TK/HB9CRQ Corsica 2022

final update 31. May 2022
Last activity, 23xx MHz, from TK/HB9CRQ. In the morning we had lots of clouds and only little wind. By noon we had splendid sunshine and only weak wind. Throughout the afternoon the wind picked up and helped a bit to keep us from getting too hot. All equipment was working well and we enjoyed our last activity hours from Corsica.

On 23xx we worked a total of 19 initials, 24 QSOs, 21 in Q65C and 3 in CW. This gives us a total QSO count of 152 for the 4 bands. We are very happy with this result. Many thanks to all who worked us or tried to work us!

QSL policy: QSL only direct including SAE to: HB9Q, P.O.Box 39, CH-5737 Menziken
If you wish to sponsor our activity, you are welcome to do so by using PayPal dan@hb9q.ch (please mention your call).

We will let you know when we have updated our webpage with the full story and some pictures.

Vy 73, Dan/Sue & Sam Q-Team at TK/HB9CRQ

update 30. May 2022
Today we have set-up for 23xx. Our RX test showed only little QRM from WIFI on 2320, 2304 and 2400. So it should be no problem to work EME on all three subsegments. TX is working fine on 2320 and 2304 (no TX on 2400).

The last activity:
31. May (Tuesday)
2320.100 Q65-60C TK/HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 04.45z until 14.00z
2304.100 (during W/VE window, QSY will be announced on HB9Q 23xx logger)
and 2400.100 for JA6AHB (QSY will be announced on 23xx logger)

update 29. May 2020
Today we started our 1296 MHz activity at 03.45z. This morning again no wind, until three hours before moonset, when it became very gusty again. We could operate all the time with no problems. The temperature was again very nice starting at 16C at moonrise and going up to 27° at midafternoon. We had a great time operating, having enough takers most of the time, often more than one at the same time. The conditions were quite good. Before noon we worked initial #50 with which we completed WAC! We have worked on 1296 MHz a total of 69 initials, a total of 75 QSOs, 71 Q65D and 4 CW.

The last activity:
31. May (Tuesday)
2320.100 Q65-60C TK/HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 04.45z until 14.00z
2304.100 (during W/VE window, QSY will be announced on HB9Q 23xx logger)
2301.990 and 2400.100 (on request only, please send e-mail to dan@hb9q.ch

update 28. May 2022

Today we started our 10GHz activity at 03.20z. This morning we had no wind, until an hour before moonset, when it became gusty again. This was of course very nice for 10G activity. The temperature was again very nice starting at 20C at moonrise and going up again to 32° at midafternoon. We had a great time operating, although we often were calling CQ with no takers, probably due to the high CW activity during the contest. The conditions were difficult, very high spreading, this made it harder for us to work smaller stations and CW was really no fun. Never the less we have worked on 10xxx MHz a total of 28 initials, a total of 32 QSOs, 30 Q65D and 2 CW.

Tomorrow we will be on 1296 MHz as follows:
29. May (Sunday)
1296.100 Q65-60C TK/HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 03.45z until 13.30z

update 27. May 2022

Today we started our activity just before 03.00z when the moon came across the hills. Although we had a lot of wind, at times very gusty, we could operate without problems. The temperature was nice starting at 18C going up to 32° midafternoon. Unfortunately there was not a lot of activity. Never the less we have worked on 5760 MHz a total of 17 initials in 22 QSOs, 16 Q65D and 5 CW.
Tomorrow we will be on 10G as follows:
28. May (Saturday)
10368.150 Q65-60D TK/HB9CRQ 1st CFOM , 03.20z until 13.00z
10450.150 1st (on request only, please send e-mail to dan@hb9q.ch), QSY will be announced on HB9Q 10xxx logger

update 26. May 2022

The station is up and running, all works well. We are ready for coming moonrise 27. May 03.00z on 5760.100 TK 1st Q65-60D CFOM.Good luck ALL working us!

update 25. May 2022

We arrived well at our QTH. All looks good. The only challenge is the poor internet connection, but this is no problem.Moonrise is about 30 minutes later than expected. We will be QRV 5760 MHz on 27. May starting at 03.00z.As always we will be stand-by on the 5760 logger.
Looking forward to work you!

update 18. May 2022

In less than one week we will be on the way to Corsica. All equipment is tested and packed.
We are very much looking forward to work you from TK!
Next update 25. May 2022.

updated 14. April 2022

We are very happy to announce our spring 2022 Q-Team DXpedition!

Also DL1YMK, Monika and Michael, did a very successful activation of Corsica in May 2012, we thought it might be worthwhile, after 10 years, to go there again. Since they did work almost everyone on 1296 and 23xx, we will be focusing on 5760 (they worked 6 initials) and on 10xxx MHz (they worked 7 initials).

We’ll travel by car and ferry to Corsica and stay there for 10 days, doing some sightseeing/vacation and of course EME on 1296, 23xx, 5760 and 10xxx. Sorry, but 3400 MHz is not allocated to amateur radio in TK.

We have already booked the house and the ferry tickets from Livorno to Bastia and back. Team members will be again Sam HB9COG, Dan HB9CRQ and Sue Dan’s YL.

Our QTH is a nice little house on the southwest side of the island in JN41ml, directly at the beach. Since our QTH is located in a bay open to the east our MR should be perfect! For MS we expect some 20° to max 30° elevation due to the mountains and some trees (we will only know exactly once we are there). But in anyway, we should have good enough MS to work the US-Westcoast. Due to the fact that many, if not most of you, already have worked TK on 1296 and 23xx 10 years ago and the fact that we will be, unfortunately, in the same QTH-locator (JN41) as DL1YMK was, we will be QRV only 1 moon-pass per band.

On May 24th/25th 2022 the DUBUS CW 10GHz contest takes place. Since we don’t want to interfere too much with this activity we have tried to adjusted our activity plan accordingly. We will be QRV Friday on 5760 MHz, Saturday on 10 GHz, Sunday on 1296 MHz and Monday on 23xx MHz. This hoping to make it possible to those QRV 5760 and 10xxx MHz to spend the full time on 10xxx MHz during the weekend and still have a chance to work us on 5760 MHz.

Here our operation schedule:

27. May (Friday)
5760.100 Q65-60D TK/HB9CRQ 1st CFOM, 02.30z until 12.30z

28. May (Saturday)
10368.150 Q65-60D TK/HB9CRQ 1st CFOM , 03.00z until 13.00z
10450.150 1st (on request only, please send e-mail to dan@hb9q.ch), QSY will be announced on HB9Q 10xxx logger

29. May (Sunday)
1296.100 Q65-60C TK/HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 03.15z until 13.30z

30. May (Monday) changed to

31. May (Tuesday)
2320.100 Q65-60C TK/HB9CRQ 1st RX on own echo, 04.30z until 15.00z
2304.100 (during W/VE window, QSY will be announced on HB9Q 23xx logger)
2301.990 and 2400.100 (on request only, please send e-mail to dan@hb9q.ch)

CW: As always, we will work CW on all bands. However only with big-enough stations and after the pile-up on Q65 is worked.

Equipment (as always):
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
5760: 80W at feed, circular, preamp at horn
10xxx: 50W at feed, v-pol, preamp at horn

We will be using WSJT-X 2.5.4. On 23 and 13cm we use Q65-60C with Doppler Control (“Own Echo”, in other words we listen on our own echo). On 6 and 3cm we will be using Q65-60D (if necessary JT4F) including Doppler Control (“Constant Frequency On Moon” and if necessary “Full Doppler to DX Grid”). Hopefully more people take advantage of automated Doppler control. Especially on 6 and 3cm it is a MUST for successful QRP operations.

We’ll have internet access. During our activities we’ll be stand-by on the HB9Q band loggers. We also will check our e-mails several times a day.

How big needs your station to be to work us?
On 23cm 2m dish and 150W at the feed
On 13cm 2m dish and 100W at the feed
On 6cm 1.5m dish and 80W at the feed
On 3cm 0.75m solid dish with 60W at the feed

QSL policy: QSL only direct including SAE to: HB9Q, P.O.Box 39, CH-5737 Menziken
If you wish to sponsor our activity, you are welcome to do so by using PayPal dan@hb9q.ch (please mention your call).

We are looking forward to our TK/HB9CRQ DXpedition and hope to work many of you!

Next information early May.

Vy 73, Dan/Sue & Sam Q-Team at TK/HB9CRQ