DELARANEWS

Club News

Sometimes if just doesn’t work out

We just came back from a family vacation in the Cayman Islands last night. I got a call sign = ZF2FT - so I could operate while I was there! The call was easy to get because I’m licensed in the US — the hardest part was finding a way to FAX them; I didn’t want to email my passport and Credit Card number. (~$20 licensing fee) The night we got there, and I set up the Elecraft KX2 and the AX1 antenna on the VERY tiny hotel balcony on the 2nd floor, facing West. I was spotted by K1TTT, so I knew my signal was getting out. The next day, I heard about the “highest point on the island”… I rented a bike and found the tower to be a big metallic structure. No spots that day, but lots of CQs. I heard some 20m SSB traffic from FL. The following day, I took the bike out to another high spot, with little foot traffic, and lots of trees (and chickens!). I set up the small antenna and tried to turn on the radio… nothing. I was SOOO disappointed. I took two antennas, two keys, two mics (internal + external), two power supplies (AC and battery), and still had one failure… the radio itself. Oh well. Maybe next time. The ZF call is good for a year, but it might be another couple years before we head down there again. I was thoroughly impressed and felt “at home” there, and would be happy to tell anyone about our adventure. When you walk into the water, it’s like going into a fish tank. The water is amazingly clear and fish swim around you like you weren’t there. They don’t bite… not even the Stingrays. 1st pic - reading materials at the pool; wife in the background 2nd pic - KX2 + AX1; I also threw an End Fed Half Wave antenna down the tower (up 5 stories), but never got spotted. I suspect it was because it was a metallic structure; I didn’t take any pix of the next (best?!??!) location because the rig wouldn’t power up. 3rd pic - view from the observation tower in George Town, Cayman Islands. Note: if you don’t like chickens wandering around the hotel property during the day, or cats roaming around at night, fish swimming around you, or 4 inch lizards that scatter as soon as you walk by, don’t go there. Otherwise… the Cayman Islands are truly like heaven on earth. 73 DE N4HAI Tom
DELARANews

Club News

Sometimes if just doesn’t work

out

We just came back from a family vacation in the Cayman Islands last night. I got a call sign = ZF2FT - so I could operate while I was there! The call was easy to get because I’m licensed in the US — the hardest part was finding a way to FAX them; I didn’t want to email my passport and Credit Card number. (~$20 licensing fee) The night we got there, and I set up the Elecraft KX2 and the AX1 antenna on the VERY tiny hotel balcony on the 2nd floor, facing West. I was spotted by K1TTT, so I knew my signal was getting out. The next day, I heard about the “highest point on the island”… I rented a bike and found the tower to be a big metallic structure. No spots that day, but lots of CQs. I heard some 20m SSB traffic from FL. The following day, I took the bike out to another high spot, with little foot traffic, and lots of trees (and chickens!). I set up the small antenna and tried to turn on the radio… nothing. I was SOOO disappointed. I took two antennas, two keys, two mics (internal + external), two power supplies (AC and battery), and still had one failure… the radio itself. Oh well. Maybe next time. The ZF call is good for a year, but it might be another couple years before we head down there again. I was thoroughly impressed and felt “at home” there, and would be happy to tell anyone about our adventure. When you walk into the water, it’s like going into a fish tank. The water is amazingly clear and fish swim around you like you weren’t there. They don’t bite… not even the Stingrays. 1st pic - reading materials at the pool; wife in the background 2nd pic - KX2 + AX1; I also threw an End Fed Half Wave antenna down the tower (up 5 stories), but never got spotted. I suspect it was because it was a metallic structure; I didn’t take any pix of the next (best?!??!) location because the rig wouldn’t power up. 3rd pic - view from the observation tower in George Town, Cayman Islands. Note: if you don’t like chickens wandering around the hotel property during the day, or cats roaming around at night, fish swimming around you, or 4 inch lizards that scatter as soon as you walk by, don’t go there. Otherwise… the Cayman Islands are truly like heaven on earth. 73 DE N4HAI Tom

Holiday Party 2019

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