[Elecraft] K3 at VP8ORK

[Jim Brown]

On 1/31/2011 3:30 PM, ab2tc wrote:
> I did notice that, but as a whole this expedition so far has been a
> disappointment with barely a pip heard here.  The pictures shows just one
> vertical antenna up on the rocks, not an ideal arrangement even if they have
> lots of radials. Is that all they have?

Have you ever been on a DX trip to a difficult location?  Take a look at 
a map -- the South Orkney Islands are not easy (or cheap) to get to. 
These are top-flight operators and engineers, most with considerable 
experience on trips.  For whatever reason, they are traveling light. 
Several good reasons include the cost of petrol and generators big 
enough to run several rigs and power amps. Another is the cost of 
dragging stuff there, and what boats you can get to take you there.

Here's a simple equation -- a 500W amp makes them one S-unit stronger, 
but it increases the volume of gasoline used by a factor of 5.  A kW amp 
increases it by 10.  If you can use half as much gas, you can stay 
longer before you run out.

> I see they do run some power so that
> should not be the problem. Propagation has been disappointing the last
> couple of weeks.

YMMV.  When they first came on the air, NI6T told me they were on 30M, 
not loud but workable. I fired up the rig, noted them spotted on 40 CW, 
heard them very well, and worked them within a few minutes. Then I 
headed up to 30M, where they were busily running a pile to EU and NA. I 
didn't raise them, but I sure could hear them.

73, Jim K9YC