VK0EK - Heard Island almost QRT

VK0EK - Heard Island 2016 camp

Heard Island DXpedition is almost QRT

It was great pleasure to hear and work and wait for hours on some

band for such a remote pleace on the Earth to be activated on HAM Radio bands.

Brief summary per band from my point of view:

160 - No luck to made 2-way QSO but . SWL two or three times. We`ve lost inverted L during winter storms and it we installed inv V on TB for SPDX Contest fixed also EU beverage which was on the same direction as VK0EK / FT4JA - 250M of coax had big loss and signals were not so strong.

80 -  http://ei9kc.blogspot.ie/2016/03/hallelujah-heard-island-logged-on-80.html - few days later SWL their signal on this band , much better signals some times and little pile-ups. It was easier to work Heard Island from our part of EU on low bands than on higher.

40 / 30 - http://ei9kc.blogspot.ie/2016/03/dx-of-dx-vk0ek-heard-island.html - managed also 40M RTTY from monster Moxon at Papa Lima location for new mode.

40M RTTY QSO on DXA

14Mhz VK0EK ????? 

20 - big question mark ? why I didn`t log Heard Island on 14Mhz. Many hours waiting , SWL about 3 or 4 openings three times in the morning via LP and once in the evening but no QSO. There was always something .... JA Wall / QSY to different bands or no QRV at our "best time" I don`t know why but it must be reasons - why VK0EK didn`t QRV at about 16-19 UTC on 14Mhz ..... For example my only QSO with Kergulen FT4XU Nicolas 4 months ago was at around 18:00 on 20M. Nicolas was using single dipole at human height , low power , etc Kergulen Island is "not too far" .... at the moment when I am writing this post FT4JA QRV on 20M (16:37 UTC) and they are real 5NN on my S-meter

FT4JA on 20M - where was Heard Island on 20M ????

This answer know only The VK0EK Team ... 

17 / 15  - quiet signals but workable - only CW for sure 

15 SSB - has to be done from good antenna - managed QSO from Papa Lima location on 3 ele full size 21Mhz antenna. Signal low as a whisper - SWL`ed just 2 times their phone operation.

This recording of VK0EK on SSB is very unique in EI

VK0EK by UT6UD Vaydm on SSB 21Mhz

15M SSB QSO on DXA

12 - hours of waiting for good shape signal .... one week ago when workable on 12M was NA NA only .... then next day ... missed opening - 4 EI worked them on 12 ... had to wait another few days for good chance and I`ve took it! 2 weeks waiting for QSO on 24Mhz finally in the log!

10 - no EI station logged them on this band. Full time Dxers didn`t manage it. Must say it was almost impossible. That day when I`ve worked them on 12M I`ve SWL VK0EK signal on 28034 Mhz for 30 seconds .... yes 30 seconds ....

DXA website was great tool. Probably most viewed site by DX hunters last 2 weeks. Had it on always beside my DX-Cluster :) I wish to see DXA working again in the future from some of Most Wanted DXCC. Great joy!

So well , Heard Island in my log on 6 bands and three modes. Not too bad and I am happy with that. 

Thanks for good thrill and looking forward QSL card managed by top QSL Manager these days Tim M0URX!