The weather forecast for the race didn't bode well for the stations at the high points—thunderstorms, rain, wind, and a drop in temperature. Since I wanted to test the R2CW transceiver, I beat the bad weather to the punch and only transmitted briefly on Saturday.
Saturday’s weather didn’t disappoint; it was very pleasant and relaxing. I made it to the hill about 45 minutes before the contest started. The locals were working in the fields and even stopped to see what I was doing there. That’s why the sound of a tractor sometimes appeared in my transmitted signals when they were passing by.
The R2CW is an excellent transceiver. The receiver is quiet and accurate. At first glance, compared to the Kenwood TR-751E, it seems less sensitive, but practical tests on weak signals show that it picks them up very well. Its durability is also noticeably better.
IK4ZHH on an R2CW transceiver with a 6-element YU7EF yagi
OL4N on an R2CW transceiver with a 6-element YU7EF yagi
I heard several stations from the East, but the QSO with OM0AAJ didn’t work out. Although I could hear his signal, my 8W output wasn’t enough to make the connection. Several other stations slipped by in the same way. There are 38 contacts in the log, but that isn’t important for now.
Technically, however, there was again an issue with the transmitted signal, similar to what I experienced with the TR-751E at 25W. I suspect the YU7EF Yagi antenna is to blame; although it performs excellently, RF energy is apparently being induced into the power supply, causing problems for the transceiver.
