being in FJ during the peak of poor condx I will take it. I had a T/R relay fail in the amp, did a field repair which seems to have worked. I will be rethinking relays and TX/RX feeds for the next portable design. I would really like to go with 2 X 10 XPOL with SDR RXer. I have a lot of work to do to scale down and maximize a very potent yet lightweight portable EME station for CY0 in October.
Thanks to those who “hung out” with me in the Slack channel, that helped pass the time and of course those who worked me. Maybe before CY0 I can sneak in something like HH if all the planets align.
73 Lee
FJ/WW2DX
02/21/20 0938z Dgrd -3.8 Last moon pass.
IK7EZN -26
LZ1DP -29
LZ1KU -23
SV8CS -25
YL2GD -23
SP4K -26
PA5MS -25
LZ4OC -23
SP4KM -23
DK5EW -25
SM5DIC -28
SK5AA -25
YL2GC -24
DL8SCQ -25
DK2PH -25
F4DJK -26
PA7MM -23
IK4PMB -28
DL1RPL -27
I3LDP -20
ON7UC -26
N0AKC -22
DL1KDA -26
KF8MY -23
G4DHF -22
W5ADD -27
VK4CDI -28
W7OJT -25
02/20/20 0841z -4.6 Dgrd – MR. Traces much stronger today and considerably less QRN.
OK1RD -21
IW4ARD -24
ES3RF -21
DK3BU -22
PA0JMV -21 DXCC #223
EA6VQ -18!
DK5LA -20
IK4WLV -19
S55OO -23
HA0DU -22
OE3FVU -22
DG8NCO -22
SP8NR -22
SM6NOC -21
S59A -22
K2TXB -23
K9CT -23
K1OR -26
02/19/20 0739z – Dgrd -8.1 – Very frustrating! Only a few light traces at MR then almost nothing so far. Possible disturbance from AU activity in the last 24 hours. I have swapped radio’s, bypassed amp, etc. Even listened for GRAVES with no success. After testing multiple radio’s swapping coax I hooked everything back up originally to the 9700 and decoded first station UT5ZN -22! I can only assume that by now the moon was at 22 deg elevation which may have been high enough to get away from local noise issues. Added ~6hrs later – Comparing noise levels from MR to peak elevation is ~15db noise on the horizon.
From PA0JMV and Spaceweather.com
“GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A G1-class geomagnetic storm is underway on Feb 19th as Earth enters a minor stream of solar wind. Even before the solar wind arrived, Earth’s magnetic field was humming with energy because of a crackthat opened for more than 8 hours on Feb. 18th. Solar wind poured in, setting the stage for today’s storm.”
UT5ZN -22
S54AC -23
I1ANP -28
F6APE -24
UX0FF -25
HA6NQ -23
HA8CE -21
K9MRI -23
AA5C -23
WA3QPX -24
QRT 1241z – Max EL with Array and up against balcony railing. Will be back once AZ clears the railing. Stay tuned here and #slack channel.
02/18/20 1420z – Dgrd -11.5 – Back to try the MS. CONDX still very poor. See you at the next MR.
2/18/20 0641z – MR, Still running 1 radio, the repair seems to be holding. Dgrd -11.9.
ON4AOI -21
PA5Y -25
ES6RQ -26
OK2DE -22
QRT 0835z VERY POOR CONDX. Will be back for MS to the PAC.
2/17/20 1404z – PAC MS -9.9 Deg
K1CA -23
WA1NPZ -19
FK8CP -25
QRT 1625z lose the last 10deg from mountain to the west.
Heard but not worked on this pass: AA5C -23
2/17/20 0601z – HB9Q logged after the repair!
HB9Q -22
OZ1LPR -25
PA9RX -24
OK1CU -24
UT6UG -25
DK3WG -23
DL1DWI -19
DL8YHR -21
I3MEK -23
SM7GVF -16
OK1NI -21
PA3CMC -21
OH2BC -26
ZS6JON -13!
DF2ZC -21 DXCC #220!
DL8FBD -25
UX5UL -24
S52LM -23
DK5YA -22
DK4RC -22
IK1UWL -25
UR3EE -18
F6HVK -21
I2RV -24
PA2CHR -23
OZ1LPR -20
S51ZO -26
S57M -22
IK2DDR -23
S56P – 21
QRT 1030z until 13:30z for PAC MR and sleep.
Heard but not worked on this pass: OK2DE -24, DL1KDA -26 and ON4AOI -23
2/16/20 2028z – Found the RX problem!
I have made a field repair of the relay. Initial testing looks good. I really won’t know until MR. If I find the repair is not fully successful I have a backup plan of using two radio’s, one for RX the other for TX. If you see my signal disappear shortly after MR this will most likely be the reason, I am converting the station to two Radio’s. If you want instant updates on the DXP you can join my #Slack channel!
2/16/20 1324z – Swapped out coax run, lets see if things are better today. QRV 144.144 2nd.
2/16/20 0400z– On the AIR!!
I2FAK -23
UA3PTW -23
RX1AS -24
ZS4TX -24
OK1UGA -27
CONDX very poor and with no decodes and being extremely tired I am going to call it a night and get some sleep for the MS. Will try again on the next MR.
73 Lee FJ/WW2DX
2/14/20 – 17:13z – Packing is 95% complete! Plan is to depart around 9am EST Sat morning the 15th.
Who
Looking forward to a winter break and heading down to beautiful island of Saint Barthelemy. Myself, FJ/N2IEN, FJ/W2RE, FJ/KB2HZI and FJ/WW1X will be enjoying the warm sun and endless pileups from the Caribbean mid February.
Operating
Goal is to operate all the HF bands 6-160 if room at the QTH allows for 160. Other attempt will be to bring the 2M EME gear and see if we can active the rare FJ on 2M. The downside is I will be in FJ during the worst moon conditions. With that said, I was in V26 with the worst moon conditions last year and still made close to 100 contacts.
Gear
- K3 and FT-991 for HF operation
- KPA500 and Expert amp
- IC-9700 for 2M EME operation
- Italialabs 1KW 2M SSPA
- A pair of 12 element DUAL Yagi’s
- Possibly a FT-847 for Satellite work
- OCF 6-80m
- 160 vertical
Live updates
QSL Info
For FJ/WW2DX, FJ/N2IEN and FJ/W2RE QSL’s with SASE’s to:
MyQSL Service
POBox 375
Pawling, NY 12564
USA
28 thoughts on “FJ/WW2DX Feb 15-22nd 2020”
Hope to work you on 144 mhz eme
73s Johan On7uc
Hi Lee,
thank you for bringing st. Bart on the moon. It will be a birthday present for me though a little delayed (birthday is 14th), hi. Please do not forget to send me some pics for the eme newsletter after return home.
Have a safe travel, cu on 2m EME in about two weeks!
73 Bernd DF2ZC
Hello Lee, nice to see that you are once again putting a rare one on 2m EME. I have a new antenna system that works quite well and I will be there among the masses. Good luck and thankyou.
PS hope you are on in the weekend, it gets tricky due to work commitments after that.
73
Conrad PA5Y
Hello Lee,
enjoy your holiday and if you make some QSOs via EME in spite of bad conditions that would be an extra joy.
See you via moon and
73 Jarda, OK1RD
Lee my system is frozen AGAIN -13C going down to -22C Please do not leave St Barth until you work me. Have a great expedition Lee & all et a bientot
Serge VE1KG
Lee,
Have a great trip and I will be trying my best to complete a 2m eme contact with you. Wishing you safe travel and a good holiday.
de Rod ZL3NW
Hi Lee
I am looking to try for a contact with you on 2m eme.
Have a great trip, safe travels & an enjoyable times.
73 Peter, ZL1HD
Lee good luck with the setup.
I hope you manage it to be QRV on EU moonrise today 4z.
73’s Erwin/DK5EW
He called your system at FB live stream a satellite system 😒
I guess one could technically agree :–)
Do u have RX problems ? Here GD sig fm u -18/-20
Things are all dialed in Mario just not getting any decent traces. Started good then poor conditions, maybe all arriving VPOL. Getting very tired if conditions don’t improve will QRT soon.
Average of posted CQs received in Europe were -18 to -20. You seem to have an rx problem, preamp?
You were vertical initially, slowly went to 60° pol.
Everybody called you on different pols, I called you circular, not a Faraday one way problem.
GL next days.
https://www.ww2dx.com/2020/01/29/fj-ww2dx-feb-15-22nd-2020/
Hi Lee,
You really made my day this morning, TNX for FB QSO and DXCC #223 on 144 MHz!
I had been calling u for 3 or 4 days while conditions were just crazy… huge QSB , Faraday and blackouts..
After abt 1.5 hrs of calling today, i was about to call it a day, but all of a sudden I got solid decodes with OOO and RRR for me 🙂 screen shot available.
The lunar declination was very low and my local elevation never reached above abt 14 degr, which means a constant white noise / birdie level here from the neighbourhood, mainly solar panels. Extra Noise between 8-15 dB, crazy…
Anyhow, BIG tnx for another DXCC and CU soon agn i hope.
Have a safe flight back home with the team!
73 Joop PA0JMV
Hi Lee. Many thanks for nice qso and new dxcc, over the initial.
This morning Mr. Faraday has played with us a lot. I heard you very strong (B-17 )for about 2 hours. I called you for about the same time with no results. Then, for a full hour, i have lost your signal due V pol (my system has only H pol.) In this period i know that you have passed me the OOO report for 5 sequences.
Then, when Moon was very close to the set, let me say around 8 degrees of elevation, Faraday pol. switched backon H and i restarted to hear you strong and stable. When i believed to not be able to work you today, Moon around 4 degrees, you answered with a beautiful -18 db signal. Thank you very much and good luck for coming days.
73′ Francesco IK2DDR
are you qrv on friday MR ?
Yes, should be there Friday MR.
Will be there today calling ~ + 300
Hi Lee…You are here in EU with stable sigs, sometimes -19, we need only any luck to catch you, Be patience, we are here. Gl, 73
Hope to work you tomorrow. Seems you’ve been shutting down prior to me getting on the air in the morning, so will try to be there at my moonrise tomorrow. Moonrise on 2/20 here is at 1137 UTC.
Hi Lee, you see no traces or they not decodeble ? I am calling like a Lion 🙂 hope to cach you Jos PA3FYC
Hi Lee,
You really made my day this morning, TNX for FB QSO and DXCC #223 on 144 MHz!
I had been calling u for 3 or 4 days while conditions were just crazy… huge QSB , Faraday and blackouts..
After abt 1.5 hrs of calling today, i was about to call it a day, but all of a sudden I got solid decodes with OOO and RRR for me 🙂 screen shot available.
The lunar declination was very low and my local elevation never reached above abt 14 degr, which means a constant white noise / birdie level here from the neighbourhood, mainly solar panels. Extra Noise between 8-15 dB, crazy…
Anyhow, BIG tnx for another DXCC and CU soon agn i hope.
Have a safe flight back home with the team!
73 Joop PA0JMV
Hi Lee,
Saw you for a few sequences and got one decode this morning with the moon between 1 and 2 degrees elevation, then you disappeared. Have a birdie on 144.144 so makes it a bit challenging; but will look for you again tomorrow morning starting at my moonrise (~1230 UTC). FJ would be a new DXCC for me, so hope to work you!
Hi Lee, Thanks for the QSO this morning, had you with a good signal for half an hour, then minute by minute it was getting weaker, took a while to decode, but we made it. Thanks for the new one ! Do you have a paypal for a donation..
Lee TNX for the DXCC #179 ! It was the 3. day I was trying and today you had a big signal best have been -17dB here. I had best signal in Vpol while I was sending in Hpol to you. Hope to give you back a DXCC once.
Your Paypal would be good to do a donation.
73’s Erwin/DK5EW
HI Lee,
TNX for nice QSO and new DXCC!!!
Here is the screenshot .
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1qe8keayskrnewk/FJ_WW2DX.jpg?dl=0
73 Stamen/LZ1KU