Category Archives: Pile-Up

Portable at the Beach 2

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My three last “portable at the beach” operation were made from a new house with a bigger garden next door to the previous house.

From 18th April until 21st April I went there for a new portable operation. I knew I would have the opportunity to contact new ones with better antenna condition / less noise especially 3G0YA which was starting its activity.

We arrived with my wife and kids at around 2pm on Thursday and I started to erect the antenna immediately. The 40°C makes it very hard to work on antennas but as usual I do not want to lose time.

I started with the 7 meters Mastwerks and then the Buddihex, it took around 1h15 minutes due to the need to take a few breaks and drink. I mounted 5 bands from 20m to 10m as 6m is not allowed here.

Then followed by the DX Commander classic only with 30m and 40m element.

I started to operate at 8.59 UTC (15.59 local time) with JH0QEV on 10m SSB and second contact with 5Z4APA Martin which was a nice surprise.

A bit later and as usual a nice contact with my friend Amir 4X6TT so we tried and made contact on 10m/12m/15m/17m while 20m did not work and we were not able to listen to each other.

Propagation was not really good and as usual during the day time it was very quiet. I was switching between SSB and CW.

As always while portable I go on 14.207 at 11.30 UTC for KE5EE net. No matter what I always hear Stan.

That Thursday night I had a good run on 15m with Europe and ended up the day with 238 contacts. I worked a few US / Canadian stations in the middle of the European such as K1XT, K5UR, VE3DOU, KR4I, KI2Y, K9PPY, K0JU, WA2BCK, K9SO, K9TRX, KC1AB and a few more. USA is always difficult from Vietnam.

The following day on Friday I managed to work A52CI on FT8 17m for a new one for me from Vietnam.

Then on 15m a bit later on SSB, 3G0YA, for a ATNO and immediately after TX7W for a new one from Vietnam as well on 12m FT8. Finally for a third contact in a row and a third new one I worked RI1ANE Antarctica on 17m CW.

On Friday night, again I worked KE5EE with AJ4EN and NK4R.

I ended the Friday with 240 contacts.

On Saturday I saw that my friend Fabien A92HK was spotted on 10m so went and said hi as I did not speak with him for quite some time. Fabien with his delta loop 3 elements was very strong (59+20db).

Nice contact with XX9CM which is not too common and who was strong here as well on 15m SSB with a good pile up.

Third evening with KE5EE and I managed to work a new one YN9H immediately followed by YN2N, Central America is VERY hard for me from Ho Chi Minh, almost impossible with the QRM.

Sunday morning, last day and very short time as I need to start putting down the antennas and the station at 10am local time (03.00 UTC).

First QSO of the day with 3G0YA on 10m SSB followed by TT8XX (Tchad) on 17m FT8 for a new one from Vietnam.

Then 3G0YA for a third slot on 12m FT8 and finally E6SP (Niue Island) on 10m FT8 for another new one from Vietnam.

Total of 689 contacts with 6 new ones during this activity, I was very happy with the result.

The Buddihex is still amazing me with such a portable antenna to be able to work some new ones with heavy pile up. It is always very hard to get through the Japanese wall or sometimes the EU wall when we are located in South East Asia.

Working conditions:

  • FTDX 10
  • SPE Expert 1.3K-FA (700w most of the time)
  • DX Commander Classic (40m/30m)
  • Buddihex on 7m mast
  • Begali Sculpture Keyer

Tri Ann Lake

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Let’s talk about Tri Ann Lake and Family House Garden…

I am finally back from our vacation in France on 2nd August while my wife and the kids are still in France until 22nd August.

I was able as every year to buy some new ham radio stuff and thus brought back in the luggage:

  • Yaesu FTDX 10
  • Tuner Genius (FlexRadio / 4O3A)
  • Buddihex from buddipole
  • 150w foldable solar panel from Sunslice
  • Solar charge controller from Powerwerx, this one.
  • Battery controller from Renogy.

The fact is that from home I have a QRM at s9 +10db all day long on 20m/17m/15m/12m/10m. I also do not have the space to put up a decent antenna and only use an inverted V dipole at 14m above the ground on a spiderbeam fiberglass pole.

So I have been thinking a lot how to have more enjoyable time on the radio and I started to think about portable operation with the Buddihex.

Obviously the main criteria while looking for a location are:

  • Not too far from home (2h to 2h30 drive maximum)
  • Low noise location (very hard to find in Vietnam / South East Asia in general)
  • Have enough space to setup the Buddihex.
  • Have enough activities for the kids while going to the location with the family.

During my research I found out about Family Garden House, it is around 80km North East of Ho Chi Minh (1h30 minutes drive). It is next to Tri Ann Lake so kids can fish / swim or even do some camping and have a big garden to play in.

I went to this location on 3rd to 5th August and again from 10th August to 12th August.

After setting up the antenna the bad surprise was that there is also a high noise at this location as well. Around S7 which is a bit better than at home but still quite high.

But the antenna is a game changer compared to the dipole. Even if the Buddihex is only 7m high I have seen very good performance. I will probably do a post on the antenna.

We are planning to go again at this location from 31st August till 4th September and I will maybe try around the lake while camping with antenna next to the water and maybe with a bit less noise than at the house.

You can see some pictures below.

I also had a huge storm which obliged me to take the antenna down very quickly.

Hopefully I will be able to give Vietnam to more stations while at this location.

Finally you can hear one of the pile up from my side on 4th August at around midnight local time on 20M.