A One-Man DXpedition to the
Central African Republic
TL0CW
operated out of Bangui for ten days between Oct 24th and Nov 2nd 2011. Lowband conditions were
outstanding during the first night on 160m. It was easy to work many W6
and W7 stations and in the following nights rows of JA stations. The
good conditions had a close relation to the Aurora activity those days.
I remember a similar effect twenty years ago when I was in Congo
Brazzaville (TN0CW).
After the second night, Topband conditions changed to normal. Signals
on all other bands were good and coming through the EU wall was always
a real challenge. I found a way and on one day I used the long path
instead. Some observers in Europe might have noticed a very different
signal strength during that day. During the first nights I was in a
complete lack of sleep. Coming down from Germany, building the station
and the antennas was a real job. I stayed in the 12th floor of a hotel
that has seen better days. Elevators were not working and carrying
75kilos luggage up there was an experience. So no wonder I repeatedly
fell asleep during the QSOs. That is a disadvantage of going on a
DXpedition all by yourself.
Water in the Hotel was available only in the evening and in the
morning. It's colour was light brown and when you started it, it
carried lots of sand. Air-condition was not working, but it was very
hot. Window had to be closed, because there is real Malaria danger. So
I better left it this way. Internet was very poor and I had it for max
an hour a day. I was not able to monitor DXSUMMIT and cluster spots.
Electricity was another issue: I had power outages of less than a
second in every! Minute. Some lasted more than an hour. So please
understand, in case I suddenly disappeared during a QSO.
It looks like Radio and PS survived this without any problem.
Pirates: There were some pirates on 160m. Thanks to Bernd, DF3CB, we
installed an online log what helped to avoid doubles. Please check your
contact there. On November 2nd I closed the station after over 6100
contacts.
73s Rudi DK7PE
For the last twenty years DXpeditioning I never asked for any
financial support. But due to the increasing costs, this time I asked
some major DX-Foundations / DX-Associations for a possible support of my
operation.
Many thanks to:
NCDXF, GDXF, TOKYO 610 DX Group, OV MAINZ (DL0MZ) and QSL
SHOP
