2004 'Expedition' DJ8MS

           23cm    SM/DJ8MS

                8th-16th March 2004

Activity only on 23cm : 9th&11th  JO76ia near Karlshamn

                                       13th  JO87kb Island Öland EU-037, near Sandvik

                                       15th  JO66gd near Helsingborg

used RIG :   IC706IIg + DB6NT XVTR + 2x44el SHF Design (Wimo) Yagi

                                                                + 50W (40W at the feed)

After last years activity on 2m in march with normally quite flat conditions especially via meteorscatter, I decided to be qrv this time on 23cm. Last year the 23cm rig got broken few days before going to SM, so this year was the revenge...

Few things had to be modified so an as most secure as possible usability was achieved. So I could use the IC706IIg as 2m driver, that is more comfortable in operation than the normally for GHz used FT-290RII.

Few weeks before starting the trip I announced that activity with the request for sending in the most wanted SM grids via the EU and scandinavian vhf-reflectors. Unfortunately I only got very few replies. Seemed to me there is no real need for any activity.

So the main interest for that tour was so the sauna, sightseeing and meetings some friends like SM7EYW @SK7MW, SM7EOI and SM7RRF @SK7CA , who I've never seen earlier, only knew them from vhf and up, and doing some short trips with 23cm gear to wanted hotspots.

The QSOs in the log are of course only few ones, but nevertheless there only were 2 skeds not completed, due to not hearing anything... DJ9YW JO42, while I've been in JO87kb abt. 740km! and DL4DTU JO61tb?, when I was in JO66gd  with abt. 570km.

All other fixed skeds (replies to my request) were completed even via 582km (DF5JJ JO43xo - JO87kb).

I think conditions were quite avarage, mainly in JO87 and 66 disturbed by lots of wind at the qth and snow/rain somewhere over the baltic sea or southern SM that even the radar signals were vanishing for several minutes completely.

Luckily 2 additionally QSOs were done randomly with DJ3AK and DL3YEE while being in JO66gd.

Special thanks to Toby, SM7EOI and Ronny, SM7RRF for hosting and help in JO87 !

worked locator gridsquares: green JO66gd, red JO76ia, blue JO87kb

pictures of these trip will be shown under pictures - expeditions ...

one question is still left:  where to go next ?...