North America on 6 metres from Tory Island

Today was a great day on the bands, particularly on 6 metres, where we managed several QSOs into the United States in the afternoon. This was achieved with a HB9CV two-element beam at about 15 feet. As of this moment, we have over 200 QSOs on 50 Mhz since yesterday, which is fantastic.

Some of the North American stations we worked on 6 metres today.

The 50 Mhz contacts into the USA were not all easy. It took some time to get K1TL into the log. In fact I'd safely say it took 10 to 15 minutes to complete the QSO. Some stations were easier to hear and work. We were ecstatic at getting one in the log, but we ended up with six or seven NA QSOs. And all the time we were beaming NA, we were still working Europeans, some from Italy, Spain and France, but some from other areas. We worked a couple of Scandinavian stations off the back of the beam.

The EJ7NET 6 metre station on Tory Island.

Elsewhere, we have been plugging away on the HF bands. We had some activity on 20m, 17m and 15m today, with occasional pile-ups and also occasional dry periods. As of this moment, we have over 2,000 QSOs in the combined logs, which is not bad at all. Conditions on 20 and 15 are interesting. A lot of UK and Netherlands stations were strong on those bands today, while everyone else was comparatively weak. Last night (Sunday), we had some nice action on 40m SSB.

Weather today has been largely overcast, with drizzle at times. Generally typical Irish weather. Rolf HB9DGV activated the lighthouse on the island as EJ/HB9DGV/QRP.

Day 2 begins and it's raining relentlessly

It's day two of our activation of Tory Island (EU-121) and it's raining relentlessly. We still have two more antennas to set up. Activity has been good (at times) so far on 30m CW and 40m CW/SSB. We have about 370 QSOs so far from two stations. The 6m station is being set up as we speak. Thankfully, the antenna was set up last night.

Declan, Liam and Bernie setting up the off-centre-fed dipole yesterday evening.

Spirits are high among the EJ7NET group. Dermot EI5IQ pitched his tent and slept out there overnight. The rest of us opted for the comfortable beds here at Teach Sabba.

As we are approaching midsummer, there is no complete darkness at night. A beautiful sunset was followed by a fantasic red sky last night, so needless to say I spent quite a bit of time out with the camera. I even managed to get a photo of the shack late last night.

Our QTH at Tory is called Teach Sabba.

EJ7NET makes over 4,000 QSOs in three days

It's official. EJ7NET's Gola activation has logged over 4,000 QSOs in less than 72 hours. The station tear-down takes place this evening at around 18:00 local time. We might get a couple of hundred more by then. There was another opening to Japan on 17 metres this afternoon, with about two dozen or so JAs logged.

Rolf operating portable from the cliff tops on Gola Island.

EJ/HB9DGV/P on Gola.

To celebrate our success, the EJ7NET QSL manager for the Gola activity, Rolf HB9DGV, brought his Elecraft KX1 to the top of the cliffs on the western end of the island and made about 30 QSOs as EJ/HB9DGV/P. He was running just 3 watts into a Sota dipole. Two of the QSOs were transatlantic.

While Rolf was up on the summit, accompanied by Declan and Gordon, Liam had a good run on 40 metres SSB, working mainly UK stations, helped by Tony who took over and continued the run.

Excellent start for Gola Island activation

Three stations active tonight from Gola.

We've had an excellent start to the EJ7NET Gola Island activation. At 10pm local time, we already have 550 QSOs in the log, mainly on 40m, 30m and 20m. Conditions on 20 have been strange, with Liam EI7DSB commenting that sometimes the band appears to be shutting down but then comes alive again, and some stations are affected by deep QSB. 30m has been flying, with several contacts into Japan. I had an hour or so on 40cw, and it was hopping. I had to run split because there was a good pile-up.

The QTH is excellent. It is located on a rocky bluff overlooking the ocean, with excellent take-off, particularly towards Europe, but with no real blockages in any direction. Proximity to salt water is undoubtedly helping us.

Tomorrow morning we are setting up a two-element beam for six metres, and we intend to monitor that band during our stay, with a dedicated station, perhaps running beacon mode until there might be an opening.

Gordon GM7WCO brought his Pro II !!! Lovely.

The EJ7NET team has landed on Gola Island, Co. Donegal

The EJ7NET 2015 team (l-r): Anthony EI2KC, Rolf HB9DGV, Gordon GM7WCO, Liam EI7DSB, Tony EI3HA and Declan EI6FR on the boat just before landing on Gola Island, Co. Donegal.

The EJ7NET Westnet DX group has arrived safely on Gola Island, off County Donegal, for what we believe might be the first ever amateur radio activation from this island. The IOTA designator is EU-121 and the Maidenhead Locator square is IO55tc.

We have brought all the gear ashore and three stations are being set up for action. We have made our first few QSOs on 30 metres CW and expect to get a 20m SSB station up and running this evening. We also intend to monitor 6 metres and hopefully make QSOs there, starting tomorrow.

The team is led by Declan Craig EI6FR, and comprises this year of Rolf HB9DGV, Gordon GM7WCO, Liam EI7DSB, Tony EI3HA and me, Anthony EI2KC.

The weather was good for antenna erection and the living quarters are nice. Expect further updates between now and Wednesday morning, when we leave the island to return home.

The first antenna, a multiband wire vertical, is erected
by Rolf HB9DGV and Declan EI6FR.

EJ7NET 2014 - Cape Clear IOTA dxpedition day one

This is my second expedition with the Westnet DX Group. In May of 2013, we went to Inis Mór on the Aran Islands (EU-006). This year, Cape Clear island (EU-121), off the coast of County Cork, was the target. It's the most southerly piece of Ireland. You cannot get further south.

I had a 5.30am start, in order to do a final check on what I had packed for the trip, have a shower and breakfast, and get to Declan Craig EI6FR's house in Dublin by 7.30am. As it happens, I arrived there at 7.15am. We left at 7.30am with a four-hour drive ahead of us to Baltimore, Cork, from where we would catch a boat to Cape Clear. There's motorway all the way from Dublin to Cork these days, but not from Cork to Baltimore! We passed through Clonakilty and Skibbereen on the way down.

The rugged cliffs of Cape Clear Island.

At Baltimore, we met Rolf HB9DGV and Bernie HB9ASZ, and it wasn't too long before the other dxpedition members arrived - Liam EI7DSB and Tony EI3HA (our chef). The boat trip was unremarkable. It was a bit choppy in a couple of places but generally a fine trip across through murky weather. It had rained in Baltimore. We got off the boat and loaded our gear into a big van taxi and soon we were at the house, unloading all the stuff again. It's a fantastic QTH. The house is beautiful. There are enough beds for all six of us, although Bernie in true style maintains that an IOTA dxpedition is not a proper dxpedition unless you are sleeping in a tent, and so proceeded last night to set up his tent, in which he actually did sleep!

The M0CVO dipole supported by a 12-metre Spiderpole,
with the full moon rising last night

The first job was antenna installation. We put up two Hari trap wire verticals, one covering 30, 17 and 12m and the other for 40, 20, 15 and 10m. They were taped to two Sota Poles. We also erected an off-centre fed dipole, made by M0CVO. This one covers 40m through to 6m. Antenna analysis by Liam EI7DSB showed some little problems, and after some adjustment, everything was fine. The Diamond HB9CV 2-element beam for 6m was then assembled and installed. We have a dedicated 6m station which we will use to monitor that band for the entire time we are here. Three of the stations are in the sitting room, while a fourth has been installed in the shebeen - a little outhouse with its own bar.

With the IARU HF Championships and the WRTC contests on, it was impossible to find action on the main bands, so the first QSOs were made on 17 metres and then 30 metres. Tony EI3HA made the very first QSO of the activation with another IOTA station on Orkney Island EU-009. I sat on 17m SSB for an hour and enjoyed some fantastic short skip conditions into Northern Ireland, Scotland and England.

Tony EI3HA serving dinner.

With only two stations on air, there was an opportunity for some of us to go and explore.I took an opportunity to walk a couple of kilometres down to some ancient standing stones, which I believe constitute Ireland's most southerly stone row! Dinner consisting of chicken curry and rice, helped down with a glass of red wine, was served by our fantastic chef Tony

Today, we are hoping to hit the HF bands in a big way after the contests are finished at 1pm. So keep an ear out for us - hopefully you will get us in your log.