SV9/HB9CRQ, KM25wa, Achlia, Crete

2019 DXpedition

Q-Team

HB9CRQ, Dan (operator)

HB9COG, Sam (operator)

Equipment

1.5m dish 1x2mm mesh, homemade automatic azimuth and elevation control

23cm: 50W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

13cm: 50W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

9cm: 50W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

6cm: 50W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

3cm: 50W at feed, v-pol, preamp at horn

70cm: 50W at dipole, 11el LFA yagi, preamp

Results

We worked a total of 194 QSOs and 154 initials on 6 bands in 8 moon-pathes, 3 pathes on 23cm and on all other bands 1 path per band! It was nice to work a total of 33 CW QSOs on 5 bands (23-3cm).

70cm:
8 QSOs (all JT65B)
8 initials
7 DXCC (1. station worked by DXCC: DL7APV, HB9Q, NC1I, OK1KIR, OZ4MM, UA3PTW, UT5DL)
2 continents
Smallest station worked: UT5DL 8x26y 1KW (-28/R-25)

23cm:
104 QSOs (7 CW, 93 JT65C)
85 initials
24 DXCC (1. station worked by DXCC: DL4DTU, EA8DBM, ES6RQ, F2CT, FR5DN, G4CCH, GM4PMK, HB9Q, IK3COJ, JA6AHB, NC1I, LX1DB, LZ1DX, OK1KIR, ON4AOI, PA3FXB, PY2BS, SM6CKU, SP5GDM, UA3PTW, VA6EME, VK4CDI, YL2GD, ZS6JON)
6 continents
Smallest station worked: LZ4OC 2.35m mesh dish 150W at feed (-26/R-25) and G4FUF 2x49el yagi 400W (-28/R-28)!

13cm:
19 QSOs (5 CW, 14 JT65c)
14 initials
10 DXCC (1. station worked by DXCC: DL7YC, G3LTF, HB9Q, JA6AHB, WA3RGQ, OK1KIR, ON4AOI, PA0BAT, PY2BS, UA3PTW)
5 continents
Smallest station worked: UA3TCF 2.4m solid dish 100 W at feed (-22/R-22)

9cm:
15 QSOs (5 CW, 10 JT65c)
10 initials
8 DXCC (1. station worked by DXCC: DF3RU, HB9Q, WA3RGQ, OK1KIR, OZ5G, PA0BAT, PY2BS, K2UYH)
3 continents
Smallest station worked: PA7JB 2.4m offset dish 50W at feed (-22/R-23)

6cm:
20 QSOs (7 CW, 2 JT4F, 11 QRA64D)
15 initials
12 DXCC (1. station worked by DXCC: DF3RU, G3LTF, HB9Q, JA1WQF, LX1DB, K2UYH, OK1KIR, OZ1LPR, PA0BAT, PY2BS, UA3PTW, UR5LX)
4 continents
Smallest station worked: PA7JB 2.4m offset dish 30W (-18/R-13)

3cm:
28 QSOs (9 CW, 1 JT4F, 18 QRA64D)
22 initials
13 DXCC (1. station worked by DXCC: DF1OI, F5VKQ, HB9Q, IW2FZR, JA1WQF, LX1DB, OH2DG, OK1KIR, OZ1LPR, PA7JB, PY2BS, UR5LX, VK7MO)
4 continents
Smallest station worked: OK2AQ 1.2m offset dish 40W at feed (-20/R-20)

The SV9/HB9CRQ story

Although Bodo ex DL3OCH, now DF8DX/HB9EHJ, did activate SV9 on 23cm EME in October 2012 (he worked 13 initials) we decided to activate it again, because there was never any EME activity from 13 to 3cm from Crete.

On 70cm SV1BTR worked DL9KR (any others?) on EME many years back. So we decided to build a QRP station for 70cm which we could fit in our existing transport boxes of our microwave equipment. We built a 11el FLA yagi (many thanks Hartmut DG7YBN for your support) which we could flange to our az/el-system (instead of the 1.5m dish) and a 70cm band-box (smaller than the ones for MW, to save space and weight) with PA, relais and preamp. Since we are using a 70cm TRV (28-432 MHz) as our IF for 6 and 3 cm we already have the TRV in place. So we could use all other existing „basic“ equipment.

We departed on 3. May from Zürich Airport with 7 transport boxes full of equipment for 6 Band EME. Total weight with our privat suitcase 220 Kg. Once arrived in Heraklion Airport we picked-up our rented car. It was a VW Caddy long. Unbelifable but true, we could fit-in all our boxes and had still room for 3 passangers! After a almost 2h drive across the island we arrived at 11 PM local time at the rented house. It has a fantastic view overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Next morning we built the station and checked all equipment. All looked well and we did some short test off the moon. MR and MS were as expected at about 3-10 degrees depnding on declination.The following days we toured the island and enjoyed ourselfes. Wonderfull to see all the colorfull flowers blooming!

Day 1 of operation was 10. May. The weather was fine, sunny, some wind and 25c. We started with 23cm. All was working well. It was great to work all 6 continents in one moon-path!

Day 2 was 23cm again. All was going well. It was a pitty that there was not much acitivity, we could have worked many more stations if they were QRV. Weather was just perfect.

Day 3 was 13cm. Again very nice weather, some more wind, but no problem. The activity was rahter poor. We called CQ for hours with no takers.

Day 4 was 9cm. Weather still perfect. Station running very well. Again not much activity. As on 13cm the day before, we worked easily each station looking for us. Too bad there was not more activity!

Day 5 was 6cm. Great weather. The station was running very well until about 1h before MS. All of a sudden we only had a quarter of the power. Fortunately we could work the last two stations looking for us with no problem, even though we were running at around 15W. Today again we worked all stations looking for us. After MS we checked the PA and found a burned capacitor. So only 1 of the two power-FET’s was working, therefore we only had 1/4 of the power. Well, we did not lose 1 QSO, so it was not too bad!

Day 6 was 3cm. Needless to say, we still had great weather. Only light wind, perfect for 3cm! The station did run very well. It was great to work 9 station in CW. All stations looking for us made it into the log.

Day 7 was 70cm. This was the first time we used our new station on the moon. At home we only tested terrestrial. Of course we knew that we will be QRP and it will be much more difficult to QSO than on the 5 other bands. Never the less we worked 8 stations which made us very happy!

Day 8 was our final day of operation. Again a wonderful early summer day. Since we had several requests, we decided do 23cm once more. All stations that asked us to become QRV on 23cm made it into the log.

The following day we dismanteled and packed the station. And early morning next day we drove to Heraklion Airport to catch our 10 o’clock flight back home. Where we and all our equipment arrived safely.

This was our 5th DXpedition with our 1.5m dish. We had again a lot of fun and we are very happy with the result! Many thanks to all that have worked us!