- [NEWS UPDATE] –
Team member Ranko, 4O3A reports that the 3B8M in-band station was completed and ready today. Unfortunately, a strong cyclone has been announced for next week, which could put the team in a very hard situation, says Ranko. They hope bit of good luck. Look for various 3B8/homecalls before the contest.
Antenna assembly (credit: 4O3A)
Ranko, 4O3A
- [NOVEMBER 12] –
3B8M will again be active M/M in CQWWCW 2024. Team in 2024 will include G0CKV (3B8HA), KX7M, 4O3A, 3B8GL, E70A, SM0CXU, YL3JA, YL2KL, YT1HA, YT7KM, YU6DX & YU9DX.
2024 advance team arriving MRU airport (Nov 13).
This is a field-day style operation. All antennas and stations have to be erected and assembled and then taken down in a few days around the contest weekend. Antennas at 3B8M are all vertical wires on Spiderbeam poles and next to the Indian Ocean with an unobstructed take-off in most directions. On 160 a toploaded vertical (umbrella) is used, on 80 an inverted-L and on 40 a vertical dipole. The 40m antenna is out in the lagoon on a rock. For 20, 15 and 10 VDAs are used and also omni vertical dipoles. Our VDAs are typically 2-element vertical dipole arrays (vertical yagis). In 2023 we also played with pairs of ‘stacked’ VDAs. We used stackmatch and control boxes from Jan at qro.cz . This allowed the operators on 20, 15 and 10 to select VDA 1, VDA 2, both VDAs or the omni vertical dipole. In 2024 we might add aluminium vertical yagis to the mix.
Noise is high on the LF bands in the tropics. Our location has low noise locally but propagated noise level is high when the bands are open. We have little space for receive antennas but as an experiment we have built a K9AY which we hope to put some 50m out on a rock in the lagoon. A receive triplexer makes the K9AY usable on 160-80-40. The K9AY setup also uses hardware from qro.cz .
In 2024 we will use a mix of K3, FTdx10 and Flex radios with SPE, Juma and PGXL amplifiers running 800W and will try some inband QSOs too.
[Header picture of 3B8M team holding DX-World flag is from 2022]
Hello, om
Thank you very much for your wonderful DX-Pedition operation.
In accordance with the Korean Radio Law Act, the 160/80m band is out of the FT8 international public designated frequency, 1840/3573 or 3567KHz. Probably Thailand (HS) and some Asian countries know as well.
Korea can only operate at 160m (1800~1825KHz) and 80m (3500~3550LKHz).
When QSO in FT8 Mode, Korea always does QRV on 160m – 1810KHz and 80m – 3547KHz. Also, 1810 / 3547KHz simplex QSO is possible. Please be sure to remember.
If necessary during operation, split 1840 (T33T -TX ) / 1810KHz (HL -TX – ODD Time) , 3567 or 3573 (T33T – TX) / 3547KHz (HL -TX – ODD Time)
I hope Korean HAMs (HL) will be given the opportunity on 160/80 meter QSO.
For reference, I ask that other DX-Petitions also recognize the situation in Korea’s 160/80 meter band and reflect the frequency operation.
Stay healthy and look forward to seeing you on air often.
Kyu, HL2WA