CQ World Wide Phone Contest
A wonderful week was had on the Island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea.I had the opportunity to join a fine group of operators at the shack of John, 9H1XT, where we ran the CQ World-Wide Phone Contest as 9H6A.

The Corinthia Hotel St. George’s Bay in St. Julian’s
The Operators

I am in the backgroud with Paul, 9H1BT. Paul is the highly technical brains of the operation.

Gangsta’s in a Parking Lot

In the forground are Steve, KL7SB and Marco, 9H5SN.

Here’s John, 9H1XT. He owns everything.

Trying to Escape. Here you see Paul, 9H1BT, trying to go home but Orazio, IT9BTI, won’t let him.

Hams in a Shack. Orazio, IT9BTI; Paul, 9H1BT; Marco, 9H5SN.

Joe, 9H1CG
The Antennas

High Bands. 5 elements on 10 with 5 more for 15 meters.

Middle Bands. 3 elements for 20 and the newly erected 2 elements for 40.

By the Sea.Here is the 40 meter yagi pointed toward Moscow.
Raising the 40 Meter Yagi

Final Assembly. Getting the 40 meter yagi ready for putting in the air.

The Crane. Here comes the crane. Antenna assembly finished just in time.

Tower First. Putting the sections together.

Rotor and Mast

Antenna is next.

Looks good.
Important Ham Radio Poses

The Gentry. For my friend Paul Gentry, K9PG.

The Dauer. For my friend Carsten Dauer, DM9EE
9H6A and 9H3FH QSL Card

Maltese Callsign
The Malta Communications Authority (MCA) is a friendly place to get your license.You can apply for a Maltese callsign by filling out the application found here. File early, it can take a couple of months. Mine was snagged up and took more than 4 months!

The Contest
It’s unfortunate that I made very few QSOs outside the contest.
Here I am using my callsign 9H3FH on 30 meters with Stephen Bloom, KL7SB, using his callsign 9H3AK on 20 CW.
Traveling to Malta
It’s unfortunate that I made very few QSOs outside the contest.
After driving to Syracuse Hancock Airport I take a Jet Blue flight to JFK. Lufthansa will fly me to Frankfurt, Germany followed by the final leg into Malta.

Overlooking JFK Airport in the morning, Queens, NY.

The big Lufthansa A380 jet to Frankfurt from JFK.

Returning home Air Malta takes me to London, Heathrow. From there Air Canada will fly me to Toronto and over the Great Lake to Syracuse.