Saturday 26th September 2009     Steve N3SL has now received all the ZK2V QSL cards from the printers and is posting your cards as soon as possible.   Bureau cards may be delayed slightly - please be patient !

Looking forward to meeting some of you at the RSGB HF Convention in 2 weeks time.

Tuesday 15th September 2009     

Hello October 2009 QST readers - hope you enjoyed the 'How's DX?' article

 My QSL manager Steve N3SL has received the first (small) batch of ZK2V QSL cards from the printers and is sending these out to sponsors and urgent requests - please be patient until he receives the rest of the QSL cards in the next week or two.

   This is what the QSL card looks like

SAFETY NOTE :   During my talk about ZK2V to the GMDX Group last week, Lionel G5LP reminded me that there is a safety issue with Half-square antennas - if anyone is thinking of constructing one at home - specifically that the lower ends of the 2 vertical elements are 'hot' - there could be several thousand volts of RF there, even with 100W - easily touched by anyone nearby - so this antenna needs to be installed carefully to avoid danger to others.

73  from Chris ZL1CT / GM3WOJ

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Sunday 9th August.  Sorry it has taken me so long to update this webpage - I've been writing articles for the ZK2V sponsors and wading through a mountain of jobs at my home QTH in Scotland. Today I re-installed my 80' tower so hoping to install my 20m yagi tomorrow or Tuesday.

There will be a short article in QST about ZK2V soon and I am giving a talk about ZK2V at the GMDX Group AGM on 11th September.

I am also one of the 'Professors' at the UK Contest University at the RSGB HF Convention (9th-11th October 2009) - I am giving an interactive presentation about 'Operating techniques'

So - please QRX and I will upload a detailed article about ZK2V 2009 here - with lots of new pictures (I took 800 photos on Niue)

Please look out for ZK2DL and ZK2BJ in Sept and Oct 2009.    73  Chris.

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Friday 27th June - 1700 local time.   Leaving for the UK tomorrow - when I get my internet connection restored at my QTH in Scotland I'll post a detailed report about ZK2V on this website.

PLEASE QSL VIA N3SL (via the Bureau is OK) - but QSLs will not be printed until late July 2009 so please be patient. PLEASE DO NOT QSL TO ZL1CT.

I will be writing articles about ZK2V for the various sponsors publications and websites, and giving talks to various club meetings.

I've passed a lot of information to Karl-Heinz DL2FAG who will be in Niue for 3 weeks in October (focussing on datamodes) and I will be passing the same info to Don G3BJ who will be ZK2BJ for 1 week in September. Good luck to both DXpeditions.

MORE NEWS SOON - PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES....   73

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Friday 19th June - 1900 local time = 0600 UTC    Final report - ZK2V 2009 first QSO = ZL4NR, last QSO = RZ0CQ.  ZK2V 2009 made a total of 15817 QSOs (which includes 1279 RTTY QSOs) on 160, 80, 60, 40, 30, 20, 15 and 12m.  All QSOs have been uploaded to LoTW - if you can't find your QSO match there, but it is in the online logsearch, please check that the time of the QSO is correct. It will take several weeks to sort out the printing of the ZK2V QSL cards, so please be patient.

A big special THANKS to my XYL Pippa - without her support on a daily basis (and her daily lectures about the dangers of DVT from sitting down so much!) the DXpedition would have been much more difficult - I've convinced her to come with me to ZS8V Marion Island (Pippa is from South Africa) but she was not so enthusiastic about KH1V Howland Island when I described what it is like, hi. (I've received an e-mail from an amateur who is on his way to KH3 at the moment, asking for antenna advice)  Pippa has made many new friends here amongst the Niuean weaving community and really enjoyed herself.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my daily ramblings - I have taken over 700 digital photos, so will be doing a much more detailed write-up here on this website and in the various DX club publications. Please check back here from time to time - I am returning to Scotland on 30th June, but it will probably take a couple of weeks to get my internet connection re-instated, so I'll sort everything out then and reply to as many of your e-mails as possible.

Positives - great fun 'doing my own thing' on a DXpedition - sunny weather and a very interesting island to visit. I hope to return to Niue again in the next few years - in the spring or autumn for better propagation. I enjoyed playing with the wire antennas and the 'half-squares' seemed to work well. It is really encouraging to receive e-mails saying 'thanks for the new one, Chris'

Negatives - radio conditions were worse than my worst expectations - being an optimist I had hoped to make about 30000 QSOs but it was not to be - at a different time of year with some sunspots this should be easy enough. For some reason the 30m antenna did not perform well - I could hear lots of stations but I don't think I was radiating a strong signal on 30m.

Several e-mails said they had enjoyed chasing ZK2V around the different bands and modes to help their score on the leaderboard - this was a successful feature of the CDXC ClubLog logsearch.

Lastly, thanks to Joe and Robyn Wright here at the ham-friendly Namukulu Motel, Niue for putting up with wires and cables everywhere.  

73   Chris ZL1CT/GM3WOJ

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Friday 19th June - 0700 local time = 1800 UTC    Finishing with a surge of QSOs !  I am pleased that yesterday got so busy on the radio that I did not have time to make a daily report - to upload webpages I have to disconnect this laptop and carry it about 25m - into range of the motel WiFi system.

Going outside now (it is another sunny dry day) to start dismantling and packing up antennas - will still be on 20m later I think, depending on how well things go. I am leaving a box full of wire antennas, coax, ropes etc. for the 2 upcoming DXpeditions to Niue in Sept./Oct. 2009.

THANKS FOR ALL THE QSOs - will make a final report later today.  THANKS FOR THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT - without your generosity, both individual and the DX clubs, ZK2V would not have been QRV for this length of time.

More news this evening .......   73  Chris

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Thursday 18th June - 1300 local time = 0000 UTC    A mixed day yesterday - about 70 QSOs on 40m RTTY, but the evening openings on 20m to Eu started early (0400z) and finished early - likewise on 17m the opening to Eu was brief with mostly weak signals. Today has started quite well.

Congratulations to Jeff N8CC who is now the clear leader with 16 band-slots - in second place are Katsuyoshi JA1CLW and John ZL1BYZ on 15 band-slots, with JA1WLO and JA5TNF close behind. Phil ZL3PAH persuaded me to try 40m RTTY which gave Jeff band-slot #16.

Just a quick report today - trying to make as many QSOs as possible in the last 24 hours of operation.

Uploaded 15135 QSOs to the Logsearches and LoTW

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Wednesday 17th June - 0700 local time = 1800 UTC    Quite a good day yesterday, with some more SSB QSOs on 20m and I passed the 1000 QSOs on RTTY mark.   

Stand-by for a helpful DXing hint from ZK2V - next time you go into your shack, do not look at the DX Cluster - put on your headphones and tune around a band slowly, listening carefully to all the weaker signals - you will find DX stations calling CQ that have not been spotted yet - you will be able to work them easily - there won't be the big cluster-driven pile-up to crack. It is very noticeable that I can call CQ for 15 to 20 minutes with a few stations calling me and working me easily, then the louder hordes descend and the smaller stations have no hope. I notice that JA, UA and UT5 stations are particularly good at this old-fashioned but very effective DXing - tuning around and not relying on someone else to find the DX for you ! (Having said all that, please spot ZK2V at every opportunity cos it does make a big difference to the QSO rate)

PSK31 - sorry but this is too slow for most DXpeditions - as VP6DX pointed out the current DXCC rules do not distinguish between datamodes (at least I don't think they do) so RTTY is best at the moment - in future PSK might be used more by smaller DXpeditions. The ability to run low power and cover great distances is impressive. The actual data rate is slow, but the real problem is the penchant for lengthy boring macros describing their PC motherboard, etc - all a DXpedition wants is a Callsign, 599 and QSL or TU ! I've made 18 PSK31 QSOs which I tried to upload to LoTW but they were rejected as I had 'PSK' in the ADIF mode column - can anyone tell me what the correct terminology for PSK31 on LoTW is, please (maybe 'PSK31') !?   (Tnx to those who replied - it is 'PSK31')

OK - ranting over - don't get me started about CW Skimmer or the new Xtreme category in CQ WW - I'll leave these topics till later on my website and just get on with working stations for the last two and a half days of the DXpedition. * I estimate ZK2V will go QRT at about 0100 UTC on Saturday 20th June *  I have fired an arrow into the ionosphere to bring good signals for the rest of the DXpedition.

Congratulations to Jeff N8CC who joins Katsuyoshi JA1CLW at the top of the 'league table'. Go to the Club Log logsearch and click 'Main leaderboard'. Jeff set his alarm clock for some ungodly hour and spoke quietly into the mic to work ZK2V on 40m SSB for band-slot #15. There is only 1 station who could have 17 band-slots and that is Greg ZL3IX who I worked on 160m, but Greg does not seem to operate much on HF.

** Please look at the new photos on the Photos page. * *

Uploaded 14625 QSOs to the Logsearches and LoTW

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Tuesday 16th June - 0900 local time = 2000 UTC   Yesterday 12m, 15m and 17m came to life again, but not too many QSOs overall - there was no proper 20m or 17m opening to Eu between 0600z and 0800z - some stations worked but lots of CQing from here with no replies. As I am writing this I am in 'beacon mode' calling CQ on a seemingly-dead 17m, but have just worked 3 x IT9 and 3 x SV1 stations suddenly, then some JA, USA and SE Eu stns.

Even after 4 weeks here, I feel the effects of the heat, humidity and the damn mosquitoes many daily bites - these mossies have developed 'cloaking' technology that would impress you !

80m and 10m - getting some e-mails requesting these 2 bands - sorry but I cannot justify re-installing the 80m antenna - the local S3-5 QRN makes the band useless. 10m was never in my plans - I want to concentrate on 40/30/20/17m for the last few days. 

RTTY - over 900 QSOs on RTTY to date - I often QSY to RTTY on request and then only work 1 or 2 stations, so I don't hang about calling CQ - I just go straight back to whatever band or mode produces the most QSOs.

Summary of 60m results - I made 55 QSOs on 60m - I was pleased to work everyone and to give N0FW his DXCC entity #84 on 60m. It is a tough band at this time of year from this part of the world. 

Responding to yesterday's comment from me about not working smaller stations, Mike WB2KSK kindly e-mailed to reassure me that when I work him I am working a smaller station - 100W to a ground-mounted multi-band vertical - thanks Mike for the 4 band-slots.

This is a picture of the 20m 'Half-square' antenna (click for a full-size version) - you can see the W2DU balun at the elevated feed-point. The horizontal part of the antenna is about 22 feet above ground, suspended between a mango tree on the left and some sort of acacia tree on the right. It is important not to mount this antenna too high above ground or you cannot get a good match to 50 ohms (it is tuned against ground) - the lower ends of the 2 vertical sections should be about 4 feet above ground level. I am going to install one of these antennas at home and compare it with my 5-ele monoband yagi, just out of interest. I think the 20m and 17m 'Half-square' antennas have performed very well - better than any easily-transported commercially-made antenna I think. The soil conditions here would be classed as 'poor'.

The pool is great ! 

Uploaded 14252 QSOs to the Logsearches and LoTW

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Monday 15th June -1200 local time = 2300 UTC  One good day, one bad day seems to be the pattern. The propagation from Niue seems, as you would expect, very dependent on the SFI, A and K indices.  I'm glad I came to Niue for 5 weeks and glad that I am not running just 100W !  It is a bit disappointing that I cannot hear many of the smaller stations that I know are calling, but there are 4 whole days left and things might suddenly improve.

Congratulations to JA1CLW who is still in top spot with 15 band/mode slots, with ZL1BYZ and W6VX on 14 band/mode slots. 

Please be patient with the logsearches - it sometimes takes me 24 hrs to update them - likewise LoTW is not necessarily 100% up-to-date immediately.  Some e-mails have reported QSOs in the log but not on LoTW - this might be a timing problem - I check this laptop clock every few days to try to keep the QSO times as accurate as possible. I think LoTW has a tolerance of +/- a few minutes for QSO times.

  This is a picture of the ZK2V station - it's not a great picture but you can click on it for a larger version.

   The table is too small - the laptop has to move from side-to-side depending on which radio I am using. I am right-handed, but the coax cables have to exit via the bottom RH corner of the window (at the top right of the pic), so the shortest route to the SWR meter + amp means that the K2 has to be on my left. This is not a big deal.

   Another unexpected problem - the table has a glass top, so my optical mini-mouse would not work. It is sitting on top of local tide-tables.

Uploaded 13919 QSOs to the Logsearches

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Saturday 13th June -2200 local time = Sunday 14th 0900 UTC   Yesterday was a poor day - very few QSOs made, but today has been better. The ANARTS RTTY contest caused problems each time I QSYed to RTTY, but I will be trying RTTY every evening (at times between 0500-0900z approx) when conditions seem good enough. Look for ZK2V around 14.082 or 18.105. I'm not sure about 30m RTTY - 30m is full of QRM here.

Spent an hour CQing on 12m with zero QSOs and similarly on 15m, but 17m was quite useful.  Will be spending the last 6 days of the DXpedition staying up late to work USA on 40m and getting up early to work Eu on 40m - at least that's the plan.

Called CQ on 30m for 10 minutes and the first station to find me was my new friend WA1IIE - I will miss my QSOs with him !

Uploaded 13513 QSOs to the Logsearches and LoTW

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Friday 12th June -1400 local time = 0100 UTC   Quite a good day yesterday - fewer 12m QSOs but a 2-hour opening to Eu in the evening here (0600-0800z) on 17m - signals on CW were stronger than on 20m - strong enough to reduce the number of repeats - 17m SSB was not so successful - under these marginal conditions I'm sticking to CW as much as possible. This evening I hope to work RTTY on 20m for Eu and USA.  Today the bands seem a bit 'flat' but we'll see what happens later.

Apologies to U.S. RTTY operators - I did not expect to use RTTY on 18MHz, so I did not know until yesterday that the U.S. allocation is 18100-110 - I will stay in that segment if I get another chance at 17m RTTY.  I have made 714 QSOs on RTTY to date.

Good to work some old friends in the pile-ups, like Dominic R3/DL5EBE and Franz DK1II, both of whom were with us at ZL6QH in the past.

I've altered the Logsearches page again - there is now a 'quick search' option.  I don't know the exact QSO count at the moment, but I will upload all QSOs to the Logsearches and LoTW in the next hour or so.

  Here is a photo of the Namukulu Motel, Niue (click on the photo for a full-size version)

  The ZK2V shack is the furthest away motel cabin - at the far left of the picture

  More photos soon.

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Thursday 11th June - 0900 local time = 2000 UTC    A better day yesterday - 12m came to life - made 200 QSOs there so will be checking that band every day - around 1200z and 0000z onwards.  I'm also installing a new 12m antenna this morning - the existing one is only marginally better than a 50 ohm resistor (it is a quarter-wave vertical hung from a tree, with 2 elevated radials - your 7 element yagi is doing all the work)  Good to be called on 20m CW by the guys on Svalbard, who I could hear for a couple of hours afterwards over the North Pole.

40m and 30m continue to disappoint me - I could not hear any of the European stations H44MY was working on 30m yesterday around 2000z - H44MY are just 'down the road' relatively speaking. My antennas for 40 and 30 are quite good antennas. Propagation from Niue is very different from New Zealand, which is only 2000km away.

* Log searches *  I have improved the Logsearches page - there are 2 links now and lots of information and charts on both. You can see how often your friends (or rivals) have worked ZK2V !   Congratulations to JA1CLW who is currently leading the field with 14 band/mode slots.

I continue to get a stream of e-mails asking for log corrections or checking for omissions - I'm sorry but if you are not in the online logsearches you are not in the main log and you will have to work ZK2V again. For example on RTTY a number of strong stations call me, I send them a report, but never hear them again - for whatever reason the QSO is not completed. Similarly on e.g. 20m CW signals in the pile-up can be very weak and it is easy to mis-copy a callsign. I am making every effort to make the log accurate. I am still hoping for some good openings to Europe on 20m.

8 days of the DXpedition to go - I will be packing up the station a week tomorrow (Friday) but will still be on 20m until the last minute.

Uploaded 12447 QSOs to the Logsearches and LoTW

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Wednesday 10th June - 0900 local time = 2000 UTC   Very few QSOs yesterday despite lots of CQing and band changing - some RTTY on 10MHz - I called and worked 5N0OCH on 20m RTTY.  From now on I won't QSY to RTTY unless band conditions are reasonably good - the QSO rate is just too low when I could be working stations on CW much faster. However I realise the great demand for ZK2 on RTTY so will do my best. SSB remains a problem - I can work stations fast on SSB when conditions are good, but so far this has not been the case.

Dupes - I did laugh this time - after posting yesterday's update - I called CQ on 30m and who was the first station to call - you guessed it - WA1IIx - give him his due, this guy is good at finding weak DX first and calling it ! I've decided to view this as a daily sked and not worry too much about it, hi.   The new logsearch is up and running and will be updated along with the Clublog one.

Please note - in the Clublog online logsearch there are approx 40 QSOs (with U.S. stations) marked as '40m SSB' which are in fact '60m SSB' - the 60m QSOs are safely logged and are also in the logsearches, but I made a mistake and uploaded these false 40m SSB QSOs - I will try to remove them from this logsearch if I can do it easily. This explains the difference in QSO totals between the 2 logsearches.

I worked 10 portable stations in last weekend's Region 1 Field Day - strongest European portable was DL0CS/P. I heard G5XV/P but by the time I had copied their callsign they had given up CQing and had QSYed. 

Worked W5IZ on 12m for my first QSO on that band - thanks.

I have added some extra information to the 'About Niue' page.

Uploaded 11792 QSOs to the Logsearches and LoTW

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Tuesday 9th June - 0900 local time = 2000 UTC   Still making QSOs - installed new 17m 'Half-square' yesterday and immediately worked a good number of US and JA stations (2246- 0252z) This largely neglected type of antenna seems to work well - it is basically 2 quarter-wave verticals spaced a half wave apart, fed at a top corner - easy to make, easy to resonate, easy to match directly to 50 ohm coax. Great to be called by 5N0OCH in the 20m pile-up this morning (1830-1940z)

60m - I don't really feel different about 60m - it is a band for enthusiasts I think and not necessarily a good band for DXing at this time of year - too much static - too many ragchewers. I have to send a report to the local Director of Telecommunications, so I will be very positive about 60m and suggest that all future ZK2 DXpeditions are issued with permits to use 60m if they want to.

Conditions remain unpredictable - a good opening one day does  not mean the same opening the next day, unfortunately. Here are some approximate times for good propagation from here :   0000z 15m,  0330z 30m, 0500z 40m, 0600Z 20m, 0600z 30m, 0630z 17m, 0900z 40m, 1800z 40m, 1830z 20m, 2000z 17m.

Dupes - I *nearly* laughed - after uploading Sunday's update, I went on 10MHz and was immediately called by WA1Ixx - I will add a letter to this call for every future QSO with this station. When I sent him 'dupe dupe' he sent 'QRM' - he must have really bad QRM to need to work me 7 times ;-)

To try to reduce dupes, I have implemented a second logsearch on this website, hosted at www.logsearch.de (Thanks Chris DL5NAM) which I will  update along with the existing one.  

Thanks to some recent individual sponsors - will add your names a.s.a.p.  Every dollar donated is actually supporting this DXpedition and paying for the 5-week stay (Niue is not a cheap place to visit!) - thanks for your support. 

Photos - I have taken a lot of photos, but it is time-consuming to upload them to the website now - will add some new ones a.s.a.p.

Uploaded 11721 QSOs to the Logsearches - will upload to LoTW tomorrow.  (I will check later that the HTML for the new logsearch is OK)

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Sunday 7th June - 1600 local time = 0300 UTC   An average day - some openings - signals from the USA on 18MHz were generally weak. I am now convinced that the local low-level QRN extends all the way up to 18MHz or more. At least it is low-level on the main bands I want to use. I heard my first station on 24MHz - W5IZ was about 229 but at least it's a signal.  Conditions continue to be unpredictable, so I monitor constantly and call CQ on seemingly 'closed' bands.   Worked a number of Eu stations on 40m around 1830z today, so will be on 40m at 1730z or so tomorrow.

60m - will be QRV again today at 0445z +/- 15 mins, then an extra effort for E. Coast USA at 0830z.  This is the last day of my 60m permit, so hope I can make quite a few QSOs.  QRN is the main problem.

Time for a rant about 2 things that are annoying me !  

Firstly - DUPES - I have worked over 550 dupes - this is ridiculous - I understand the need to make sure you have worked ZK2 on a band/mode and that the first QSO might have been questionable due to QSB, QRM, etc, but some stations are working me over and over again - one WA1xxx station has worked me 6 times on 10MHz, which is denying others a first QSO.  PLEASE USE THE ONLINE LOG-SEARCH WHICH I KEEP UP-TO-DATE !   5N0OCH sends the report followed by 'Dupe' but I don't know if this would really change anyone's bad habits.

Secondly - it very annoying when stations call in a pile-up and send 'RTTY' or 'SSB' repeatedly - when asked for their callsign, they usually don't give it. This is bad operating by them - if I am trying to work an S2-3 pile-up on CW, it is completely pointless going to SSB or RTTY under these band conditions. Several times I have QSYed to RTTY, wasted 10 minutes calling CQ and made zero QSOs. (I must compliment the European RTTY operators who are really switched on about what is happening)

Latest logfile uploaded to the online Logsearch - will upload to LoTW tomorrow

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Saturday 6th June - 0800 local time = 1900 UTC   Thursday was the low point of the DXpedition - I hope. Very poor radio conditions - heavy rain and thunderstorms - and the 40m antenna failed - now repaired. At night I was afflicted by a raging fever which luckily only lasted about 8 hours - probably one of my daily dozen mosquito bites affected me.

The local TV news item about ZK2V was well done - it gave a very positive view of amateur radio in general. Apparently just about every one of the 1500 population of Niue has been on TV at some time or other !

Friday was much better - lots of QSOs on 17m and 15m, but only 1 QSO on 60m - conditions on 60m seem quite variable. I think the chances of me working any Europeans on 60m are very slim, but I do have 2 more days on the band. I cannot justify spending more time on 60m, compared to the other bands - the tropical QRN is particularly bad on 60m.

Hearing a lot of Field Day stations this morning and just worked an EA8 mobile station on 20m SSB, so hoping today will be a good day too. The sun is shining after 5 days of clouds and rain.

Still receiving lots of e-mails with impossible requests - sorry I have no antenna for 80m - a complete waste of time at this time of year - I am concentrating on making the maximum number of QSOs on 40, 30, 20, 17 and 15m. I also am not intending to be on 12 and 10m - sorry. It is interesting how some people e-mail persistently trying to tell you what you should be doing  - sorry but that does not work either !

I am a bit disappointed that it has taken me 3 weeks to make only 10000 QSOs - I had hoped to work that number in the first week, but as my contesting friends know, I am an optimist. There are still 2 whole weeks of the DXpedition left. 

Uploaded 10552 QSOs to the online Logsearch and LoTW.

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Thursday 4th June - 1200 local time = 2300 UTC   Still making QSOs, but too slowly. Had to go to Alofi to sort out some banking and immigration problems, so maybe missed a repeat of yesterday's 17m opening (have just worked some stations on 17m at 2300z but 17m should be open about 2130z)

I am getting a barrage of e-mails requesting RTTY - I will do RTTY at every opportunity, but I have to wait until I am sure that the band is properly open. Incidentally, my CW sending using the paddle here is poor - my excuse is that the operating table (which is too small) has an raised edge on which my wrist has to rest and this makes sending difficult - that's my excuse, honestly!

60m - only 42 QSOs so far which is disappointing. Signals are strong, but the static and QRM can be stronger and copy is difficult without any receive antennas. This DXpedition has set a precedent however and I'm sure that future DXpeditions will do a better job on 60m. Will be on 5403.5 again tonight at 0445z - until about 0510z.

I'm intending to install a new 17m 'Half-square' antenna this weekend when I take down the 60m antenna. I'm also thinking how I can improve the 30m antenna.

Thank-you to some recent individual sponsors, whose names and callsigns I have added to the list.

Uploaded 9650 QSOs to the online Logsearch and LoTW.

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Wednesday 3rd June - 1300 local time = 0000 UTC   Just a quick report today - good opening yesterday on 15m - worked 45 stations on 15m RTTY as well.  Still finding 40m and 30m tough - does not seem to be any pattern to the openings - still calling CQ a lot on these bands. Surprised and pleased to be called by Clive GM3POI on 15m, then we moved to 17m, then to 40m - at 0407z, 0410z and 0412z respectively. Will be on 40m at 0400z again today, unless higher bands are open.

20m SSB is 'interesting' as always - I moved to 14.154, checked 14.160 which was unoccupied, then called CQ listening on .160. After about 15 QSOs a station came on .160 berating the pile-up 'you can do this up or down, but not here' - hmmmm bad attitude - if a frequency is not being used at any given time, it is available, even if some apparent 'net' has been there since Marconi was a boy !

60m - I have made only 20 QSOs in 2 sessions - there is a lot of digital QRM, OTH radar pulse and tropical static QRM on my allowed TX frequency, so from now on I will only work split - listening on 5371.5 - this hopefully will allow me to hear more stations. Some of the US stations were very strong last night.

17m - a good opening to Europe this morning 1958 - 2157z - missed 30 mins or so cos the local TV station BCN arrived to interview me for the local TV news !

Local internet Wi-Fi is acting up, so hope this update can be sent. Uploaded logfiles and QSOs to LoTW.

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Tuesday 2nd June - 1000 local time = 2100 UTC    Another good day yesterday - made 3 QSOs on 60m (K4AVC, N6ML and W7MEM) - the first ever from Niue.  John ZL1BYZ moved me from 17m to 15m which resulted in 200 QSOs on 15m - thanks John !  

A brief summary :    160/80m - sorry but I have given up on these bands - it is the wrong time of year so any time spent there is time wasted. There is S8 QRN on 160m at this QTH - a 'frying' noise which I think is local, not atmospheric. The Niue electricity supply system is very good - a diesel generator in the capital Alofi supplies the whole island with reliable AC power. It is carried underground at 11kV - there are transformers every few hundred metres around the whole island - it is probable that the local transformer is producing this QRN. The QRN is also about S3-4 on 80m - I hope Karl-Heinz DL2FAG can overcome this for his October 2009 DXpedition at this same QTH.

40m and 30m - still making QSOs, but have not yet found any good openings to Europe - they are patchy and weak. I will persevere. I call CQ a lot on both bands. I would like to work some 30m RTTY next week maybe, but have not heard one amateur RTTY signal on 30m yet.

20m - good - CW seems OK, although some sigs are weak and need several repeats. RTTY working surprisingly well - made another 130 QSOs on RTTY yesterday. SSB is a slight problem - there is some local digital QRM between 14.180 and 14.220 so I will be lower in the band - maybe about 14.155 or so - please tune around and don't rely on the DX Cluster to find me.  When I was on RTTY I was tuning around and found someone sending 'Up - idiot' on my transmit frequency, which made me laugh - at least RTTY is no different from CW and SSB ;-)

17m - patchy - quite a lot of band noise - will try some more SSB on 17m but it is difficult to attract the attention of stations.

15m - good - long openings - no big pile-ups but a steady flow of stations. Hoping for an opening to Eu, South America or Africa.

12/10m - still zero signals heard - I do check these bands every day.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY QSL CARDS TO ZL1CT - PLEASE ONLY QSL TO N3SL 

Uploaded 8660 QSOs to the online Logsearch and LoTW.

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Sunday 31st May - 0800 local time = 1900 UTC   If these reports are not every day, that is probably a good sign - I am too busy working stations to write daily updates, rambling on about poor propagation.

Installed 60m inverted-vee yesterday - doesn't look like a DX antenna so will replace it with a vertical if it does not work well. Looking forward to trying 60m from here - operating permit starts in 15 hours time. I now have antennas for 60, 40, 30, 20, 17 and 15m for the final 3 weeks of the DXpedition.  Niue SR today is 1745z and SS is 0448z - will be monitoring 60m and calling CQ as often as possible.

CQ WPX CW - great fun - as I'm writing this I can hear loads of Eu stations on 40m all calling CQ, signals between S7 and S9 - called many of them with no reply - they will have IPO/AIP selected, 12dB of attenuation and S9+ QRM - but band conditions sound good. 20m is in good shape too.

I now believe in the theory that thousands of 1500W (or more) output stations 'bring the bands to life' !  I had not heard one signal on 21MHz in the last 11 days, then suddenly the band opened at 0000z as soon as the contest started. Some great signals over the N Pole - worked 260 stns on 15m which is great.  Overall about 660 QSOs in WPX CW.  ZK2 is just an ordinary mult for the big stations, but still when I called CQ I received a lot of 001 serial nos. from those wanting to work ZK2. I checked 12m and 10m regularly, but no signals even when 15m signals were very strong.

Took more photos which I will post online soon. Current QSO total 8000 - will upload logs after the contest ends.

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Friday 29th May - 1000 local time = 2300 UTC.  Quite a busy day yesterday - 17m opened to JA and the USA (with a few EA, CT stns) for several hours (2350 - 0259z). 20m RTTY seems to be OK despite my dud radio - worked 67 stns the first session, then another 100 stations the second session. The QSO rate on RTTY is low however which is annoying - 60-70 Qs/hr max - I don't want to know names, hi. I don't like low QSO rates when at that time of day I could work 140/hr on CW and 200/hr on SSB (or more given better conditions)  Will do some more 20m RTTY and 30m RTTY next week. I heard a G4? station on 17m at about 0700z but they had faded out by the time I changed antennas.

The 160m antenna has fallen down so that solves that issue - no more 160m - sorry. I'm finding that usually only one band is open at any given time, so it's just as well this is not a multi-op DXpedition - an OH station kindly offered to join me, but we both would have been wasting time with the way the bands are. I'm looking forward to the WPX CW contest - will be on 40 and 20 only - these big contests always seem to bring the bands to life. I'll spend time on 30 and 17 as well of course over the weekend.  I've now experienced the full spectrum of CQ WPX contest start times (0000z) - from 1pm Saturday in NZ to 1pm Friday in Niue !

Replacing the 160m antenna with some sort of 60m antenna over the weekend. I will not be using the ON4KST chatroom - all communication will be by radio on 60m. I had a 5MHz NOV in the UK in the early days, but sent it back after a few weeks cos I could not stand the 'channelisation' and boring 'nets'. I have not been in a 'net' this century and never will be. I'm sure 60m has moved forward from these days. I'll be working split, TX on 5403.5 and RX on 5371.5 - between 1100 UTC on 1st June and 1100 UTC on 8th June - hope to work you.

Thanks for the e-mails and recent donations to DXpedition funds - will add you names to the list a.s.a.p.  Please note that I cannot receive e-mails in real time - I have to download them later - likewise I cannot connect to the DX Cluster from the operating position (the Wi-Fi signal is too weak) but can send spots periodically.

Niue is a fascinating island - I am taking photos and writing down lots of info about it for future DXpeditions. There are lots of derelict properties here, with gravestones nearby, with names like 'T L J W Hemisphere'.

Uploaded 6990 QSOs to the online Logsearch and LoTW.

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Wednesday 27th May - 1600 local time = 0300 UTC.  Sent off an update to Daily DX, OPDX and 425 DX news. No signals heard on any frequency above 18MHz - even that band is closed today. 

Worked Greg ZL3IX for my first QSO on 160m - yippee. There was a big thunderstorm yesterday afternoon which seemed to reduce some of the static on LF - even heard some JA stations on 80m (using the 160m antenna) - will be on 160m this evening around 1000z.

Had to laugh - listening on 10MHz I could only hear 1 signal - PJ2/WI9WI - when I called him he told me 'ZK2 - not u' so I didn't call again !

Receiving a lot of e-mails with suggestions about possible times/paths - sorry but most of these just don't apply this week - however here are some interesting QSOs from the log :    40m 0835z VP8NO     20m 2036z VP8NO      20m 2347z VU2HFR       30m 0450z ZS2DL       20m 1838z heard 5N/LZ1QK 

Will be on RTTY for a test session - for about 30 mins (or more if QSO rate is high) between 0600 and 0800z (28th May). Probably 14182 listening up 8 kHz. Unfortunately the RX front-end attenuator in my RTTY radio is damaged - a 150 ohm chip resistor is open circuit - it's under the main PCB so I can't repair it or even attach one of the 120 ohm resistors I have with me across it, so will be stuck with full RX sensitivity. If this proves to be a problem, I will modify the RTTY cables to use with the Elecraft K2 - if I can.  Please call with 100W only, hi !   I am not an experienced RTTY operator but I want to work YOU - FAST !

There is another transceiver here on Niue - left by a US amateur, so may be able to borrow that next week. 25 more days to go, so please keep looking for ZK2V.  The JA stations get top marks for finding me when I call 'CQ' but then lose marks for repeating their long callsigns several times when I already have sent it to them correctly ;-(

Uploaded 6150 QSOs to the online Logsearch and LoTW.

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Tuesday 26th May - 1500 local time = 0200 UTC - it is a shock to the system to go from 12 hours ahead of UTC (NZ) to 11 hours behind UTC (Niue) - I can easily confuse myself with what time of day it is.  Still relatively poor conditions, although last night's opening to Eu on 20m lasted for about 5 hours and I am hearing stations most of today on 20m (wkd K8CW on the long path at 2147z)  40m has not been very useful so far.

Signals from Eu on 20 CW are quite good, but a lot of QRM at both ends causing fairly slow QSO rate.

I am about to abandon 160m and 80m completely - utter waste of time - S5 local QRN and no signals - installing 60m antenna for next week and also might install a 17m half-square cos the 20m one seems to work very well.

Uploaded 5600 QSOs to the online Logsearch.

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Monday 25th May - 0900 local time. Reasonable number of QSOs yesterday on 30m then 20m between 0400 and 0900z. Several e-mails are asking for bands at times when they are just not open at all here - I listen a lot and call CQ if I hear any signals at all. 

Overall, there are many hours each day where there are no amateur signals to be heard on any band - I hope this situation will improve.

160m 'antenna' now installed - a bit optimistic to call it an antenna - but will call CQ again this evening at local SS = 0450z +/- 10 mins 1811.5kHz.  Listened yesterday but still no signals heard - not even the DGPS correction beacon near Wellington, NZ. Will listen during the night tonight - for USA.

Please look at the new 'Photos' page on this website.  Uploaded 5150 QSOs to the online Logsearch and LoTW.

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Sunday 24th May - 1000 local time = 2100 UTC. Very poor conditions today - can only hear John ZL1BYZ and Gary ZL2IFB CQing on 17m, but I am hoping  to make QSOs on that band in half an hour or so.

This weekend has been disappointing - I know a lot of you have to be at work at the best times for a QSO with ZK2, so I was hoping to work you this weekend, but propagation has been poor. There was quite a good opening to Europe on 20m (07 - 09z) but signals were weak and there was a lot of QRM. I hope things are better next weekend - the CQ WPX CW contest might make CW QSOs difficult on 40 and 20m, so I might concentrate on SSB or the WARC bands - we'll see what happens. I enjoy contests, but I want to make the max number of QSOs so taking part in the WPX CW contest might not be a sensible option from this rare spot.

I am frustrated by the delay in getting onto 160m - I have installed one side of the inverted vee, but the real problem is lack of open space at this QTH - more precisely nearby open space that I can reach with the available coax feeders. The other side of the inverted vee has to navigate above dense bush 20 feet high, which I hope to sort out today. It is a difficult job in the blistering heat and biting mosquitoes ! 

Summary to date :     160m - still trying to get on this band - antenna nearly ready.

80m - took down the antenna - only 2 QSOs with ZL despite hours of CQing around local SR/SS - disappointing. If I don't work anything on 160m I am not going to try 80m again - better to leave these LF bands for Karl-Heinz DL2FAG or other DXpeditions in Sept/Oct 2009.

40m, 30m, 20m, 17m - quite good propagation at times - I spend a lot of time listening and CQing.

15m, 12m, 10m - zero propagation so far - not even to JA.

Please look at the new 'Photos' page on this website.  Uploaded 4800 QSOs to the online Logsearch.

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Saturday 23rd May - 0800 local time - conditions don't seem too good this morning - loads of digital QRM on 30m. A rough operating routine is emerging - local mornings from 1800GMT to 2330GMT - starting on 40m, then 30m, then 20m, then 17m. Local evenings from 0300GMT to 0920GMT on 30m, then either 40m or 20m (esp Eu 0600-0730). This depends on propagation of course, which still seems unpredictable. I listen a lot at other times, but have to sleep between 1000GMT and 1700GMT approx.

I keep checking 15, 12 and 10m, but not one signal heard on these 3 bands so far. Have made only 600 QSOs on SSB so far, so will spend more time on SSB next week - also hoping to try some RTTY on 30 and 20m.

Thanks for the e-mails with suggestions for propagation paths. Thanks also to the recent individual sponsors whose names I have added to the list.

Having some trouble installing the 160m antenna, but will sort that later today. Sorry no antenna for 80m at the moment. * I will be QRV on 160m at local sunset and later = 0450z onwards (Sunday 24th) *

Uploaded 4113 QSOs to the Logsearch on this website and to LoTW.

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Thursday 21st May - 1300 local time - good opening (2130UTC for 2 hrs) on 17m to USA and JA with a few Eu stations. Bands don't seem in too good shape today, but 30m very good (0400 to 0600UTC) yesterday (first time on that band) and 20m still producing QSOs. Have not done much SSB operating yet. I have received a special permit to operate on 60m - from 1st to 8th June 2009 only, on 5403.5MHz only, so that should be interesting.

80m is still causing me a headache - antenna keeps breaking and no DX signals anyway. Thinking of replacing the 80m antenna with 160m antenna for this coming weekend.

Now have antennas installed for 80, 40, 30, 20 and 17m, but only 2 coax feeders so have to change feeders when changing band - these antennas seem to be working well.

I am not able to view the DX Cluster or receive e-mails in real time - can only collect e-mails once or twice per day. Niue time is 11 hours behind UTC/GMT

Uploaded 2300 QSOs to the Logsearch on this website and to LoTW.

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Wednesday 20th May - 1500 local time - propagation remains very unpredictable - great to work Mike G3SED on 17m yesterday, with more QSOs following, but today only 2 stations wkd on 17m. Daylight hours remain quiet, so most activity is in the evenings and mornings. 20m was good this morning - called by Mike VP8NO for a new path. Great to work my friends at YS1G on 40m. I am taking careful note of all openings and will try to make repeat use of them.

One unexpected problem - the joints in the Spiderbeam poles are taped to stop them coming loose, but it is so hot that the 'glue' in the PVC tape is melting - with the vibration from the constant strong breeze the 80m antenna support pole has sagged down twice - it does not do any damage but takes a while to repair. Will wait until Friday before changing the 80m antenna for the 160m antenna over the weekend.

Uploaded 1600 QSOs to the Logsearch on this website and to LoTW.

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Tuesday 19th May - 0700 local time - installed 20m and 17m antennas yesterday - 20m 'half-square' seems to work well. Had to QRT suddenly a couple of times when thunderstorms came too close.

Cycled to Alofi yesterday (18km round trip - flat road but searing heat) to collect my ZK2V licence from Niue Telecom.

QSO total = 866 so far, a bit disappointing but can't do anything about conditions. During peak daylight I cannot hear anything on any band, but I think 17m and 15m may come to life soon, so will check regularly.

160m - the 160m antenna is not installed, but it is using up one third of my available coax, so I'm going to install it tomorrow maybe, for about 4 days, then use the coax for another antenna. I want to work some stations on 80m before I try 160m. I will announce 160m activity on the Cluster.

80m - I have not heard any amateur signals yet - I am CQing on 3506.5 CW every SS/SR +/- 15 mins = 0450 UTC and 1740 UTC - please listen for me.

60m - I have applied for a special permit (for one frequency from 1st - 8th June 09) - awaiting answer from Niue Telecom.

40m - good conditions each evening here (0600 - 0900 UTC)   7012.5 QSX up 11

30m - installing the 30m antenna today

20m - some good sigs from S.E. Eu and SM/OH around 0600 UTC yesterday - will be there again today.

Online Logsearch updated and QSOs uploaded to LoTW.   

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Sunday 17th May - 0800 local time = 1900 UTC. Now QRV on 40 and 80m CW - 7012.5 and 3506.5 approx, QSX 10-12 up. Will be on both bands later today. Heard an RU3 stn on 20m and some JAs on 30m, so will install antennas for these bands a.s.a.p. Conditions don't seem too good today, but it will take me a few days to find optimum times.

Wi-fi internet is patchy, so updates may not be too regular.

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Namukulu, Niue  - Saturday 16th May 2009 - 1740 local time

We arrived at Alofi airport at 2.30pm Niue time - on the same flight as the Prince of Tonga (I thought the flags and increased security were for our visit of course!) It gets dark suddenly here at about 6pm so I won't be QRV this evening, but will assemble the station and install some antennas tomorrow morning first thing.

It is h o t - only about 25C but with high humidity. I have identified where the antennas can be installed - one unexpected problem is that the topsoil is about 1cm thick, with solid impenetrable coral beneath it, so my tent-pegs for guy stakes are useless - however there are lots of suitably positioned trees - for guys and for supporting antennas.

Here is a quick photo of me - unpacking all the gear and antennas, feeling the heat !

I look forward to working you in the next few days or weeks ..... 73   Chris   ZL1CT/GM3WOJ 

I found this photo of Niue on IW2NUY's website - thanks for the publicity Marco !