Almost There

  November Update:

The 50Ah lithium battery arrived last week so I now have (almost) everything needed to be QRV except for the Hardline coax & Panasonic Toughbook. It's been a long, long wait. As stated numerous times before shipping to Saipan from mainland USA takes months. I can confidently say there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately my goal of being QRV in the ARRL EME contest last weekend didn't materialize...........QRX.    

October Update...........Still Waiting

 October Update:

 Still waiting for the last few items to arrive so the stations can be QRV. The good news is the phasing lines, Leo Bodner, power dividers, Fiberglass cross boom, N connectors, 20 large ferrites and Bird watt meter with slugs have all recently arrived. It was a 3+ month wait for most of these items. Currently waiting for the last few things to arrive which include a Panasonic Toughbook, Hardline coax and a 50Ah lithium battery for the the IC-9700 so the Honda generator can be dedicated to only powering the amplifiers. Unfortunately the wait will probably continue well into November.  

 The 144 MHz home station is 95% complete but it's impossible to be QRV without any coax. The above mentioned Hardline is what's keeping the home station off the air.     

Preliminary QRV Info

 September Update:

 Hello from Saipan - Northern Mariana islands 
     
QRV from the home station starting October (hopefully)
 QRV from the beach starting December
I'm STILL waiting for equipment to arrive.

 Antennas used portable at the beach
2x 2M9DXA
2x 70cm23DXA

Maximum antenna elevation
144 MHz 60°
      432 MHz 45°     

Theoretical gain of antennas at 5° elevation

144 MHz
6 dB ocean gain
3 dB phasing gain
700 Watts 
23.30 dBi
237,000 Watts ERP

432 MHz
6 dB ocean gain
3 dB phasing gain
500 Watts 
28.00 dBi
317,000 Watts ERP

Highly optimistic gain numbers. Real world is probably 15% to 18% less

Tank Beach
 QTH for working NA during my moonrise.

 

Tank Beach

Moons azimuth will always be inside this photos borders for NA.

Portable tripod 2 - 3 meters from water.

144 MHz maximum operating time from 0° to 60° is 6 hours. 
 432 MHz maximum operating time 0° to 45° is 4 hours.

Theoretical 6dB of ocean gain from moonrise to 10° 
Extremely quiet RX location    

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There are several operating locations for my AS/EU/NA moonset I can choose from.

 Moons azimuth will always be inside the following photos borders.
 
          144 MHz maximum operating time for EU 60° to 0° is 4.5 hours. 

144 MHz maximum operating time for NA is 5 hours.
432 MHz maximum operating time for EU 45° to 0° is 3.5 hours.

432 MHz maximum operating time for NA is 4.5 hours.

Theoretical 6dB of ocean gain from 10° to moonset
Extremely quiet RX locations 

 

Option #1
Car is parked right at the water allowing equipment to operate in air conditioning.
Total coax length is 5 meters. Practically zero attenuation.
The front 3 meters of the antennas are directly over the ocean.  

 

Option #2
Another drive up beach location for working AS/EU/NA.
All equipment remains in the car & out of the sun, rain & humidity. 

Option #3
Moonset azimuth for 365 days a year is in between the two trees.
Portable tripod is firmly secured into the ground.   

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 Home station

 2M16DXP antenna

Preamp is 1 meter from the antennas feed point.

Total coax length is 5 meters. Practically zero attenuation.
 White rope provides Armstrong elevation.  
Waiting for the last few items to arrive so it can finally be QRV.
Maximum antenna elevation is 36°   

  
Maximum 144 MHz operating time for NA from 0° to 36° is 2.5 hours. 
Maximum 144 MHz operating time for AS/EU 36° to 0° is 3 hours.
1kW amplifier.