326ATDX qsl preview

326AT/DX DX-EXPEDITION 14-21July 2009

9 years have passed by since my last expedition from Malyj Vysotskj Island. Many things have been changed, I am married, we had a child and even a job BUT I am back to practies my hobby this is like I opened back my heart for this hobby. The idea of this expedition into Maly Visotsky island appeared on 2008. At that time the sun activity was very bad, so I decided to postponed my activation to the coming summer of 2009. By that time I already talked by phone to my friend Victor and we did agreed that time will arrive soon. He has suggested me to find two huge batteries @ 850 A/h each, I did agree it was a good idea. At 10 o’clock in the morning of July 13th I equipped the car and went towards Vyborg to meet Victor. The trip towards Vyborg was about 1050km, after 15 hours driving I was really tired. I arrive on the island and stayed in an Military Unit territory, I had slept for 2 hours only that day.

July 14th

The moment has come Victor has given me his boat and a huge battery, he had also gave me his working clothes so when I cross frontier guards will be seeing me and they wouldn’t suspect in me. He also had given me a military map it was marked with some nice spots of the island . I put the map in my pocket and packed all the equipment on the boat, while I was driving the boat I took a video and some photos with my camera. I switched on my GPS and took me towards the destination. In 5 to 6 minutes I was near the island, I found a small bay where I could leave the boat. I went to the coast and started filming and taking photos. I did noticed that many things had been changed since my last time here. Walking through a narrow footpath, I arrived near a street with many buildings I noticed that everything was destroyed and some of them where burned, it was an old village in the past. Many years ago Finns have rented this territory, they build sawmills and settlements. What was more interesting is that I found a path of catacombs but some years later it was demolished and flooded. Again I took a few pictures and fixed coordinates to my gps and went back to the boat. I did continue walking around the island and I did marked a few shots. I dumped everything out of the boat and moved to the western part of the island with all the equipment later Victor sailed towards me to help me, together we moved the battery and we fixed it to it's position. I assembled the antenna and installed the tent. The weather was excellent! I was happy when I turned on my transceiver and heard some station calling, I did noticed that propagation was into Europe.

Victor started to take the first shots and also a video. Propagation was excellent after 3-4 qso’s, I had a big Pile Up on 27590. When people heard my voice they gave me some good and excellent report. After 4 hours the band was full of people calling me, Victor went back and promised to pick me up at midnight. I noticed that this time propagation was even at greater force, I understand that I cannot make QSO’s without making the use of a split frequency. It seems that I cannot hear these stations without turning on the split. I did use these two particular frequency 27590-27595. As a result in 12 hours I had 560 qso not bad for one day. Victor came back to me at midnight to help me. Together we moved the battery on the boat, and we went back to the island.

June 15
The weather was really bad, propagation was to East for whole day afternoon I heard a station from Russia and after I did made a qso with Thailand. I continued to call and call on 27555 and qsy to 27590 but the propagation was so bad the result was15 qso’s

June 16

The propagation was good again I made around of 200 qso’s. I heard many stations very very clear without qrm!. The big problem with my station was receiving the signal, probably the location of antenna faced the birch, but on the another hand it was a good idea as the antenna would have already blown by the wind. I was working with not more then 60 watt. Total qso where 780. At 11 pm I did finished as I did noticed that Victor had come for me to help move and do discharged battery. I was working with a converter from 12V to 220V for my laptop anfd for power supply.

June 17th
Propagation was similar as yesterday @ 11 pm. Total qso was 1076 I think it was good enough since my first fays.

June 18th

Absolute zero!!was the propagation in the morning and also during the day, in evening the only station I heard was 178sd111. By noon the wind had increased again and begins to drive the wave of the Baltic sea from Vyborg to the side. My 2 el quads oppression of the ram's horn must be constantly readjusted I did stretched wires.

June 19th
Propagation still not good during the day but in the evening the band was opened. I continue to work till morning and did made 104 qso. The pile up wasn't like the first days at the end of the day I did reach1186 qso .

June 20th

In the early morning I noticed that today it was going to be a sunny day and was hoping that propagation will be good, infect it was really great I heard lots of stations from Europe calling me so I did start to pass some progressive numbers. Total qso till midday was 113 after lunch the band went on silent mode ( ZZZZ ) .

June 21th

On this date propagation wasn't so good I did reach to work some eu. Total qso's made 120, this was my last day with my dx expedition and I did finished at 22:00 p.m.
I saw Victor who was coming for me to take me back to my own qth.

My expedition to MALYJ VYSOTSKJ ISLAND is over.

Total qso where 1502.
73 de Andy 317AT101 (( the 101 team ))