"Zero-dark-thirty." Isn't that the expression commonly uttered by microwavers on contest mornings? When my alarm set for 4 am rang, I muttered the same expression. I am not an early morning person. On the other hand, my friend Herbert AF4JF and Harry WA0CNS are. Harry wouldn't be joining us this go around which was too bad. I agreed to meet Herbert at our local QT for a breakfast sandwich, a bearclaw and coffee at 5:00 am. Not only was it zero-dark-thirty, it was already hot and humid, the temperature was 80 F with humidity in the high seventies and the sun wasn't even up in the eastern horizon.
The Minnesota ops W0ZQ, WB0LJC, N0UK and K0HHC were going to Iowa to work Kevin AD7OI, his wife Tammy KI7GVT and Herbert AF4JF and me KO0Z. This necessitated that we get up early to make the 90 mile trek from St. Peters, MO EM48qs to Hannibal's "Lovers Leap" EM49hq. We arrived shortly before 8:00 am local time. Kevin had already worked the Minnesota in Iowa ops. They were working other stations which gave us time to set-up. While waiting, my first 3 cm contact was with John K9JK in EN61av 233 miles, 375km away near Chicago using CW at 8:16 am! This Q beat my all-time best personal 3 cm contact of 226 miles. Not a bad way to start off the contest!
KO0Z's rig at Lovers Leap, EM49hq along with AF4JF, KD7OI and KI7GVT
Ron KO0Z's rig looking across the Mississippi River towards Illinois from EM49hq
After working John, I tried working Ron W9ZIH in EN51nv with no luck for both of us. Jon W0ZQ, Gary WB0LJC and Chris N0UK gave me a call using SSB from EN32fg. Although I could hear them, it wasn't great copy, so we switched to CW with good signals all around! I now had a 211 mile, 339 km Q in my log book!
Next in my log was Zack W9SZ in EN50rl, 158 miles, 251 km in Illinois using CW around 11:09 am!
By this time, W0ZQ, WB0LJC, N0UK made their way to EN32ek, 223 miles, 359 km away. I successfully worked all three of them using CW around 11:39 am!
Kevin AD70I and Tammy KI7GVT with their 3 cm, 60 watt "flame thrower" made it easy for distant stations to optimize their beam headings towards us.
But what about Herbert AF4JF?
Herbert AF4JF setting-up in EM49 hq
Herbert was hearing everything AD7OI and KO0Z were hearing but nobody was coming back to his transmissions. What was going on here? Evidently, Murphy hitched a ride with us. Who invited Murphy to join our 3 cm DXpedition?
Undaunted, Herbert broke out his DMM and discovered his relay was welded shut. Between all of us, we had everything needed to repair his rig, except for the relay. Drat, darn the luck.
Ron felt empathy for his friend, but not enough to keep him from putting John K9JK, now in EM51xr in the log book at 12:13 pm. Another 223 mile, 359km Q in the log! Zack W9SZ was en route to meet up with John and to work us. Kevin and Tammy had a family event to go to, so Herbert and I sought out some shade while waiting for Zack to arrive. When you're baking in the sun and drinking large amounts of water to keep hydrated with no nearby restrooms, waiting for someone to arrive can seem like an eternity. Zack did make it and I tried to work him, but the successful path between John and I wasn't up so we didn't make the Q with Zack. To add insult to injury, my battery booster sounded indicating my old, marine battery voltage was low. This didn't come as a complete surprise. On a prior trip, some battery acid had leaked out of a seal. Definitely time to call it a day, but not before making a slight detour to Hannibal's Auto Zone for a new, deep-cycle marine battery for tomorrow's leg of the contest.
While on the way home, Herbert received a phone call from Mike KM0T. He heard we were out and about and he needed EM49! We don't know EM49 all that well, but Herbert knew of a site near Bowling Green, MO. When we arrived, it wasn't suitable to work Mike in a northwesterly direction. I suggested to Herbert to continue on home to repair his relay and I'd look for a possible, alternative site. 70 minutes later I found a cemetery on the outskirts of Curryville EM49hi with a clear view towards Mike in EN13vb, 359 miles, 578 km away. It's a long shot, but what the heck. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Entrance to Curryville, MO cemetery EM49hi
I found a suitable spot next to a few tomb stones, set up my rig and hooked up the power. Nothing, nada, zip happened. Evidently Murphy hitched a ride with me. I broke out my DMM and found a broken connection in my power cable connector. I cut off the connector and reattached it to my rig and it came to life. Success! Now will we hear each other?
Mike KM0T sent dashes. I was aimed in his direction, but I didn't hear him.
My dish pointed towards Mike KM0T in EN13vb, 359 miles away.
I panned my dish and as I panned more to the southwest I began to hear Mike's dashes! It wasn't until I was pointing at my angled pickup truck that I heard his CW signal a full 599! Realizing the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, I aimed at the incidence angle with nothing heard. My pickup was acting as a reflector. The signals were so strong that we worked each other on SSB with 5 by 9 signals! Go figure!
Ron KO0Z's pickup acting as a reflector from EM49hi!
I had just made a new 3cm personal DX record with Mike! The sun was low in the western horizon, it was still hot and very humid. TV meteorologists said the outside temperature felt like 110 F. I know they were right. I packed up my gear, welcomed the air-conditioning in my pickup and headed home to EM48qs. Mike needed that grid and I decided since I was on a roll. So far, I've been incredibly lucky so why not try to put Mike in the log once again, but not before filling up with gas for tomorrow's trek to EM57hn.
I pulled into MidRiver's Mall parking lot, set-up the gear and proceeded to listen for Mike's transmissions but about 5 minutes into the session, my new battery died. No telling how long my new battery had been sitting on Auto Zone's shelf. We didn't make the Q. To be honest, I wasn't too disappointed. I desperately wanted to get out of the heat, get into my air-conditioned QTH, charge up the new battery, take a shower and get some much needed rest. I was spent!
Sunday 20 August 2023
Today, my wife Debbie KC9ULA, along with our Aussie, Toula, joined me as we met Herbert AF4JF at St. Louis Bread Co for coffee and breakfast at 8:00 am. Soon we were on our way towards Bald Knob Cross of Peace near Alto Pass, IL, three hours away in EM57hn.
Bald Knob Cross of Peace, near Alto Pass, IL EM57hn
Three hours later, we arrived. We had been talking about activating this spot for months, but now we were motivated. Both Mike KM0T and Gedas W8BYA needed this grid and we wanted to work Ben K4QF in EM75ae near Huntsville, AL.
Weather forecasters said today would been even hotter than Saturday. We can attest they were spot on with their forecast. Still, the lure and excitement of a new grid location gave us hope and energy to once again brave the elements. We set up near the summit. The management is very nice and they welcome ham radio operators!
Herbert AF4JF setting up his now operational 3 cm rig at Bald Knob, IL EM57hn
Soon we were on the air. Our first contact was with Mike KM0T in EN13vb, 523 miles, 842 km away using CW at 11:57 am (16:57Z)!!! A new personal record. Herbert AF4JF made the Q as well. Afterwards we gave each other high-fives! Next we both put Gedas W9BYA in EN70jt near Ft. Wayne, IN 317 miles away in our log books using CW around 12:35pm.
Herbert and I confirmed a new grid on 3 cm for both Mike and Gedas. That's a great feeling!
What wasn't such a great feeling was the sun's unrelenting heat combined with high humidity. We still wanted to work Ben K4QF. I spotted a shaded pavilion about two hundred yards away with slightly lower elevation but a good view towards Alabama. Herbert and I decided the tradeoff between elevation and shade was worth it.
Debbie KC9ULA cheering us on with our endeavors
Believe it or not, the shade was cooler! The tradeoff paid off. AF4JF contacted Ben K4QF in EM75ae on CW around 2:10 pm. Another 251 mile, 404 km Q! Meanwhile, I was affected by heat exhaustion and I cross polarized my power leads. My rig was dead in the water. Water sourced from our sweat, I might add... Murphy again visited, but Herbert to the rescue. He had another battery booster and and my rig came to life. I was able to work Ben and put him in the log! This is a promising site! Too bad our compatriot, Harry WA0CNS wasn't able to join us this time.
We felt very accomplished and relieved we had sweated our way through this contest. We still had a three-hour trip back home, but at least it will be in air-conditioning!
Big Red Blob
The VHF Propagation website indicated troposcatter as a big red blob.
Hepburn's propagation website: Tropospheric Ducting Forecast for VHF & UHF Radio & TV (dxinfocentre.com) showing propagation during the contest.
All in all, this was an exhausting, exhilarating contest! Both of us achieved new 3 cm distance records and gave our friends some new grids! We found a good uW location in EM57!
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