MU/EA8DBM IN89 Gernsey is.
Tomorrow evening I’ll take the ferry to Guernsey. I’ll arrive not too late, but after moonset, so I’ll be active from Friday, May 30th through Sunday, June 1st.
As always, I’ll try to find a location with a clear view to the east to give JA and VK a chance, and ideally with a view west for W6.
It doesn’t always work out that way (in fact, it usually doesn’t), but since I’m mobile this time, I’ll look for two separate locations if necessary.
If possible, don’t postpone a potential QSO until the last day—something might break, the weather might turn bad, and if I’ve already worked everyone during the earlier windows, there’s no point in “bombing the moon” with unanswered CQs for hours.
And just a reminder: this blogging platform only sends subscribers an email when a post is first published (like this one). If I make changes or add updates—like I did during the Jersey trip when the weather and operating schedule changed several times throughout the day—you won’t get a separate notification.
So please check back manually to see if anything’s been updated or even cancelled altogether :-))
++++++++++++++++
For the first time during the trip, the weather was excellent and windless. The north of the island has no hills, with many large open parking areas and scenic viewpoints—an ideal location for such activations. Beautiful towns, stunning nature, and friendly people.
Moonrise is in the morning (thankfully not too early). The moon isn't visible due to light pollution, but the sun is already above the horizon, so tuning is easy.
There were no major issues, but I was slightly concerned about a drop in PA output power despite the same drive level. I checked the input SWR—1.4. At some point during the trip, the cable between the RF module and the amplifier must have been damaged. It looks like the braid broke, as reception also improved after replacing it.
In total, there are 82 QSOs in the log. The most memorable was with JJ3JHP, whose rotator had broken and got stuck—but once a day it "hits" the moon for a few minutes. By timing it right, we managed to complete a QSO!
I also tried working with OH2DG using a 2 MHz split for the first time. For some reason, they had moved to 1298 MHz—even though I have a valid license for OH0/EA8DBM issued this year, which clearly states 1296.000–1296.150. But no matter—the main thing is, it worked.
WSJTX 8th release performs perfectly there. It's an excellent version, especially for the upcoming shift to 1298 MHz, and of course, it's absolutely essential for 13 cm operations.
In the evening, I worked several stations with setups similar to mine, using 120D mode.
Tomorrow morning I’ll continue. By Sunday, there probably won’t be anyone left I haven’t worked with ;-)
2025-05-30,07:39:30,2025-05-30,07:41:59,SM5DGX,JO89,1296.100999,Q65,-12,-14,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,07:42:00,2025-05-30,07:44:00,UA3PTW,,1296.100999,Q65,-15,-16,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,07:45:30,2025-05-30,07:47:59,OK2DL,JN79,1296.100999,Q65,-14,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,07:52:00,2025-05-30,07:54:00,YL2GD,,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,07:56:30,2025-05-30,07:58:59,DF3RU,JN59,1296.100999,Q65,-20,-15,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,07:59:30,2025-05-30,08:01:59,HB9Q,JN47,1296.100999,Q65,-12,-17,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:02:30,2025-05-30,08:04:59,OK1DFC,JN79,1296.100999,Q65,-15,-11,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:04:00,2025-05-30,08:06:00,IK2DDR,,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:09:30,2025-05-30,08:11:59,I2FAK,JN45,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-24,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:11:00,2025-05-30,08:13:00,ON4AOI,JO21,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-15,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:13:00,2025-05-30,08:15:00,G0LBK,,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:15:00,2025-05-30,08:17:00,YO2LAM,KN05,1296.100999,Q65,-20,-16,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:17:00,2025-05-30,08:19:00,DL4DTU,,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:19:00,2025-05-30,08:21:00,PE1L,,1296.100999,Q65,-20,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:23:00,2025-05-30,08:25:03,VK2JDS,QF46,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-19,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:25:00,2025-05-30,08:27:00,IK3COJ,JN65,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:27:00,2025-05-30,08:29:00,PA0TBR,JO21,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:41:00,2025-05-30,08:45:56,G4CCH,IO93,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-17,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:46:00,2025-05-30,08:50:00,OK1USW,,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:50:00,2025-05-30,08:54:00,OH3LWP,KP11,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,08:54:00,2025-05-30,08:58:00,DM2CFH,,1296.100999,Q65,-17,-10,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:02:00,2025-05-30,09:06:00,JA4LJB,PM74,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-18,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:10:00,2025-05-30,09:14:00,ZS4TX,KG30,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:15:00,2025-05-30,09:19:56,SP5GDM,KO02,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:19:00,2025-05-30,09:23:59,DG5CST,JO60,1296.100999,Q65,-10,-16,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:22:00,2025-05-30,09:26:00,PA0BAT,,1296.100999,Q65,-20,-17,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:26:00,2025-05-30,09:30:00,DK3WG,JO72,1296.100999,Q65,-25,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:34:00,2025-05-30,09:36:05,OE9ERC,JN47,1296.100999,Q65,-14,-12,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:34:00,2025-05-30,09:38:00,PA3FXB,JO33,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:38:00,2025-05-30,09:42:00,DK4RC,,1296.100999,Q65,-09,-11,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:42:00,2025-05-30,09:46:00,SM6CKU,,1296.100999,Q65,-14,-11,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:46:00,2025-05-30,09:50:00,ZS6JON,KG33,1296.100999,Q65,-21,-19,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:50:00,2025-05-30,09:54:00,RW6HM,,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-16,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,09:57:00,2025-05-30,10:01:56,IK5VLS,JN53,1296.100999,Q65,-25,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,10:00:00,2025-05-30,10:04:00,DL8FBD,JO40,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,10:06:00,2025-05-30,10:10:00,PE1LWT,JO22,1296.100999,Q65,-30,-15,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,10:10:00,2025-05-30,10:14:00,IK7EZN,,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,10:36:00,2025-05-30,10:40:08,OK2AQ,JN89,1296.100999,Q65,-26,-24,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,10:47:00,2025-05-30,10:52:00,EA8DBM,IL18OH,1296.100999,Q65,-26,-24,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,10:52:00,2025-05-30,10:56:00,DL7UDA,JO62,1296.100999,Q65,-24,-17,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,10:57:00,2025-05-30,11:01:56,PA1PS,JO21,1296.100999,Q65,-23,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,11:06:00,2025-05-30,11:10:00,SP7EXY,,1296.100999,Q65,-20,-18,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,11:16:00,2025-05-30,11:17:18,DG0FE,,1296.100999,Q65,-22,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,11:20:00,2025-05-30,11:24:00,OH2DG,,1298.100999,Q65,-20,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,11:25:00,2025-05-30,11:29:56,JJ3JHP,PM75,1296.100999,Q65,-20,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,11:28:00,2025-05-30,11:32:00,ON5GS,JO21,1296.100999,Q65,-18,-12,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,11:30:00,2025-05-30,11:34:00,JQ3JWF,,1296.100325,Q65,-21,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,11:46:00,2025-05-30,11:50:00,PA7JB,JO22,1296.101131,Q65,-24,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,11:52:00,2025-05-30,11:56:00,OK1IL,JN69,1296.100328,Q65,-20,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,12:00:00,2025-05-30,12:04:00,DJ2DY,JN39,1296.100926,Q65,-24,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,12:08:00,2025-05-30,12:10:02,OK1VUM,JN79,1296.100926,Q65,-20,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,12:12:00,2025-05-30,12:16:00,DL1SUZ,JO53,1296.100926,Q65,-27,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,12:18:00,2025-05-30,12:22:00,G4YTL,IO92,1296.100926,Q65,-26,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,12:41:00,2025-05-30,12:45:56,UA9FAD,LO88,1296.100996,Q65,-24,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,12:50:00,2025-05-30,12:52:03,OK1KIR,JN79,1296.100996,Q65,-14,-17,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,13:22:00,2025-05-30,13:24:03,IZ8GGF,JN70,1296.100996,Q65,-21,-24,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,13:22:00,2025-05-30,13:26:00,IQ2DB,JN45,1296.100996,Q65,-20,-25,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,13:31:00,2025-05-30,13:35:56,RX3DR,KO85,1296.100996,Q65,-24,-24,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,13:36:00,2025-05-30,13:42:06,G4KLX,IO90,1296.100996,Q65,-23,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,14:41:00,2025-05-30,14:45:56,NC1I,FN32,1296.100996,Q65,-17,-14,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,14:56:00,2025-05-30,15:00:00,PA3DZL,JO21,1296.100996,Q65,-14,-17,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,15:05:00,2025-05-30,15:09:56,SA6BUN,JO78,1296.100996,Q65,-22,-16,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,15:29:00,2025-05-30,15:32:00,UA9YLU,MO92,1296.100996,Q65,-22,-17,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,15:35:00,2025-05-30,15:39:56,CT1FFU,IM59,1296.100996,Q65,-25,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,15:49:00,2025-05-30,15:53:56,PA3JRK,JO33,1296.100996,Q65,-26,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,16:08:00,2025-05-30,16:11:56,W5LUA,EM13,1296.100996,Q65,-19,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,16:34:00,2025-05-30,16:36:06,RA4HL,LO43,1296.110996,Q65,-16,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,16:41:00,2025-05-30,16:45:56,N5TM,EL29,1296.100996,Q65,-20,-26,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,16:49:00,2025-05-30,16:53:56,W2HRO,FN20,1296.100996,Q65,-22,-28,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,16:58:00,2025-05-30,17:02:00,ON4QQ,JO20,1296.100996,Q65,-26,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,17:10:00,2025-05-30,17:14:09,N1AV,,1296.101000,Q65,-24,-26,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,17:12:00,2025-05-30,17:14:02,K8ZR,EN91,1296.100996,Q65,-23,-26,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,17:24:00,2025-05-30,17:30:00,DF2VJ,JN39,1296.100996,Q65,-26,-25,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,17:33:00,2025-05-30,17:40:00,AC2AC,EL96,1296.100996,Q65,-23,-29,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,17:44:00,2025-05-30,17:48:00,W2ZQ,FN20,1296.100996,Q65,-25,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,17:48:00,2025-05-30,17:52:00,PA3EXV,JO32,1296.100996,Q65,-21,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,17:56:00,2025-05-30,18:00:00,KB2SA,DM13,1296.100996,Q65,-21,-27,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,18:06:00,2025-05-30,18:10:00,K5DOG,,1296.100996,Q65,-22,-25,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,18:10:00,2025-05-30,18:14:00,ES3RF,KO29,1296.100996,Q65,-31,-24,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,18:25:00,2025-05-30,18:28:03,I5YDI,JN54,1296.100996,Q65,-25,-24,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,18:48:00,2025-05-30,18:52:07,KB7Q,DN45,1296.100996,Q65,-30,-25,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,18:52:00,2025-05-30,19:00:00,KG0D,,1296.100996,Q65,-25,-27,,,,,,,
2025-05-30,19:04:00,2025-05-30,19:12:12,PH0V,JO22,1296.100996,Q65,-30,-27,,,,,,,
83 QSO
++++++++++++++++++++++++
The morning of May 31 was a bit cloudy, but by midday the weather had cleared up.
No wind. I'm finishing up with those I couldn't reach yesterday—activity is low, but
I hope to reach 90 initials by the evening. For now, here's Saturday's entry in the log:
2025-05-31,09:45:00,2025-05-31,09:49:56,RD4D,LO42,1296.100996,Q65,-12,-16,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,09:53:00,2025-05-31,09:57:56,DL1HUH,JO61,1296.100996,Q65,-17,-13,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,09:56:00,2025-05-31,10:00:00,DL8YHR,,1296.101199,Q65,-21,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,10:29:00,2025-05-31,10:30:08,IK1FJI,JN44,1296.101213,Q65,-22,-18,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,10:30:00,2025-05-31,10:34:00,JA6AHB,PM53,1296.101213,Q65,-21,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,10:34:00,2025-05-31,10:38:00,OK1UGA,JO80,1296.101213,Q65,-20,-18,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,12:09:00,2025-05-31,12:12:00,DF7KB,JO30,1296.101000,Q65,-27,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,13:46:00,2025-05-31,13:50:01,UN6PD,MN69,1296.101000,Q65,-25,-25,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,13:56:00,2025-05-31,14:00:00,UA1ALD,KO49,1296.101000,Q65,-30,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,14:00:00,2025-05-31,14:04:00,OZ5TG,JO45,1296.101000,Q65,-26,-24,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,14:04:00,2025-05-31,14:08:00,PY2BS,GG66,1296.101000,Q65,-23,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,15:40:00,2025-05-31,15:44:00,F5KUG,JN03,1296.101000,Q65,-20,-23,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,15:58:00,2025-05-31,16:02:00,PI9RD,JO32,1296.101000,Q65,-23,-06,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,16:04:00,2025-05-31,16:08:00,SP3YDE,JO82,1296.101000,Q65,-25,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,16:09:00,2025-05-31,16:14:00,ES3RF,KO29,1296.101000,Q65,-25,-21,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,16:16:00,2025-05-31,16:20:00,SP3TLJ,JO82,1296.101000,Q65,-24,-20,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,16:56:00,2025-05-31,17:00:00,DJ7FJ,JN48,1296.101000,Q65,-23,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,17:15:00,2025-05-31,17:16:00,SQ6QV,,1296.101000,Q65,-22,-22,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,18:00:00,2025-05-31,18:08:00,KA1GT,FN54,1296.101000,Q65,-22,-17,,,,,,,
2025-05-31,18:16:00,2025-05-31,18:20:00,KN2K,FM18,1296.101000,Q65,-26,-25,,,,,,,
21 QSO
Total: 102 QSO (init)
To fully cover the west, I moved the car after lunch—now the western horizon is completely open down to nearly zero elevation. Yesterday proved that it's possible to work stations with setups similar to mine and just 200 watts of power. Of course, in 120D mode, but the excellent amplifier from AG6EE handles it flawlessly without even heating up.
In the end, the effort paid off—I managed to work all the “small stations” like mine, thanks to precise azimuth alignment of the antenna.
Final result: 102 initial QSOs, a personal record.
++++++++++++++
Now all that’s left is to put everything back together so that it doesn’t rattle, bang, or shake loose. But let’s not forget: leaving Britain and entering the EU—thanks to the “genius and wisdom” of modern British politicians—now involves customs. There’s a high chance you’ll have to unload everything completely and then repack it, explaining probably a thousand times what amateur radio is, how you bounce signals off the moon, and why anyone would do that—or what benefit it brings. At least with customs, you can expect it and prepare in advance.
But the real challenge is something else! On this trip, I stayed in a hotel for the first time and set up the antenna in public places—mostly in parking lots. People here on the islands are incredibly kind and welcoming. Everyone’s curious: what is this strange fan covered in gear, topped with a shiny dish sparkling in the sun? Basically, people swarm to it like bees to honey.
The first three times, I explained everything in full detail. But the problem is, every 15–20 minutes, new curious visitors would show up—and you’re constantly being torn between answering them, checking azimuth and elevation, holding down the antenna when the wind picks up, pulling tension on the springy bungee... there’s just too much going on at once. And then another group of visitors appears.
By the middle of the expedition, whenever I saw someone approaching with interest, I’d lock myself in the van and pretend nobody was there :-)))
Works like a charm—I highly recommend it to future operators! :-))
As always, huge thanks to those who supported me financially:
KB7Q, YL2GD, DK4RC, DF2VJ, DL4DTU, DK3WG, PY2BS
