DX expedition to Menorca EU-004

Under the term DX expedition, most imagine a pile of antennas, facilities and operators on a desert island making thousands of connections. However, what does such an expedition look like in the form of one operator with average equipment in the area of ​​a dozen?

Carl Mason GW0VSW and his expedition is just such an example. This summer, he visited the second largest island of the Balearic Islands for a week as part of his long-awaited vacation. Menorca is located 225 km SE from Barcelona, from west to east has 53 km and from north to south 23 km. It has approx 220 km of coastline with beautiful beaches. The highest peak is called Monte Toro and has 358 meters. The most famous monument is the cathedral in Ciutadella, but the Romans left traces on the island, Byzantines and British and Spanish colonizers.

I was very happy, when I got leave. Together with my family, we used a last-minute trip and went to Menorca for a week during the holidays. We flew about two and a half hours from Cardiff to Mao na Menrka International Airport. Our destination Playa del Fornells in the north of the island was only a short distance away 30 minutes by car. According to the brochure, we had a good idea of ​​the accommodation and found it easily. There was not even a problem with the placement of the antenna!

A week is not a long time, that's why I was only on the radio early in the morning, while others slept, or late at night. From previous holidays in Zakynthos EU-052 a Tenerife AF-004 I had QRP Plus devices, tuner MFJ-971, half G5RV and batteries. This time I used IC-706 and SEC-1223 pulse source. The transceiver gave the possibility to choose the performance, how I want to work – from QRP to QRO depending on propagation conditions. The equipment was closed by a small Mk8 key.

All that remained was to stretch the antenna. However, there was no suitable tree nearby, but I asked a group from the opposite block, if I could hold one end on their balcony. The half G5RV thus had one end at a height of approx 6 meters and descended at a 45-degree angle above the path to the window of our bungalow. After pressing the power button, I could finally howl the QRV!

Conditions for 14 The MHz was good so I made my first QSO right here. EA6/GW0VSW first hit the airwaves with 70 watts on the second day o 15.34 UTC. CQ was answered by Ian VE2DOH from Beacosfield near Montreal with an excellent signal for 599. I was glad, that he called me, because we have met on the band several times. My report was too 599, which meant, that the antenna works well.

A small DL pile-up followed, LZ, OK, ON and UA stations. In two hours I turned off the tranceiver and went to dinner. Anticipating more connections, I set my alarm and went to sleep. After my morning coffee, I am Fr 5.13 UTC started giving CQ. Some signals, especially from the USA, they were in enormous force. Mat N2FOC from New York and Alf SM7ENF from Bor also got into the log, or Ken VK3BXN.

The excellent conditions excited me, I reduced the power to 5W and retuned to 14,060 MHz. The first QRP station was Vitas LY2FE, which worked with the K2 transceiver to the LW antenna with only 2W. We exchanged reports 579. The next station was Jack W7CNL from Idaho, for whom EA6 was a new 2xQRP land. Even with strong QSB and QRM, we exchanged reports 439 before he was lost in the noise.

IC-706 with CW filter has proven itself. The G5RV worked great, until whom…. until I found a note from the hotel manager after a day at the beach, to remove the wire above the path. Once again, salvation came in the form of rooms above us. I caught one end with them, the other went to the garden. Thus, the L-antenna was created. Ach, which all the G5RV withers away!

This way my operation could continue. On 18 However, I had interference for MHz 599+ and so i tried 10 MHz. The furthest DX was John ZL1ALA from New Zealand. He used 100W and LW antenna, while he got 579. George ZL4SEA of Hamden got 549. Unfortunately the conditions were bad on the 40 and few stations responded to my CQ. One of them was Bob F9OQ from Mareille and Stanley EA6ZY, both for 599.

We spent our days on the beach enjoying the sun, or riding in a canoe. One day I rented a car and we went to see the island. We passed many small villages, they were in the highest village at a height 150 meters above sea level, whether they saw countless historical monuments. I was impressed by the lighthouse at Cape De Cavalleria, even if it was necessary to travel several kilometers of a very bad road.

The weather was fantastic the whole time. Along with good food and wine, we were sad, that the vacation is ending. It was excellent relaxation and we liked it here, that we will definitely visit Menorca again. In a week I did 118 QSO on five bands to 28 DXCC countries. It was gratifying, if someone told me, that I gave him a new land or IOT. After returning home, the first directs were already waiting for me. Who knows where we will go on our next vacation? But one thing is certain – I will definitely take the radio with me!