Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Iceland 2020 tour - POSTPONED

Bad news for our planned "Around Iceland" trip came today -
Due to COVID-19 restrictions on crossing the Danish (OZ) border for foreigners, there's no chance we can get our tickets usable.

We have no guarantee at all, that we will be allowed to get on a Ferry, as for now only Danish citizens, their relatives and foreign workers with appropriate documents can cross the OZ border.
Unfortunately for us, Danish government did not mention anything about chances to entry Denmark for persons who have bought Ferry tickets to sail from their territory.
   
Hard decision has to be made to ~ POSTPONE ~ our Iceland Trip until next Year 2021.

All Paypal transfers will be soon returned to the donors, or secured on demand for next Year.
Please contact me at sp7vc(at)wp.pl if there's any PP address change.

Hope to see You in 2020! 73 & Stay safe everyone !

Thursday, February 6, 2020

TF/SP7VC 6m EME from IP35FG

Planned 6m EME will start on first days Iceland trip before moving mainland TF.
First 5-6 days with full moonpasses with good takeoff on Moonrise over North Sea from IP35FG square, close to Dalatangi Lighthouse on the TF coast.
 
map source www.maps.google.com
Degradation looking good, and if nothing unforeseen happens - almost all directions are clear, below is a wiev to MR direction.  
 map source www.maps.google.com
Only obstruction will be rising hill, covering last few degrees on Moonset, but it will be already after West Coast moonrise.
Equipment used : IC-7300, 1/2" coax cable, QRO PA, 8ele Yagi YU7EF with H/V control and WSJT 10. 
More info closer to departure time.

   

Sunday, February 2, 2020

SP7VC/MM on the way to Iceland

By the time we will sail to Iceland I am going to activate "wet squares" on 70MHz.
I will be QRV from Ferry using 4ele Yagi - depends on possibilities, and Battery power if no mains around.
Modes MSK144, FT8 - 4m band frequencies.

The trip is scheduled as below :


Possible grid squares while /MM :  JO37, JO27, JO18, JO09, JP81, JP80, JP72, JP63, JP53
Maybe some others depending on WX and power source on the ferry. After the trip, on the way back another activity is planned.   

"AROUND ICELAND 2020"

Our next DXpedition trip with Kate SQ7OYL got codename AROUND ICELAND 2020, and will take place between July 21.2020 and August 15.2020 to commemorate some special events in my ham radio history :

10th anniversary being a couple with Kate SQ7OYL
100th DXCC visited with radio, 
100th gride square activated on VHF bands 50MHz to 241GHz, yes, GHz :-)


Below is a map of grid locators I will try to activate on 6m,4m and 2m during this trip.


Please read earlier post regarding the history of my VHF activity & experience.
Activity will be mostly Meteorscatter on 70MHz and 144MHz, but 6m will be for the first time activated EME (Moonbounce) - the locator will be choosen to get proper ground gain on moonrise and moonset over the North Sea. Exact location will be proposed later with Moonrise and Moonset times. 

As You probably know, Iceland is not a cheapest country to make dxpeditions. 
This trip will last about 3 full weeks of activity, so if You feel You can help us achieve this goal and make all of this happen, please consider donate few Euros or $ for fuel or camping accomodation fees. 
You can do it simply clicking on Paypal.me link or upper right paypal button.     

For all donors QSL will be send direct after the expedition, additionally all donors above 30Euro/$ will get special TF dxpedition ceramic coffee mug to have good memories of our QSO... 

Nice, isn't it? 

Iceland Lighthouses activations

For those looking for new Lighthouses, some rare TF-Lighthouses activations are planned.
Below is a map showing possible LH and their numbers I will try to activate.

 You can follow posts and dx cluster to see where I am, and which LH location is active during my trip.

Iceland World Flora & Fauna "WFF" activations

While I will be QRV on HF, some of You maybe interested in getting new rare TF-Flora & Fauna nature reserve. Below is a map showing possible places and numbers I will try to activate during "Around Iceland" trip.

Please follow posts here and dx cluster to see where I am, and what FF reserve is active during my trip.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Trip Equipment

Expedition plans covering activity on various HF bands including 50MHz 70Mhz &144MHz.
Following equipment will be taken as main or spare for this puropose


HF : IC-7300, 500W PA, DL4AAE Delta loop antennas, Hexbeam, dipoles & wires.


 
6m : IC-7300, QRO PA, Spare MLA-1200 PA, 4el EF0604 Yagi for /MM activity, 8ele EF0608 yagi designed by YU7EF made by RNZ_LAB , SPID Alpha rotator for 6m EME. 


 
4m : IC-7300, Dentron MLA-1200 PA, Spare transistorised PA, 4el EF0404 Yagi for /MM activity,
EF Duoband 5+5ele Antenna, EF0408 for Es/MS mainland activity. 

  2m : IC-9700, TS-2000, QRO GS35B PA, Spare MOSFET PA, 9ele F9FT Yagi 



Two Honda 4kW Power generators for portable activity, Alu masts, Tripods, e.t.c