Been doing some reading on this topic. 

Here's a summary of my first successes last night and early this morning on 144 EME:

* 2M9SSB in front yard, HL350VDX, IC910H, WSJT 9.1, 350W, 50 foot of LMR400 from DX Engineering
* PA0JMV heard me one-way from 0245 to 0330, best -26 on my signal.  I never copied him
* I worked ES6RQ, heard him initially then he faded, he switched to V pol and we completed QSO
* I1ANP reported hearing me on a single horiz yagi on his end, one-way prop
* RK3FG reported one way prop, best -27 on my sig, I never copied him
* I worked PA2CHR AFTER I rotated my antenna by hand to -60 degrees (per MoonSked recommendations). 
* I heard OZ1LPR but he did not hear me, with my antenna at -60 degrees (per Moonsked recommendations)


My question:  just how much will an antenna like M2 2XP20 help me?  How exactly does it switch between H and V?  Or are there separate coax lines needed for each polarity?


Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

N2RJ: TRUE!

NU1O: You have given me a LOT to think about. 

I do have a question, and I look forward to your reply: if Amateur Radio is supposed to transcend politics, then shouldn't we want this type of P5 operation to occur?  And if the operator has defined a requirement of donating to the NGO, is that not a valid request? 

Is the request for "OQRS/pay for QSL" from other DXpeditions not a valid request, if it's deemed to be a requirement for the operating team?  I too have seen the excellent PPT that covers the cost of DXpeditions; it blew me away.  I knew it was expensive, but not THAT expensive.  It just seems to me that the op making the trip, if it's legit and authorized, has the right to determine conditions of the trip.

I saw a lot of discussion about 5A7A and 7O6T not being allowed to work 4X, because that was the condition of the license.  The hams on those DXpeditions complied with those restrictions.  ARRL DXCC approved the operations because they were identified as legal, authorized by the respective countries, and in compliance with the terms of the grant.  There was a LOT of protest from some folks (from what I remember), including requests to not approve the operation and even drop the country from DXCC list. 

ARRL DXCC desk does not pass judgment on the politics of the host country, just on the legality/validity of the operation. (In my opinion, this is as it should be...ours is a hobby, and ARRL is charged with supporting that hobby by encouraging operation and facilitating its growth.  Opinions of ARRL's performance in that area are for a separate thread, but the promotion of operation in other countries regardless of government status, seems like it aligns with that objective).


The rules for DXCC are clear and unambiguous (thanks to folks like Bernie W3UR, who worked hard to clear up the definition of what constitutes a country).  There's nothing in the rules that I can see (other than a general theme of honesty and integrity) that determines actions/prohibitions in such cases as this proposed op in P5, 7O6T, 5A7A, or even 1940 Germany. 

Perhaps the remedy for these situations (I am not advocating a change), if someone wants to pursue it, would be to amend the DXCC rules to account for such cases. 

At the end of the day, it's just a hobby.  And DXCC program is just one element of thee hobby.

Like my Elmer Ed Reddington W4ZM (SK) used to say: if you don't like what you hear, spin the dial to another frequency.  That applies to DXCC also.  We don't have to participate in DXCC if we don't like it.

Thus endeth the sermon.

73 and good DX.  DX IS!

PS

I sure hope I get to work P5 in my lifetime (assuming it's legit, and not another Romeo fiasco)..I have angst over Iran, but I look forward to an opportunity to work a ham with an EP prefix (still chasing them).  Same with XZ/Burma.  I view ham radio as a common bond between us humans, a chance to learn more about another country and the people through a shared interest in a fascinating hobby.  Get 5 hams from different countries in a room who never met before, and there WILL be a lively and interesting conversation.  It's in our DNA!

First licensed in 1977 and bit by the DX bug almost immediately, I was very active until leaving for college in 1982.  There was a station in college (US Coast Guard Academy), but I was buried under the books for 4 years in a rigorous Elec Engineering program.  Summers were spent on training cruises.  Graduation in 1986 was followed by four years of sea duty in the Caribbean (I did get to meet hams on some of the islands, though).  I did get active in 1990 with grad school, but that tapered off because Elec Engineering was a killer for me at Ga Tech.  1992-1995 had severe antenna restrictions, but in 1996 I moved to Florida and was very active.  1998 was a move to Charlotte and a new job, and I did not get back into operating until January 2002.  I started serious long-term investment of hours in 2004...with computer in the shack, modern rig (TS570) and added a directional antenna in 2006.

No kids, just a horse and dogs and cats. And a WONDERFUL XYL.  No regrets on the time away, sometimes it is what it is.  I missed out on most of the 2000 cycle, but did catch 1979 and 1990.  It's important to remember that this is just a hobby.  Yes, it can become an obsession, but it's still just a hobby.

The 9M0L "black hole" expanded to North Carolina.  I never heard a peep

Dan/N3OX, I have two comments in reply to your outstanding post.

1. AUTHOR AUTHOR!  Well done!
2. DX IS!

Inverted L with remote auto tuner.

Alex,

I will email you offboard and send you a screen shot of my configuration

Mark

Try contacting one of the US pesonnel over in Afghanistan, see when they operate.  Often found on 30M and 40M CW and digital modes.

Pakistan/Iran all about timing and luck (at least for me, still trying to get Iran).

Lots of "juicy" DX to be had:

http://www.ng3k.com/Misc/adxo.html

AG1E, feel free to contact me off board....happy to help you in real time if possible.  I have same setup as you do, and I got it working after banging my head against the wall.  It's pretty easy and makes sense once I had it set up.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Why not access the basement station remotely.  There are lots of great remote-access programs (I use Radmin, but there are free ones as well), and the latency should be absolute minimum on the home network from wherever Joe connects to his wireless signal.

Just a thought

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Bob, HK0NA set a gold standard for all future DXpeditions to follow.  A real class act.  Thanks from this end!

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

The Traffie 20 meter lightweight version was 1 hour start to finish first time...from the time the UPS driver dropped it off until it was up on the mast at 16 feet.  I had it strapped to a 12 foot high bradford pear tree.  Then I manually extended it up on the mast to 30 feet over the next 15 minutes.

Disassembled in 45 minutes, then reassembled in 30 minutes next time.  Took 3 hours to untangle it (my fault, quick QTH relo, but it went together just fine).

Five bander from Traffie took 45 minutes from UPS dropoff to having it up and operational.  If I can do it, then it truly is idiot proof.

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG

Never mind, found it in the manual, page 67

Thanks in advance, asking for a friend.

Mark Lunday, WD4ELG

Thanks to all who replied.  I looked through the manuals but did not see this information.

The TS480SAT is tripping the HF amp with just 15 watts of drive.  However, I have never udpated the firmware so I need to do that (will need to research how to do that, unless someone has a link handy).  I figured it was a leading edge spike, so if I can adjust as described, that may fix it....although it won't work without the relay connection (as described in the responses, which I will need....I think there are relays in-line called QSK buffers, I will look at those).

Mark Lunday
WD4ELG