4U1UN (Feb 24, 26 2001)

I had a chance to visit during my business trip to US. As I contacted to the Station Manager, Mohamed (KA2RTD), I brought my Heil headset and PC for logging and CW keying,

Met Mohamed at 1pm on Saturday (Feb 24) at UN building and went up to the shack which is located at the top of the building, On Saturday, I started with 20m and soon QSYed to 17m SSB where I had fair opening to EUs. I moved around to find JA opening at 21z. At last I stayed on 17m CW and some JAs called me. Ending at 00, I worked approx 200Qs with JAs. When I returned to the hotel an e-mail from JA friend was waiting which informed me 15 or 10m were much better than 17m.

I rested on following day and came up to the shack again at 10:30 on Monday. I, too, started with 20m CW, but not many takers. Someone asked me to 12m where I found big opening to EUs. After having approx 300Qs, 12m propagation got worse and I moved down to 15 to work more EUs. Until 21z I went up and down between 15 and 17 to keep the rate better, then I was called some JA on 17. I realized 17 was worse than the day before, and soon I QSYed to 15 to look for JA. However, 15 was not good at all. The signals from Japan thru the north pole had flutter and sounded like 160m. Strength was always S0. I picked up them among S9 Ws and S5 SA (of course, I worked them as well) and managed 100 JA until 2330z when many of JA did not answer back to my pick up.

 

The summary of my operation is as follows. I noticed that I had nice openings to EU on 12, 15 and 17, which were exciting for me.

SSB/CW

NA

SA

EU

AS (JA)

 

20m

26/5

 

1/1

 

 

17m

66/119

3/10

76/68

0/194

 

15m

2/136

0/18

0/223

0/104

 

12m

1/35

 

1/212

 

 

10m

18/47

3/8

6/4

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

1381 QSO

 

The equipment I used was TS950SDX + TL922 and T2FD dipoles as equipped at 4U1UN. Besides, 4U1UN has R5 vertical for NCDXF beacons. They already purchased a beam but it was stocked for long time as they have enough time to put it up. Mohamed did not find any difficulty to work EU and US and he does not need the beam there. They also have TS940 +TL922 for back up.

Mohamed introduced the software, which handles digital modes, like CW, RTTY, PSK31 and SSTV, and he operated these modes sometimes.

Mohamed, KA2RTD, is working as a translator at UN. Though 4U1UN has several members, to say, he is one man team to maintain and operate the station. He likes engineering activity rather than pileups. He sometimes finds spare time among busy work hour and operates by himself. He also accepts guest operators, approx once in a month, and escorts them by himself alone.

 

As well as other operation, QSL info is as follows (direct with SASE)

4U1UN P.O.Box 3873 New York 10163 NY USA

Hope to meet you again from 4U1UN some time.