MJ/EA8DBM IN89we Jersey is.

From May 28 to 30, I plan to activate Jersey Island, where, as far as I know, there hasn’t been any EME activity on 23 cm for the past 13 years. So I hope there will be some interest.

I’ll arrive in the evening of the 26th. The next day, Tuesday, May 27, the moon will be near the sun — making operation impossible — so the whole day can be used to calmly look for a suitable spot (in case it’s not possible to set up near the hotel) and to do some repairs on the GD parabola, which was battered by the wind. As I wrote in my previous post, the fall bent a flange, cracked and shifted a rib, and left the antenna in a deformed state.

Back in the fall, when operating from the Caribbean, I measured 8–9 dB sun-to-cold-sky. In the Pacific, it had already dropped to 6–7 dB. Now, after the damage, I’m barely seeing 4 dB on 23 cm. The reflector material is completely degraded from all the travel: it has stretched, worn thin, and is literally falling apart. It’s held on the ribs only by aluminum tape — which itself is torn, wrinkled, and patched in many places. All this adds weight, causing even more sagging. In short: it’s a complete disaster, not an antenna :-))

So the plan for Tuesday: find a charger to top off my 10.5 kWh battery, then find a place to set up, and spend a couple of hours repairing the dish and patching it with aluminum tape.

So please don’t expect miracles or a super-strong signal — I ask for your patience and understanding. If you’re a small station, don’t hesitate to indicate your calling frequency, and don’t shift it unless I ask. For example, if you start calling on 1700 Hz, stay there unless I request a change (e.g. due to local interference). Don’t forget that on this trip I usually hear worse than you hear me! But if I know your callsign, grid, and frequency, WSJT-X with a 50 Hz bandwidth can do wonders even down to –35 dB.

The moon windows will be during the day on all three days — which I personally find a relief!

As usual, I’ll be on 1296.100 first, most likely in 60C mode since the gain is now too low for 30B.

++++++++++++++++++

The antenna has been slightly adjusted (I hope I’ve regained the lost 1–1.5 dB), and the batteries are fully charged. I’ve found an interesting spot —
on a hilltop with a clear view in all directions, where an old British WWII fort once stood.

The only and main issue is the terrible weather — strong gusts of wind and heavy rain showers. The sky is completely overcast with low clouds, so there's no hope for any visual azimuth correction.
The forecast isn’t promising... but what can you do — it’s “foggy Albion” after all!

I’ll start at half power to work the big guns, then I’ll increase by 3 dB.
But if turbulence is too strong, I may have to go full power right away, since I’ll likely miss the moon frequently.

+++++++++

Change of Plans

There is only one direct ferry per week between the islands of Jersey (GJ) and Guernsey (GU) — on Thursdays.
On other days, you have to sail to France and then transfer to another evening ferry, which turns a 1-hour trip into an 8-hour journey! I have no idea why it’s organized this way.

Originally, I had planned to operate 2 days on 23 cm and then 3 days on 13 cm, but — as usual — things didn’t go as planned. To work on 13 cm, I still need to wait for the septum feed from OK1DFC.

So I’m adjusting my schedule:
Activity from GJ will now be limited to a full day on May 28 and from morning until 13:00 UTC on May 29.
Then I’ll need to pack everything within half an hour and rush to the port to catch the ferry to Guernsey, which departs at 17:15.

This means:
Europe, Asia, Australia, and the U.S. East Coast will have two full days of activity —
but the West Coast will only have a chance on May 28!

Try not to miss it!

++++++++

new bad update 27 May 20.00 utc

I went to check the location where I had planned to operate in the morning. It’s a great spot—on a hill with a full 360-degree view—but the problem is the wind. If the west wind is blowing at 35 km/h down below, it’s 50–55 km/h up on the hill. I didn’t even consider deploying the dish there—it wouldn’t last five minutes. It would either break or get blown into the ocean along with the rotator.

In a rush, before it got dark, I headed to the eastern side of the island, the leeward side, to try and find at least some shelter from the wind gusts.

On the far west side, there’s a large parking area with a cliff to the west and a completely open view to the east. But to the west—the direction of the coast—there’s a clear obstruction.

I estimate the elevation there to be about 45–50 degrees, which means I’ll be able to see the moon until around 16:30–17:00 UTC. At that time on Wednesday, May 28, the moon will be at approximately 60 degrees elevation over W6.

I hope to work everyone who’s active on the band during that window. But not later—on Thursday, May 29, at 14:00 UTC, I must QRT.

It rained all night, but by morning it had eased off, and the wind had also dropped.

I woke up and headed to the site at 4:30 a.m. Fortunately, this isn’t the tropics—by 5 a.m. it was already light. Setting up in the rain took longer than usual.

Instead of the usual half an hour, I spent over an hour fussing with the gear. And of course, just as I finished setting everything up—completely soaked—the rain suddenly stopped. Luckily, the sun had already risen and was close to the moon’s position today. I quickly made a couple of test QSOs and switched to VK—the window with them is no more than an hour and a half.

It was a solid pileup. By lunchtime, there was no one left to work—everyone who had a bit of patience made the contact. I think I still have at least three more hours (writing this at 13:00 UTC) before the moon disappears behind the hill. So the chances of working from GJ near the west coast look good—if the wind doesn’t mess it up.

So far in the log 87 QSO

2025-05-28,05:45:00,2025-05-28,05:47:16,UA3PTW,KO93,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-16,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,05:53:00,2025-05-28,05:55:01,OK2DL,JN79,1296.100999,Q65,-17,-13,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:16:00,2025-05-28,06:24:07,VK4CDI,QG63,1296.100999,Q65,-35,-32,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:27:00,2025-05-28,06:29:00,IK2DDR,,1296.100999,Q65,-17,-19,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:30:30,2025-05-28,06:31:39,DF3RU,JN59,1296.100999,Q65,-12,-07,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:32:00,2025-05-28,06:33:29,OK1VUM,JN79,1296.100999,Q65,-19,-18,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:33:00,2025-05-28,06:35:00,G0LBK,,1296.100999,Q65,-19,-15,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:35:00,2025-05-28,06:37:00,ON4AOI,JO21,1296.100999,Q65,-17,-14,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:37:00,2025-05-28,06:39:00,RW6HM,,1296.100999,Q65,-16,-15,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:40:30,2025-05-28,06:42:47,OE9ERC,JN47,1296.100999,Q65,-09,-10,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:42:00,2025-05-28,06:44:00,DL8YHR,,1296.100999,Q65,-16,-17,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:45:00,2025-05-28,06:46:29,OK1KIR,JN79,1296.100999,Q65,-11,-15,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:50:00,2025-05-28,06:51:02,JA4LJB,PM74,1296.100999,Q65,-19,-19,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:50:00,2025-05-28,06:52:00,PE1L,,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-19,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:52:00,2025-05-28,06:54:00,OK1USW,,1296.100999,Q65,-20,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:55:00,2025-05-28,06:57:00,VK2JDS,QF46,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:58:30,2025-05-28,06:59:32,GM0PJD,IO85,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-23,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,06:59:00,2025-05-28,07:01:00,ZS6JON,KG33,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-19,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:01:00,2025-05-28,07:03:00,IQ2DB,JN45,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-24,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:03:00,2025-05-28,07:05:00,ZS4TX,KG30,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:05:00,2025-05-28,07:07:00,PA0TBR,JO21,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:07:00,2025-05-28,07:09:00,DK3WG,JO72,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:09:00,2025-05-28,07:11:00,PA3FXB,JO33,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-18,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:12:00,2025-05-28,07:14:00,DL8FBD,JO40,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-25,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:18:00,2025-05-28,07:20:01,OK1IL,JN69,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-27,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:20:00,2025-05-28,07:22:00,SM5DGX,,1296.100999,Q65,-09,-12,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:38:00,2025-05-28,07:42:00,PA3DZL,,1296.100999,Q65,-14,-15,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:42:00,2025-05-28,07:46:00,UA9FAD,LO88,1296.100999,Q65,-25,-17,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:48:00,2025-05-28,07:52:00,OH3LWP,KP11,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-20,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,07:53:00,2025-05-28,07:57:56,I2FAK,JN45,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-18,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:10:00,2025-05-28,08:12:18,ES3RF,KO29,1296.100999,Q65,-30,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:14:00,2025-05-28,08:18:00,HB9Q,,1296.100999,Q65,-06,-10,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:18:00,2025-05-28,08:22:00,G4CCH,,1296.100999,Q65,-14,-13,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:22:00,2025-05-28,08:26:00,DG5CST,JO60,1296.100999,Q65,-10,-09,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:28:00,2025-05-28,08:32:00,DF2VJ,JN39,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-23,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:34:00,2025-05-28,08:36:03,IK5VLS,JN53,1296.100999,Q65,-19,-18,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:34:00,2025-05-28,08:38:00,DK4RC,,1296.100999,Q65,-10,-10,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:38:00,2025-05-28,08:42:00,G4YTL,IO92,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:42:00,2025-05-28,08:46:00,YL2GD,,1296.100999,Q65,-19,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:46:00,2025-05-28,08:50:00,DJ2DY,JN39,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,08:54:00,2025-05-28,08:56:00,EA8DBM,IL18OH,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,09:02:00,2025-05-28,09:06:33,OK2AQ,JN89,1296.100999,Q65,-27,-28,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,09:07:00,2025-05-28,09:11:56,F1RJ,JN18,1296.100999,Q65,-26,-20,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,09:11:00,2025-05-28,09:15:56,IZ8GGF,JN70,1296.100999,Q65,-25,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,09:18:00,2025-05-28,09:20:56,DL4DTU,,1296.101000,Q65,--18,-19,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,09:51:00,2025-05-28,09:55:56,RD4D,LO42,1296.100999,Q65,-06,-11,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,09:56:00,2025-05-28,10:00:00,RA4HL,,1296.100999,Q65,-12,-11,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,10:02:00,2025-05-28,10:04:54,SP5GDM,KO02,1296.100999,Q65,-19,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,10:04:00,2025-05-28,10:08:18,PA1PS,JO21,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,10:08:00,2025-05-28,10:12:00,PA0BAT,,1296.100999,Q65,-17,-18,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,10:22:00,2025-05-28,10:26:00,UA9YLU,MO92,1296.100999,Q65,-26,-17,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,10:40:00,2025-05-28,10:48:11,RA9FLW,LO88,1296.100999,Q65,-25,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:03:00,2025-05-28,11:06:00,OZ5TG,JO45,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-26,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:08:00,2025-05-28,11:12:00,SP7EXY,,1296.100999,Q65,-19,-18,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:12:00,2025-05-28,11:16:00,IK7EZN,,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-17,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:16:00,2025-05-28,11:20:00,PE1LWT,JO22,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-18,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:18:00,2025-05-28,11:21:10,OZ5TG,JO45,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-18,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:20:00,2025-05-28,11:24:00,SM6CKU,,1296.100999,Q65,-15,-11,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:24:00,2025-05-28,11:28:00,IK3COJ,JN65,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-14,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:32:00,2025-05-28,11:36:00,SA6BUN,,1296.100999,Q65,-20,-15,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:39:00,2025-05-28,11:41:39,PY2BS,GG66,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-19,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:41:00,2025-05-28,11:45:56,YO2LAM,KN05,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-19,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,11:48:00,2025-05-28,11:51:56,W2HRO,FN20,1296.100999,Q65,-26,-24,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,12:17:00,2025-05-28,12:21:56,NC1I,FN32,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-20,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,12:27:00,2025-05-28,12:31:56,DJ7FJ,JN48,1296.100999,Q65,-25,-24,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,12:53:00,2025-05-28,12:57:56,DL1HUH,,1296.100999,Q65,-17,-09,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,13:31:00,2025-05-28,13:47:53,M0FXX,IO91,1296.100999,Q65,-25,-29,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,14:49:00,2025-05-28,14:53:56,AC2AC,EL96,1296.101489,Q65,-25,-23,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,14:54:00,2025-05-28,14:58:00,N1AV,DM43,1296.101489,Q65,-22,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,14:56:00,2025-05-28,15:00:00,DL1SUZ,JO53,1296.101489,Q65,-21,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,14:58:00,2025-05-28,15:02:00,DL7UDA,JO62,1296.101489,Q65,-27,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:04:00,2025-05-28,15:08:00,CT1WO,IM58,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:11:00,2025-05-28,15:13:00,K3SK,FM07,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:12:00,2025-05-28,15:16:00,K5DOG,,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:14:00,2025-05-28,15:18:00,PA7JB,JO22,1296.100999,Q65,-25,-20,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:16:00,2025-05-28,15:20:00,DG0FE,,1296.100999,Q65,-26,-20,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:18:00,2025-05-28,15:22:01,PE1CKK,,1296.100999,Q65,-26,-24,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:22:00,2025-05-28,15:26:00,ON5GS,JO21,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-14,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:26:00,2025-05-28,15:30:17,KB7Q,,1296.100999,Q65,-30,-24,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:32:00,2025-05-28,15:36:00,K6DIS,,1296.100999,Q65,-19,-19,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:40:00,2025-05-28,15:42:03,PA2DW,JO22,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-25,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:40:00,2025-05-28,15:44:00,N5TM,EL29,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-21,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:44:00,2025-05-28,15:48:03,PH0V,JO22,1296.100999,Q65,-32,-23,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:52:00,2025-05-28,15:56:00,KB2SA,DM13,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,15:55:00,2025-05-28,15:59:56,PA3JRK,JO33,1296.100999,Q65,-32,-23,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,16:09:00,2025-05-28,16:13:56,AG7CM,DM25,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-22,,,,,,,

2025-05-28,16:18:00,2025-05-28,16:22:00,G4RFR,IO90,1296.100999,Q65,-25,-22,,,,,,,

All in all, I’d say the day went very well. Nearly 10 hours of continuous transmission at 400–500 watts drained the batteries by only about 50%. That means it’s entirely feasible to plan for two full moon passes on a single charge!

I had considered operating until lunchtime on May 29 (the ferry isn’t until 17:15), but I realise there likely won’t be anyone left to work. The absence of JA stations today was certainly surprising—aside from the elusive JA4LJB, who appears out of nowhere like a ninja and disappears just as quickly.

It seems most others may have been at work, or perhaps Jersey has already been “ticked off” and no longer draws much interest.

So instead of packing up and rushing out, I’ll use the day to rest, tighten the rotator (which has come loose again), recharge the batteries, and prepare everything for the Guernsey activation—the final leg of this trip.

Thanks to everyone for their activity, and to the sponsors for their financial support:

PA3FXB, AA6I, N1AV, G0LBK