For the second time from Černecký Hill, JN88RS. An attempt at a second antenna system. Was it successful?
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TIP: How effective is using the ON4KST chat?
During this VHF PA, I sent 98 messages to 61 call signs. Of those, 15 did not respond to my message in the chat. I made 22 successful contacts; 3 attempts were not completed.
The more observant among you will probably notice that this leaves a group of 21 callsigns. For example, some stations responded by saying they were operating on a different band. To others, I simply sent a thank-you message for the contact.
The success rate of 22 contacts out of 61 callsigns is 36%.
Road Closure
Five sections of the road to Myjava are currently under reconstruction. The trip, which normally takes about an hour, is now taking nearly an hour and a half. And the same goes for the return trip—if not longer.
4×5-element DK7ZB Yagi at JN88RS
Testing a New Mast
First, I’m setting up an array of 4x 5-element DK7ZB Yagi antennas. I’ve tested these antennas and found that they work very well. Since assembly goes quickly, I’m deciding to test the second mast as well. It’s an 11-meter-tall telescopic mast. Lifting is achieved using a double-pulley system with a rope.
TIP: Use thicker guy wires
Experience shows that thin anchor ropes tend to get tangled. For this mast, I prepared an anchorage system using 6mm-diameter polypropylene rope. Not a hint of tangling!
Mast with a single 8-element DK7ZB Yagi
I set up the mast with a single 8-element DK7ZB Yagi. Hoisting was very smooth, but the antenna twisted. Perhaps the antenna mount wasn’t tightened securely enough? The mast also bent. This is the result of two things:
- the AirCom+ coaxial cable is heavier and wasn’t secured properly
- the lower anchor point is not being used. The single anchor prevents the mast from bending during hoisting and lowering
I didn’t end up using the antenna, but just the process of raising it provided valuable insights.
VHF PA – June 2023
Right from the start, Draho OM3CQF reports that French stations were also audible. A QSO with I4GHG goes well, and after DK3JH, DB7MM/P calls, followed a short while later by DK4VW. However, from the direction that proved very effective last time—the south and southeast—there is heavy noise. This is quite annoying, so I try to contact stations via the KST chat that I know might be possible to work. That is, from other directions.
DXCC on VHF in PA
Peter OM6TX also responded to the call, and even though my antenna was pointed elsewhere, we made the contact. It was one of the weakest signals (even though it was close).
I’m pleased with the quick contact with I1BPU at a distance of 778 kilometers. The longest contact! But I couldn’t make out E73PS over the noise. We tried to make contact with IW2CTQ for quite a while: I could hear him, but he couldn’t hear me. Quite a few stations were focusing on the higher bands, which slowed things down a bit at the KST chat. In the end, there were 92 contacts—one of which was a duplicate—and 25 locator squares.
Map of VHF PA contacts
I also tried to focus more on directions that aren’t usually as productive (northeast and east), but it didn’t make much of a difference. Hopefully next time the aforementioned noise won’t be present, and the second antenna mast will be up and running too!