There is a link to my Picture Galleries below my "story" Please scroll down! Logcheck is available at: www.hosenose.com/dl2obo

 

HB0/DL2OBO Diary
02.January - 09.January 2006

I called Mrs. Beck the owner of the Chalet Barsüla on 30.Dec. and asked if there is any chance to rent the house in January. She answered that she is booked already and there is no availability. Next day (31st) she called me and explained that the familiy for for next week called and they can't travel. It took me 2 seconds to say, yes, we will book that week. We, that is my partner Melanie and her daughter Janice (7yrs).

QTH was the Chalet Barsüla

I was here last time in October 2005. It is a small cottage at 1200m a.s.l.  There are three other houses a few hundred meters away. It is very quiet and remote. The next shops are in Triesenberg, a small village, down the hill. The Chalet Barsüla has room for 6 persons and is equiped with TV and telephone. There is an oven so I needed a quick QRX every 30 minutes to put pieces of wood into and have it warm in the house. There is also an electric heating but when you see the scenery you will want to have the real feeling and use wood!

Cooking was also done on that wood oven. The property is very large and one can set antennas everywhere one wants. You have a clear view (takeoff) from 180 to 340 degrees. The terrain is 45degrees slopeing to west (800m) and rising to east.(500m). The country HB0 is oriented in a valley (north/south) on the eastern side of the river "Rhein".Only on the mountain top (cable car) restaurant "Sareiser Joch" you will have a nice view to ALL  directions.

We arrived on Monday 2.01.2006 late afternoon . Wx: a lot of snow. I needed to put snow chains on for the last 500m to the house. Because of the heavy load (ham equip) there was no space in the wheel houses. I used a car-jack to lift it. Now I was able to remove the snow from the wheel house. Just when I put the chains around the wheels, the car jack collapsed and the car body sank. My arms were clamped between tire and wheel house. I managed to pull out my left arm but needed some help from Melanie to lift the car to pull out my right arm. Later they turned blue and green and it was painful. But thanks God they were not broken. No QRV without arms, hi. Monday evening I only installed a 40m vertical with 4 elevated radials and did some DX on that band. It was too late and dark for other antennas. I was operating until 09:00 local time, had breakfast and went to bed until lunch. After lunch I did some antenna work in the 1m high snow. Cold feet included. That was my daily routine for this holiday.

On Tuesday I built a telescopic tower to support a nearly vertical erected delta loop with 160m circumference. Again: the hills are very steep, at least 45 and I could use the terrain height and the mast to have the apex about 27m over the bottom wire. Sure, it was still close to the slope but I was at 1200m a.s.l and a free view to WEST. nothing between me and the bottom of the valley which is at least 800m lower than my operating QTH. So the second  night I had a 40m GP and a ladderline fed Delta Loop set up.

On Wednesday I built that 80m W8JK beaming to West. I think there were excellent condx also and so it was easy to work the Westcoast of USA. The western dipole was about 12m above ground, the eastern dipole was 10m above the ground with the slope(mountain) in the back another 20m or so It took me 4 hours while working the last hour into dark. Remember: 1 m snow. I had frozen feet after all and took a long warm shower to feel something again, hi. ( and yes, I had the correct clothes and shoes). climbing the slope/hill was really exhausting. Everyday I was in the snow for several hours building antennas. Again: the nice comments kept me going and going, hi.

On Thursday we went down the hill by sled to reach the main road and later a bus stop. We took the bus to Malbun (1600m asl )and went up the hill by cable car to the "Sareiser Joch" (2000m a.s.l.) . This is maybe the best place in HB0 to operate because of it's location. Clear view full 360 degrees. Today was a lot of snow and high wind. Billions of skiers were enjoying this sunny day (-15C top hill).

On Friday I replaced the 80m W8JK with a 160m (full size) version. It took me 4 hours in the snow, climbing up the hill. And sliding down ......

On Saturday evening I called my QRL and they said I may stay a night longer, my presence was not needed. So : one additional night, one additional chance for DX !

Sunday night was my last night. From my phone calls to DJ2YA and DF3KV I knew that there were request from JA to have a special look for them. I was really happy when I put JA5DQH in the log during the last night. (On 80m 7J4AAL was the only JA I worked.

I was always running between 500-800watts. The relay of the PA was somehow broken after a few days operating ( was doing Ok on the last trip in October). It did not release (open) properly sometimes. Then I had to hit the relay with a pencil or something similar. Then it worked again. Sometimes for minutes sometimes only for two times transmitting. I called HB9CVQ and he was in Stuttgart/Germany at that time. He usually lives in HB9. He went into town and bought a new relay and came to me on his way home to HB9. He installed the new relay and went back home to HB9 (4 hours detoured). We first thought it was all OK after exchanging the relay but next morning the same error showed up again. At least I had the chance to operate 9 hours with a proper working relay, hi. Yet we don't know what it is. For me it was no chance to buy a relay in HB0. I don't think that they sell any in whole HB0. Not sure. So imagine, if HB9CVQ did not show up and the old relays gave up working completely on Saturday night ? I think with 100w no way HB0-W-JA on 160m,hi. Thanks again to Andy HB9CVQ.
.
Topband: It seems to me, that the openings were extremely short and one could follow the spot on a map moving from one place to the next. And if the QSO wasn't done in a minute there was no way to get it complete into later. Just my idea, maybe I am totally wrong.

I am not sure, others may model it on the computer if the delta loop or the W8JK was better. On 80m I am sure the W8JK was a killer. The 160m version maybe wasn't worth the work. For the next trip I will try a top-loaded vertical (20m mast) with elevated radials on a plateau . That is maybe also better for JA. The 160m W8JK was headed pretty much NorthWest so not too bad for JA while being good for W/VE.

The K9AY I had with me was damaged (my fault) and was not usable. I hope my RX wasn't too bad and I have worked everyone with more than 500w TX power. An overhead phone line and also sometimes QRN in the alps were noisy.

The greatest problem on 160m was to find a clear QRG, keeping it clear and keeping the QSX frequency clear of loud EU's while looking for DX. Some came so close while working simplex,I wonder what filters they use and wish I would own those. I have to "pimp" my 1000MP for the next trip.

While sometimes I was calling for 15min and no one answered. DJ2YA told me, I was spotted by N1 with "loud" but still no one answered. Did I work everybody ? Not even EUs were calling in. I made QSY back on 80m to have some QSO preventing me from falling asleep and crashing with my forehead on the keyboard. (happened Monday morning anyway)

I worked the following in far-east on 160m CW:

JA2PJC
JF7DZA
JH0BBE
JA5DQH
JH4UYB
JH2FXK (and Kan 7J4AAL on 80m SSB)
UA9YAB
HL3IUA can anyone tell, if this is a first ever contact HB0 to HL ??? email me !!!

Again: the terrain is NOT GOOD for ASIA. High mountains to east. ! You guys  really did a good job !!!

SA: YV1DIG, YV5AM, YV5MH and KP2A, NP4A

NA: 204 with USA 17 with VE

not a complete list! states as shown by LOGic7 logging program:

examples:
AA0RS CO
K0HP SD
W0RI NA0Y NI0F K0JPL MO
K5CM OK
K5DU K5LC K5NA K5PA K5PC TX
K5ZK MS
N7JW K7CA UT
N5GH MS
W0CE W0EK MN
W5ZN
again, just a sample list, not a total QSO list. when you are from 6 area and you think you I forgot you please send an  email. maybe a typo in the 160m log...

I worked 31 states on 160m and 44 states on 80m.

It gives me goose pimples / the creep (not sure which is right) when I review my log.

and also: without YOUR 4-squares and phased arrays, beverages, K9AYs and what else have you : this wasn't possible !

Again, without all the nice comments and thankful words I would never have been able to stay up on the radio all night long..... I was never QRT before 09:00 local time....

I was thinking of you when I was outside in the snow (1m / 3ft ) having frozen feet. Building antennas and looking for another 0,2db to be better heard on DX side.....

I got hundreds of emails. One among is from DJ2MX. His group has booked Chalet Barsüla for the CQWW160m CW. I hope the picture CD I sent him will help somehow. Look out for them around that weekend !

Please do a logcheck there before sending QSLs direct or if you think I copied your call wrong.  I think it is a great service.

In total I made a little less than 3000 QSOs on the low bands.
I will label all QSLs end of January and put them into the bureau system. (tnx Dennis at hosenose.com for assistance.) That means: If I have your call wrong in the log, you will not get your card. Please use the logcheck option to see if I did it all ok. Email me if not. I do not "check" incoming cards for the data's but I really enjoy have real paper cards and see what they
look like. I find QSL cards as interesting as a QSO. If they are nicely made, they can tell a lot. Nothing against LotW. That is the best thing invented recently next to a K9AY but I am a little old fashioned with that.

I will upload LotW later of course. (if you need it direct, please include postage: new fee since 2006 is 1,70 Euro = 2,06 $ , sending 1 IRC is maybe the cheapest for you )

Thanks for reading and 73

Tom DL2OBO

Until now (2.2.2006) I have received abt.300 direct QSl requests. I maildropped my letters for you the same day I received yours. Powered by LOGic7.

More info on HB0 are at www.tourismus.li and www.liechtenstein.li,The official HB0 websites. look there for "Barsüla" "Barsuela" or  "Sareiser Joch" you may email me if you need informations for your own trip to HB0.