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Old 02-05-2015, 02:43 PM   #1
electricflyer
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Default Navassa Island

Anyone make contact with K1N? They seem to be only in the Extra part of the bands for SSB. Lots of activity on CW. Pile-ups most of the time. I got lucky on 20M SSB this am and activity was light although it took a couple tries. He was working a pretty close split with 10-15 up. 15M seems to draw a lot of attention. He is working 21.206.50 right now and receiving 21.410-420. Just working splits. So, basically, if you aren't an Extra or don't work CW you will be out of luck (so far).

They aren't telling anyone what frequencies they will be on so they can reduce the amount of jamming. The best way to find them is with a spotter web site.

This is supposed to be one of the rarest islands. They won't be allowed back for at least another 10 years.
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Old 02-05-2015, 05:22 PM   #2
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If he's listening above 21.275 any General, Advanced, or Extra can work him. You don't have to be an Extra to receive his transmissions in the Extra segment, only to transmit there.
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Old 02-05-2015, 05:28 PM   #3
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If he's listening above 21.275, any General, Advanced, or Extra can work him. You don't have to e an Extra to receive his transmissions, no matter where they are.
Had to stop and think about that, but you are right.

Gee, it's been a long time since I've worked a split.

I really need to get back on the radio.
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Old 02-05-2015, 10:15 PM   #4
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Yeah, I forgot about that. When I worked him on 20M though you had to be an Extra. That may be why he worked that split on 15M. Radio, you need to work some DX and get back in the groove of working split. I can't compete with the big guns as I only use 100Ws so I have to be patient and wait until they take a break and then when they com back on the air jump on it before the pile-up builds. I've got a 811H but never hooked it up. Navassa ranks as #2 in rarity, I think that refers to IOTAs. It's great for the US hams since it is between Haiti and Puerto Rico. The US Fish and Wildlife Service manages it and it is claimed as a US territory but Haiti claims it also.

I worked a guy one time and he was on 14.151 but was working split and he was 5 up so he was away from the SSB band edge. The country he was from allowed him to work at our band edge.

This kind of like chasing grids on 6M. Some of the grids in the US have no hams in them. I know one of the grids off of the mouth of the Mississippi has a sand bar that surfaces at low tide so it isn't very good for setting up a station. The guys on the Magic Band get notified by a ship captain on a freighter who is a ham when he will be passing through the grid square. He docks in New Orleans a couple times a year and lets everyone know his time schedule. I've talked to a Chief Engineer on a oil tanker a couple times, once when he was in the Caribbean and one when he was off the coast of Brazil, both time on 10M. He was from Hungary and did 6 month tours at sea the off for 6 months.

Thinking about the split they were working on 15M they probably transmitted on the high end of the band so there would be less QRM to bother them. Some of these guys are alligator hams, all mouth and no ears.
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Old 02-06-2015, 02:47 PM   #5
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I can't compete with the big guns as I only use 100Ws so I have to be patient and wait until they take a break and then when they com back on the air jump on it before the pile-up builds.
I only run 100 watts myself. Of course I run it into a 2 element quad at 70 feet. That and a little patience gets it done.

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Old 02-06-2015, 08:17 PM   #6
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I listened to some of the pile up on SSB and was appalled at the operating manners of some of the operators. They tune on freq, start calling before the contact is completed. Not worth the effort to try and make contact.

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Old 02-07-2015, 04:48 PM   #7
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Yes and many have no clue they are using a 5 KC split. 100 watts into a R7 vertical yesterday afternoon on 17 meters I love busting pile ups with a light weight station!
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Old 02-08-2015, 12:56 PM   #8
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Yes and many have no clue they are using a 5 KC split. 100 watts into a R7 vertical yesterday afternoon on 17 meters I love busting pile ups with a light weight station!
Good for you! That is a lot of fun, isn't it?

Actually if you don't mind the noise (atmospheric noise tends to be vertically polarized) a vertical is a pretty good DX antenna thanks to having a low angle of radiation. I had a 5 band Butternut that I could work about anything on, including the south pole, with my HW-101.

I used the twin-lead radial kit and 3 8ft ground rods. Counter poise is probably important on that antenna.
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Old 02-08-2015, 07:01 PM   #9
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Yes it is and it will not work properly ground mounted mines up about 8'
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Old 02-09-2015, 07:09 AM   #10
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I finally got them on Saturday morning on 20M SSB...the split was crazy, 20-40kHz, and the Op would move around after every call. Just had to listen for his pattern and guess where he was going next. A little frustrating, but all in good fun!

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