03/14/2004 | TI5A My first trip to the TI5A site. The site is about 40 miles north of the TI5N site. It's a two and half hour drive through the Mountains and jungle. My Dad (74 and still traveling!) went with me this trip to see the country. He saw a lot of rain.

We dined at TI5KD's home our 1st night there. TI2IY is a great cook! His home is also the qth of the TI5N contesting station. Thursday morning we headed for the TI5A site.

Ti5A is a remote location. 70 & 130 foot towers support the antennas. An impressive 2 element full sized quad for 80 is hung from a boom on the 130 foot tower. It's impressive to see what Keko has done at this remote location. The 130 foot tower is Totally impressive sticking up on the horizon. To add to the situation the house and towers are located with nice drop off in USA/EU directions. The 130 foot tower has a fixed 2 element 40 meter yagi on top that is just an excellent antenna into EU or States.
You have to hand it to Keko for getting a 130 footer up and populated at TI5A.

On arriving at TI5A the reflector on the 2-element 80 meter quad was wrapped around its self. The quad setup had 3 guys broke due to the high winds that persisted for a week before our arrival. Friday there was a break in the wind and with Keko on the tower and myself at the guy wire eating tree the nylon guy wire was freed. The nylon was 100 lb test but I was "floating" at times trying to pull it down out of the tree. One of the guy wires was not replaced and the director shape was different but seemed functional. The driven element had an unmarked balun and the quad resonated about 3750khz with R=25. The balun sits about 2 feet off the roof of the house and at times there was RF in the laptop during operation on 80.

While Keko was on the tower he untangled the 80 meter sloper and I attached it to a tree out to the west.

My main laptop quit Friday before the contest. Humidity? The backup was a 486-100 laptop. I did not use the DVK (soundcard) and had no DVK until Saturday night when I got Keko to lend me his laptop to use the DVK functions. Was a pain to reach over to hit the F2/F3 keys but helped save the voice by using it.

The beverage did not seem right Thursday night and rerouted it Friday to get it off the tower steel guys. Then opened up the beverage box and found the box contains a pre-amplifier. There were no instructions or power supply. I carry cores & wire and wound a matching transformer. The beverage sounded good during the contest but suspect a proper transformer is in order. Walked out the beverage & was impressed with the prior 160-meter operators putting this up. It works great. Would be interested in hearing from others that have a beverage on hill, slope, etc.

FWIW - Several comments on how loud the signal was and several time wasting comments that it couldn't be 100 watts. The landlord and a retired government inspector monitored the operation. I'm not sure you can get much better on verification that no amp was in the shack or used. Considering the solar cycle I would expect even a stronger N/S path next year. You really can be loud at Low Power & I think Keko's antennas speak for themselves on this one.

160. The bandplan is being followed in general to operate SSB above 1843. Those few listening below 1843 for stateside don't have the pounding signals of the kilowatts, Multi/Multi's and others inside their roofing filters. Plus during the SSB test weekend there is little QRM or interference below 1843. There is an unfair advantage to not following the band plan and it's time for the ARRL to step forward and enforce by deducting contacts or forget the band plan applies.

During the contest it rained and then rained with wind. I suspect that during one of the Saturday afternoon showers it dropped 10 or 11 inches in an hour. Makes for a heathly ground.

Followed the P40W advice to snooze Sunday morning. Think "W" hit it well that Sunday rates make up for the snooze.

The site is equipped with a 2-element quad for 20/15/10 on northern 70-foot tower. This tower has a 4-element Ten meter beam about 35 feet up fixed north. The tower over looks a downward slope to the states. The Low Band tower is about 130 feet and sports a 402 cushcraft fixed north on a mast above the tower. At the top of the tower is the 160 meter dipole. A 80 meter sloper is also hung from the top and stretched out to the west. A two-element 80 meter quad pointed north is on this tower with a 3 element 40 inside. The center of the quads are about 60 feet. The site is about 1450 feet above sea level with slopes downward toward USA/EU.

Additional pictures at http://www.qsl.net/ti5a . -- W5AJ