Today Marcial EA2BDS and me made an early morning activation from Mt. Ganguren EA2/BI-055, seeking mainly for VK chasers.
After arriving at 08:30 EA (06:30 UT), we founded a dense cloudy sky and some strong winds, but we were able to set up the FT-857 @ 30w and the linked dipole for 14mhz on a 9 m. pole.
We started soon making some qsos with VK’s with excellent signals, some of them over 59, mixed with some EU chasers. After one hour, and with the wind becoming stronger, we changed the links to 10 mhz, but in that moment, our problems started. More than 8 times, the pole felt down due to the wind, stopping the operation, and leaving some chasers alone after sudden disappearances :.
Later, and still on 10 mhz, some unexpected NA chasers came to us, but only a few of them crossed the EU & “pole-falling” barriers.
Finally, the pole broke just while we were trying to work with a VE2 stn… sorry OM!.
We have had also the pleasure on making a S2S QSO with Egon, OE9EGI/P.
So, good propagation condx with VK (the best I’ve ever enjoyed) but a sad ending of the activation…
We were sorry for the NA OM’s that weren’t able to make QSO due the quick end on our side…
So, sorry to them and thanks to all chasers, specially to the “VK team” that is always there for everybody’s pleasure!
We’ll try again ASAP!
73 de Mikel EA2CW
