For the Perseids I chose to go to JP40SF this year, which is very close (only 1,5 h by car) to my home QTH. The location was well suited for VHF, as the horison was almost flat from 30-270 degrees. In fact, the terrain was sloping down rather steeply. We were at about 900 m asl in the midst of the Norefjell downhill skiing facility. Our shack was established in the operators cottage of a skilift. Never had a better panoramic view while sitting in front of the radio... Given these premises I was very happy to be accompanied by Ulli, DL3YEL, who is an excellent MS-operator. Both of us got enough sleep and our signal was on-air almost around the clock. Here is what we spent our time on, using the callsign LA0BY/p: 2001-08-10 1235 F5SJP JN13VP 59 59 1b C r SSB *1 1345-1415 DK5WO JO30AS 37 26 15b 10p 10s C 1425-1437 PA5DD JO22IC 27 27 10b 5p 3s C r 1437-1500 PE1HWO JO21GV 37 26 20b 20s C r 1500-1517 PA3BIY JO22EB 38 27 13b 3s C r 1525-1540 DJ3HW JO42LH 27 38 6b 5p 3s C r 1540-1555 F6FHP IN94TR 27 27 6b 3p 4s C r 1555-1610 G0RUZ IO93FR 28 49 mni b+p C r 1800-1830 RU3ACE KO95KG NIL 1925-2000 LA5TFA KP09JQ 27 27 12b 12p 2s C 2000-2100 RW3PF KO93CD 27 27 12b 6p 1s C 2115-2130 9A1CAL JN86EL 27 27 9b 3s C r 2145-2155 DL4MEA JN58JD 38 38 C r 2200-2247 DL1EAP JO31HL 27 27 C r 2255-2315 DL1EJA JO31DS 27 26 11b 10p C r 2320-2335 OK1FID JO80CH 28 37 6b 5p 22s C r 2001-08-11 0000-0035 S51AT JN75GW 26 26 3b 9p 7s C 1155-0125 HA1BC JN87PU 27 28 10b C r 0135-0200 HA6NY JN98WC 27 27 mni b+p C r 0225-0240 DL3HRT JO61AB 27 38 10b C r 0300-0327 IW2DVK JN45MQ 37 27 6b 13p C 0325-0335 HA5OV JN97NJ 28 38 mni b+p C r 0400-0420 DG3GAG JN48NB 27 38 7b 4p 2s C r 0420-0430 S57TW JN75EX 38 27 mni b+p 10s C r 0435-0455 DL0UL JN48 27 37 mni b+p C r 0500-0522 OE6IWG JN77PK 27 37 12b 6p 1s C 0530-0550 HA6NQ JN98WA 27 37 18b 15s C r 0555-0610 S57MSU JN76EF 27 26 10b 3p 12s C r 0620-0645 DL3JAN JO60KT 27 27 7b 10p 3s C r 0650-0715 DF1IAZ JN49LD 48 28 4b 11p 25s C r 0740-0806 ON1ALJ JN10SS 48 39 9b 18p 30s C r 0810-0830 DF8IK JO30JT 27 27 9b 4p 6s C r 0830-0845 G4AEP IO91NJ 39 27 mni b+p 30s C r 0850-0910 ON4AVJ JO11UB 27 26 mni b+p 40s C r 0935-0950 F6EAS IN98LV 38 28 6b 5p 12s C r 0950-1000 DF7KF JO30GU 39 37 1b NC r SSB 1000-1003 EI4VWY IO54UB 39 26 1b C SSB 1025-1040 F6CRP IN96KE 38 27 mni b+p 12s C r 1600-1630 RK3AF KO75WO 47 28 11b 9p 25s C 1700-1730 RA1ZC/p KP58FG 26 28 27b 36p 17s C 1800-1900 RX3QFM KO91FM 26 27 6b 4p 7s C 2024km 1900-1957 RW3TU LO25BR 26 37 6b 8p 6s C 2073km 2000-2035 RA3DQT KO95HI 26 38 7b 6p 4s C 2100-2135 UT5ER KN78ER 37 26 9b 20p 8s C 2031km 2200-2300 IC8FAX JP70CN 26 8p NC 2210km 2315-2327 OK1UAK JO70MB 26 27 7b 15p 1s C r 2340-2400 9A4EW JN95JG 26 38 7b 9p 2s C r 2001-08-12 0000-0102 IK0BZY JN61GW 26 27 8b 8p NC 2044km 0102-0130 EA6VQ JM19MP NIL 2333km *2 0135-0152 DH5FS JO61UA 28 39 7b 4p 20s C r 0200-0240 I8MPO JN70FP NIL SSB 0214-0220 9A4FW JN95JG 28 27 5b 10s C r SSB 0244-0300 OK2BZQ 28 27 NC r SSB *3 0300-0338 IV3HWT JN65ST 28 27 mni b+p C SSB 0400-0423 IW2HAJ JN45NO 28 27 mni b+p C SSB *4 0405 DL0GER JN49CC 59 59 1b C r SSB 0424-0437 F5JNX JN37PV 27 27 mni b+p C SSB 0437-0454 DG3NDN JN59 27 NC r SSB 0500-0530 T94KU JN94IM NIL SSB 0515 DG3NDN JN59 27 37 1b C r SSB 0516 DL2ARD JO60AR 39 37 1b C r SSB 0531-0538 HA5KDQ JN97SN 37 27 mni b+p C r SSB *5 0541 OK2BVE JN99 38 38 1b C r SSB *5 0547-0555 DL8EBW JO31NF 38 37 6b 15s C r SSB 0600-0605 DH3YAK JO31 37 27 5b C r SSB 0610-0621 G8VHI IO92FM 39 39 5b 12s C r SSB 0626 I5YDI JN54BB 38 27 1b C r SSB 0631-0647 PE1GNP JO31IX 37 37 3b C r SSB 0648-0710 G0XDI IO91RP 38 39 mni b+p C? r SSB 0705-0713 F6HVK JN27LH 38 27 1b NC r SSB *3 0715 F5HRY JN18EQ 38 27 1b C r SSB 0715 DK5YA JN49NX 39 27 1b C r SSB 0715 DF2ZC JO30RN 39 27 1b C r SSB 0716 HB9DFG JN37SM 39 39 1b C r SSB 0716 DH1AD JO30WH 37 37 1b C r SSB 0723 DL5ROB JN68HG 39 38 1b C r SSB 0723 DH0GHU JN38VN 37 37 1b C r SSB 0726-0735 OM3LQ JN88 37 NC r SSB 0733-0750 ON4KHG/p JO10XO 37 37 mni b+p C r SSB 0752-0756 G0XDI IO91RP 28 39 mni b+p C r SSB 0800-0806 ON1IM JN11UB 39 39 mni b+p C r SSB 0814-0830 DG5CST JO60DS 37 27 3b NC r SSB 0842-0845 I3LGP JN55WJ 27 27 C r SSB 0844 F4AZF JN38IW 47 37 1b C r SSB 0846 ON4PS JO20KQ 49 1b NC r SSB 0851 HB9FAP JN46EW 39 39 1b C r SSB 0851 DG2KBC JN58MI 38 27 1b NC r SSB 0851 I3FGX JN55VI 39 39 1b C r SSB 0857 DL4DTU JO60TS 37 37 1b C r SSB 0855-0859 F1FIH JN23GS 37 27 2b C r SSB 0855-0859 ON4PS JO20KQ 49 37 2b C r SSB 0859-0901 DG5CST JO60DS 37 38 3b C r SSB 0905 9A2RD JN65TF 37 37 1b C r SSB 0906 DK9ZY JO40BE 37 37 1b C r SSB 0906 DL3IAE JN49DE 39 39 1b C r SSB 0906 DL5GAC JN47SS 39 39 1b C r SSB 0908 DL2IAN JN49BC 39 39 1b C r SSB 0911-0921 G7RAU IO90IR 37 29 C r SSB 0922-0925 F4ARU IN94VT 39 29 C r SSB 0926-0939 GW4HBK IO81KP 27 28 C r SSB 0940-0944 G4RRA IO91OF 39 39 C r SSB 0953-1010 GW7SMV IO81LN 37 27 NC r SSB 1000-1003 G4LOH IO94IA 37 37 C r SSB 1014 DL1SDN JN48PP 37 27 1b C r SSB 1014-1022 S51MQ JN75NT 37 27 C r SSB 1025 S57EA JN76HE 37 27 1b C r SSB 1029 DJ3MY JN58QD 39 28 1b C r SSB 1029 DG9MAQ JN58LJ 39 NC r SSB 1030 S51WX JN75OS 37 37 1b C r SSB 1046 S55AW JN75DS 47 27 1b C r SSB 1054 DK5TE JN47NX 27 29 1b C r SSB 1056-1110 HB9BQU JN37VD 37 NC r SSB *6 1110 DJ5RE JN59WK 39 37 1b C r SSB 1114-1122 DD3SP JO72EN 37 NC r SSB 1122 DF1CF JN57FP 38 37 1b C r SSB 1124 DL4ABJ JO42XP 39 37 1b C r SSB 1124 DK0PX JN48JC 37 37 1b C r SSB 1126 DG2GDL JN38WN 36 26 2b C r SSB 1127 DG9MAQ JN58LJ 39 39 1b C r SSB 1128 IW2BNA JN45ON 38 38 1b C r SSB 1128 I4XCC JN63GV 39 38 1b C r SSB 1128 IZ4AIK JN63HV 37 37 1b C r SSB 1135 DL8GV JN48GI 39 39 1b C r SSB 1136-1143 DL5YET JO41EV 28 27 2b C r SSB 1143 DK3EE JO41GV 38 38 1b NC r SSB 1144 DL1EAP JO31HL 39 39 1b C r SSB 1144 DL8UCC JO71EO 36 39 1b C r SSB 1159-1209 DL5MEL 38 38 NC r SSB 1208-1220 DK8EL JO31LJ 37 39 C r SSB 1223 DL5WG JO52VK 37 NC r SSB 1226 DD3SP JO72EN 37 37 1b C r SSB 1229 DL1KDA JO30FQ 37 27 1b C r SSB 1230-1236 F1AKK JN39CC 38 39 C r SSB 1235 ON1AEN JO10UV 38 37 1b C r SSB 1236 DF7KF JO30GU 39 39 1b C r SSB 1236 DL6YCY JO41CU 39 39 1b C r SSB 1236-1248 DK1CM JO40LG 38 39 C r SSB 1252 PE1AHX JO21OS 39 39 1b C r SSB 1253 GW7SMV IO81LN 39 27 1b C r SSB 1312 GW8JLY IO81JM 27 37 1b C r SSB 1341 DG2JO JO31 39 39 1b C r SSB 1342 DK3EE JO41GV 39 39 1b C r SSB 1356 F9IE IN86WW 39 39 1b C r SSB 1400-1434 ON4LDP JO10UM 27 27 mni b+p C r SSB 1411 9A1CCY JN85OO 27 27 1b C r SSB 1435 F1AKK JN39CC 59 59 1b C r SSB 1439 F4AZF JN38IW 37 37 1b C r SSB 1443 DL1EAP JO31HL 37 37 1b C r SSB 1445-1455 DL6YEH JO32VA 39 37 NC r SSB 1501 SP3VSC JO92DF 39 37 1b NC r SSB 1502 9A7W JN85JO 39 37 1b C r SSB 1502 DL5MAE JN58VF 39 37 1b C r SSB 1503 9A1CCB JN85JO 39 39 1b C r SSB 1510 OK1FFD JO60FD 38 27 1b C r SSB 1515 LA5TFA KP09JQ 39 27 1b C r SSB *7 1519 DB8DT 37 38 NC r SSB 2010-2025 RX1AS KO59FX 27 37 13b 3s C r 2030-2050 RZ1AWR KO59DX 27 27 11b 5p 3s C r 2245-2307 G4EZP JO01GN 28 28 12b 18p 15s C r 2344 9A2AE JN86HF 37 38 1b C r SSB *5 2001-08-13 0000-0100 RA3IS KO76WT NIL 0100-0200 IZ1BPN JN35WG NIL 0145-0210 IV3NDC JN65 47 27 12b 24p 35s C r 0430-0507 LZ2FO KN13KX 27 27 14b 3p 6s C r 2015km *8 0540-0635 LZ2KZ KN33FC 47 15b 3p 30s NC r 2219km *8 0645-0707 OK1KRY JN69TR 26 27 mni b+p NC *8 0707-0725 F5LRL JN26MV 27 27 mni b+p 2s C 0758-0810 F1DUZ IN97NJ 38 38 mni b+p 6s C 0813-0825 F/DL1GI JN28IN 37 26 6b 8s C 0825-0855 OK1MAC JN79IO 27 27 mni b+p 3s C r 0855-0910 DK2BJ JO30 37 48 mni b+p 10s C 0920-0953 F6HVK JN27LH 38 mni b+p NC r *9 1000-1030 RA3DQ KO85US NIL (*1) To my great surprise we were called by F5SJP when tuning the PA on 144,300 MHz. My first thought was Es, so we passed locators, but it was MS. Were not quite established yet and had to rush for a pen, and perhaps missed another station by that. At least everybody knew we were QRV, hi. (*2) Gabriel heard a 30s burst from us. Had we tried SSB, a QSO could have been possible. One day we will make it ... (*3) Did not transmit our call. How can a QSO be completed according to the rules? (*4) He transmitted RRRR too early and the report far too often. We had to request calls. (*5) Frequency around 144,200 MHz (*6) We are very sorry but we did not catch our report. (*7) Must have been either backscatter or via backlobe of antenna, as we were beaming South. Rather long distance for backscatter. (*8) Frequency 144,100 MHz, as there was no response on 144,155 MHz for a long time. (*9) Andre was producing loads of reflections and calling us non-stop for 10 minutes, but only transmitting his callsign. We did not know when and how to respond. We tried both shifting period and also SSB. Andre, please make yourself familiar with the basic MS-operating procedures or refrain from calling us again. Our equipment was an IC821H, PA 2 x 4CX250B (1 kW), MGF 1302 preamp and 2 x 9-ele-yagi antenna. For CW we were using audio keying at 1500 lpm and a DTR. No computers on site and no access to DX-Cluster (and no distress from it), just plain radio. Working random SSB during the peak was again great fun! We were called by soooo many stations, the pile-ups were unbelievable. DF2ZC managed to record the longest burst of our activity starting at 0715 UTC on 12 August, during which we worked 5 stations. Running higher power obviously biased the attention. Naturally, it was sometimes very hard picking out any callsign. Some comments on our operating practice: In such conditions we usually go for the station were we have most details. We also try to pick the best DX, but that might be difficult. We feel it is not helpful to transmit only your callsign. We want both, and the report. Requesting details takes just too much time. Transmitting only your call makes in my opinion sense only in case of very weak and short reflections in CW. A few randon SSB contacts were not complete due to missing details. If you are not 100% sure if the QSO was complete, please stay on the frequency or (better) continue calling in the correct period. When a contact was almost complete, we often continued with a particular station for 10-20 minutes. But we were comfortable with being called by others when breaking in good reflections, even if things sometimes got a bit messy by this. What we were not satisfied with was the number of contacts on 13 August. Reflections were excellent at least after 04 UT, but the activity was low. We were calling CQ for ages on both 144,155 and 144,100 MHz. This is the usual problem with the Perseids when everybody seems exhausted after the peak. Another time we should perhaps arrange more skeds for that day. We heard also YO2LEA, YU7MS and YU7KB on 144,200 MHz. Did not work any stations from SP, YU, YO, LY, OM this time. Perhaps JP40 was not attractive for them, or was there a lack of information on our activity? Worked quite many stn from Russia. The QSO statistics are as follows (sked/random): CW 16/37, SSB 4/85, total 142 complete QSO. Besides MS we made a number of contacts on Tropo and Aurora. It seems our Tropo horison was at 700-800 km. That is how I prefer it to be also for MS. We even heard OH8K via Aurora when they were beaming to PA. Never heard a station that far North via Aurora. The shower peak was not very distinctive. Reflections were best between 07-12 UTC on 12 August. Despite our result, I believe the shower was not particularly good. The maximum was perhaps a little too late in the day. All in all, it was a most enjoyable activity from our side, resulting in a new personal QSO record. Thanks to everybody who called us! Special thanks also to Mr. Bjorn Viker, the Managing Director of the Norefjell Skisenter, and his staff. They were most cooperative and granted willingly access to their facilities and even provided transport on a 4WD up and down the hill. He would be happy to support amateur radio activities again, and during the winter it is excellent skiing up there (http://www2.skiinfo.no/norefjell/). CU from somewhere else during Perseids next year!
©
Stefan Heck, last updated August 2001.