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OT--TX5P

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w7aqk

OT--TX5P

Hi All,

As many of you are probably already aware, there is a "mini" DXpedition
currently operating as TX5P on Clipperton Island. The Chief Op (and maybe
the only op) is Alan, F6BFH. I say it is a "mini" DXpedition because it is
apparently a part time thing, the main purpose of the island visit being for
scientific purposes--and, only one operator that I know of.

What's interesting about this operation, and pertinent to this reflector, is
the equipment being used. According to the QRZ.com page, they are using a
KX3 and 100 watt amp. There is also an FT-897 available, which I assume is
a back-up rig. While I'm sure there have been other KX3's used for trips to
DX locations, I wonder if this is the first to an otherwise "popular"
DXpedition location.

So far I have worked TX5P on 3 bands, 17, 20, and 40 meters. All of these
contacts were made rather easily, thanks to the availability of my 2nd RX in
the K3--the split was "5 to 10 up"! However, as is too often the case, the
behavior of the calling stations was appalling--particularly on 20 and 40
meters. It was obviously frustrating Alan (I assume it was him), and he was
constantly having to send a long series of "dits" to get people to stop
transmitting on top of the station he was trying to recognize. He even
commented specifically, several times, about the lack of "discipline"! Even
though he, repeatedly, asked others to allow ONLY the station he was calling
to transmit, a huge number of other stations totally ignored his request.
Ridiculous! I am constantly amazed at the rude, inconsiderate behavior of
some people in these DX situations. I know I'm "preaching to the choir",
and that this has gone on forever, but I absolutely don't understand why
people think what they are doing is productive! In the time it took Alan to
identify a station, he probably could have worked a half dozen more! Just
over the brief period of time I was listening, I would guess that 40 or 50
contacts could have been made while only 6 or 7 were actually accomplished.
By the way, I had a similar experience the other day just trying to work
K6KPH, which had activated the KPH commercial radio site. This was not a
split frequency thing, so it was even worse. You would think North Korea
had been activated! He had all but my last letter, and asked me to repeat.
Still a couple of dozen other stations jumped in right on top! I'm not sure
I heard my report correctly, but I just didn't want to fight it. Absurd!

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how many subsequent KX3 operations
occur. That radio is certainly getting a lot of attention!

Dave W7AQK

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Tony Estep

Re: OT--TX5P

On Sun, Apr 26, 2015 at 8:55 PM, dyarnes <[hidden email]> wrote:

> .... the behavior of the calling stations was appalling....

==========
Dave, I was licensed in 1957 and became a DXer as a novice, as soon as my
code speed was up to the task. On a regular basis, the DX columns in QST
and CQ were more or less verbatim copies of your complaint. Even though of
course the piles were way smaller and the bands were much better in those
days. But apparently it ain't ever gonna change. An ugly scourge today is
the deliberate qrm, something that rarely happened in the old days.
Apparently some guys get ticked off when a pileup takes up some of the
precious spectrum where they could otherwise be calling cq, and they
transmit endlessly on top of the dx. It's worldwide: some of the worst
ones come from certain Euro countries. Another present-day scourge is the
up-cop, something that didn't exist in the old days.

Anyway, the point of your post, that a KX3 works fine as a dx station, is a
good one and I bet we see many more in the future.

Tony KT0NY
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Vic Rosenthal

Re: OT--TX5P

In reply to this post by w7aqk

I haven't been able to hear TX5P yet, but I have a theory about a lot of the bad behavior in CW DX pileups. There are operators who do not copy CW, but can (sometimes) recognize their own call, or maybe have some kind of CW decoder. Their technique is to call whenever the DX is not transmitting, and wait for their call to appear.

Vic 4X6GP/K2VCO

> On Apr 27, 2015, at 4:55 AM, dyarnes <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> As many of you are probably already aware, there is a "mini" DXpedition currently operating as TX5P on Clipperton Island. The Chief Op (and maybe the only op) is Alan, F6BFH. I say it is a "mini" DXpedition because it is apparently a part time thing, the main purpose of the island visit being for scientific purposes--and, only one operator that I know of.
>
> What's interesting about this operation, and pertinent to this reflector, is the equipment being used. According to the QRZ.com page, they are using a KX3 and 100 watt amp. There is also an FT-897 available, which I assume is a back-up rig. While I'm sure there have been other KX3's used for trips to DX locations, I wonder if this is the first to an otherwise "popular" DXpedition location.
>
> So far I have worked TX5P on 3 bands, 17, 20, and 40 meters. All of these contacts were made rather easily, thanks to the availability of my 2nd RX in the K3--the split was "5 to 10 up"! However, as is too often the case, the behavior of the calling stations was appalling--particularly on 20 and 40 meters. It was obviously frustrating Alan (I assume it was him), and he was constantly having to send a long series of "dits" to get people to stop transmitting on top of the station he was trying to recognize. He even commented specifically, several times, about the lack of "discipline"! Even though he, repeatedly, asked others to allow ONLY the station he was calling to transmit, a huge number of other stations totally ignored his request. Ridiculous! I am constantly amazed at the rude, inconsiderate behavior of some people in these DX situations. I know I'm "preaching to the choir", and that this has gone on forever, but I absolutely don't understand why people think wh
at they are doing is productive! In the time it took Alan to identify a station, he probably could have worked a half dozen more! Just over the brief period of time I was listening, I would guess that 40 or 50 contacts could have been made while only 6 or 7 were actually accomplished. By the way, I had a similar experience the other day just trying to work K6KPH, which had activated the KPH commercial radio site. This was not a split frequency thing, so it was even worse. You would think North Korea had been activated! He had all but my last letter, and asked me to repeat. Still a couple of dozen other stations jumped in right on top! I'm not sure I heard my report correctly, but I just didn't want to fight it. Absurd!

>
> Anyway, it will be interesting to see how many subsequent KX3 operations occur. That radio is certainly getting a lot of attention!
>
> Dave W7AQK
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Jim Low man

Re: OT--TX5P

In reply to this post by w7aqk

K6KPH isn't exactly rare. They are on the air most Saturdays from
1700-2300Z, if an operator is available.
Amateurs who visit this interesting site are welcome to operate K6KPH,
and Richard and his crew of volunteers are most hospitable.

We've been to the receiving site twice; once on "Night of Nights," which
is the anniversary of the last commercial Morse transmission from KSM/KPH.
Last summer, on the way to Sea-Pac, we also visited the transmitter site
at Bolinas, and revisited the receiving site.
We were served pastries and orange juice using the plates, forks and
glasses that still sport the RCA logo.
The trip also included a stop at the Elecraft factory, where Lisa gave
us a first-class tour.

So, if you have the opportunity to be in the vicinity of Point Reyes on
any given Saturday, it's well worth a visit.
And if you have the opportunity to hear a presentation by Richard
Dillman, the Chief op, definitely do so!
He spoke at Pacificon last October. Sometimes the group also sets up a
remote to the site during Pacificon.

73 de Jim - AD6CW

On 4/26/2015 6:55 PM, dyarnes wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> By the way, I had a similar experience the other day just trying to
> work K6KPH, which had activated the KPH commercial radio site. This
> was not a split frequency thing, so it was even worse. You would
> think North Korea had been activated! He had all but my last letter,
> and asked me to repeat. Still a couple of dozen other stations jumped
> in right on top! I'm not sure I heard my report correctly, but I just
> didn't want to fight it. Absurd!
>
> Dave W7AQK

k6dgw

Re: OT--TX5P

Sadly, I have not yet made it however we're in the beginning stages of
selling our 5 acres to one of our kids and moving to Sparks NV. Getting
too old for 5 acres. So, sometime this summer, we'll make a trip to the
coast that includes a Saturday, and I'll visit.

The KSM/KPH Transmitter Engineer is Steve, WB6UZX. Steve and I were on
the engineering crew at KPFA in Berkeley when we were teenagers, and
built KPFK on Mt. Wilson in SoCal one summer. I QSO him most every
evening on 3533, have yet to shake his hand after nearly a lifetime.
Those people at KPH/KSM are dedicated, it's preservation of history.

www.radiomarine.org/

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 50th Running of the Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2015
- www.cqp.org

On 4/27/2015 3:11 PM, Jim Lowman wrote:

> K6KPH isn't exactly rare. They are on the air most Saturdays from
> 1700-2300Z, if an operator is available.
> Amateurs who visit this interesting site are welcome to operate K6KPH,
> and Richard and his crew of volunteers are most hospitable.
>
> We've been to the receiving site twice; once on "Night of Nights," which
> is the anniversary of the last commercial Morse transmission from KSM/KPH.
> Last summer, on the way to Sea-Pac, we also visited the transmitter site
> at Bolinas, and revisited the receiving site.
> We were served pastries and orange juice using the plates, forks and
> glasses that still sport the RCA logo.
> The trip also included a stop at the Elecraft factory, where Lisa gave
> us a first-class tour.
>
> So, if you have the opportunity to be in the vicinity of Point Reyes on
> any given Saturday, it's well worth a visit.
> And if you have the opportunity to hear a presentation by Richard
> Dillman, the Chief op, definitely do so!
> He spoke at Pacificon last October. Sometimes the group also sets up a
> remote to the site during Pacificon.