Contest WW SSB from 3A Monaco
Saturday 25th October, during the Contest WW SSB , I have transmitted from 3A with the
call 3A/I1UWF.
It is always very difficult to find a good location in Monaco, the high mountain does
not allow good opening. A suitable place would be the roof of the Oceanographic
Museum but...
This time I have parked my car along the quay of Fontvieille harbour, beeing as much
as possible far from the mountains and opened towards East and South.
My idea was to work 10 and 15 m. for about two hours, starting time 13.00 UTC; antenna
is a MFJ whip that can reach 3,6 m. and collapsed 0.7 m.
Unfortunately in 10 m. there were no signals therefore I moved quickly to 15 m. The
first QSO has been with a brasilian station then with some friends from Sanremo.
Later on I moved to 20 m., adapting the size of the antenna to get 1/4 lambda, in this
band thee were much more stations calling "Contest".
I made QSO's mainly with european OM but I have also the satisfaction to be called from
CN3A and CN3B.
I switched to 40 m. using a home made antenna having a trimagnetic MFJ base, a mast
high 3,4 m., a coil and a rod to tune the band. I was looking for Emilio IZ1GAR; I
found him quickly giving him the point.
In this operation I gave up the classic paper log to use a new PC ASUS EEE serie
on which I have installed a copy of my electronic VRR Log.
I found very pratical this way to record my QSO's; I have had only few difficulties
at the very beginning.
I have had no problem with Monaco Authorities; after two hours of transmissions I
dismounted my antenna and put the radio into the bag, obviously under the sight of
the pedestrians.
About 40 QSO's were entered into my log.
A particular thanks to Sanremo friends who followed me through the bands.
See you on the next operation!
QSL via I1UWF
73 de Gianni I1UWF