OE6V, JN76vt, Kühnegg, Austria

2020 DXpedition

Team Members

OE6FNG, Werner (OE6V chairman)

HB9COG, Sam

HB9CRQ, Dan

Sue, Dan’s YL

Equipment

1.5m dish 1x2mm mesh, homemade automatic az/el control

1296: 100W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

23xx: 90W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

3400: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

5760: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn

10xxx: 50W at feed, v-pol, preamp at horn

Results

We worked a total of 108 QSOs and 93 initials on 5 bands in 5 moon-paths. As always, it was nice to work a total of 14 CW QSOs on 5 bands.

23cm:
37 QSOs (2 CW, 35 JT65C)
35 initials
16 DXCC
4 continents
Smallest station worked: LZ4OC 2.35m mesh dish 150W at feed (-18/R-25)

13cm:
13 QSOs (1 CW, 12 JT65c)
11 initials
8 DXCC
2 continents
Smallest station worked: UA3TCF 2.2m solid dish 100 W at feed (R-25/-25)

9cm:
11 QSOs (1 CW, 10 JT65c)
8 initials
6 DXCC
1 continents
Smallest station worked: OK1DFC 2.4m offset dish 45W at feed (-23/R-19)

6cm:
21 QSOs (7 CW,14 QRA64D/JT65C)
15 initials
11 DXCC
3 continents
Smallest station worked: UR5LX 2.4m offset dish 45W (-18/R-13)

3cm:
26 QSOs (3 CW, 23 QRA64D)
24 initials
20 DXCC
4 continents
Smallest station worked: VK7ZBX 0.75m solid dish 60W at feed (R-21/-21)

The OE6V Story

It all started a few years ago when Werner, OE6FNG asked me for my opinion… he was preparing the ZA5V 50 and 144 MHz EME DXpedition at that time. Since than we had contact on a regular base. In early 2019 Werner offered us to use their contest location (OE6V) at the Reichmann-Family wine yards. Which we of course gladly accepted!

The QTH (JN76vt) is in Kühnegg, Steiermark, on a nice hilltop (380 m asl) in the middle of the wines, with a 360° view from the Austrian Alps into the Slovenian Alps. Just about 11 km north of the Slovenian boarder.

Werner, OE6FNG, is the chairman of the OE6V 144 Contest and EME Team. Since 10 years the OE6V Team enjoys using the pavilion of the Reichmann-Family for their Contest and EME activities. They don’t have a permanent station there, because the Reichmann’s are using the location for private and winery events.

Werner prepared everything for us. Many thanks dear Werner, all was just PERFECT!

On 2nd February the Q-Team (HB9COG Sam, HB9CRQ Dan and his YL Sue) drove the 840 km by car to arrive late afternoon at Mureck, Steiermark, Austria where Werner and his wife Linde live. After checking-in the hotel we were invited for a welcome dinner at Werner and Linde’s home. Franz, OE6WIG joined us there. We enjoyed very much the very likable company and the wonderful Jauseplatte (cold local meet and cheese platter) with the excellent local wines and homemade spirits. What a start to a great week of EME and fun! Many thanks Linde and Werner!

On 3rd February at 8 o’clock we drove together with Franz OE6WIG the 15 km to the „radio-site“ and started to build the station in the middle of the wine yards. Sunshine and temperatures of 10c made it easy to do the outside job. At 10 o’clock Werner arrived with a TV team from ORF St (Steiermark). They came to do a short TV clip and interview of our activity, which was screened on ORF St the same evening (see video below). Edi and Stefan Reichmann, the owners and winegrowers, came to welcome us and they delivered a very nice assortment of their white and red wines. At 11.45z we had moonrise and started our activity on 1296 MHz. All equipment was running well. Towards the evening the wind picked-up and became very gusty (western Europe was in a strong storm-system with very high winds in many countries). We were enjoying the nice view, sunset and excellent local wines. As expected, because there are several very good OE-stations active on 1296 EME and the high wind in western Europe, there was not much activity. We stopped activity at 00z, way before moonset, due to no takers for a very long time. Today we worked 37 QSOs, 2 CW and 35 JT65C, for a total of 35 initials in 16 DXCC on 4 continents.

On 4th February we started operation just before 12z on 2320 MHz. The gusty winds were blowing all day moving dark clouds across the sky’s; thus, we had some sun and rain throughout the day. Despite the strong wind we had no problem to follow the moon and stay active all the time. The activity was low due to bad weather in most parts of western Europe and of course Tuesday is a working day, so it is difficult for many to be QRV. Therefore, we stopped activity at 21.30z, after 2h with no takers. Nevertheless, we were happy with today’s results working 13 QSOs, 1 CW and 12 JT65C, for a total of 11 initials in 8 DXCC on 2 continents.

On 5th February we had all day strong winds gusting up to more than 70 km/h and a couple times some snowfall. This was, at times, too high wind to be QRV. So, in total we had to QRX several hours. Nevertheless, we managed to become QRV on 3400 MHz at our moonrise, but we went QRT already at 21.20z due to still very strong gusts and no takers. It was nice to work 11 QSOs, 1 CW and 10 JT65C, for a total of 8 initials in 6 DXCC on 1 continent.

On 6th February we had a very nice sunny and somewhat warmer day with only little wind. In the morning we visited Werner’s museum in Mureck. Here he displays an impressive collection of old audio and video equipment, all the way back to the late 19th century. Werner gave us a very comprehensive private tour. Then we walked to the Mur-river, where we visited one of the last river-mills still operational. This is an other really special and worthwhile thing to see. By early afternoon we were back in the shack. It was very nice to work 5760 MHz all day with no problems! The activity was nice but after working our US friends we went QRT at 01z due to no takers left. We worked 21 QSOs, 7 CW and 14 digital, for a total of 15 initials in 11 DXCC on 3 continents.

On 7th February we enjoyed another very nice sunny day at 12c and only little wind. Today, after breakfast, since moonrise was only at 3PM local time, we visited the very nice city of Bad Radkersburg (natural thermal water SPA) right on the Mur-river, which is marking the boarder to Slovenia. It is a very nice old city with a lot of remarkable buildings and of course a lot of history. Werner, Linde and Franz showed us around. At noon we crossed the river Mur on the bridge to Gornja Radgona (Slovenia). There we visited the famous Radgonske Gorice (sparkling wine) Cellar. Drago, S59A (he is very active on 50 MHz EME) joined us there. It is an impressive cellar built into the rocks some 200 years ago. We had the opportunity to tour the cellar with a very nice local tour lady guide. Of course, we tasted several of the fine sparkling wines! But at 1.30 PM we had to drive back and get ready for our 10 GHz moon-window. And again 10 GHz proved to be a very “crowded” band. Probably it helped that most of Europe was out of the storm and Friday is a better day for activity anyway. So, we had a lot to do until about 01z when we went QRT, again way before our moonset. We are very happy to have worked 26 QSOs, 3 CW and 23 QRA64D, for a total of 24 initials in 20 DXCC on 4 continents.

On 8th February in the morning we disassembled our station and loaded it to our cars. At 1 PM we invited Werner and Linde to our farewell lunch at the “Genuss Hirsch”, a very nice restaurant serving excellent homemade local food. Of course, they also have an excellent local wine list. It was a great way to say THANK YOU to Werner and Linde for all they did to make our stay a great experience!

On 9th February early morning we departed Mureck and by late afternoon, we arrived back home.

Last but not least, it was great to meet 30 Austrian and 1 Slovenian HAM during our 5 days of operation! Werner invited the interested HAMs to visit and get some inside in our microwave EME work. We had visitors driving more than 2h (one way) to come and meet us. And several visited us more than once. It was really a pleasure to meet all of them. And of course, we hope to work, in due time, one or the other on EME!

Our OE6V DXpedition was an unforgettable experience for us. We had an absolutely great time!

Many thanks Werner, OE6FNG and Linde and all friends we met!

QSL information: please direct QSL with SAE to HB9Q, P.O.Box 133, CH-5737 Menziken, Switzerland