Dave KM3T, November 2001

50MHz Antennas	N5KO & K6AW	K1KI & N0JK	Jon N0JK

This operation took place from Sunday, November 18th through November 27th, 2001 from the HC8N station located on San Cristobal Island in the Galapagos. about 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. A lower level of operation took place (by N0JK) during the daylight hours of the CQWW CW DX Contest. Jon N0JK was our 160m op so had nighttime duties on Top Band.

The HC8N 6m station consisted of a Kenwood TS-690 (50W output on 50 MHz) and a M2 7el Yagi @ 18m (see picture above). Also note the 6m halo in the picture. That is the antenna for the HC8GR beacon on 50.035 MHz.

Propagation was generally outstanding. We were pleased to have openings to North America, Europe, the Far East (Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong), Oceania, and Africa. And we were delighted that we could work so many stations with only 50W of transmit power on our end. The pileups were all pretty well behaved and we did our best to work the pileups down as quickly as possible. Good practice for CQWW. :-)

Final results (November 18 through 27, 2001):

CW                                                                        
North America   CW    667                                                 
South America   CW      4                                                 
Europe          CW    232                                                 
Asia            CW    547                                                 
Africa          CW      1                                                 
Oceania         CW      2                                                 
--------------------------                                                
Total 6m CW QSOs    1,453                                                 

SSB                                                                       
North America   SSB  1057                                                 
South America   SSB    25                                                 
Europe          SSB    39                                                 
Asia            SSB   425                                                 
Africa          SSB     4                                                 
Oceania         SSB     8                                                 
---------------------------                                               
Total 6m SSB QSOs   1,558                                                 
                                                                          
Total QSOs (before dupes): 3,011                                          
Total QSOs (after dupes):  2,625                                          

Main 6m ops were Dave KM3T, Trey N5KO/HC8N, Jon N0JK, Mike K9NW, Tim N4GN, and Tom K1KI. Ward N0AX, Steve K6AW, Bob N6TV, and Dan K1TO also put in a little time.

Raw MP3 recordings of HC8N on 50 MHz:

Streaming MP3 audio (experimental)

Note 1: Due to the lack of monitor circuit on the TS-690, only the other side of the SSB QSOs can be heard. But you can all hear how you sounded in the Galapagos!

Note 2: I will be editing these clips over time to make it easier to find your QSO but wanted to get the raw files out there sooner rather than later. -KM3T

Copyright 2001 by Dave Pascoe, KM3T