Thanks to hot spring and little news in equipment there was chance to obtain quite good result in May contest, but it was only guess…

This spring was unusual hot and sunny what allowed us to get to our “summer” QTH – Velka luka already in May after years. My ground survey in half of April showed that it could be real. Finally there wasn’t too much of snow under the top – only 2 meters on 50 meters long leg. So contest preparation began on Saturday - one week ago, when we went in group of five to dig through the stony and frozen rest of snow. After all-day heavy work we could dig away about 1.5 m of snow, but that was enough to pass trough next weekend. During last days before contest we finished new driver with SD2942 to have enough power for driving two PAs and changed IF from 144 to 145 in 23cm transverter.

We came to the top on Friday and till evening 2m “south” antenna (2 x 9 el. DK7ZB) was erected. On Saturday morning it started to rain and wind. Building of 2m “west” antenna (2 x 16 el. I0JXX + LNA) and 70cm antenna (2 x 38 el. M2) in this weather with many complications took us so much time, that we didn’t catch the beginning of contest. But what more, after switching on FT-1000 and transverter on 2m band there was heard only near big-guns. Verification of all cables didn’t solve anything and problem seemed to be in transverter or transceiver. Mood got down so Norbert OM6NM and I moved in front of TV set. Ice hockey match between OK and OM was more positive (we won). In the meantime, Jozef OM6AM brought his FT-1000 and after changing the radios everything was alright. Norbert started pileup (it was 17:48 already) and another problem appeared – microswith in rotator box (2m “south” antenna was turning only in one direction). Reparation was quite easy, but that but that was not all. During night the 2m LNA went wrong. Because of endless turning the antennas to various directions we recognized this on Sunday morning. Smaller antenna was receiving much better than the bigger one with LNA. Fortunately we had one coaxial relay in reserve for dividing TX and RX tract, so mast with antennas could stayed erected. I was surprised of so little DLs in log while amount of stations from south was increasing and this was the reason. We are sorry if anyone was calling us with vain effort.
70 cm luckily without any problems, but also beginning with delay. For building 23 cm we haven’t any taste in this cold and rainy weather.
Finally either notified IP camera was not in air, because nobody was disposed to erect mast for internet antenna… Although on Sunday morning little mast was erected we had no success with making fast internet connection on 5 GHz trough the water in air. On Sunday afternoon we packed all equipment and tired and wet went to home.


Take a look to photos, contest report (2m, 70cm), video will be available soon

Final result is disappointing for us:

2m: 431 QSO, 128.000 points, ODX DR5A (904 km)
70cm: 160 QSO, 43.000 points, ODX DF1JM (900 km)

Thank you for calling and see you in next contest.

For the team OM50KHE, Michael OM6AZ

Team:
OK1HSK, OM6AA, OM6AAW, OM6AL, OM6AM, OM6AR, OM6AW, OM6AXQ, OM6AZ, OM6NM, OM6SZ, OM6TU, Miro (ex OM3WMB) and John

Creation date : 09/05/2007 @ 21:59
Last update : 21/02/2008 @ 22:17
Category : Stories 2007
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