9L1BTB - SIERRA LEONE
2013 DX-pedition
During the period of 23 October to 13 November 2013 I visited 9L land. The purpose of this visit was to take a fresh breath of Africa, meet my friends and be active on ham radio bands.
I came there with the following equipment:
- ICOM 7000
- Bencher BY-2
- Micro KEYER II
- power verx SS30DV
- PC Asus with Logger 32
- sloper for 20 m
- DL- special DX -collinear delta loop for 15m
All stuff was packed in the suitcase only delta loop inside a plastic tube 1.25 m long.
The first two days passed on setting planned antenna systems. To build masts I have bought six "bush sticks" the common material for building any supporting structure while constructing buildings.
I needed only four but you can buy dozen or half of it so we took six.
Firstly I made 10.7 meters long mast for 20 m band's sloper. Sloper system had two dipoles one in NA direction and the second one in EU - JA direction.
Feeding of the sloper was prepared the way that the feeding line had a connection point in the distance 5.29 m (3/8 wavelength) from the center of the dipole.
So at one time, only one dipole was active and that dipole was surrounded by three reflectors,
two pure reflectors, and one non-active dipole with 5.29m long open line connected to it working as a stub -should work as an additional reflector.
The length of the stub was calculated from the formula:
L= 0.375 x (300/F Mhz) x VF (velocity factor) 0.66 for RG 58.
That was the theory taken from the book.
Unfortunately, the min SWR for both directions was 1:2 and I decided to transform EU/JA sloper to 17m band.
In this configuration both slopers had SWR app 1:1.2! So I left this configuration.
The first mast with slopers is operational so it is time for relax in the swimming pool.
Next. The "DL-special DX" - described by Georges ON6WG/F5VIF - a collinear delta loop for 15 m - was raised and there was no need to make any adjustment.
Since this antenna is bi-directional it covers NA and VK the same time LP and SP.
To change direction by 90 degrees to JA I had to move only two bricks which kept the bottom antenna wire in proper tension and place.
A very efficient antenna, if only it could cover other bands as well.
Since I received a few emails asking for details
I prepared info about the version of the DL special DX - the antenna I built.
In front, there is the collinear delta loop for 15m looking to NA and behind you can see a mast with two slopers: a blue one for 20m and a green one for 17m.
You may see brick holding the bottom wire of the delta loop antenna. I color the wires to be better visible.
As I said earlier, two bush sticks left, so I decided to build an inverted V for 30 meters.
The antenna's apex was at 8 meters height only, but an antenna as a whole was working quite fine.
THE SHACK
Radio and other equipment was placed at a small desk, big enough for this operations.
Note the fan mounted over the IC -7000, it was cooling the radio so it never came to be hot.
Logger 32 was my logging and CW machine. All these equipment was controlled by micro KEYER II by microHAM.
Next to the desk was standing a "black lady" which kept antenna's plugs on her head.
RESUME
During this short period despite of the shortage of electricity I made:
Total: 4506 QSOs working on 15, 17, 20 and 30 meter bands
Hams from 102 countries had radio contact with my station (82 on 15 m; 61 on 17 m; 57 on 20 m and 35 on 30 m).
Thank you for a nice time I spent with you.
If you wish to see how brutal the sea can be, have a look at these photos taken next to the house I stayed.