Hello all,
Here is a small account of radio activity on the 234, it takes a lot of news that I had passed through the ATFR forum ...
The departure of france took place on the evening of 24 march.
The bags were ready, radio equipment should live together in bags with the rest of the package for a total of 40kg.
I go with:
Yeasu FT100 and micro Hand
- Power suply ICOM
- 50m coax
- Antenne QUAD single-element produced for the occasion (the elements have also to enter in the bag)
After a little more than 7am flight we arrive in Kabul.
it is 9 in the morning local time exactly + 4H30 GMT.
Have we arrived we embark in vehicles to reach the camp more al EST
Afghanistan is a very mountainous country, we are of a 1800m altitude and we are hardly out of the winter (early March temperature was still a -25 °C). The summits are still some especially snowy peaks over 4000m.
The camp is multinational and we share a "monument" (manufacturing OM) reminder to all where is the QRA.
I have the chance to install the radio equipment directly in my KC20, it is equipped with electricity and the computer, and working alone I could make sure the band without worries.
It remains more than to install the antenna.
Place is found quickly, I am next to 4 metal container, the antenna will be raised above, it will not be very high but have a plan of mass soil accordingly.
For the antenna not too attracts the attention I decides to remove the crossbar of the antenna.
By far the antenna resembled a cross. besides the fact that we are in a Muslim country, all other antenna of the camp (and there are!) Are in vertical type,
Without the transverse we can see that the vertical support, that is perfect.
On 28/03/2008 I start emissions,
The antenna is oriented north/south-west/east,
the first contacts show quickly that propag is not open on Europe,
and for these first days only 173 and 43 were heard.
I heard very few people in frequency and it's a shame because for contacts,
the reports range from 57 on the 153, 59 +10 on 173 .
No I did not monitor frequency, because there are a lot of "voluntary" QRM :
For example carriers 5/7Khz and all this on 2Mega bandwidth.
QRM Fortunately, these are not permanent but they have more time to 4H.
video carrier on 234
I am therefore most of the time (when there is no such QRM) al listening to 555
Ten days later propag does not always open to Europe.
Divisions are always heard the same, 173 43 153, including David 173SD101 whose I thank's still holding company during these two months.
I did try to reduce the maximum losses by welding directly coax at antenna,
and shortening the coax which is now 10m instead of 50m from the beginning.
I have always QRM intermittent problems that prohibit some hours listening. With the end of the day QRM from a station broadcasting in Asia
video QRM broadcast on 234
And the last few days we have rain and hail.
Nevertheless, I remain optimistic, the weather will not last
I have contacted my first European station this weekend with Greece.
I have also heard Poland, and it seems to me an 14SD member.
The very large majority of contacts were made between 8 and 12H GMT.
I watch the 555 and qsy 570.
The only good news is that I traffic for almost a month and the antenna has been remained in place, it is now part of the landscape.
At the end of April I m absent 5 days for a qsy in the south, this will unfortunately without radio ...
But my return income is good weather, temperatures around 25 ° C and above all much less QRM .
Suddenly, as I said yesterday for the first time I've finally heard some stations of Italy.
The signals have varied between 31 and 55, report of 41 stations for Italian contacted.
Opening as not long term, a small hour to 11H GMT.
The signals are very weak here and I suppose that the spread should also be better on Europe, so it will be difficult to heard me.
I m reports, because I heard 91 or 173 stations whose make QSO and QSO but impossible to QSK. The next day I contact briefly 234AT101 before his battery would allow him more in frequency.
There is much that David is still present.
But I will soon have to give me a reason, the signals will save a drop, I've already no signals from the 43.
hours contacts have also shifted with stations increasingly down.
Beginning May I hear no more station, and I began to have difficulties to contact David, I decided to change the antenna orientation and promote the David's direction and turn directs north/south- east/west.
During May I contact david time to time, and three or four other stations but this will be up to 23 April.
video QSO 173SD101 from 234
Friday, May 23
I 234AT101 contact again, I am happy to find frequencies. Without knowing our QTH true, we know that we are not so far away, but that it will be impossible to see us ...
We call on all our turn 555 but unanswered.
234AT101 call 555
I also found David, I still theorically than a week has done, I expressed my disappointment of not having contact with Europe and which I consider to disassemble my antenna the next day.
Towards 12H GMT with Sigfrido we contact John on Denmark, then they will be 153 stations that we contact.
Sigfrido launches then call "234AT and compagny" but there were no longer audible station, and then we come to hear a European station our signals are too weak.
234AT101 has replied 35AT160
Around 16:30 voices are a little stronger, I began to receive callsign, they are french!
shortly before 17h I finally catching the first French station. I do not know which of the two is most surprised, but the happiest it must be me!
signals are still very low but with the help of cluster.dk I can finally contact European station during 1 hour.
That night I reposition the antenna in its original position.
Saturday, May 24
On the morning signals are still low but the spread identical to Friday evening and contacts will be at the same pace. In the beginning afternoon come a QRM which will prohibit any receipt.
video an other carrier on 234
Cette nuit là je décide d orienter l antenne EST-OUEST, je ne l avais pas fait plus tôt car le haubanage était moins sécurisé.
Sunday, May 25
Since 6H GMT I contact the first station, the signals are stronger but I quickly understood that the propag is also excellent on the rest of Europe, the signals remain here less than S5 for the best but most do not move the S meter.
Without having real-pil up and even if I am forced to change frequencies several times, with or without a split, the day will be excellent in terms of two months.
I know that the conditions for listen me was very hard in Europe, but it was identical to my side.
Here is an audio recording, each "white" (clic) that you hear is a my voice that I've deleted to reduce the file.
You will see that it just be a lot of "clic" before a station that meets again ...
234/14AT203 Vs Europe
Monday the propagation is always present but late morning, a truck catch a wire of my antenna and the vertical support will break in two part, the remaining piece is too short for a QUAD that is left that "dipole" option .
But propagation was finished,
I work a dozen stations between may 26 and june 01 before stopping transmissions.
No more I've contacted David since may 23.
I thank you all for having contacted m,
But also
173SD101 david for our contacts and support
234AT101 sigfrido and is 100% AT spirit
14SD277, 14KW605, 47DX101, 35AT160 for their support on the airwaves.
14AT375 Albin my manager.
Afghanistan is not only a DXCC
It's above all a very beautiful country coming through tragedies
Don't forget those who have left life.
73 s to all
14AT203 Jérôme
