Belize it or not drdx-pedition 2015

[drdx]

Hello all. Just a heads up, I'm going on a trip this week to belize. I'm bringing along an old beat up but working 148gtl and a dipole with me in an attempt to operate from a small island off the coast there if my radio makes it past customs. I'm told that if they catch my rig that they will hold it til I go obtain a permit to operate. I'll cross that bridge if I get there. Anyway, I'll have wifi down there and will post back once I'm there and operational. I'll be down there 10 days and my condo has a rooftop patio so the signal should be good. I'm using my pro start portable supply just as I did on last year's cruise. I figure that if I can talk back to the states from a cruise ship then this island should be a piece of cake.

I'll keep you guys posted and give times of operation as I can. In the meantime check your maps so you know where to aim your signal squirters. I will be just east of belize city out in the water.

-drdx

[Bombero]

Hey...

From here to Belize...2655 km / 1650 miles

I'm standing by...

Bombero

[Buzzweiser]

If conditions allow I'll be listening for you. Hasn't been a lot of signals coming in from down that way lately here in Ohio. Been getting a little sandpile action but that's been it. But when you can post your frequencies and times and we'll give it a shot.

[barefoothank]

May the force err I mean the conditions be with you.

[MDYoungblood]

Hmm, I made the trip when you were cruising the Caribbean, I think I can maybe make the trip there too.

3's

Greg

[drdx]

Well I'm here and getting a basic station set up. I'll tinker with it until I get something effective that has decent swr then post times for later in the week. I'm on the balcony for now but will move to the roof later once have a plan. Note to self- bring more coax and a tuner. The rig is a 148 on a battery and dipole, my luxury items bring a external speaker and power mic. The band is dead but I either heard bozo or some guy getting back to him on 6 briefly.

-drdx

[Bombero]

......The band is dead but I either heard bozo or some guy getting back to him on 6 briefly.
-drdx

Hey Dave...

I'm looking forward to you getting everything set up.

I doubt it was Bozo...he don't get up this early.

Bombero

[drdx]

My roof is in the open but I was surprised a bit ago by how many casual am conversations I was hearing just on a wire laying on the patio rail on 28 and then on 38lsb including several guys in the south. Im an hour by boat off the coast so there are no local cab drivers on and the noise level is super low despite the electrical situation here. Well, I'm off to adventure but will post closer to real operating time later in the week as I know lots are working.

-drdx

[Buzzweiser]

Just turned on the radio this morning. Hearing some Florida sandpile kinda weak but Trinidad and Tobago are coming in hard on the freeband. Kind of well east of Belize but there is maybe going to be an opening coming up this afternoon if conditions move west with the sun.

[MDYoungblood]

drdx is going to drop in the "ShoutBox" and let us know when he's on and a channel. I've had Florida skip the last couple mornings.

3's

greg

[drdx]

Ok guys, I have my dipole fine tuned for the roof here. I'll get a pic of it. It is held up with paracord and giant suction cups at each end. One end is stuck to a window and the other to a rooftop water tank. The whole station sets up in 2 minutes.
That puts it about 35 feet up.

So, I'm going to first get on tomorrow morning (Saturday) at 7am mountain time/8 central/9 eastern. I figure more people are off and can maybe try. In addition I'll try to be in the shout box. I'll try on 37 LSB for the first half hour then get on 34 AM at 730. I'll be using my 198 or dollar-98 for my numbers and I hope to catch you guys on there and I have my phone to record if contacts start happening or worst case I'll just run a tape on who I hear.

I'm off to do island stuff, have a nice Friday.

-drdx

[443 Arizona]

last time i squirted a signal down there i talked to a shrimpboat captain. will be lookin to hear you squeezin tha mic DRDX.

[drdx]

Sounds good. Now for those in az that don't do daylight savings, that's 6am as you guys are pacific in the summer.

-drdx

[MDYoungblood]

I'll be on 37LSB at 9 my time (eastern), listen for "321, the Middle of Maryland" !!

3's

Greg

[barefoothank]

Somebody 'gate this, I be work'in.

[drdx]

Well, after a half hour on 37 then on 34, no luck. But I did have armchair clear copy of applejack on ch 6 talking to a guy in a mobile. Then right at the end 38 opened up a little but I wasn't heard. I'll try to set up an afternoon time Sunday and maybe it will open up. I have no way of getting a radio check but I have good output on the meter, great swr, I'm hearing stuff but just not enough wattage on top of this cottage. Note to self- bring more coax so I'm not stuck sitting on a hot rooftop.

-drdx

[barefoothank]

Status?

[443 Arizona]

dollar 98, dollar 98,
we be making change for you up here.c'mon.(your new handle there is going to be 38 pesos, 38 pesos)
i hear alot of southern stations but they seem to be having trouble with too much weather, copy that?
they sure like their noisemakers down there.
you keep us posted.
get on a fishboat that has lots of antenna's and see what you can do,
let go of that drink long enough to squeeze a mic.

[drdx]

Well, that was a big bust. I'm back but tried a few more days to make a single contact before I wasted everyone's time again and no luck. I've had this happen before so I'll just learn and move on. If anyone goes to ambergris caye I can guide them to a hidden dipole on the roof of a building that is easily accessed, lol. Maybe next time I'll bring a few more watts and do a wire beam to enhance the chance if conditions are there. Now that I know that customs is so easy I can bring better gear on future trips.

Stay tuned, I have another cool event idea coming up and I'll be operating again thanksgiving week from a cruise ship again as I had luck with that last time.

-drdx

[MDYoungblood]

I gave it a try a couple of times but like you said, no go.

3's

Greg

[Buzzweiser]

I gave it a go a few times myself but I guess conditions just wasn't there. Haven't really heard anything south of the Gulf Coast in awhile. I usually talk to a bunch on freeband down in the islands quite often but haven't heard them in awhile either. Keep us posted on your cruise and maybe we'll be able to hook up again on there. Season wise that's probably a better time for conditions.
Hope you had a great trip and glad you made it back safe!!

73's

[443 Arizona]

drdx, i sent you a courier pigeon but that flapper never got thru either.