Others Operators (the mix)
2007 1A0KM Operation (part 7)
Sometimes, between the DXexpeditioners, digital modes are not very popular. This lack of popularity, in my opinion, is because when we use either rtty or psk, we loose the added value of adaptive capabilities of our brain. The demonstration of my theory has been had yesterday, monday.
The operations in rtty are begun Sunday and in approximately five hours of activity I have putt almost 400 Qs on the log. Yesterday, monday, the situation has been dramatic. The propagation gave only very weak signals. Sufficient to be listen, but insufficient to be decoded in a huge pileup. In fact after a hundred of qso in rtty it has been necessary to move in psk31 where, with a extreme difficulty has been possible to make some other qso more (above the rtty desk with the superb USB Signalink).
2007 1A0KM Operation (part 6)
The EME location in the roman sunset
The nigth is arrived and is a good opportunity to take a "souvenir" picture
2007 1A0KM Operation (part 5)
2007 1A0KM Operation (part 4)
2007 1A0KM Operation (part 3)
2007 1A0KM Operation (part 2)
This is part of the rest of crew that is operating from 1A0KM site.
Roberto IK0PRG is an excellent CW operator and is the person in charge to maintain logs and computers. The small one is for the 50 Mhz activity since the Sergio's location is not very wide.
This is Joe KO4RR, well know DX operator is in 1A0KM crew with his wif Vicky N4WV
The guy on the picture is Max I8NHJ and is one of the most famous italian DX expeditioner. For Max the 1A0KM is a return because it had already been to the SMOM during the operations of 1994. Max is an excellent operator, both phone and CW, but, above all, he is a great friend
I8NHJ reverse angle. On the desk you can see the Expert 1K-FA all solid state amplifier produced by a roman company called SPE, owned by an amateur radio I0ZY. The 1K-FA is the most technologically advanced amateur radio solid state amplifier. Another post will be fully devoted to this equipement that also sponsor and support the 1A0KM 2007 activity.
Marco IK0DWN
2007 1A0KM Operation (part 1)
Finally the 12th of July the 1A0KM 2007 operations begun.
At 7 o’clock the appointment is in front of the hotel where KO4RR Joe, its wife Vicky N4WV and Alan K5AB are located.
Marco IK0DWN and Roberto IK0PRG waiting in front of the Villa with Gianfranco, the historical caretaker.
The location that the SMOM has assigned to us is an small but very comfortable apartment with bathroom and kitchen facility at the ground floor in the guesthouse. Place for antennas is on the guesthouse roof and for the first time no antennas will be installed in the garden side.
At 9, after the first antenna’s complete setup, IK0FVC Francesco starts with the operations. You can find enclosed some pictures of the operational site. At the moment to post this message, approximately 4000 qso are already in the log.
73 to all de Luciano I0JBL
R8 and Spiderbeam installed on the guesthouse roof
The 6 mt and VHF operational site
IK0FTA in the 6 mt and VHF mobile shack
The VHF and 6 mt operational site courtesy of LABORATORIO TEVERE (www.laboratoriotevere.com) that support 1A0KM 2007 operation
My first time in 1A0KM as a team member
In 1991, from April the 25th to May the 1st, 1A0KM was again on the air and, for the first time, I was invited as a team member. Other member were Tony (I0IJ), Meo (I0ER), Alberto (I0XGR), Ugo (I0CUT) and Fabrizio (I0HCJ). Two Japanese OM took part to the operations as guest operators: Sat (JH1LPF), at the time one of the top managers of Honda Motors Italy, and Taka (JA7MYQ) in charge of RTTY and digital modes.
As far as I remember, this was the first time 1A0KM was activated on 50 MHz, (by Ugo e Alberto) and for the first time, off line, we had electronic QSO logging on my old Apple IIc.
I still remember my attempts to work RTTY from the Taka’s terminal written in Japanese! It was crazy and funny on the mean time.
JA7MYQ operating CW and RTTY from the Villa shack
JH1LPF at the paddle. In the background I0HCJ (seated) and I0IJ
Me (I0JBL) proudly showing Taka’s present, a Japanese fan
This picture is not related to the 1A0KM operation but it was taken by Taka, JA7MYQ, visiting my QTH. It is the only picture that I have of that location. At the time I was the only amateur radio station, down town, with two 60’ towers topped with TH6DXX and 3el. KLM for 40 mt. No bad for a city lot.
1990 1A0KM from Dayton's flea market by I0JBL
For many year the activity days from 1A0KM was unpredictable and for some strange coincidences Tony I0IJ received the authorization to go to the Villa Magistrale in the same time of the Dayton Hamvention. This happened two or three times and I remember that some american Om complains about that.
In the 1990 I was for the first time in the Dayton Hamvention guest of a very close friend of mine, Bob Shelton N2EDF, which I have met in Rome after his DXpedition in Navassa in 1989.
At that time Bob was owner of a huge Jeep and a TS140S and vertical antenna was installed on it. You can't image my feeling the first time that I come to Dayton. Now is different. With Internet pictures, qsl, equipements, antennas, everythings is everywhere. It was not the same in 1990. I was subscriber and reader of the main Ham Magazine (QST, CQ Hamateur Radio) but United States for most of us was a real new world (speking about ham radio).
I went to the car to deposit some stuff purchased in the flea market and I switched on the 140. Suddendly, in 15 mt, I copied a strong signal at 21.295 and the voice of Tony I0IJ thats running the pileup. Few calls with few watts in a mobile device and Tony was able to pick-up my callsign. He stooped the pileup and asked where I was located. It was a great experience. Very exciting.
Marco IK0DWN was a memeber of that Expedition. Hope he remember that story since he wrote an article about 1A0KM in CQ Amateur Radio.
