GJ6UW – Jersey December 2011

Jersey DXPedition, December 2011:

  • Yutaka JQ2GYU
  • Joe JA1LZR
  • Hal JF1PJK
  • Mihoko JA1AJT (YL)
  • Martin G3ZAY
  • Michael G7VJR

The idea for this activity came about in 2010 when a couple of Japanese members of the Chiltern DX Club were passing through London and over dinner with Michael G7VJR and Martin G3ZAY expressed an interest in doing an LF operation from Jersey. A date of December 2011 was set, with the JAs to fly in and Michael and Martin to take the equipment over on the car ferry.

The main problem with operating from Jersey is finding a suitable location as most of the hotels are located on small plots of land and are often over-shadowed by high cliffs. CUWS members have operated in the past from the youth hostel which is on high land above the cliffs and is surrounded by several acres of flat grass – an ideal location but it had closed a couple of years earlier. The closure was the result of a lengthy and ultimately fruitless police investigation into suspected child abuse and murder when the hostel had been an orphanage in earlier decades. In early 2011 however Martin heard that the hostel was being leased to a local company as an activity centre and flew out to meet the new management. They were keen on promoting it for amateur radio operations and agreed a good deal for a December DXpedition.

The first Friday in December saw Michael and Martin on the fast ferry from Weymouth with cars loaded down with equipment. Antennas erected in the hostel grounds included a 60’ top-loaded top-band vertical, a 2-element phased array on 80, a 4-square for 40, a quarter wave vertical for 30, and a 2-element Yagi for 17 and 12. Other equipment included two K3s, an FT-450, and 3 HF linears.

We had been concerned about EMC issues as the summer visit had identified some strange narrowband data signals coming out of the mains wiring and there was clearly the potential for triggering fire alarms or causing TVI to nearby houses but in practice we had no problems at all. As a backup and for the main HF bands we had booked the Jersey club station where there are a couple of HF beams but we only used this for a few hours.

We made around 13,000 QSOs including over 1100 on 160 CW and 2600 on 80m CW. Unusually for a DXpedition, we made only 1 QSO on 20 metres as all the other bands were open.

17 thoughts on “GJ6UW – Jersey December 2011

  1. Looking very good!You’ve been a good signal on 160/80/30m even on my poor antenna at home – but sadly I think it’s even worse on TX than RX, so I’ve not managed to be heard yet on HF. Really great to work Martin on 2m, though!Enjoy the trip, and look forward to hearing about it when you get back…Rob, M0VFC

  2. Fast and good operation – tnx for fb QSO73/Soeren ; SM1LF Gotland island Eu-020+

  3. I heard you on 160 mtrs with a huge signal working ja’s later a work u on 80 meters. 73’s.Fernando EA3KU ( @EF3A in some contest)

  4. Michael, Hope your DX experiments are going well. TopBand is not in the best shape tonight, but you are crossing the pond several dB above the noise except for slow and deep QSB nuls. A pleasure working you lads, regards to the CUWS team. Keep up the good work, but take some time to enjoy a pint!73 es DX. Tess, K1DTp.s. Club Log Rocks!

  5. Michael, Hope your DX experiments are going well. TopBand is not in the best shape tonight, but you are crossing the pond several dB above the noise except for slow and deep QSB nuls. A pleasure working you lads, regards to the CUWS team. Keep up the good work, but take some time to enjoy a pint!73 es DX. Tess, K1DTp.s. Club Log Rocks!

  6. Thanks for the feedback! Conditions to NA have been very tough, but we are finding a few hours each night are productive. Fingers crossed and thanks for calling us in difficult conditions.73Michael + the GJ6UW team

  7. You have an incredible 80M signal. The last two nights at least S9, often +20.The phased verticals working well!73,Gary K9GS

  8. It has been a great pleasure working you lads. Good job! The 80M and 40M phased verticals seem to be working very well. My special thanks for the contact on 160-meters, a new one. Your Topband signal is quite good and often the only signal heard from Europe. Getting back to you was the problem, but patience and persistance usually pay off on Topband, as it did when I had the pleasure of hearing GJ6UW come back to me on a good QSB crest. Thanks to the team and congratulations on your adventure.73,SteveAB4I

  9. Been listen to you guys alot. Was very surprised to be heard on 30 RTTY with my low power (mid day no less) today.If your on 160 tonight, I sure don’t hear you…!Maybe fill in a few more band slots yet.Greetings to all – 73 Andy

  10. Got you! Thanks for hearing me tonight on 80m – I’m guessing it was either yourself or Martin :-). Not sure how big a signal I would’ve been, but it was using an antenna not designed to work below 40m (and it’s not even much good there), and about 1m above ground at one end, and shielded nicely by houses on all sides.Amazingly, you’re also my first GJ on HF – after getting it on 2m for the first time the other day from Martin, it’s great to now have it count for DXCC as well.Good work all, and look forward to hearing the stories when you’re back home…73,Rob, M0VFC

  11. Thank you Rob! I was very pleased to finally hear you, and your signal was pretty solid at around S5. Great to hear we have delivered a new one!

  12. Great signals on 89 meters to the southwest USA. Heard/worked you on a modest sloper antenna and 100 watts. My compliments to the GJ6UW op! Good ears! Good luck and safe trip home.

  13. Vy good expedition! Tnx But too much RTY pls more ssb cw QRVPropagation vy good you and JA on 7:00 to 14 UTC all band Goo d luck!!

  14. Thanks for the 80 and 40 M contacts, and the 10 M contact. What a surprise to work you via the long path from Ohio. You were barely audible SP but peaked to 579 LP. Amazing!