TX5K

[w7aqk]

Hi All,

Apparently they are starting to shut things down--a bit early it seems!  My
DX cluster had a note that the 160/80 antennas are down now!  Nothing on
their blog about that.  Supposedly they still have almost 2 days to go.  At
this moment they only have 40 SSB  up and running!

I guess I've worked them everywhere I can.  I have them on all CW bands
(except 6 meters, of course), and all SSB bands except 80 meters (and 6
meters).  Also on 3 digi bands--30, 20, and 17.  19 band slots in all.  It
has been fun snagging them, and the Elecraft stuff here all performed just
great!  I'm particularly please with how much easier things are now that I
have the KAT500.  With my antenna situation here it really makes a big
difference.  Clipperton isn't so far away that it is a big deal to work
them, except the competition is ferocious.  The folks who worked them
running QRP have much bigger bragging rights.  Well done!

The real kick in the pants is working them on RTTY without a computer!  That
feature in the K3 (and the KX3) is sooooo cool!  This time around I just
loaded a couple of memories with the ID info and the report info.  I've done
it with direct paddle input in the past, but using the memories makes it a
snap on DX stuff.  I wanted to try it with the KX3, but the competition was
so heavy, and my antenna so inadequate, I had to go to the K3 with a bit
more power.

Working them on 160 SSB, but not 80 SSB was something of a surprise.  I bet
I'm in just the wrong spot propagation wise for 80 meters.  I could even
hear some of the Europeans working them.  Guess I should have started trying
a lot earlier!

The TX5K website is pretty slick!  You can see confirmation of your QSO
within just a minute or two.  These DXpeditions get fancier all the time
with this logging info.

Anyway, I had fun.  Hope a lot of other folks did too.

Dave W7AQK












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[N0AZZ]

Did you work them on 160m phone (they weren't going to work 160 phone
according to them) I missed them on that and 12m SSB. Most all the early
info shows them shutting down today, haven't looked at their web site.

Good job to you! I hope we can work them as well on their next big
DXpedition (deep breath) I think a lot of people need it. These guys did a
great job and I liked the log as well as any I have ever seen.

BTW I tried for 20 mins the other morning after I had worked them QRO on 80m
SSB (1st call lucky) with my KX3 I was never heard. The noise floor was
rather high but I thought with their superior equipment 8>) that they might
hear me but no joy it was a poor band/mode choice, but I tried you never
know.

Fred/N0AZZ



-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Dyarnes
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 3:01 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] TX5K

Hi All,

Apparently they are starting to shut things down--a bit early it seems!  My
DX cluster had a note that the 160/80 antennas are down now!  Nothing on
their blog about that.  Supposedly they still have almost 2 days to go.  At
this moment they only have 40 SSB  up and running!

I guess I've worked them everywhere I can.  I have them on all CW bands
(except 6 meters, of course), and all SSB bands except 80 meters (and 6
meters).  Also on 3 digi bands--30, 20, and 17.  19 band slots in all.  It
has been fun snagging them, and the Elecraft stuff here all performed just
great!  I'm particularly please with how much easier things are now that I
have the KAT500.  With my antenna situation here it really makes a big
difference.  Clipperton isn't so far away that it is a big deal to work
them, except the competition is ferocious.  The folks who worked them
running QRP have much bigger bragging rights.  Well done!

The real kick in the pants is working them on RTTY without a computer!  That
feature in the K3 (and the KX3) is sooooo cool!  This time around I just
loaded a couple of memories with the ID info and the report info.  I've done
it with direct paddle input in the past, but using the memories makes it a
snap on DX stuff.  I wanted to try it with the KX3, but the competition was
so heavy, and my antenna so inadequate, I had to go to the K3 with a bit
more power.

Working them on 160 SSB, but not 80 SSB was something of a surprise.  I bet
I'm in just the wrong spot propagation wise for 80 meters.  I could even
hear some of the Europeans working them.  Guess I should have started trying
a lot earlier!

The TX5K website is pretty slick!  You can see confirmation of your QSO
within just a minute or two.  These DXpeditions get fancier all the time
with this logging info.

Anyway, I had fun.  Hope a lot of other folks did too.

Dave W7AQK












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Version: 2013.0.2904 / Virus Database: 2641/6157 - Release Date: 03/08/13

-----
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Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2013.0.2904 / Virus Database: 2641/6157 - Release Date: 03/08/13

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[w7aqk]

Yep, I worked them on 160 SSB on the 8th, which was apparently about the
last day for that band.  I worked them on 160 CW a few days earlier.  Not
sure why the antenna for 160 and 80 came down so early--maybe it blew
down???  It seems like after they crossed the 100K QSO mark, their activity
started to fall off.  Perhaps that was their goal, and after that they
wanted to enjoy a little R & R?  Or, maybe the sand crabs got to them!  Hi.

Like you, I wasn't sure 160 SSB was on their agenda.  I don't think VP6DX
brought up anything on 160 SSB, so maybe that's not considered to be a
particularly productive band/mode combination.  In any event, the TX5K
website had a neat feature that showed, at any point in time, just what
bands and modes were active.  At this moment they are still only operating
on 40 SSB.  It's odd to only see one position light on.  Usually there were
at least 4 or 5, and as many as 7 or 8.

As I mentioned previously, my working them on 80 and 160 is still sort of
amazing--to me anyway.  I say that because I've tried various "goofy"
antennas on 160 before with almost no luck whatsoever.  An R8 vertical isn't
supposed to work on 80, let alone 160.  I had tried it, mainly as a lark, on
the VP6DX DXpedition.  Surprise!  Surprise!  They heard me!  You know my ERP
had to be just one step up from a dummy load.  It's proof positive that just
about anything will radiate something, and further provided whoever is at
the other end has a decent antenna to hear you with!  The R8 actually shows
a half-way decent SWR even without the tuner.  160 is more problematic, but
the KAT500 (or just the K3 internal ATU when running barefoot) will bring it
down to close to 1:1 on both bands.  That certainly substantiates some of
the performance claims by Elecraft.  If you just don't get greedy, and run
very much power, everything behaves nicely.

By the way, it was interesting to see them often on the same band with more
than one mode.  Not all DXpeditions do that--at least not as much.  I think
at least part of the credit for being able to do that is the Elecraft
equipment.

Dave, AA7EE posted a link to a very interesting historical summary of
Clipperton Island on the QRP-L reflector.  I've added the link below for
those who may be interested.  I found it fascinating!

The other historical thing I am reminded of is that, back around the time I
first got my license, there was a DXpedition to Clipperton Island by the
YASME group--mainly Lloyd Colvin (W6KG?).  It was all over the cover of CQ
Magazine.  Maybe that was the first DXpedition to Clipperton???  Do I also
remember that later there was some sort of "flap" about YASME?

Here's the link on Clipperton's history.

http://www.damninteresting.com/the-tyrant-clipperton-island/

Dave W7AQK

-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Smith
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 3:13 AM
To: 'Dyarnes' ; [hidden email]
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] TX5K

Did you work them on 160m phone (they weren't going to work 160 phone
according to them) I missed them on that and 12m SSB. Most all the early
info shows them shutting down today, haven't looked at their web site.

Good job to you! I hope we can work them as well on their next big
DXpedition (deep breath) I think a lot of people need it. These guys did a
great job and I liked the log as well as any I have ever seen.

BTW I tried for 20 mins the other morning after I had worked them QRO on 80m
SSB (1st call lucky) with my KX3 I was never heard. The noise floor was
rather high but I thought with their superior equipment 8>) that they might
hear me but no joy it was a poor band/mode choice, but I tried you never
know.

Fred/N0AZZ



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[Keith Heimbold]

I was a little bummed to not have a chance to work them on 160/80 this week as I was out on business travel until Thursday night and I didn't see them on the cluster in those bands friday or yesterday morning pacific time. I did get to work them on five bands in about 35 minutes over two days.

The K3 did a nice job of picking them up on my inverted V on 40m and lower than optimal height mounted three element SteppIR on a couple higher bands.

Keith
AK6ZZ

Sent from my iPhone please excuse typos

On Mar 9, 2013, at 5:16 AM, "Dyarnes" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Yep, I worked them on 160 SSB on the 8th, which was apparently about the last day for that band.  I worked them on 160 CW a few days earlier.  Not sure why the antenna for 160 and 80 came down so early--maybe it blew down???  It seems like after they crossed the 100K QSO mark, their activity started to fall off.  Perhaps that was their goal, and after that they wanted to enjoy a little R & R?  Or, maybe the sand crabs got to them!  Hi.
>
> Like you, I wasn't sure 160 SSB was on their agenda.  I don't think VP6DX brought up anything on 160 SSB, so maybe that's not considered to be a particularly productive band/mode combination.  In any event, the TX5K website had a neat feature that showed, at any point in time, just what bands and modes were active.  At this moment they are still only operating on 40 SSB.  It's odd to only see one position light on.  Usually there were at least 4 or 5, and as many as 7 or 8.
>
> As I mentioned previously, my working them on 80 and 160 is still sort of amazing--to me anyway.  I say that because I've tried various "goofy" antennas on 160 before with almost no luck whatsoever.  An R8 vertical isn't supposed to work on 80, let alone 160.  I had tried it, mainly as a lark, on the VP6DX DXpedition.  Surprise!  Surprise!  They heard me!  You know my ERP had to be just one step up from a dummy load.  It's proof positive that just about anything will radiate something, and further provided whoever is at the other end has a decent antenna to hear you with!  The R8 actually shows a half-way decent SWR even without the tuner.  160 is more problematic, but the KAT500 (or just the K3 internal ATU when running barefoot) will bring it down to close to 1:1 on both bands.  That certainly substantiates some of the performance claims by Elecraft.  If you just don't get greedy, and run very much power, everything behaves nicely.
>
> By the way, it was interesting to see them often on the same band with more than one mode.  Not all DXpeditions do that--at least not as much.  I think at least part of the credit for being able to do that is the Elecraft equipment.
>
> Dave, AA7EE posted a link to a very interesting historical summary of Clipperton Island on the QRP-L reflector.  I've added the link below for those who may be interested.  I found it fascinating!
>
> The other historical thing I am reminded of is that, back around the time I first got my license, there was a DXpedition to Clipperton Island by the YASME group--mainly Lloyd Colvin (W6KG?).  It was all over the cover of CQ Magazine.  Maybe that was the first DXpedition to Clipperton???  Do I also remember that later there was some sort of "flap" about YASME?
>
> Here's the link on Clipperton's history.
>
> http://www.damninteresting.com/the-tyrant-clipperton-island/
>
> Dave W7AQK
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Fred Smith
> Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 3:13 AM
> To: 'Dyarnes' ; [hidden email]
> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] TX5K
>
> Did you work them on 160m phone (they weren't going to work 160 phone
> according to them) I missed them on that and 12m SSB. Most all the early
> info shows them shutting down today, haven't looked at their web site.
>
> Good job to you! I hope we can work them as well on their next big
> DXpedition (deep breath) I think a lot of people need it. These guys did a
> great job and I liked the log as well as any I have ever seen.
>
> BTW I tried for 20 mins the other morning after I had worked them QRO on 80m
> SSB (1st call lucky) with my KX3 I was never heard. The noise floor was
> rather high but I thought with their superior equipment 8>) that they might
> hear me but no joy it was a poor band/mode choice, but I tried you never
> know.
>
> Fred/N0AZZ
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

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[N0AZZ]

Dave

You did really well with a 100w my hats off to you and on the low bands
also. I was sick that morning that they were on 160m SSB it was fluke as
they were only to be on CW there. Oh well you can't have them all I was not
using my second K3/100 very few options that night in my SO2R it is all
Elecraft radio/amp/tuner for 80m. I was using my main K3/100 a fully loaded
one using a Palstar HF-Auto tuner and a Alpha 87A amp with a Alpha DAS. For
that contact I was using a Hy Gain AV-18HT with 24 1/4 wave length radials
for 80m. It works OK for the high bands 10-20m but is really an excellent
low band antenna 30-160m (have the top mounted 160m kit) must use tuner for
30/60m.

Yes and makes me almost ashamed to admit that I used legal limit for my
first contact but hey I wanted in early.

I use external tuners for about all HF gear except for my KX3 and the tuner
in it is amazing to say the least. One of these days I hope to receive a new
tuner I ordered last July a pre-order as such to get on a waiting list for
the Alpha 4040 auto tuner.

73,
Fred/N0AZZ
-----Original Message-----
From: Dyarnes [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 7:16 AM
To: Fred Smith; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] TX5K

Yep, I worked them on 160 SSB on the 8th, which was apparently about the
last day for that band.  I worked them on 160 CW a few days earlier.  Not
sure why the antenna for 160 and 80 came down so early--maybe it blew
down???  It seems like after they crossed the 100K QSO mark, their activity
started to fall off.  Perhaps that was their goal, and after that they
wanted to enjoy a little R & R?  Or, maybe the sand crabs got to them!  Hi.

Like you, I wasn't sure 160 SSB was on their agenda.  I don't think VP6DX
brought up anything on 160 SSB, so maybe that's not considered to be a
particularly productive band/mode combination.  In any event, the TX5K
website had a neat feature that showed, at any point in time, just what
bands and modes were active.  At this moment they are still only operating
on 40 SSB.  It's odd to only see one position light on.  Usually there were
at least 4 or 5, and as many as 7 or 8.

As I mentioned previously, my working them on 80 and 160 is still sort of
amazing--to me anyway.  I say that because I've tried various "goofy"
antennas on 160 before with almost no luck whatsoever.  An R8 vertical isn't
supposed to work on 80, let alone 160.  I had tried it, mainly as a lark, on
the VP6DX DXpedition.  Surprise!  Surprise!  They heard me!  You know my ERP
had to be just one step up from a dummy load.  It's proof positive that just
about anything will radiate something, and further provided whoever is at
the other end has a decent antenna to hear you with!  The R8 actually shows
a half-way decent SWR even without the tuner.  160 is more problematic, but
the KAT500 (or just the K3 internal ATU when running barefoot) will bring it
down to close to 1:1 on both bands.  That certainly substantiates some of
the performance claims by Elecraft.  If you just don't get greedy, and run
very much power, everything behaves nicely.

By the way, it was interesting to see them often on the same band with more
than one mode.  Not all DXpeditions do that--at least not as much.  I think
at least part of the credit for being able to do that is the Elecraft
equipment.

Dave, AA7EE posted a link to a very interesting historical summary of
Clipperton Island on the QRP-L reflector.  I've added the link below for
those who may be interested.  I found it fascinating!

The other historical thing I am reminded of is that, back around the time I
first got my license, there was a DXpedition to Clipperton Island by the
YASME group--mainly Lloyd Colvin (W6KG?).  It was all over the cover of CQ
Magazine.  Maybe that was the first DXpedition to Clipperton???  Do I also
remember that later there was some sort of "flap" about YASME?

Here's the link on Clipperton's history.

http://www.damninteresting.com/the-tyrant-clipperton-island/

Dave W7AQK

-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Smith
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 3:13 AM
To: 'Dyarnes' ; [hidden email]
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] TX5K

Did you work them on 160m phone (they weren't going to work 160 phone
according to them) I missed them on that and 12m SSB. Most all the early
info shows them shutting down today, haven't looked at their web site.

Good job to you! I hope we can work them as well on their next big
DXpedition (deep breath) I think a lot of people need it. These guys did a
great job and I liked the log as well as any I have ever seen.

BTW I tried for 20 mins the other morning after I had worked them QRO on 80m
SSB (1st call lucky) with my KX3 I was never heard. The noise floor was
rather high but I thought with their superior equipment 8>) that they might
hear me but no joy it was a poor band/mode choice, but I tried you never
know.

Fred/N0AZZ





-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2013.0.2904 / Virus Database: 2641/6157 - Release Date: 03/08/13

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[Milt -- N5IA]

-----Original Message-----
From: Dyarnes
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 6:16 AM
To: Fred Smith ; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] TX5K

---SNIP---

I don't think VP6DX brought up anything on 160 SSB,

---SNIP---

I had tried it, mainly as a lark, on the VP6DX DXpedition.  Surprise!  Surprise!  They heard me!  

---SNIP---

Dave W7AQK

====================================================

Dave,

160 SSB was alive and well at VP6DX.

Please see http://www.radio-sport.net/vp6dx-n5ia-leads-single-ops-in-cq-160-ssb-cn3a-top-multi-op/ 

I searched my log and you are not among the 1,163 contacts during the contest period.

Sorry I missed you.  It was a tremendous opportunity and at the end of both nights once the terminator had crossed all of the USA except the Pacific Time Zone, there was essentially no competition for the W6-W7 crowd.  I worked folks who forced a Watt or two into a 40 Meter dipole at 25’ AGL.  The JA’s have no 160 M SSB allocation and I had worked all the ZL, VK and other Pacific area stations.  Consequently there was a fair amount of open air time for the last hour or so before Ducie sunrise.  Again, too bad you didn’t get on.

There were approximately 200 Qs made on 160 SSB a couple of nights before the contest.

There were another 200 Qs made on 160 SSB during the 3 nights of operation after the contest.

VP6DX made a total of 6,671 Qs on 160 Meters of which 1,574 were with the SSB mode.

73 de Milt, N5IA



-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2013.0.2904 / Virus Database: 2641/6156 - Release Date: 03/08/13
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[w7aqk]

Milt,

You’re right!  I had forgotten what bands/modes they were on.  I did work them on  both 160 SSB and CW.  I checked their website just now, which is still up and running with the QSO logs.  I worked them on 20 band slots—missed a couple of the digi bands they ran with only a few contacts.  

That was a very well run DXpedition!  One of the best in my memory.

Dave W7AQK





From: Milt -- N5IA
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 8:55 AM
To: Dyarnes ; Fred Smith ; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] TX5K

-----Original Message-----
From: Dyarnes
Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 6:16 AM
To: Fred Smith ; [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] TX5K

---SNIP---

I don't think VP6DX brought up anything on 160 SSB,

---SNIP---

I had tried it, mainly as a lark, on the VP6DX DXpedition.  Surprise!  Surprise!  They heard me!  

---SNIP---

Dave W7AQK

====================================================

Dave,

160 SSB was alive and well at VP6DX.

Please see http://www.radio-sport.net/vp6dx-n5ia-leads-single-ops-in-cq-160-ssb-cn3a-top-multi-op/ 

I searched my log and you are not among the 1,163 contacts during the contest period.

Sorry I missed you.  It was a tremendous opportunity and at the end of both nights once the terminator had crossed all of the USA except the Pacific Time Zone, there was essentially no competition for the W6-W7 crowd.  I worked folks who forced a Watt or two into a 40 Meter dipole at 25’ AGL.  The JA’s have no 160 M SSB allocation and I had worked all the ZL, VK and other Pacific area stations.  Consequently there was a fair amount of open air time for the last hour or so before Ducie sunrise.  Again, too bad you didn’t get on.

There were approximately 200 Qs made on 160 SSB a couple of nights before the contest.

There were another 200 Qs made on 160 SSB during the 3 nights of operation after the contest.

VP6DX made a total of 6,671 Qs on 160 Meters of which 1,574 were with the SSB mode.

73 de Milt, N5IA

No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2013.0.2904 / Virus Database: 2641/6156 - Release Date: 03/08/13
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[Bill Frantz]

I managed to work them on 10 meter CW @ 5 watts at a much faster
rate (30 wpm) than my best rate (about 10 WPM) thanks to the CW
decode and CW memories built into the K3. I entered my call and
the exchange into the K3 at my sending rate and then turned the
speed up to keep up with their QSO rate. Seeing my call come up
on their very useful web site confirmed that it all worked.

I did have to read their CW by ear because the decode was spotty
and slower than their QSO rate. It helped, but using it still
seems like cheating.

I also worked them on SSB at 12 watts from California.

Both QSOs were a blast.

Cheers - Bill, AE6JV

On 3/9/13 at 1:00 AM, [hidden email] (Dyarnes) wrote:

>...
>The real kick in the pants is working them on RTTY without a
>computer!  That feature in the K3 (and the KX3) is sooooo
>cool!  This time around I just loaded a couple of memories with
>the ID info and the report info.  I've done it with direct
>paddle input in the past, but using the memories makes it a
>snap on DX stuff.  ...
>
>The TX5K website is pretty slick!  You can see confirmation of
>your QSO within just a minute or two.  These DXpeditions get
>fancier all the time with this logging info.
>
>Anyway, I had fun.  Hope a lot of other folks did too.
>
>Dave W7AQK

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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[phone]      | over lies and hate.          | 16345
Englewood Ave
www.pwpconsult.com |               - Vaclav Havel | Los Gatos,
CA 95032

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