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Author Topic: TX5C - VY FB  (Read 7654 times)

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TX5C - VY FB
« on: March 10, 2008, 05:29:41 AM »

When the history books are written, this DX-ped will be listed as one of the best. Every operator I've worked was fantastic - got my call right the first time and every QSO is in the log.

The "Q rate" is very good - especially given that they are near the equator and where we are in the sunspot cycle.

Their strategy is right on the mark - get the horde of NA down to a more manageable level - then concentrate on EU and other "hard to reach" locations. By the end of this first week - there will be spots saying 'easy" and "no takers". Everyone will get their QSO - these guys are completely aware that there hasn't been a serious DX-pedition since 2000 to Clipperton.

This is one of the very few dx-peds where they specifically ask for General class licensees, and I see that their web site says they are now concentrating on EU.

Well done. The massive whining shows the pent up demand for this forelorn DX "counter". We had 117 degree heat a couple of summers ago here in the Bay Area - and that was without humidity.

Amazing - and a great job - even with nature taking the swipe it has at their start!
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NI0C

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2008, 05:57:13 AM »

I totally agree, Rich.  It is a first class operation, such that all the "deserving" will get the QSO's they want.  

Anyone who has ever worked Field Day during a hot spell in June will have some small inkling of what these good people are going through to put Clipperton on the air for us.

My XYL, who has been egging me on to go on an expedition of some sort, watched the FO0AAA video with me the other night, and exclaimed: "You're not going there!"

73,
Chuck  NI0C  
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N3ZC

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2008, 06:27:03 AM »

I too think they are a 1st class DXped, as most are. Was it tough working them from the Bay Area? I was wondering what you went thru to snag them?  What kind of signal did you pull in at your QTH?
               Thanks
                    ... 73'  Tom N3ZC
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N3OX

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #3 on: March 10, 2008, 07:05:27 AM »

"This is one of the very few dx-peds where they specifically ask for General class licensees"

What's with that anyway?  Most of the reason I struggled with 20WPM to upgrade to Extra is that I kept getting shut out of good DX that was in the Extra class portions of 40, 20, and 15m.  For me it was only a problem on CW because I had the Advanced and was satisfied most of the time by SSB privileges.  

That's how it's supposed to work, IMO.

I guess I *was* thankful for DXpeditions that listened up above .025 but I realized it was going to be the exception not the rule.  Maybe it *is* good to have a few operations to tantalize you so you realize that you want to upgrade to make sure you can work them *all* in the future.

It's annoying to see people posting on the cluster "pse listen for Generals" ... go find a test session if you're missing out.  ;-)

Dan

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73,
Dan
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Monkey/silicon cyborg, beeping at rocks since 1995.

N5MOA

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #4 on: March 10, 2008, 07:06:10 AM »

I'm not in the bay area,(central Texas) but they are generaly pretty loud here on 20m, about like Ducie was.
The pileups are quite a bit more...........bigger though. 40m and 20m I haven't had any luck getting through the pile yet, but it isn't because their signal isn't strong.

I got them om 80 ssb from my driveway in the pickup, yesterday morning, about 1300. They weren't too strong then, but they changed their listen freq and I only had to repeat my call 3-4 times.

15m ssb driving through Waco yesterday, around 2100, took a few calls, but it beats listening to the
stereo. They were a bit over s-9.

17m ssb yesterday around 1600, not extremely loud, but good copy, didn't have to call too long.

I've managed to work them 3 times running 100w and dipoles at 26 ft and a vertical at the same height at home, 100w and a HI-Q 5/160 on the pickup, so I'm not complaining.
 
I hope to work them on 40m and 20m when the pile slows down some. I haven't heard them on 160m or 10m.
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N3OX

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #5 on: March 10, 2008, 07:22:50 AM »

I left this tip in the other thread but it will probably get lost.

My 20m SSB contact with TX5C was at 0427Z 3/10.  That's about 12:30a.m. local time.

The same went for my VP6DX contact on 20SSB, it was a little later local time, maybe 1a.m..

The paths to Ducie and Clipperton seem to be among the last to wink out at night on 20m.  TX5C was maybe only S5 with deep QSB but I had very little competition unlike Sunday afternoon when they were 59+10dB and the pileup was huge and difficult.

73
Dan
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73,
Dan
http://www.n3ox.net

Monkey/silicon cyborg, beeping at rocks since 1995.

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #6 on: March 10, 2008, 07:25:38 AM »

They are pounding in here on 80M and 40M, and pretty consistently good on 30 and 20M. I have big noise problems during the day - so the Orion II  helps me take care of that.

They aren't so strong on 17M, 15M took many hours to snag, and I haven't heard anything above 15M.

For whatever reason - no luck on 30M or 17M yet. I doubt I will hear them on anything above 15M.

Good luck all!
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WW5AA

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #7 on: March 10, 2008, 07:33:29 AM »

Got them on 3.790/3.775 early this morning. No big deal getting Clipperton Island here. What I like is that they are also going to upload to LoTW, nice.

73 de Lindy
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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #8 on: March 10, 2008, 09:32:40 AM »

N3OX,

Regarding General's and DX-peditions. I agree - if every now and then a DX-ped asks for Generals - it will most likely help motivate some to upgrade.

I have thought a lot about the age of most of the DX-peditioners and have wondered who will go to these strange, exotic, and sometimes infernal / crazy places in the future when the current crop of DX-peditioners can no longer travel.

I recently read the requirements list asking for ops for a DX-pedition to Malpelo. It listed things the attributes for the DX-peditioner, and most made it sound like you need to be quite fit and willing to lug equipment up steep cliffs.

So - anything to cultivate a new crop of DX-peditioners is a good thing.
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WB2WIK

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2008, 02:07:47 PM »

Clipperton's not far away for us Americans.  From me in Los Angeles, it's about the same distance as working New Orleans.

From the southern half of Texas, it's even closer.

Being near the equator is actually a big advantage as the MUF between here and there is higher than between here and almost anyplace else on the planet.  I hope to catch them on six meters, should be far better chance than it was for cross-equatorial VP6DX.

They should do great.

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W2IRT

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2008, 08:10:18 PM »

So far it's been a complete bust on the higher-bands in NJ. 15 was good, but nothing so far on 12 or 10. 7 elements at 70' ought to help if there's any propagation, too. Granted, in the last few days we've had very high A and K numbers so that hasn't helped things any.

Also, I think they seriously underestimated worldwide demand for Clipperton--I haven't fought pileups like this for years! And if it's rough for the east coast, I shudder to think how hard it must be from Europe - especially zones 15, 16 and 17. Mind you, they'll have the same kind of advantage for Glorioso in a couple of months and Rwanda this weekend <grin> so it'll all come out in the wash!
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Night gathers and now my watch begins. It shall not end until I reach Top of the Honor Roll

Great times are at hand, and soon there will be DX for all—although more for some than for others.

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2008, 09:22:13 PM »

W2IRT:

I grew up in Newton, NJ (Sussex County - WA2QHN), and will envy you guys when Rwanda comes on the air.

TX5C is very easy for West Coast stations - as is anything in OC or AS.

The toughest place for me has been the Northeast countries in Africa and parts of the middle east, but its funny - its almost like "holes" rather than entire areas.

Oh well - if they were all easy I would have given up long ago due to extreme boredom.

No boredom here - the chase goes on, and I will be pretty seriously bummed when I have worked them all. (Although I am a QRP-er at heart having built HW-7, 8, 9, K1 and KX1, and my fave - the SST). So I can't wait to start all over again with only 5 watts.

In between DX-peds I play with antennas and give antenna presentations (especially at Pacificon and local club meetings).

Its all about the journey, isn't it?

73,

Rich

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N3QE

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #12 on: March 11, 2008, 06:46:18 AM »

TX5C was booming in about 40dB above S9 last night (0000-0500 Mar 11th UTC) here on the East Coast on 40M.

I was unable to break through the pileups that night (and they were mostly looking for EU contacts), but this morning I squeezed in amongst a bunch of JA's and some west coast stations. TX5C wasn't nearly as loud as last night but I get the impression the pileups were not nearly so heavy either.
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WB2WIK

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2008, 08:16:26 AM »

Their signals are excellent but operating schedule seems to be spotty.

I've worked them seven band modes now and will surely get more, but yesterday between 0000 and 0100 UTC (broad daylight here) 40m was open to SA and if they'd been on, they'd have been strong -- however as far as I could tell, they weren't on at all during this period.

Ditto same time period on 12m.  They were S9+ on 12m RTTY but nothing on CW or phone, just seemed they weren't on the air.

They departed 14.197 on 20m at 0000 UTC and just left the band entirely until a new op came on about 20 mins later.

Despite all this I think they'll hit their 100K QSO goal okay.

WB2WIK/6
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N3QE

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TX5C - VY FB
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2008, 08:39:01 AM »

Interesting to hear you say that they weren't on 40M at all last night 0000-0100Z when I heard them here on the East Coast booming in on 7.008MHz CW in that exact period. They were specifically calling for EU stations at that time, and the EU pileup was particularly heavy.

Maybe you were talking about the phone ops?
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