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
(Click picture for larger view)