2004 ARRL International DX Contest (Phone)
03/08/2004 |
YI3DX
I operated YI3DX in Baghdad, Iraq during the DX contest. I am employed by the Coalition Provisional Authority in rebuilding Iraq. My station is located in a small kitchen in the Republican Palace inside the Green Zone, a large secure area.
Saturdays and Sundays are work days here, with Friday being the light-work day. But I managed to squeeze in some operating time.
Propagation was rather poor, but I was able to make some QSOs on 15 and 20. I worked mostly east coast and middle-Atlantic US and Ontario, with an Illinois station mixed in also. Then on 20, I worked some stations in Oregon, Washington, and Alberta. I never heard stations from any other states.
It was difficult completing some QSOs as my 100 watts and G5RV wasnt being heard very well. But the stations were very pleased when they finally completed my call and realized that I was in Iraq, giving them a new multiplier. I appreciated their stay safe wishes, and I thank them here again.
I tried calling CQ but received no responses. A kw and a beam would have been helpful.
I planned on operating on Sunday evening, after 7:30 PM, local time, 1630 UTC. I got on my rig, but then the attack alarm siren located on the Palace roof sounded, and the procedure is for personnel to go to the basement for a safe place. Rockets were shot into the Green Zone, hitting the unoccupied Al-Rasheed hotel, but none came close to the Palace. The attack news was very shortly all over the news networks. Needless to say, its the first time my operating was interrupted by a rocket attack. -- YI3DX
Saturdays and Sundays are work days here, with Friday being the light-work day. But I managed to squeeze in some operating time.
Propagation was rather poor, but I was able to make some QSOs on 15 and 20. I worked mostly east coast and middle-Atlantic US and Ontario, with an Illinois station mixed in also. Then on 20, I worked some stations in Oregon, Washington, and Alberta. I never heard stations from any other states.
It was difficult completing some QSOs as my 100 watts and G5RV wasnt being heard very well. But the stations were very pleased when they finally completed my call and realized that I was in Iraq, giving them a new multiplier. I appreciated their stay safe wishes, and I thank them here again.
I tried calling CQ but received no responses. A kw and a beam would have been helpful.
I planned on operating on Sunday evening, after 7:30 PM, local time, 1630 UTC. I got on my rig, but then the attack alarm siren located on the Palace roof sounded, and the procedure is for personnel to go to the basement for a safe place. Rockets were shot into the Green Zone, hitting the unoccupied Al-Rasheed hotel, but none came close to the Palace. The attack news was very shortly all over the news networks. Needless to say, its the first time my operating was interrupted by a rocket attack. -- YI3DX
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