EME - DX pedition to URUGUAY

432-1296-2320 MHz

2008

Hi gang,

just to let you know that everything is settled now for this year's EME DXpedition. Monika & myself will be operating from the 1st of May to the 12th of May from Uruguay using the callsign DL1YMK/CX, as licensed by the Uruguayan telecom authority URSEC. We have been struggling for nearly a year to get a fully legal high power permit for operating from CX on 70 cm, 23 cm and 13 cm moon bounce. As to our knowledge, CX has never been on the moon on these bands so far.

For those interested a sked list will be handled again by Joe, K1RQG, as he kindly did for us in previous year's DXpeditions. I will provide a time frame to Joe within next week, indicating the planned slots of activation for each band. Please keep in mind that CX-land is at 30 degr South, so Mother Nature will confine our moon window to a certain extent (which is good for our touristic activities, hi).

Hope that everything proceeds smoothly (still some problems to master with rig airlift...), so we can work many of you from CX.

73/88 de Monika & Michael

Hi gang, 

these are the preliminary operation activities planned during our CX-DXpedition. Please keep in mind that our moon window is confined due to Southern latitude - and weather permitting...      

Hope to work many of you from CX. For skeds please write to K1RQG.

Vy 73, Michael

4th of April 2008

 20.04.2008

 25.04.2008

 73/88 de M & M

 28.04.2008

73/88 de M & M

01.05.2008

First full day of the CX-pedition is over, time has come to do a summary. On 30 th of .April we managed to put the meshes into the dish, because the high winds from the Pampa in Argentina had calmed down. Because we needed daylight we began just after sunrise. When we were ready - 3 hours later, hi – the moon window to Europe was already closed, so we couldn't test, but we heard our own echoes. We spent some time to optimize the position of the feed in the dish and announced in the EU-moon-reflector that we are qrv and need desperately some US boys to test. We were really happy to hear W5LUA as first contact from DL1YMK/CX. Than strong signals from K5JL/W5ORH and K5SO showed us, that the station works fine. Thanks a lot to K1RQG who activated the first stations via short wave!   Later, after a hard struggle because of an Eucalyptus tree (and CX5BW’s huge HF towers, hi) we worked VK3UM. We had to learn that the window to the East is poor because of this special tree, hi. They should have imported German beer to CX rather than VK-eucalyptus!!!! Therefore we haven’t heard anything from the JA-boys, but hopefully the moon position improves next days. The rest of the day we spent with trials to improve our own situation, that means how to get warmer? (2 sweaters are ok, but 2 trousers??). We were frozen all over with temperatures of 11 degrees C -  in the sleeping room, hi. In Uruguay, it never becomes really cold (this definitely is a fairy tale…), so the houses cannot really be heated, only by an open fire place. So we learned how to maintain the fire without dieing from suffocation – and this was Monika's duty today: she continuously fed the fire to get somewhat warmer during the operation.  For nighttime we got electrical heated plates from CX5BW, thanks a lot!   We arose at 2.30 local time, it was really hard, I can tell you! The moon was just over the horizon as we tried  to hear our “beacon” HB9BBD. We heard Dominique immediately with a smashing 579 and got 569- not too bad that… We improved the dish position with our further beacons  OK1DFC and LX1DB  - a huge thanks to all, who helped us blinds once again ‘hearing’ the moon. The next minutes I tried to separate single signals in the pile up over the moon – a smashing experience on our CX-pedition! The next hours we first worked EU- than the US-stations random or sked-wise. A very special experience was the second call of Willi, LX1DB in SSB with a 57 signal, while we got 55. It was a nice talk over the moon, really clear and armchair copy.   We worked today (in this row): HB9BBD, OK1DFC, F2TU, LX1DB, HB9Q, G4CCH, OZ4MM, DL4MEA, OK1CA, LA9NEA, SM4DHN, SM2CEW, G3LTF, PA3CSG, DF3RU, IK3COJ, DJ9YW, SV1BTR, SM3AKW, ES6RQ, OK1KIR, LX1DB (SSB), ES5PC, W7BBM, K9SLQ, WW2R, WA6PY, N2NQI, some of them twice (random and sked time, hi). In total we worked until now 33 initials in 15 countries (US as one country), many of them countries first, during 39 qso´s.   Among our skeds we only missed SP7DCS, sorry, nothing heard. We owe a very special “thank you” to K1RQG who once again arranged the skeds!!   The Uruguayan ham’s are extremely friendly and helpful, we got a warm welcome from Pedro, CX5BW (we are living in his holiday home, where he has his huge antenna farm and his shack) and Richard, CX2AQ (without his very special help we would have never gotten the high power license!!). And we already met the president of the Radio Club Uruguayo, CX1AA, Alfredo at their club station. See u 2morrow on 70 cm!

73/88 Monika & Michael

02.05.2008

Hello Lunatics,

today we managed for the second time after Iceland a 3-band EME-DXpedition. Our 13 cm activity now makes it possible, to get the WAC on 13 cm EME, because it is the first time that South America – as far as we know – has appeared on the moon on 13 cm. This was feasible only because of the tremendous efforts of CX2AQ and his good relationship to the URSEC (local license means 2390 MHz and 10W, which doesn't bring EME really forward..). Congrats to Willi, LX1DB, for the first WAC on 13cm!. Like in TF, he gave us a beacon to focus on the moon with the wobbling something of a dish (but doesn't weigh much). After Willi we worked, mostly before sked slots, during heavy rain in the following line: F2TU, OZ4MM, HB9SV, G3LTF, OK1KIR, DL4MEA, OK1CA, PA3CSG, ES5PC, IW2FZR, HB9Q (sri for letting you wait, were looking for you on 2320, shame on us), WW2R, W5LUA, G3LTF (dupe, thanks for giving an audible moon, Peter).   We didn’t copy SM2CEW (Peter was repairing station), LA8LF and VE6TA. Just after digging out WA6PY we had to close down because of high winds again. Monika tried to keep the dish on the moon for a while, but no way, vy sri! It's too early to risk the dish, as done in TF. Paul, hopefully will catch you on 9th. After yesterday’s update we managed to work Doug, VK3UM, with the setting moon on 70cm on the western pass (like TF) – probably our hardest piece of work so far…Unfortunately nil again from Japan, most likely because of that VK-import to our West. Tomorrow we will show up again on 70 cm, hope to work those of you we missed so far. On May 9^th we will be back on 13cm, please let us know, if there are further sked requests. Don't let us down on Monday May 5th, when we will be back on 23cm. Still many well-known calls missing.    

73 / 88 de M & M

Yesterday we had the smashing experience of 3 random SSB QSO´s on 23 cm: LX1DB (57/55), K1RQG (57/56) and K5SO (56/53). All 3 had fantastic signals over the moon, it was nearly unbelievable to make SSB qso`s from a portable DXpedition station. So we talked a while off the rock, hi, including Monika's greetings to our friend Joe K1RQG!!!. Thank you very much for this experience! We worked furthermore in CW: SV3AAF (congrats to your 3 rd qso ever!), G4DZU, G4RGK, PA3FXB, SM5LE, ON7UN, K1RQG, K5SO, SP6JLW, W2DRZ, NY2Z, and K2UYH.
We missed DL2HWA and DL1HYZ, although we could hear our own echoes underneath their 549-signal, but obviously they had nil cpy from us. Boys, try again in contest, if you have a copy on us.In this context: pse adjust your CW-speed to the libration conditions! For the first time we heard JA8ERE with O report, but could not complete. Meanwhile we made skeds for 12 th May on 70 cm, as there was still much interest:   1700       DL4MEA 1730       SM4IVE 1800       SV3AAF 1830       OK1KIR 1900       FR5DN 2000       G4YTL 2330       WW2R  JT   In between there are still skeds for 23cm in doodle-mode, so we have to be quick…Joe: pse check. Now 3 days off for sightseeing…at least a little bit… 

09.05.2008

Hi lunatics,
After three days of sightseeing with fantastic impressions from Uruguay (lots of cacti for Monika) we are back for the DUBUS contest on 23 cm this weekend. Today we worked on 2320.100 until now only 3 new stations: OE9ERC, OK1DFC and WA6PY. Some skeds failed, obviously due to a strong libration fading which cuts the signals in bits and pieces. Despite the fact that the window to US and also to EU is wide open, no more activity right now, but we are hearing our own echoes for the first time on 13 cm! 
For May 12th we made a newe skedlist!!! 

May 12th Sked-list, Update May 9 th Pse notice: we will change the feed twice, from 70 cm to 23 cm and back to 70 cm in the hope to follow the sked requests as much as possible! We had to shift the skeds with SM4IVE and DL4MEA, because we need to begin with a strong station!

432.043

17.30   OE9ERC

17.45   SM4IVE ?? (or 22.30-23.00)

18.00   SV3AAF

18.30    OK1KIR

19.00   FR5DN

19.30    G4YTL

1296.045

20.30   RD3AD    JT65C

21.00   PA3DZL  JT65C

432.043

22.00   DL4MEA

22.30    SM4IVE (if 17.45 failes)

23.00   Random

23.30   WW2R     JT 65B

00.00   VE6TA

00.30   Random

originally we would have finished the 13 cm operation today, but we were asked for another activity period, as this probably is the ultimate last chance to work South America on 2.3 GHz for quite some time, hi. So we decided to change the system at the end of DUBUS contest on Sunday 11th, to be on 13cm again from 2100UT onwards.
Further sked request please send direct to: dl1ymk at aol.com

Vy 73, Monika and Michael

As latest chance for all  on 13 cm we made a skedlist for May 11th. This reduce our moon window for the contest, so we only have 2,5 hours for Sunday on 23 cm, because the moon is visible for us from 17.00 UTC (last chance to work CX on 23 cm random, besides today!). From 19.30 UTC we have 2 skeds on 23 cm (SP6DCS and G4DDK/JT 65C), than we change the feed for 13 cm with the following skeds:

2100    SD3F
2130    PA0BAT
2200    G4CCH
2230    Random
2300    WD5AGO
2330    VE6TA
0000    Random 

For all skeds: you call first, 2,5 min sequences

See you on the moon! 
Monika & Michael

Hi lunatics,

the DUBUS contest was a great deal of fun for us, the activity from our perspective was excellent. During the contest we made 37 contacts, 13 of these being new initials: OZ6OL, PA0SSB, HB9SV, SM3LBN, IZ1BPN, OH2DG, OE9ERC, VE6TA, F5HRY, PA0BAT, NY2Z, PI9CAM, SD3F (same as SM3AKW, no new#), IK2MMB. Furthermore we made our first JT65 QSO on 23cm with Sam, G4DDK. Yesterday evening we changed for the ultimately last time to 13 cm and managed to work 6 new initials: SD3F, PA0BAT, G4CCH (Howard: with that particular feed horn??? just curious..), OH2DG, WD5AGO and VE6TA. We optimized the position of the feed horn before starting and were able to hear our own echoes quite well, giving Monika a rest from running permanently outside for checking the visual moon position. This has put us in the position to work also those stations, with which we were not successful during previous trials. A big thanks goes to all fine stations to hanging on to us! Also we are very much obliged to Peter, G3LTF, he served as our beacon so many times – and is the king of number of QSO’s with us, hi! Here the summary of 13cm contacts of 3 days activity: we made 27 QSO’s with 23 initials to 15 different countries, all of these definitely being country firsts, because our operation on 13 cm was the first ever from South America, providing the WAC to numerous stations on 2.3GHz. In total we made 90 QSO’s on 23 cm including 56 initials in 19 different countries. 4 of those contacts were sideband, the rest king of modes. Additionally to a JT-contact with Sam, G4DDK, yesterday, we will try for some more digital contacts today, absolutely not being skilled with that mode, but trying hard to make a few more happy with rare CX. On 70 cm we made 27 QSO’s so far, with 22 initials in 15 different countries in only 2 days of limited windows way down South. This is a significant improvement to our previous Dxpeditions, due to more interest and improved RF power output, provided by the new BeKo-HPA. This night we will try to increase standings on 70 cm for the last time, before dismantling the station tomorrow.
73 / 88 de M & M

Location at GF15WJ

73 / 88 de M & M

W.W. EME gang !!!