This competition is the JA-DX competition, which means that only communication between Japanese and non-Japanese stations counts towards the score. Communication between non-Japanese stations or between Japanese stations does not count.
This gives friendly Taiwanese media a significant advantage, as they can easily gain access to information and resources.
This competition continues to use a 10m band 3-element Yagi antenna, operated by @bg7xwf Assemble a pre-made Yagi antenna (Yagi-Uda antenna) + a 7.3m mast for installation.
Thank you @BI1QOC He lent me his Yagi antenna for two matches.
The equipment uses an IC-7300, and the participating group is 28L (single operator, 28 MHz, single band, low power), using a 100W power output.
Day 1
On the first day of the competition, I encountered QBG. The coaxial cable connecting my Yagi antenna to the feedline amplifier suddenly broke during connection (it reminded me of the inexplicable double SWR I experienced during the CQWW SSB contest – it turns out that's what happened).
Fortunately, someone was conducting EME tests on-site at the time. @BI1NIZ @BI1NLM Two colleagues discovered that the connecting wire was broken. There were no soldering irons available on site, so they immediately called for assistance. @BI1QXR Bring a soldering iron and other equipment to help me out.
@BI1NLM Please help me with soldering the BNC connector cable, but it's too short. I can only connect it in a reversed position. Also, to avoid pulling on the coaxial cable during the connection, I need to find a way to... @BI1NIZ Two adjustable straps were used to secure the feeder lines, and then they were mounted in place.
At this time, as I was nearing the end of my 10-meter band window, after making 27 urgent QSOs, I didn't receive any further replies. I had to pack up and go home.
It's undeniable that Master Liao's antennas often had issues during competitions, and the Pigeon Antenna Workshop needs to improve their craftsmanship.
The reason for the broken connection line after the incident was that during the previous installation, the feeder cable was not fixed, causing its own weight to constantly pull and strain the balancing cable. This was further exacerbated by wind resistance, leading to the disconnection of the connection line.
Therefore, I would like to remind everyone to use @bg7xwf My friend's fast-built Yagi antenna
- The balen must have a secure connection with the main beam.
- After connecting the feeder cable to the balun, it is necessary to leave a section for stress release. Additionally, use straps and the main beam to secure the feeder cable at its downward-running position to prevent it from pulling on the balun.
Based on my previous experience, I would like to add the following advice: Before transporting a Yagi antenna, make sure to tighten the retaining straps on the boom. Otherwise, they may be lost due to transportation issues, causing the boom to become unstable.
The next day
Because I didn't perform well in the first day's competition, I got up at 5 a.m. on the second day and arrived at the venue around 6 a.m. to start setting up my equipment.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Halfway through the setup, it started to rain suddenly, and without a tent, we could only use umbrellas to protect the equipment from getting wet.As for people, there's really nothing else we can do but to endure it.Fortunately, I was wearing a waterproof and fleece-lined jacket, which prevented me from getting cold and developing a fever. After checking the weather forecast, I found that it had only rained for 10 minutes, so I managed to set up the main support of the Yagi antenna in the rain.
After the rain stopped, I wiped down the table and continued setting up all the equipment. By approximately 7:10 PM, we had finished setting everything up, so there wasn't time to eat or drink. Immediately, we started frantically trying to connect, but it was really cold due to the wind after the rain.
The signal strength reached around 1140, and the sun began to appear, resulting in clear skies. People then started to fall asleep uncontrollably, forcing them to stop and eat while also taking random walks and photographing their antennas and other equipment.
This reminds me that if I wake up early for the next game...Make sure to prepare the coffee.Otherwise, relying solely on willpower will not be effective and can also negatively impact operational status.
I continued to maintain communication until around 3 PM, and there were very few remaining devices. I also used the water group in CQ during breaks to take some pictures of the equipment.
Also, please ask the older gentleman next to me to take a picture for me.
I also took a long-distance photo for my friend's station, BG1JT, nearby.
Subsequently, the CQ station continued to waste power, and the QSO rate gradually increased until around 1615, at which point the small station switched frequencies, thus ending the competition.
I took a photo with my device at the end.
Finally, I also communicated with BG1JT and @BI1FRN Heading home
Final score
Acknowledgments
Thank you for participating in this competition. @BI1QOC Provided by @bg7xwf The 3-element Yagi antenna I built for the 10m band has good performance, but it feels a bit rough. I hope that Mr. Liao will continue to improve and provide better products.
Thank you @BI1NLM @BI1NIZ @BI1QXR Three friends saved me from the brink of disaster with QBG.
Thank you to BG1JT and @BI1FRN Please help me pack up; it would take me a full hour to pack and unpack everything myself.
Summary
The following lessons were learned from this competition:
- Make sure all systems, including power supply and others, are properly checked and functioning before the competition.
- The coaxial cable of a Yagi antenna should not be hung directly, as this can easily damage the boom.
- Make sure to bring appropriate rain gear.
- Make sure to bring plenty of coffee, water, and food.
- If you haven't found anyone after about 3-4 minutes, immediately switch to sweeping the CQ band. Also, stay away from the CQ band (because it's likely that nearby frequencies have already been used), and if you don't find any new stations after re-scanning, return to the CQ frequency to set up your station.
- When I got home, I brought a bug with me. Also, be sure to zip up the bag properly when using the carrier, and keep all storage bags out of sight.
- Logistics are very important; a serious competition needs both professional logistics (antenna repair) and non-professional logistics (food, drink, and sanitation).
- If you feel drowsy, stop immediately to avoid a significant drop in communication quality.
- I discovered that JIDX logs were not being sent as email notifications via Gmail. Fortunately, I had a second email address, and it's important to have a backup email address.
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