From: dxcoffee@alt119.net.remove-3le-this   
      
   7 March 2017   
      
   Gerhard OE3GEA informs DxCoffee readers:   
      
   PJ2/OE3GEA holiday style February 2017   
      
   Turning 65 I looked for a nice and interesting location to have a holiday with   
   my XYL and the opportunity to get on the air. As we decided rather late,   
   getting permission is a crucial factor. PJ2 sounded interesting, and their   
   authorities acknowledge    
   CEPT. The location, Kura Hulanda Lodge, in ÿWestpunt, looked fine antennawise,   
   with small buildings and some grassy areas in between.   
      
   Equipment: I work CW shortwave only, so a small XCVR is fine. This time I took   
   our club's IC706, as it also has 2m, normally I bring my own DX70TH. Small   
   PSU, airplane type earphones, the tiny and very handy Palm Radio keyer (just   
   as big as 2 fingers),    
   my little notebook, the very small MFJ 945 tuner - all that fits into the   
   carry-on luggage, together with some cables.   
      
   When traveling by air, there are always some restrictions that make it   
   necessary to decide how much stuff one will be able to carry. PJ2 was easy, as   
   there was 1 checked bag plus one cabin bag included in the normal fare.   
   Sometimes it looks cheaper the    
   only choose the cabin bag, particularly on trips connected to my work, that   
   can be a further limitation. I never experienced a security problem with radio   
   gear in the checked baggage, as even the biggest antenna parts fit into a   
   normal travel bag (the    
   outbacker antenna comes in 3 pieces of 80cm each, so no big element sticks out   
   and makes customs people nosy). Of course, there is practically always a more   
   thorough check of the hand luggage, since wires and electronics show up   
   clearly on the screens. I    
   never was forced to leave anything behind, though, and only in one case they   
   asked me to proof that the computer is a computer by switching it on. I came   
   to prefer electronics in my hand luggage over checked baggage, since in the   
   past I had damaged items    
   (broken contacts of built-in transformers) that I attribute to the way baggage   
   is being treated sometimes.   
      
   Over the years I came to prefer 2 antennas: the Australian Outbacker for   
   30-17-12m, originally a car antenna which needs one radial for each band, and   
   the UL404, a very light unsymmetric dipole for 40-10m. In PJ2 I was able to   
   put up both, the dipole    
   from a first floor balcony to poles in the park, the outbacker was fixed to a   
   rock on the ground by a clamp. If housing conditions are limited, I use either   
   one of them depending on the location.   
      
   Altogether it takes me one hour to set up and get the station operating, and   
   much less to take it down and pack.   
      
   When operating in connection with any type of family holiday it turned out   
   ÿthat besides one needs less power CW has a second advantage - one can work   
   even when others are sleeping in the same room, as there is no noise from   
   talking. We have established    
   this on many trips, both from hotels and caravans, and it works without   
   friction. Anyway, holiday style means there are other activities too, so I   
   didn't fix skeds, nor watch out for particular dxpeditions, nor for serious   
   contesting. (In PJ2 my average    
   operating time was 2-3 hours per day, which made up for some 1000 contacts.   
   Antenna and other limitations this time meant I was able to work 4 continents,   
   unfortunately no VK/ZL.   
      
   Local environment: In PJ2 both antennas were almost invisible. The Kura   
   Hulanda Lodge staff was very helpful, and I even was givenÿ a big pack of   
   picture postcards to be used for QSLs.ÿ (Some years ago, in XV5, hotel people   
   noticed my antenna, and police    
   was informed. Luckily I had my license in place, and everything ended in   
   smiles.)   
      
   Preparations may need some time: Although CEPT makes it easy in many cases, in   
   many countries you still need to apply and pay for a license, with all kinds   
   of documents to be produced beforehand. I go through those processes, too, of   
   course. In some    
   countries you cannot be sure of the outcome. I have operated from almost 100   
   countries so far, so it seems it was worth it. In any case, as many dx holiday   
   destinations are easy to get permission to operate, I would like to encourage   
   everyone to try and    
   do it - some fellow amateurs will be happy to contact you and get your QSL,   
   and (like for me) it is a fine opportunity to get on the air, and sometimes   
   experience a lot of attention and pileup that one would not get transmitting   
   from a bigger European    
   country. This type of activity is no competition to big team efforts like the   
   one just running at the same time 20km from my place at the famous Caribbean   
   Contest Club station PJ2T.   
      
   Concerning QSLs, I QSL every contact automatically via the bureau (I just   
   shipped a box of QSLs). And I still like incoming cards (no wonder I act as   
   the incoming QSL manager with the OE bureau hi.) So if you travel anywhere,   
   even just for a few days,    
   try set up a radio station and operate!   
      
   ÿ   
      
   Gerhard PJ2/OE3GEA (also I5/, IS/, IM/, IG9/, T7/ on 2m CW) and many others   
      
   oe3gea@oevsv.at   
      
   ********************************************   
      
   17 February 2017   
      
   Gerhard, OE3GEA will be active from Curacao Island, IOTA SA-099, 18 February   
   to 1 March 2017 as PJ2/OE3GEA.   
      
   Active on 40 - 10m in CW.   
      
   QSL home call.   
      
   http://www.dxcoffee.com/eng/2017/pj2oe3gea-curacao-sa-099/   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)