[Moon-net] [Moon] YL 1st Moonbounce experience !

[Bob Kocisko]

Congratulations on your successes Victoria & I look forward to running a sked with you in the near future.  Your excitement in your article is wonderfully contagious.  I felt much the same way when I made my first CW QSO with SM5FRH in  November 1997. I've now completed 215 initial CW QSOs on 2m EME & still, every time I hear the CW echos off the moon, I'm amazed & excited. There is nothing quite like hearing your own callsign come back on CW.

Vy 73,
Bob, K6PF


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Panagiotou Victoria SV2KBS 
  To: moon-net at list-serv.davidv.net ; moon at moonbounce.info 
  Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 7:44 AM
  Subject: [Moon] YL 1st Moonbounce experience !


  Greetings gentlemen !

  Before moving on, I would like to clarify this: I deeply regret the fact that I decided to get started with CW EME recently and I did not dare to do it before, just because of a misconception of mine: that CW EME is an unreachable form of communication and that requires extremely expensive equipment and a large property.
  I deeply regret that I did not get involved with CW EME before, because during the last 4 days I realized that is a feasible achievement as well as viable to the average ham.

  Of course this could not be reality without the great support of the extremely helpful and alive CW EME community, consisted of generous people that they are always there, ready to share their knowledge and experience and give you the best they can. 

  The big MoonFest began for me Friday night, when I established my 2 first CW EME QSO's ever !!
  I was eagerly waiting for my clock to beep 21:30z until I suddenly heard a series of dashes coming through !!!  Ooooh !  I just could not believe it !!  I jumped off my chair holding my headphones tight to my ears and I was just so extremely happy that I could not really enjoy my happiness !!  Strange, huh ?!  I know, but this is just simply the way I felt !
  My first QSO was with Jimmy, SV1BTR, great signals, beautiful copy and very fast QSO ! (He had warned me to be concentrated and not to let myself to get carried away, otherwise we could miss the QSO: now I can fully understand that the was not exaggerating !)

  My fingers were shaking out of my happiness and excitement - I even did a few keying mistakes because of my trembling fingers - but I just could not help it !
  Then, a second vibration of excitement came from Jørgen, OZ1HNE calling me, tailending this way the QSO I had with Jimmy. Smooth operation by Jørgen, nice signals and I enjoyed the fact that it lasted a little bit longer (as far as I remember I sent him R's for 2-3 periods, since at that moment it felt so nice ! HI !)

  Thank you guys !!  It was tons of fun !!!

  I need to say that it was my great honour and pleasure to have participated in European EME Contest 2008, establishing my first random CW EME QSO's.
  Having been so far QRV exclusively on HF bands, shifting my main interest and efforts to VHF CW EME, I see that greatly enhances ham radio challenge, technical knowledge and operational just enhances my skills.
  Thank you all for giving me this wonderful opportunity !!! 

  During the contest I was QRV 80% of both 2 moon passes, and I had the real pleasure to make the following Random QSOs:

  RU1AA  SV1BTR  LZ2US  SP7DCS 
   
  Partial and NC with YO2AMU , Doru sorry for finally missing you. We exchanged the calls, he heard my report, but I never heard him coming back - although he did... 
  CWNR: F1FLA, F3VS and other stations like OZ1HNE, IT9CJC etc. but they went qrt or qsy'ed just when I had the chance to copy their full callsign 
  H-frame was finally managed to be fully lifted 2.5 hrs after Saturday's moonrise. Propagation conditions wise, there was deep QSB in the daytime and signals improved in the nightime, however activity did not support the better conditions.

  This weekend was an exciting experience for me, I really loved it and I am looking forward for more in the near future !
  Therefore I welcome CW EME skeds (pse e-mail me direct) , that would help me acquire hands-on experience and a new initial for you.  As first sked attempts with stations having at least 4 yagis, and good power; qrm in a city of 60,000 people and myself wanting to build operational experience & rx skills, slowly but steadily, requires a more sensible start .....

  At this point, I would like to take this opportunity and express my heartfelt thanks, congratulations and appreciation to all of the contest participants especially to my elmer Jimmy, SV1BTR and all of you Lunar Fans out there that made possible my dream to hear and work my first CW EME signals as the most amazing, to me, ham radio reality!

  Happy DXing and Moon experimenting
  de Victoria SV2KBS 


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