Well-known Scottish DXpeditioner Tom Wylie GM4FDM talked about “Radio Expeditioning to Senegal and Jersey” on Wednesday 5th October, 2011. Senegal 2010 was an expedition to West Africa by Tom GM4FDM & Ronald PA3EWP. Their objective was to make as many QSOs as possible especially on the LF bands over a 10 day period. Tom’s presentation described how they went about preparing and executing their plan and the problems and highlights of operating ham radio from Africa. Tom also talked about a trip made to Jersey for operation on 6 metres plus some HF. Most of the photos below are derived from Tom’s slides.
Tom Wylie GM4FDM speaking at the LRS meeting.
Tom decribed the probems and thrills of his DXpedition to Senegal in West Africa in 2010.
Tom GM4FDM & Ronald PA3EWP in their comfortable shack near Dakar in Senegal.
Senegal is located on the extreme west of the bulge of Africa into the Atlantic Ocean.
The QTH of local amateur Jean-Francois, made available to Tom & Ronald.
Interior of the shack of Jean-Francois.
One operating position was equipped with an Elecraft K3 transceiver, a Tokyo 1.1 Kfx linear amp, a USB Microkeyer and a laptop computer.
The second operating position had a Kenwood TS-870 transceiver, a home-brew linear, a USB Microkeyer and a laptop computer.
A combination of aerials was used, some provided by QTH owner Jean-Francois, and others built by Tom and Ronald on-site.
This is the 40m 4-Square vertical array, consisting of 4 quarter-wave verticals in a square, with a centrally-mounted control box from DX Engineering to select each quadrant. The three undriven elements acted as reflectors in each case. It used a LOT of coax!
At some times, especially in the middle of the day, conditions were unusable!
Summary of the 16,803 QSOs made. 40m was the most successful band.
Also in 2010 Tom and Ronald plus three other amateurs made a trip to St Helier in Jersey, Channel Islands to operate principally on 6m plus some HF operation, from this relatively-rare location.
Operators L-R: Tom GM4FDM, Rien PA1BDO, Alex PA1AW, Gordon G3USR and Jo PA9JO.
Operation was from the club station of the local Jersey club, located in a German WWII concrete bunker.
Operator Rien PA1BDO.
Operator Gordon G3USR, ex-GM3USR.
Operator Ronald PA3EWP hitting some meteors on 2m with FSK441.
The best DX on 2m on tropo and MS FSK441.
The beautiful location near St Helier, Jersey.