9H – Xgħajra, Malta

Dates: 25 October to 2 November 2016

Callsign: 9H6A and 9H3FH

/9H – Xgħajra, Malta
9H – Xgħajra, Malta 2021-04-09T09:00:43-05:00

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.

9H_Summary_DaveHotel

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

The Operators

9H_Shack_DavePaul

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

9H_Shack_Group2

Gangsta’s in a Parking Lot

9H_Shack_Group3

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

9H_Shack_John

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

9H_Shack_PaulOrazio

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

9H_Station_Group

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

9H_Operators_Joe_9H1CG

Joe, 9H1CG

9H_Operators_Orazio_IT9BTI

Orazio, IT9BTI

 

The Antennas

9H_Antennas_10es15

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

9H_Antennas_20es40

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

9H_Antennas_40esSea

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

9H_Antennas_80es160

Low Bands. This vertical is shared for both 80 and 160 meters. I made a few 30 meter QSOs on it too.

 

Raising the 40 Meter Yagi

9H_40Meters_John2

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

9H_40Meters_Craine

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

9H_40Meters_TowerSection

Tower First. Putting the sections together.

9H_40Meters_TowerSection2

Rotor and Mast

9H_40Meters_Antenna

Antenna is next.

9H_40Meters_Antenna2

Looks good.

 

Important Ham Radio Poses

9H_Gentry

The Gentry. For my friend Paul Gentry, K9PG.

9H_Dauer

The Dauer. For my friend Carsten Dauer, DM9EE

9H6A and 9H3FH QSL Card

9H_QSL_F

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!

9H_License

The Contest

It’s unfortunate that I made very few QSOs outside the contest.

9H_DaveSteve

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.

9H_TravelMap

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.

9H_Travel_JFK

Overlooking JFK Airport in the morning, Queens, NY.

9H_Travel_Luftsansa

The big Lufthansa A380 jet to Frankfurt from JFK.

9H_Travel_AirMalta

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.