ZS6EME, KG44cf, Ambassador’s Residence of Peru, Pretoria, South Africa

2018 DXpedition

Q-Team Members

ZS6EME, Alex (host, organizer and co-operator)

HB9COG, Sam (Q-engineer and co-operator)

HB9CRQ, Dan (operator)

Equipment

1.5m dish 1x2mm mesh homemade automatic az and el control

6cm: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

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

Results

6cm:
8 QSOs (8 QRA64D)
8 initials
6 DXCC (HB9Q, W5LUA, OK1KIR, OZ1LPR, PA3DZL, UA3PTW, UR7DWW, VK3NX, YO2BCT)
Smallest station worked: PA7JB 2.4m solid offset dish 30W (-21/R-14)

3cm:
12 QSOs (8 JT4F, 4 QRA64D)
10 initials
8 DXCC (EA3HMJ, G3WDG, HB9Q, W5LUA, OK1KIR, OZ1LPR, PA7JB, VK7MO)
Smallest station worked: PA7JB 2.4m solid offset dish 25W (-18/R-20)

The ZS6EME Story

In May 2017, after booking the airplane tickets to Johannesburg for the 3DA0MB DXpedition, we told Alex, ZS6EME, that we would like to activate ZS on 6 and 3cm after 3DA0MB. Our plan was to stay an extra 3 days in South Africa. Alex was very much excited and invited us to use his garden for QTH.

When preparing the details Alex informed us, that unfortunately the best place window-wise was used by his 3.6m dish. But that he had talked to a good friend, the Ambassador of Peru, who has a very nice house with a big garden just 1 km away. The Ambassador was happy to invite us to use his guest-house and garden. Although there are very nice big trees in the garden the moon-window is still pretty good. Alex did all needed checks and preparations, to make sure we have all we need once arriving.

After coming back from Swaziland, in the late afternoon, we went directly to the Ambassador’s Residence and put-up and tested the station. So everything was ready for moon-rise the next morning.

First day we did 3cm. This was the very first time EME was done on 3cm from South Africa! All worked very well and we had a lot of fun operating. In the evening we invited Helene (Alex’s XYL, she is the Swiss Ambassador for South Africa) and Alex to a very nice restaurant to celebrate the first and successful South African 3cm EME activity.

The Second day we did 6cm. Again all worked very well and we enjoyed giving away a new DXCC to the stations we worked.

On both bands we were calling CQ for hours with no takers. And we did many QSOs less than from 3DA0MB. Probably the fact, that it was during weekdays and working-hours (for Europe), made it impossible for many to be QRV.

We thank very much the Ambassador of Peru for his hospitality. And last but not least many thanks Alex and Helene for sharing your beautiful home with us. We felt very much at home!