It works!

How easy life can be sometimes...

7.05 meter wire along a 12 meter spiderbeam pole, 2 elevated tuned radials and here we go.

First QSO was PR7PO with 579 signals via LP.  Then followed by PY2OE and PY2XB with big 599 plus signals.

Other nice DX were OH3JF, OH3KHS, SM3EVR, SM3VAC, CT2IWW, PA0LEG, RN3DA.

Many nice JA contacts along with VK, ZL, HS, P29.

Will be more active in the evening.  Now soon delicious Viatnamese seafood!

30 meters

Yoday I have fixed a vertical for 30 meters with 2 elevated resonant radials. It should be a better antenna than the low mounted double-dipole I used for 10 and 20 meters.

SWR is excellent so let us hope performance will be ok.

Please listen for me on 10.100-10.110 (30 meter band here in Viet Nam).

Will start to call around 10.00 UTC

First hours of activity produced some nice QSOs but due very gusty winds it was not possible to erect the invertedV dipoles for 10 and 20 at more than 6 meters above ground.

Most distant QSOs were YV2IF, SA5BJM and SM0SHG.

Will try to invent something tomorrow that will make it possible to raise antennas higher - or to try a 30 meter vertical with elevated radials.

Conditions were also a bit "average" after the previous weeks with high flux and low K index.

Finally arrived

After 10 hours flight and 7 hour transfer by car on crowded roads, finally arrived to Phan Tieth.

Licence received personally from XV2A in Ho Chi Minh.  Very nice to meet Mr. Nguyen Bac Ai in person.


I hope to be able to get some antennas up tomorrow, but no promise. More realistically will be QRV first time on November 30th.

Stay tuned

Day of departure

All radio equipment, other luggage, and crew passed security control at Sheremetyevo Airport without much of problems. Antenna bag (camouflage) was questioned a bit, but when all was explained, the initial theory of weapons export was cleared.

Now relaxing in Aeroflot business lounge before flight SU292 to Ho Chi Minh.

Excited to finally depart from a snowy Moscow.

Next report from Viet Nam.

Equipment to be used

My plans are to use Kenwood TS 590 S with 100 Watts and the following antennas:

40 meters:   1/4-wave vertical with elevated radials
30 meters:   1/4-wave vertical with elevated radials
20 meters:   Inverted V at 10 meters height
17 meters:   Inverted V at 10 meters height
15 meters:   1/4-wave vertical with elevated radials
12 meters:   Inverted V at 10 meters height
10 meters:   Inverted V at 10 meters height

Not all bands will be able to activate at the same time as I will use one single 12 meter Spiderbeam glassfiber pole as support.

Distance from antenna to the sea will be approximately 50 meters.

Between November 29th and Dec 14th I will be active as XV2LRR from Mui Ne (Near Phan Thiet) on the South East Coast of Vietnam.

The operation will be "holiday style", but this does not exclude that I will try to make serious efforts in trying to give XV as a new country to those in need.

40-10 meters will be the most likely bands, with a possibility for some attempts to be active on 80 meters CW in case of some good antenna fixing points can be found.

Please stay tuned for more updates.

73 de XV2LRR, Mats  (Also RM2D, SM6LRR  - Ex. 4S7LRG, 5B/SM6LRR)