TX5C, what a story with happy end !!!!!!!!

14.03.2008

Hi all,
I'haven't very kind on my blog this week, because I was chasing as MANY of us TX5C, so all my spare time was dedicated to try to pull them out of my noise...
To make a short story, I was introduced to ham radio by my dad, F5CKM, who became SK last June. That was during an Clipperton expedition (I believe FO0AAA) which he couldn't make the QSO. Contacting Clipperton became rapidely one of my main goal in ham radio, and with this expedition from this RARE DXCC, that was the opportunity.

Last WE : First surprise, the TX5C was on the air only on Sunday (they were expected on Saturday). No pb, I was there, and could listen to them up to S3 on 20m beginning of the afternoon (at around 14:00z). But the operator was only working NA, with all the BIG BIG european guns calling. Needless to say it was wortheless to try with my hexbeam and 100W.
Monday morning on 40m...Well, I succeeded in tuning the hexbeam with the internal tuner (see previous posts) and could hear them up to S5 at around 08:00z...time at which I'm supposed to be at the office :-)
Tuesday, same story as Monday, keeping an eye on the cluster at the office to catch how/where and when they operate.
Wednesday : I was sick, influenza, temperature > 39.5°C...All day in bed, no comment.
Thursday, I felt better, but still without TX5C in the log. Lotsof ad things have been said on the cluster, not very encouraging.
On-line stats show that only 5% of all QSO were for EU....tough!
With a few aluminium tubes, I quickly homebrew a 1/4 wave elevated vertical on 40m, band where I suppose I would have my best chance to go through...First rumors say TX5C would end ealier (after starting later), closing down the station on Saturday. Only 2 days left...First test with 1 elevated radial show good results compared to the tuned hexbeam, roughly 3 or 4 S-meter points more. I spent my Thursday evening making QSO's and comparison, with 12 new DXCC on 40m, HI ! I also tuned a bit on 20m since some europeans were still spotting TX5C..And I heard them, constantly at S1-S2, without success....The final countdown have already started !!!!!!!

Today :Morning, I woke up at 6AM (05:00z), waiting the propagation to peak to Clipperton...It peaked indeed, at S2 max here (with a terrible burst propagation) during 10 minutes...Still no QSO.
Friday afternoon, some first spots on 20 and rapidely after on 17m...He was quite readable on 20m (up to S2-S3), but yeah, I'm not a big gun, and couldn't QSO them.
The sunset was then starting here, a few spots from EU on 17m, including a French op, made me think I should try. Nearly as usually, nothing. Then slowly by slowly, in a quite quiet band, I heard the voice of the operator (a French one), by burst. I started to call, hearing 5B4FL calling him. After 5 minutes trying, during a bigger burst "peak", I heard TX5C saying "AFC your call"....In 0.00001 second, I answered "F8 F8 F8AFC", and got an answer in French "F8AFC, ici TX5C, vous êtes 59 59, F8AFC vous confirmez?" ("F8AFC, here is TX5C, you are 59 59, F8AFC confirm?"). I answered him in French "Yes, this is F8AFC F8AFC, many thanks for 59, you are also 59, have a nice trip back guys !" and his final answer "You're welcome, thank you F8AFC"...And that was it. I was so lucky that the propagation burst lasted the 30 seconds that the QSO was...But here I am, in TX5C log !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll try tonight on 20m and tomorrow morning on 40m (we never know), but I've already reached my goal, in memory of my dad...Dad, this one is for you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anything is possible if we try, with a BIG part of luck sometimes...
But who never tries never succeeds

73
Ronan