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Madeira Team 2001
This Team started the activity in 1984 with the name MADEIRA DX GROUP. After some changes and modifications of the crew, it changes the name to MADEIRA TEAM, since 1994, using the call sign CQ9K. The last change of operators was in October 2000, for the CQ WW SSB.
At that time the following operators formed the Team:
CT3BD – José, CT3DL – Luis, CT3EE – Luís, CT3en – Duarte, CT3HK – Salgueiro, CT3IA – Miguel, CT3IQ – Alves and CT3KU – Tiago.
Immediately there were defined targets that consisted in beating all the previous results that we achieved previously.
In the CQ WW SSB 2000, we invited one operator to join us in this effort. CU2CE – Melo, was coming from the Azores Islands (S. Miguel Island – CU2), and he joins us in this effort.
By that time, our contest set-up consisted in a tribander from KLM (KT34XA), a two-element beam for 40m from Cushcraft, dipoles for 80 and 160m. Inside the station we had, for the running station, one FT1000D, one PA ,AL-1500 from Ameritron and for the multiplier station one TS-870 from Kenwood, one PA from Yaesu outputting 400W, a vertical antenna from 10 to 80m, and dipoles for 40 and 80m.
In that occasion we were 6th place world, in MS category .
After that event, we all got together to make careful analyses of this operation and prepare the future as well all the targets for 2001.
In the Team we had some operators with some experience in contesting like CT3BD, CT3DL and CT3EE. The rest of the elements did not have the experience enough that could allow them to deal with a “pile-up” in a proper way. So, we decided that we should enlarge the participation of the Team in smaller contests, to allow inexperient operators to develop their skills, and gain also some confidence. Simultaneously the group invites one of the top CW operators in Europe to participate in the CQ WW CW 2000, and joins the Rhein Ruhr DX Association (RRDXA).
That’s why, in November, DL2CC- Frankie, Appears operating the CQ9K Contest Station in CW and achieves the 1st place world in Single operator assisted.
During this event, we had some damage on the station. The KLM was inoperative due to bad weather conditions, in the middle of the contest (Saturday in the morning), so Frankie had to operate with the vertical, until the end.
Following the targets we had in mind, the team go for the ARRL 10m contest in December, with the participation of Miguel – CT3IA in a Single operator effort, with a small 10m monoband antenna, the TS870 and the AL-1500.
2001 began and the first participation for the Team was the 160m efforts in CW and SSB.
CT3FN – Hermann (also HB9CRV), was our guest operator for the CW part, and CT3DL was the operator for the SSB part. These participations were a success since they were the best results ever made in Madeira, and both were Africa Records.
Next in the Contest Schedule, it was the ARRL International DX, in the beginning of March 2001. This event should allow us to test some solutions for the CQ WW WPX, coming up a few weeks later.
Unfortunately, the very bad weather conditions, theta destroyed some of the antennas we had up on the towers, with no possibility to replace, allied to some acts of vandalism that destroyed our 80 and 160m antennas were the unable to participate as we planned.
Immediately, the work started to the WPX SSB. For that operation we had invited two operators to help us in the effort to beat the African record. CT1DIZ – Alex and CT1BOP - João arrived in the morning of Friday before the contest.
For this contest we got another Amplifier from Ameritron AL-1500 and a small tribander for 10, 15 and 20m replacing the big KT34XA.
On Friday morning, when our two guests arrived to the contest station, we noticed that there where a little bit disappointed, because lots of works were still to be done. The strong wind (about 120Km/h), during all week, didn’t allow us to erect the tribander, also to fix the 40m beam and rotor, and to work on the antenna farm. The dipoles were ready but… still on the ground.
Along with the weather problems, we had a problem, which we could not control. The owner of our contest QTH (The Forest Department of the local Government), had made the resolution to change all the electric set-up inside the house. So we were without electric power for all the week. The works ended at 20.00 from Friday before the contest. Until then we had no chance to try anything, since we had no power.
Suddenly, around 18.00, the wind speed came down from 120Km/h to 0Km/h. We immediately divided ourselves in small groups, trying to erect all the antennas, and making the necessary tests.
For this contest the set-up was:
Running Station:
- FT1000D , AL 1500 and IC765 (in stand by)
- Antennas:
3 element Tribander for 10, 15 and 20m at 18m hight
2 Element for 40m (cushcraft) at 18m hight
Dipoles for 40 and 80m at 20m hight pointing North (between USA and Europe) in Slooper
- Multiplier Station
TS 870 from Kenwood, AL 1500 (IC765 in stand by)
- Antennas:
2 element beam for 10, 15 and 20m, Dipoles for 40, 80 and 160m
Software used: TR Log, in network
Operators:
Running Station: CT3DL, CT3EE, CT1DIZ and CT1BOP
Multiplier Station: CT3BD, CT3IA and CT3KU
In the computers: CT3EN, CT3IQ and CT3HK
All the things were perfect of the first night of contest. Thanks to the high rates made during the first day, we could more confident in achieving our purpose.
The highest score the group had ever made were about 14 millions, and our main purpose was the beat that score. During the second night, we knew that score was largely beat, so we aimed for the African record (around 16 millions).
We ended the contest with a claimed score a little bit more than 27 millions. In the final score we could achieve 26,9 millions, 2nd World, just after the super station from Brazil ZX0F.
This achievement gave us the strength to follow our efforts, and gave us the chance to verify that the objectives we had on the beginning of the “season” were right.
In June, we had the chance, by an invitation of the boarding of the RRDXA, to visit the Hamfest in Friedrischafen, Germany. This allowed us to meet other Contesters, from other teams, to invite people to operate with us, and to increase our knowledge about the DX World. We met lots of people, and all of them were very interesting, but we would like to thank the kindness and support from DJ6QT – Walter, and the sympathy of P43E - Emily, Denis – K7BV, Timo –OH1NOA, Ari – OH1EH, DL3DXX – Diet, DK7YY – Falk, CT3FN – Hermann, G3KHZ – Derek, ON4UN – John, DL6RAI – Ben, etc, etc, etc.
During this event, we met Derek, G3KHZ, who had finished a Dxpedition to 3B6, A Galega. We invited him to come over, and participate as a CW operator in the RSGB IOTA Contest 2001. In the way trough Madeira, Derek made a Slide show in our local club HQ, showing, and telling us about the entire story in this dxpedition.
The presentation was a terrible success, and the participation on the contest was the confirmation of the planning we had carefully made.
For this contest we had the following operators:
Running Station:
For the SSB operation: CT3DL, CT3EE and CT3IA (making his first operation in the running station)
For CW : G3KHZ
Multiplier Station: CT3BD, CT3EN, CT3KU and CT3IQ
CT3HK, could not participate for professional reasons
After the summer, the winter “season” was starting. We began our “winter” period with the participation in the WAEDC in September, with CT3IA and CT3KU as running operators.
In this contest, we used the same antennas and set-up used for the WPX, and the operators were:
Running Station: CT3IA and CT3KU
Backup-operators: CT3DL and CT3EE
Computers; CT3EN and CT3IQ
As a result, on this event for the first time the Team gets a First Place World.
In September, Walt-DJ6QT, was operating our station in the CQ WW RTTY 2002 contest as CT9L. As he told us, we needed to improve a little bit more on the antennas, but he could manage to get the 1st or 2nd place world Single-Op.
October was coming up fast, and with it the CQ WW SSB 2001.
For this event, we had again the help and support from CT1DIZ – Alex and CT1BOP – João.
Alex, shipped to the island a third Linear from Ameritron (AL-1500), and João, send us a new 2 Element Quad for 10, 15 and 20m from Cubex.
Meanwhile the Group bought some material in order to improve our contest set-up: one FT 1000MP, 1 Telescopic 12 m Tower, 3 element Beam from Mosley, The Write Log Software, and a set-up of filters from 10 to 80m.
With all these new material the contest Set-up was like this:
Running Station:
- FT1000MP (IC 765 in stand by) –AL-1500
- 3 Element Beam for 10, 15 and 20m at 18m high
- 2 Element Quad for 10, 15 and 20m at 12 high
- 2 Element for 40m (Cushcraft) at 18m high
- Dipole for 80m at 20m high for USA in Slooper
Multiplier Station
- TS870 ( IC 765 in stand by)- AL1500
- 3 Element Beam for 10, 15 and 20m at 8m high
- 2 Element Beam for 10, 15 and 20m at 6m high
- Dipol for 40m to North (Between USA and Europe)
- Dipole for 80m to North (Between USA and Europe)
- Dipole for 160m to North (Between USA and Europe)
Spare Station
- FT1000D – AL 1500
- 2 Element Beam for 10, 15 and 20m at 6m high
- Dipoles for 40, 80 and 160m.
Software : Write Log, in a 4 Computer Network, with permanent connection to Internet.
The operators were splited this way:
Running Station
- CT1DIZ, CT1BOP, CT3DL, CT3EE and CT3IA
Multiplier Station
- CT3BD, CT3KU, CT1BOP and CT1DIZ
Spare Station (no Transmission) and computers
- CT3IQ, CT3EN, CT3EE and CT3DL
On the first morning, we had some problems with the FT1000MP, so we replaced it for the FT1000D, and the Spare station was deactivated.
Once more the Team beat all the previous Team records.
To end the year, we had the participation in the CQ WW CW in November.
We invited again DL2CC – Frankie, to give him the opportunity to work the station, this time without the problems he found in 2000. New success came with this participation, since the score was much higher than 2000.
We decided to stop our activity in 2001, with this CW contest. Some problems came up, that contributed for this decision.
The main problem, was that the Portuguese authorities, insisted with us in not giving anymore the CQ9 prefix, because they “found” (we don’t know were), that prefix was given already to MCAU (XX9)???. Because of that, we had to get another call sign, so we decided to use the CT9M, but only in the year 2002.
We will be on the air again, the Madeira Team is willing in 2002 to beat all team records in the past, so see you in the next contest. The call sign ? It doesn’t matter, we are shure you will find us around….
Our Special Thanks to the following entities who helped us during our activities:
o Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Recursos Naturais
o Direcção Regional de Florestas
o Portugal Telecom
o RTP/Madeira
o O Liberal
o Empresa de Electricidade da Madeira
o Proteia – Flower Shop
o Hammad – Computer Shop
o YAESU Musen
THE MADEIRA TEAM IS COMPOSED BY:
- CT3BD – B. Teixeira
- CT3DL – Luís Gomes
- CT3EE – Luís Camacho
- CT3EN – Duarte
- CT3IA – Miguel Teixeira
- CT3IQ – J. Alves
- CT3KU – Tiago
- CT3HK – W. Salgueiro
- CT1BOP – Joao
- CT1DIZ – Alexandre Barbosa
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