[Moon] V6M Update - August 13, 2015

[Lance Collister, W7GJ]

Well, this time next week, I will be on my second of five flights to V6M!   I hope 
you all are as ready and eager as I am to put V6 on 6m EME.  First, please accept my 
thanks for all the donations that are making this trip possible.  There is no way I 
could do it without your help, and I GREATLY appreciate your continuing support. I 
will do my best to make you proud of my efforts and hopefully, I can "come home a hero"!

I checked out the portable station last week and everything worked well, except my 
Prolific USB to Serial Port converter cables would not run on the newly installed 
Windows 10 :-(  So I ordered an FTDI cable from NewEgg and checked it all out 
yesterday on the moon.  The KX3 seems to work well and I am taking along an external 
preamp just because I can...  Last night I packed up all the gear into my carry-on 
and 3 pieces of checked baggage.  Aside an equipment failure, the biggest concern I 
have now is that all the gear follows me on all my flights, which include two 
infrequent bi-weekly flights on different airlines!  I will be able to provide 
internet updates from Guam and Yap on the luggage situation, so will keep everyone 
informed.  Those will be the last spots I will be able to update my website, or chat 
with you all on the ON4KST page or via SKYPE.

Thanks for everyone who is making the effort to tune up their 6m stations in order to 
contact me on EME.   The final operating site is a LONG way from everywhere ( 
http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/FalalopQSLfront.jpg ), and this is the first time V6 
has ever been on 6m EME.  It will also be a new DXCC for just about everybody, which 
is always exciting for me, too ;-)  Remember that I consider my portable 6m station 
to be very marginal for EME, so please be patient, and follow all the suggestions on 
my web page:

http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/Micronesia2015.htm

One of the reasons I encourage people with elevation to call me when my moon is lower 
is that, because my mast is just under 7m high, I do have some ground gain even up to 
45 degrees!  However, above that, the pattern is basically the free space without any 
extra gain from the ground.   Also, it is difficult for me to aim the antenna at the 
moon when it gets much higher than around 50 degrees, and above 45 degrees trying to 
interlace the rear elements around the guy ropes can be difficult and impossible to 
do if they are wet.  So, please take advantage of my extra gain if you can!

Oh, and if you are gearing up your 6m station for this operation, you may get a bonus 
payoff!  I am in the process of trying to obtain a license for a VERY VERY RARE DXCC 
at the end of October (and I already have the airline tickets).   So, if this DOES 
actually materialize, you will be very glad you are ready to roll on 6m EME!   Stay 
tuned for more information on this...

MNI TNX and GL to all of us!   VY 73, Lance

-- 
Lance Collister, W7GJ
(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR, 5W0GJ, E6M, TX5K, KH8/W7GJ, V6M)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT   59834-0073
USA
TEL: (406) 626-5728
QTH: DN27ub
URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
Skype: lanceW7GJ
2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815

Interested in 6m EME?  Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME
email group, or just fill in the request box at the bottom of my web
page (above)!