Michael Mark, P.Eng., B.Sc. EE, Life Member ARRL-- VE4MM
EA8URL -- Aug 10, 2005 15:11 ET
Hello Guys !!
The EA8URL Team for 2005 ARRL International DX Contest want to give the thanks you very much to all stations worked and excuse me to the not worked stations for all our difficults in the contest, but we to have us a great time in this contest !!
We hope us back to take part in the next edition...
73 de EA8URL 2005 - EA4TD - EC4AEW - EC8ADU - PETER & EC8AUA
Thanks you and see you in the 2.006.-- EA8URL
KC2GOW -- Jun 27, 2005 15:11 ET
The shack at contest time, many improvements made since then. Rig used was the ICOM 706 that is in there somewhere.
Myself on 20m CW. Upgraded to a Bencher BY-2 at the time of this post.
I really enjoyed the contest as always. The bands were in pretty decent shape and even got a couple of new ones. Only "QRP" for this year at 100watts but plan on 600w for next year. I heard some really great operators and some not so great but had fun, which is the sole reason I ran it all weekend. 73-- KC2GOW
OE4A -- Apr 6, 2005 02:38 ET
FT-1000MP
FT-1000Mp Mark V
+ 2 home made amps
160m Inv V @18m + 160m beverage
80m Inv V @ 25m + 160m beverage
40m 3 el yagi @ 20m
20m 4 el yagi @ 18m
15m 5 el yagi @ 25m
10m 5 el yagi @ 14m
+ 20m 15m 10m Optibeam OB16-3 @ 25m
logging software Writelog
Not so good condx on satrday and extreme bad condx on sunday
but much fun with some old and new friends
first time operating M/2!
thnaks for calling us and see you in WPX SSB this time SOABHP
73 es best dx
de OE4A Team, Braco-- OE1EMS
P40A -- Apr 5, 2005 17:58 ET
Iguana Villa
John KK9A / P40A
I arrived in Aruba five days before the ARRL DX Phone contest. After making a few emergency home repairs I was able to finally install the freestanding 160m vertical that I started in October. I also temporarily installed a pennant for receive and I had a fantastic time on top band before the contest. I had a very nice pre-contest dinner with W2GD / P40W where we discussed the strategy for this event. Unfortunately shortly before the contest, I caught a virus and I had less energy than normal. At this point, I considered doing a single band entry where I could get more rest, but I decided against it as doing all band would be more fun and I already had all of the antennas up and running. The contest started well and after the first hour I had 299 stations in my log. The second hour produced 239 QSO's, after that the rates really tumbled for the night. I didn't see another 200 hour until late Saturday afternoon. Saturday morning, 15m was in good shape but the only signals that I heard on 10m were from south America. I kept one radio on 10m while running on 15m waiting for an opening. Finally late Saturday afternoon it opened a little to the US and I worked 153 stations before the band died. Saturday night I started feeling really tired and with the low bands noisy and producing very few contacts for me I took a long five hour nap. I awoke feeling refreshed, except for a throat infection that suddenly appeared. On Sunday morning 15m and 20m were still going strong and again I kept an ear on 10m hoping for an opening. Finally Sunday afternoon I heard a few strong US signals on 10m. I switched bands and I instantly had a huge pileup. 10m was in good shape and not knowing how long the opening would last I started logging stations as quickly as possible. During one 60 minute period I worked 344 stations, not bad for low power on a Sunday afternoon! In less than three hours the 10m signals were weak again so I retreated back to 15m where the rates were much better, knowing that I just missed many needed multipliers. The throat infection worsened after the contest and several days later I visited the Aruba hospital for some antibiotics. I felt great when my wife arrived the following weekend. The contest was a lot of fun and the late 10m opening really added to the excitement.. Thanks for the many QSO's and a special thanks to the 44 stations that worked me on all six bands.
Please QSL via WD9DZV.
Well, this contest was my first experience outside france for a contest. The caribbean zone is interesting and allow nice battle
between the stations active for the major contest. I arrived there
on wesnesday with several capacitors to repair the amplifier. I was unable to repair it so, I used the Alpha 76 with only 2 tubes not very effectives (200 to 500w) but it help me a bit, especially on the low bands. I was not familiar with the propagation and i missed severals important points and multis on low bands. I also missed a part of the first night and almost all the second because i was too tired and I didn't heard the alarm of my phone ringing to wake up after a little rest.
The whole friday I had to do tourism with xyl and finally I was not able to stay awake the whole contest. That's a pity and not really serious !! But for a first try, I'm quite happy. For sure it's not enough to be on the podium but I will try again, perhaps next year with A good resolution: NO TOURISM, NO ACTIVITY AT ALL ON FRIDAY !!
Except this dark point, it was a fantastic experience and I had a lot of fun with all of you. Tnx a lot !-- F5CWU
WA7LT -- Mar 25, 2005 22:11 ET
Operated as a Multi-op, single transmitter with five operators at the home of WA7LT LaMar Ray, former W9LT. The other operators were: Randy K7TQ, Kirk K7EKM, Jay WS7I, and Steve K7AWB.
Antennas:
tower #1--HyGain TH-7DXX @75’ for 10, 15, 20 M; Cushcraft 40 M dipole @ 72’
tower #2—Mosley S-402 2 el. 40 M @ 85’; KLM 28-30-5 5 el. 10 M @80’; KLM 13.9-14.4-5 (modified) 5 el. 20 M @ 75’; Cushcraft 20-3 3 el. 20 M fixed 105° @ 40’; Other Ant—Vertical 80 M dipole, 2 el. vertical 160 M array-- K7AWB
After the contest! left to right: LaMar WA7LT, Randy K7TQ, Kirk K7EKM, Steve K7AWB. Also, Jay WS7I not shown.
antennas on tower #2
WA7LT LaMar and K7TQ Randy busy racking up the points.
Jay WS7I
TE2M -- Mar 16, 2005 17:08 ET
Back L-R: TI2JCY, TI2KAC, K4UN, TI2MOT, TI2VW
Front L-R: TI2GBY, TI4ZM, W4BW, K4WPM
The 2005 ARRL 'phone TE2M contest effort is the most recent rendition of 5 years of Multi-Two efforts from Costa Rica, most recently as TI8M from Quepos, Costa Rica. Our efforts began as a group of Atlantans who set up a Field Day type temporary effort. Then, about 3 yrs ago, we were most fortunate to meet TI2KAC, Carlos Alfaro, on the air and convince him to drive to Quepos and join our group. For the 2005 ARRL outing, 3 US hams were able to join forces with 6+ Costa Rican contesters at the Radio Club of Costa Rica in the capitol, San Jose for a Mulit-Two effort. While conditions were down somewhat from last year, the enthusiasm generated by this group and the fine facilities afforded by the Radio Club of Costa Rica, allowed the best score our group has yet recorded. We had almost 500 more Q's than last year, but snagged 5 fewer mults, resulting in a score increase of almost 400,000 points.
After introductions, our multi-national group quickly melded together to make minor changes to the station arrangements and antennas to facilitate the best effort that could be directed northward towards the US and Canada. There was a flurry of Spanish, English, finger pointing and Dry Erase board drawings to decide what would work
best and then accomplish it. And of course there was the prerequisite excellent Costa Rican food, fresh fruit, local pizza and cold, Costa Rican cerveza to keep the machine oiled as preparations were made. I must say that, having participated in more than a couple of multi efforts, I was really amazed at how this group
quickly got everything ready and then proceeded to operate very well together, almost as if we had done this all as a group numerous times before! Several of the Costa Rican ops had not worked in a multi effort before but in just a few minutes, they were banging out Q's like any veteran.
The contest began very modestly with good rates, but the hoped for long 10m opening on Sat never materialized, with only 2-3 hours of favorable 10m conditions. But Sunday was another story! We had one station move to 10m by 1700z, and stay there almost 6 hours with good rates all through the day. 10m has always been very good for our efforts and we were very relieved to see this opening appear and last. We were also pleased with our 160m results.
The motto of our group in Costa Rica has always been to have fun, and hope for a respectable showing, and this outing continued the tradition, with the added International flavor as a great bonus. I think it is safe to say that when our group parted, everyone was already looking forward to joining forces again in the very near future somewhere in Costa Rica.
The Operators were: Oscar - TI2GBY, Juan Carlos - TI2JCY, Carlos - TI2KAC, Mauricio - TI2MOT, Luis - TI2VW, Mauricio - TI4ZM, Eddie - K4UN, Bill - K4WPM and Bob - W4BW.
Bob Wilson-- W4BW
V31TR -- Mar 14, 2005 13:57 ET
It was quite an experience working from the DX-side, after being on the USA end for 45 years. Our team consisted of NZ9Z, W9MDP, WB9OBX, N9AQW, and W8JWN. WB9OBX came from KH6land just to be with his old Wisconsin buddies. His son, Steve, N9AQW came down from Wisconsin to see his dad. Both hadn't operated a ham radio in quite awhile let alone take part in a Multi-Op effort.
The conditions from V31 were pretty good except for 10 meters on Saturday and most of Sunday. The three hour run on Sunday afternoon was quite thrilling to say the least.
Bob's, V31MD, shack and equipment worked flawlessly the entire time we were in Placencia. The 160 meter vertical T, located in the salt water lagoon, was a great help.
For our first attempt at a Multi-One effort, I thought we did as well, if not better, than I expected. Many lessons were learned to make the "next time" even better.-- W8JWN
John, NZ9Z, and Val adjust the 80-10 Butternut
W8JWN, W9MDP, and NZ9Z after the contest.
W8JWN/V31TR running 10 meters on Sunday.
XE2K -- Mar 14, 2005 19:53 ET
After the thunderstorm that show up in the first hours of the contest was no possible operate for safety,i disconect all radios from antennas and return around 17 Z to begging the contest. i get several big pile up's , where i get all the multipliers that have my log, i move just one, from 10 to 15, trying to get DC that never show up, Labrador also never was cought. After all i apreciate all those that contact me in 160m where the noise was high in my location and they persist to get the mult and give me one mult and QSO.
This is the first time in this contest i run Hi power and all new antennas, i feel very satisfied for the result in 22 hours of operation, the best at the moment.
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