[Meteor-Scatter] LX - EME DX-pedition by PI9CM group

[Chris Ploeger]

Hello to all,

We have just returned from Luxemburg with all our EME equipment.
On Nov. 9 we made the first EME QSO on 2 mtr. and Sunday, Nov. 12 at
0947 we made the last....
It was a nice trip and the first time we tried to be QRV on two bands: 2
mtr. and 70cm.
The use of text messages with jt65 was a good experience. The NO use of
shorthand messages gave a pleasure back in EME operating. 
For upcoming expeditions we will use the text messages QSO procedure
again. 

Our QTH was in the North part of Luxemburg, JO30BC about 500 mtr. asl. 
Our shack was build in a big truck of 16 mtr. long with enough space to
eat, sleep and running the two stations at the same time.
The AC power was provided by the camping place as well as from a 12KVA
generator we took with us in the truck...
Also one of the two antenna towers was mounted on the truck.
During the whole trip we where kept alive by Monique, the XYL of PA2CHR;
she did all the cooking and we had a very good time.

Pictures of this short DX-pedition can be found on our website:
http://members.chello.nl/j.swienink1/expeditions/lx/index.html
Pse let us know if you like 'big-format' pictures for publishing. 


144 MHz:
In total we worked 75 initials using the two call's:  LX/PA3FPQ  and
LX/PA2CHR during the whole trip.
Not as much as we hoped for..  Low activity, bad conditions,.   ??
In the contest LX/PA3FPQ worked the first pass: 30 QSO's / 21
multipliers and LX/PA2CHR in second pass: 26 QSO's / 19 multipliers.
Only ONE station ( IK3MAC ) in CW. We did tune from time to time with
our second receiver below 144.100 but..noise, lots of noise only and
also on the JT65-QRG: 144.110  no CW station was heard.
We where not able to work Jimmy, SV1BTR when he called CQ on .050
Our new DX-pedition antenna's worked very fine, good signals sometimes.

LX/PE1BTX made about 30 QSO's via Meteor scatter and we had a few Tropo
openings to Italy.

The station was: TS850 with TR144 transverter by Kuhne, PA with 3CX800 ,
pre-amp: MGF1801 and our new expedition antenna's: 4 x 8el. (DK7ZB)
X-pol: 18 dBd. 

432 MHz:      
Jurgen, LX/PE1LWT spent many, many hours on 70 cm. and made 13  QSO's
during the contest.
Activity was also very low,  we heard some CW- signals, but too weak to
copy.
Very nice to work VK3UM !
Had a few replies in CW on our JT65 freq , but very hard to change quick
from one mode to the other. Together with the same sequence on 144 (1
min) it wasn't easy to copy signals in CW for Jurgen. After 1minute
collecting letters from callsign's the noise floor pumped up because of
the 3rd harmonic. We have to solve this issue for next expedition.

The station was: TS850 with LT70 transverter, PA with GS35, pre-amp: lna
tech and 4 x 26el. DJ9BV antenna's

QSL's can be handled via our homecall's.

Hope to see you all during our next trip.
Best 73's, the PI9CM  DX-group:

Johan, PA3FPQ;  Jurgen, PE1LWT;  Gerard, PE1BTX;   Chris, PA2CHR and XYL
Monique