A couple of videos from the Aran Islands dxpedition

This is Liam EI7DSB working a 6 metre opening.

Choppy waters on the ferry on the way from Rossaveal to Inis Mór.

The Jan Mayen JX7SIX 6 metre beacon which was heard here yesterday (Saturday).

A great day on the bands for EJ7NET

It's the end of my first day with the EJ7NET team here on Inis Mór, and what a fabulous day it's been. There's been lots of radio, lots of chat, and some very nice food eaten, thanks to our chef, Tony Casey EI3HA. Tony cooked a beautiful spaghetti bolognese for us this evening which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Declan rescues our dipole from the jaws of the horse!

We had a funny incident when, while some of us were chatting outside, we noticed a horse chewing on the rope holding our multi-band dipole. Declan EI6FR made a quick dash to rescue the antenna rope from the animal before he was able to cause any serious damage!!!

On the bands, things have been good. 30 metres CW picked up from tea time onwards, with a steady rate being worked. 17 metres CW has been phenomenal, with a constant stream of Japanese stations, along with some US and some EU being worked, even at this late stage. I was able to grab a mic and give some EIs and some Gs a chance on 40m SSB which was thoroughly enjoyable.

You can hear some audio of me working on 40m SSB at this link:

https://soundcloud.com/janek-kloss/ej7net-iota-eu-006-inishmore

Gordon GM7WCO operating on 30m CW

Above all, we have had great companionship. As the newcomer to this group, I have been made very welcome, and have enjoyed very interesting conversation about our wonderful hobby. The atmosphere here is nice and relaxed. There are ten operators in total, with three stations running, so there is no particular pressure on any one individual.

We hope to do some sightseeing tomorrow, including an ancient wedge tomb which is located not far from our QTH here. Right, good night all, from Inis Mór, Aran Islands, EU-006. Hope to work ye tomorrow!

A couple of pictures from the QTH of EJ7NET

This is our cottage on Inis Mór. It's a spectacular location.

The QTH of EJ7NET on Inis Mór, taken this afternoon.

The view from the front of the shack looking at the Atlantic.

Arrived safe and sound on Inis Mór

I have arrived safe and sound on Inis Mór for the EJ7NET IOTA activation on EU-006. The ferry sailing was interesting - a bit rough - but I got here to bright sunshine and blue sky. Just as I entered the shack, which is located in a thatched cottage on a good elevation overlooking the Atlantic, members of the team were hearing the Jan Mayen 50 Mhz beacon, JX7SIX. However, apart from one QSO with a 6m station in Ireland, we did not enjoy an E opening.

Rolf HB9DGV working 20m CW

With the CQM contest on both CW and SSB, we are having a challenge finding space on the band for a 100 watt, small antenna setup. We have had a bit of action on 17m SSB, 30m CW and 20m SSB. On 17m, we have worked Alaska. On 30m, it's been mostly EU so far.

The broadband is a bit hit and miss, but I will do my best to give regular updates. The other ops are very welcoming, and our resident chef, Tony EI3HA is already working on our evening meal. The soup and wrap on arrival were just beautiful. It is doing a few showers here, but by and large it's sunny, if a bit cool and very very windy.

Hopefully when the CQM contest is finished we will get some action on 20, 15 and 10, but there is a solar flare incoming, so we will have to see how propagation plays out.

First signals heard from EJ7NET on EU-006!!

This is the EJ7NET dxpedition on Inis Mór (IOTA EU-006) tonight on 40 metres CW. All going well, I will be joining this multi-national team tomorrow afternoon. Hope to be on the other end of the pile-ups tomorrow night!!

I am told there is mobile phone coverage plus broadband at the shack, so I would hope to update this blog regularly from the island over the next few days, with video, photos and of course words. So keep coming back folks!

Sometimes the clock is against you in ham radio

There are times when the clock is against you in ham radio. Imagine the following scenario. There is a dxpedition on a Pacific Island that you need as a new DXCC. They are there for just over a week in total. Propagation is poor and they might be using small antennas and low power. Despite seeing other Europeans spotting them on the cluster, you are unable to hear them on any band or mode. You are fast approaching the weekend, when they will be winding the station down, and all of Europe will be on, calling them, and you won't be in the shack. And, with just minutes to go before you leave the shack to go to work on Friday morning, you finally hear them for the first time . . .

That, my dear friends, is the scenario that faced me this morning. I could finally hear VK9NT on Norfolk Island, on 12 metres CW  - the first time I had heard a decent signal from them all week. Many mornings they were either QRX or unhearable. Conditions were not great all week.

Norfolk Island, from which I could finally hear VK9NT this morning.

I saw them spotted on several slots, including 20m CW, 17m SSB and 12m CW. As it happened, I could only hear them on 12m CW. They were too weak on 20m CW to make out. It was 9.05am. I would have to leave the shack for work at 9.15am. I had TEN MINUTES in which to try to work them!!

The op was relatively slow, and was working a mixture of JA stations and EU. I knew I had a challenge on my hands! I had the beam pointing the right direction, the linear was on, and the split was set at up 2. However, on listening to the op's pattern, it became clear that he or she was moving up about 500 hz at a time and then, upon getting to about 4kc up, coming back down again. I heard "5NN TU" on the split, and moved down about 500 hz. I also slowed my keying speed to match the DX speed. Within a minute or so I could hear "2KC ?" I gave the call twice. Again I could hear "2KC?" - obviously I was being QRMed. Another couple of calls with "EI2KC" and I could heard "EI2KC 5NN" and I gave something like "QSL EI2KC 5NN 5NN TU" and I was in the log . . .

I didn't have time to celebrate. I had to switch off all the equipment, get my coat, and run to the car. It was 9.15am and I needed to be at the desk in Dublin at 10am!! However, I felt I could relax a bit. DXCC #290 was in the log, and I had all but despaired of working them. VK9NT on Norfolk Island - thank you. I am off to another island tomorrow, Inis Mór (EU-006) with the EJ7NET dxpedition. I hope conditions are good for that . . . both weather conditions, and band conditions!

EJ7NET (EU-006), my first dxpedition

The hours are counting down to the start of my first ever expedition, to Inis Mór (Inishmore) on the Aran Islands, which begins this weekend. The EJ7NET team, consisting of six EI hams, two from GM and two from HB9, will be on the air for about five days from EU-006. Most of the team arrives on the island tomorrow (Friday), while I will be following on Saturday. It will be a 100 watt, small antenna operation, from the famous islands in Galway Bay. Hopefully, the weather will begin to improve some time between now and then!

Dun Aonghasa overlooking the Atlantic on Inis Mór.

The international team is organised by Declan Craig, EI6FR, who is a long established Irish DXer. We are looking forward to running some nice pile-ups, and of course I will be on hand to photograph, video and document the activation as much as possible in the coming days. So keep an eye on this blog for updates (dependent on mobile phone coverage!)

Many of you will know I have a major interest in ancient Ireland, having written two books on the subject. Having never been to the Aran Islands, I'm looking forward to visiting Dun Aonghasa, an Iron Age stone fort at the edge of the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on Inis Mór. I may take some time to sample the local beer too HI HI...

Anyway, I hope to hear you in the pile-ups. We are there until next Wednesday, 15th May. If you hear us, don't forget to spot us on the web clusters. Our Islands on the Air (IOTA) reference is EU-006.