CQ WPX 2003 from OK1TNM

I conceived this year's CQ WPX a bit unconventionally. I have decided, that I will join our group from the club and go with them to Croatia to the island of Dugi Otok. After an agreement with the technical manager Jarda OK1DUO, I took charge of the 10m band. 10that's why I chose m, that I only work at 10m at home and you can sleep at night. Because the boys wanted to compete with us from the club, each participant had to provide all the necessary equipment himself.

I started preparations at the end of November last year. We agreed, that we will drive the Low Power category (100W) and so I had it a little easier. I had the transceiver and coax at home, I also had a PC for LOG management, so I started looking for an antenna, rotator and mast. I couldn't get anything from anyone for a long time. I started thinking already, that I will have it done 6 the. WOOL, but it didn't occur to me until a month before departure to ask Milan OK1IMU. I arranged a loan with him 5 the. YAGI. Now just find someone, who would lend me a rotator and a mast. I started calling every possible dealer, however, I didn't have anyone 100% certainty. From Milan OK1DJG from ALLAMAT, who was supposed to go with us, I was promised the loan of a rotator, but it was not in stock yet. I wanted to make sure, but unfortunately I didn't find anyone. I found out a fortnight before departure, that I could borrow a mast from us at the club. To mi vytrhlo trn z paty. Due to my workload, I didn't have time to check the device, and so I started checking the antenna and PC only a week before departure. Unfortunately I found out, that the PC is not stable at all and shuts down by itself for incomprehensible reasons. I also learned about the shipping size claim, and so I started looking for a NOTEBOOK. I have to thank Libor OK1ALX, that he was willing to lend me his NOTEBOOK 486. Now all you have to do is get a rotator. I found out three days before departure, that the rotator will definitely not be here in the republic, I was thus forced to count all my savings and three days before departure I had to purchase the rotator myself. With that, my preparations for departure were almost complete. I came to pay my insurance, he exchanged money and I was looking forward to it, when we hit the road.
On Saturday morning, March 22, Petr OK1PAT came for me, already almost loaded, and we loaded my things together. With an almost full car, we set out for Dan OK1HRA and drove to Holice, where we came from. Along the way, we stopped at Vašek OK1VD for his antenna analyzer, who forgot at home. We transferred everything in Holice and after a hearty lunch at a local restaurant, we set off on our journey. We preferred to go in two cars with a wheelchair. We set out in the Světa OK1VEY line-up, Grows OK1DXF, Vašek OK1VD, And OK1HRA, me Ruda OK1TNM and Jarda OK1DUO, Lenka OK1TUO and Petr OK1PAT towards Croatia.

Despite the outbreak of the war in Iraq, crossing the border went smoothly, and so early Sunday morning we were in Zadar at the ferry. Srečko 9A3EO with Marijan 9A6PAC was already waiting for us there, and together with us we sailed to Dugi Otok. After disembarking, we went to the town of Zaglav to stay, where we had already secured accommodation. It was not the right place to broadcast, so together with our Croatian friends we looked for a better place. They took us to one of the lighthouses on the island. However, here we found out, that accommodation is too expensive. However, the location for broadcasting was optimal, so we did not give up. We asked our friends if they would impress someone from the Navy, to whom the lighthouse belonged. After the disappointment, we went again to look for another place. While wandering around the island, we happened to discover a compatriot from Ostrava. She got married here before 20 flights. Their house was on a hill and had a good view of the countryside. There was plenty of room for antennas. We moved here the next day. We immediately started preparations for the broadcast. We started with the cleaning of operators and ended with the construction of ANT. Vašek OK1VD helped us with every construction of ANT. Because we didn't manage to tune my antenna on the first day, it continued the next day with even more gusto. This was already done after modeling the antenna in the evening, so I had it up by the evening 5 the. YAGI at 9m above the ground. After my erection, I tried to help others, so I didn't have time to test the antenna. We received a message from Sreček today, that we can use the lighthouse keeper's office to broadcast.

We decided, that tomorrow we will build a tribander ECO borrowed from the company DDAmtek and deltalup on 40 a 80m. Vašek raced at this station under the brand 9A/OK5DX, the others raced under their brands on individual bands as a single, except me. As Vašek had to ride 15m and the conditions were not great for 10m, I have decided, that I will go another 15 m. We borrowed the 15m equipment from Slávek OK1TN.

Before the race, I took advantage of the conditions and tested a bit. First with 100W and then with 5W. I made HC8N at 5W at 28MHz and then also in PILE-UP A45WD, that pleased me and I said to myself, that the antenna is working fine. In the evening I prepared my diary and everything needed for the race and went to sleep.

Morning in 5:00 UTC woke me up on my mobile phone, I didn't even want to get up. I went to the radio and first tuned 10m, there wasn't even a clue about any station, so I tuned to 15m. I could faintly hear DL3TD calling out. I tried to call her about five times, but in vain, so I tuned on, but I also couldn't appeal to anything. They were always stations from Europe. V 05:43 UTC I finally made the first connection with the DL3TD. Then two more stations from Europe followed. After about an hour I found out, that the rotator shows me differently on the table than the antenna is directed, it was 45°. I only found out with the first Japanese. So I quickly recalibrated the rotator and finally heard how full the band is. I watched the 10m opening, but there was no significant opening. V 10:18 UTC I made the first connection on 10m and it was UY7PBY, Mr. UN4L, XX9TRR a RN3QX. He drove the band and found out, that there is nothing here and so I retuned back to 15m and continued with other connections here. Probably after 45 every few minutes I returned to 10m and collected what I could and returned to 15m again. Sometimes I tried giving a 10m challenge, but it didn't matter. And so I just picked up what I could and went back to 15m. As the conditions did not favor opening on 10m to Japan, I tried not to miss the conditions for North America, but that too was in vain. So I collected everything possible from South America and returned to 15m, where North America was already open. Despite the unfavorable conditions, I made the last connection in 21:11 UTC s L71F. I ended this day with 328 connections and went to sleep.

The next morning I set the alarm again 5:00 UTC, this time I got up with almost no problem and went to the radio as fast as I could. I found, that 15m is already opening and in 5:12 I made the first connection of the day. I tried to watch the opening on 10m today as well. V 6:04 UTC I established a connection with T99W, but the conditions were still closed until 8:05 UTC, when I made the connection with VK2WPX. I managed to take advantage of the opening to Japan, so I could go to the 10m challenge as well. I lasted here until 10:45 UTC and then I went back to 15m again. That's right 45 every few minutes I was returning to 10m and here I was just singing. I picked up everything I could from Africa and South America, but unfortunately I haven't heard anything from North America even today. On 15m, North America opened a little earlier today, and so I could go 15m for the challenge. I made the last connection on 10m in 18:08 UTCs D4B. After closing conditions on 15m to North America I made many connections to Europe. Many stations that I had already heard called me now by themselves. This took about an hour. I made the last connection in 19:52 UTC s LU1FS. For another hour or so I tuned the band and tried to give a challenge, but I haven't heard any new station. After an hour of failures and closing the band, I figured, that the race is definitely over for me. I cleaned my workplace and went to bed full of experiences. I totally did 640 connected from it 131 connection on 10m and 509 na 15m.

In the morning at breakfast we shared our experiences and agreed together, that the worst part of the whole race was explaining our brand. Many, many stations could not understand our slash in the brand. There were also those, that they gave up and preferred to renounce connection with us.

After breakfast, we quickly drove to see Vašek and Jarda at the lighthouse and quickly packed everything there. Then we came back and together we packed everything in our Sal. We managed to pack everything up very quickly and none of the antennas were damaged. Once all the things were packed in the car, we went to bathe.

On Tuesday we had to get up very early, because in 6:00 the ferry was leaving for us back to the mainland and it was still time to go to the wharf 30 km. On departure it showed, that one car has a bad battery. That cost us a lot of nerves when we couldn't even push the car. In the end, everything worked out and we caught the ferry. On the way back, we took a few more photos on the ferry. I also managed to get to the bridge and the helm. After disembarking, we continued back home the same way, as we arrived in Croatia. In Holice, we unpacked and transferred our things and set off for home.

Finally, I would like to thank World OK1VEY for the excellent management of the entire event and the interpretation work. Jard OK1DUO for good technical preparation and organization of the event. Vašek OK1VD for his help and patience during the construction of the antennas. Lence OK1TUO for managing the kitchen. Sreček 9A3EO and Mariján 9A6PAC for mediating the broadcast from the lighthouse. To the Gorana Jagić family for facilitating the possibility of construction on their land. Thanks for providing the photos OK1DXF,OK1DUA a OK1HRA.

Thank you all for the link and I will look forward to some other race like OL5T or OK1TNM.