The 2003 NECG Baltic Sea VHF/UHF expedition



QSL is okay via the bureau, if you want to send it direct please use:

Oliver Droese
Auguststr. 12
D-16303 Schwedt
GERMANY

All direct QSLs with donations of > 5 EUR or > 5 US$ will get a photo CD in return. ;-)


Completed QSOs of LY2AAM - KO06VB on 144 MHz:

Meteor Scatter (HSCW, SSB, FSK441): DF2ZC, IV3HWT, S51AT, S51MQ, DF8IK, OE6IWG, DJ5RE, S57TW, I1DMP, HA6NY, DL1SDN, IZ4AIK, HA6NQ, DL5ROB, DL5GAC, IK2DDR, S55AW, OK1UAK, YU1IO, YU1EV, IZ5EME, IK4PMB, DJ9CZ, S51WX, I5YDI/5, UT5ER, F6HVK, G4YTL, PA2DWH, PA3DZL, DH3YAK, DF1CF, S53VV, DG2KBC, I4YNO, S53J, I5WBE, I4XCC, IV3NDC, RA4AOR, DL5WG, YU7EW, UA4ALU, YU7BCL, I3LGP, YO3DMU, LZ1KJ, I8MPO, PA1GYS, DC9YC, DL4DWA, OE3MWS, DF0WD, DL6BF, DC6RN

04.06.2003: Results of LY/DH8BQA - KO16AB:

Worked about 140 QSOs on 6 m plus another 52 QSOs on 2. Just one completed MS-QSO (S57TW + NC: LZ1KJ). Called CQ for hours yesterday late evening and this morning but without a response. So bad reflections? Anyway, alot of fun during the Nordic Activity Contest ...


03.06.2003: Yes, we did it again! We had another QSO with DL9KR on the moon, this time from KO16AB where we setup everything on 6 & 2 for our sidetrip. As Jan called on the phone we just built up the 70 cm equipment again on the hilltop to give him another new grid suare. Completed in just 10 minutes - unbelievable! ;-)


02.06.2003: LY2AAM worked DL9KR on 432 MHz CW EME. Great to hear Jan upto 559 out of the noise! Just using 100 W into a 19 ele M2 on this side and completed in just over 30 minutes. Very impressive what can be done with a good operator and station on the other end. ;-)


29.05.2003: Finished in KO07UN. Results of YL1A during the 3 days of operating:

50 MHz: Worked 321 QSOs in total, ODX being PY5CC with 11320 km through an ES/TEP link, excellent job Peter. ;-)

144 MHz: Worked 75 QSOs in total, ODX on tropo being OZ5KM with 747 km, IZ5EME with 1805 km on Meteor Scatter.

432 MHz: Worked 13 QSOs in total, ODX being DL7APV with 780 km.

Meteor Scatter results:
Completed: DF2ZC, IZ4AIK, S51MQ, S57TW, DF8IK, I4XCC, YO3DMU, IZ5EME, PA2DWH, PE1HWO, HA6NY, I5WBE, HB9FAP, I1DMP, DL5GAC, DL8EBW, G4FUF, IV3HWT, DK5DQ, DF1CF, PA3BIY, DL5ROB, DL5MCG, OE6IWG, S51WX
NOT completed: S51AT, IK0BZY, DL1DUR, DH7FB, PA3DZL

Operating notes:
Enjoyed the 3 days quite a lot. We were able to use a 36 m high lighthouse for our operation. Luckily we had short yagis for all bands with us. As the space was very limited there we used only a 4ele Konni on 6 m, a 9ele F9FT on 2 m and a 19ele M2 on 70 cm. Being straight on the coastline the view was excellent in all directions. On the upper platform the antenna direction was only from South to Southwest because it was used also by GSM bases and others…. The 2 m and 70 cm shacks were right below the antennas, the 6 m shack was down in the basement. As we didn't use any rotators we had to climb 186 small stairs to become active or turn the antennas ... Some of us were just short of stopping smoking. ;-)

Sitting in T-shirt and shorts in the warm sunshine we had to pull over the winter clothes for operation. In the shack the temperature never reached the 10deg mark. After 2-3h you really had to leave the shack to warm up and recover.

Amazing to see the sun setting into the Baltic Sea from the lighthouse, as we had excellent weather in Ovisi. Also the hospitality of Lilia - the lighthouse keeper - and her husband Peter was impressive. Everything was very basic (no shower and no fresh water in the house, just from a spring, hi), but the charm of the place overcame all of these minor negatives. ;-) The empty beach was also a nice attraction and a few of us tested it for a bath even the temperatures were quite low.

Had some difficulties with the WSJT equipment and lost our 2 m preamp after 2 h of operation because of a thunderstorm. The preamp could be replaced but WSJT couldn't be fixed before leaving KO07, sorry. Anyhow we enjoyed the trip to KO07 and the short tropo duct over the Baltic Sea on 70 cm. 2 m and 6 m were not effected, but this is not unusual with sea ducting. So worked down into JO62 & 72 on the evening of May 28th giving us a better ODX on 70cm tropo than on 2 m.

A very nice surprise was the QSO with Peter, PY5CC, on 50 MHz via an ES/TEP link. Thanks for the nice cluster spot Peter, you made our day! ;-)))

We had some local HAM's visiting us and would like to thank them for their great support. A special thanks to YL3AD, YL2PA and the Latvian Amateur Radio League (LARL) who made it possible to use the YL1A call including the 6 m license. All friends overthere provided excellent support during the expedition starting with helping getting all the equipment through the customs, taking us up to Ovisi lighthouse, doing all the local arrangements and sponsoring quite some litres of well tasting Latvian beer. ;-) Very appreciated to meet them and discuss alot of topics on Amateur Radio and other subjects aswell. Very nice people overthere! Looking forward to be back some time ...


25.05.03: Activated JO64, 65, 75, 85, 95, 96 & KO06 on the ferry, made about 240 QSOs on 144 MHz as well as a dozen QSOs on 432 MHz. 6 m was dead almost all time except on Sunday afternoon when it opened up via ES into southern Europe so we could give out JO96 & KO06 in over 100 QSOs on 50 MHz.


22.05.03: Due to a failure when doing the last tests on the 70 cm equipment (PA broken) and not being able to get an alternative in time, we will not be QRV on 432 MHz EME as announced. :-( Anyway, still there with normal equipment for 70 cm tropo then ...

17.05.03: Announcement uploaded. Last preparations in progress ...


Hello fellows,

after enjoying our grid square expedition as LY2AAM and SO4TEC last year we decided to do another trip to make as many of you as possible lucky once again. ;-)

As all planning is finished, ferries are booked, Baltic friends informed, etc. it' s now time to let you know some more details.

From 25 May '03 till 6 June '03 we will be activating quite some rare water squares in the Baltic Sea as well as some of the Most Wanteds on the Baltic mainland. The group will consist of DF2EA (Ernst), DH8BQA (Olli), DL1EJA (Oliver), DL3BQA (Uwe), DL5UH (Moritz) and DL5YYM (Guenter). All are experienced contest operators and VHF freaks.

Our main interest will be operating HSCW-MS, WSJT, EME, Tropo and hopefully some Aurora and Sporadic-E on 50 through 432 MHz besides enjoying the holiday and beautiful landscape overthere.

Used callsigns will be HC/mm on the water (JO75, 85, 95, etc.), YL1A (KO07) and LY2AAM (KO06). Besides this we will try to do some side trips to KO05 and/or KO16 using LY/HC/p then.

The used equipment will consist of good power amps as well as gainy antennas so be aware that the big signal on the band is not your neighbour but rather seldom DX. ;-)))

Operating frequencies used:

50.183 MHz (all modes)

144.183 MHz (HSCW), 144.283 MHz (TROPO, ES), 144.383 MHz (WSJT)

432.183 MHz (all modes)
By now this year's expedition time table looks as follows:

24.05.03: starting from Rostock (JO64) in the evening - permission to do VHF from the ferry

25.05.03: QRV from the ferry passing JO75, 85, 95, KO06 and maybe surrounding squares as well

25.05.03: arrival in Liepaja (YL) late evening then travelling into KO07 and settle down

26.05.03: KO07 building up all equipment, hope to be QRV early noon

27.05.03: participating in 50 MHz NAC / LYAC

27.05.03 + 28.05.03: KO07 QRV all time all modes

29.05.03: travel down to KO06 in LY and set all up

30.05.03 - 04.06.03: KO06 QRV all time all modes

30.05.03 - 04.06.03: side trips to KO05 and/or KO16 planned

03.06.03: participating in 144 MHz NAC / LYAC, maybe two stations from two squares (side trips)

05.06.03: take all down and go back to Liepaja (YL) to catch the ferry (maybe QRV again for some hours from YL -KO06)

06.06.03: QRV from the ferry again passing JO95, 85, 75, etc.

07.06.03: reaching Rostock (JO64) and travelling back to JO73 to participate in the Microwave contest signing DF0TEC/P as usual.

Please do NOT send any sked requests, we will operate random only. We may be reachable on GSM phone over there. To be sure there's coverage to be reached we will spread the telephone number when over there and finally logged in to the local GSM network. If this works we might also have internet access from over there so will try to keep you informed about any news through the mailing lists, DX cluster and our website at http://www.necg.de.

Please do NOT call us on any known German GSM number from any of the crew members, thanks.

There will be one QSL route for all calls. So please send your card for ALL HC/mm, LY/HC/p, YL/HC/p, YL1A and LY2AAM to: DH8BQA, either via buro (preferred) or direct to: Olli Droese, Auguststrasse 12, D-16303 Schwedt, GERMANY.
For any further questions, donations or sponsoring (very welcome) please contact us by e-mail at: dl3bqa@necg.de

Hope to hear YOU during the expedition!

73's de DF2EA, DH8BQA, DL1EJA, DL3BQA, DL5UH, DL5YYM