H40WA Temotu 2024 DXpedition

[928bolo]

The H40WA DXpedition plans are to be on the air from February 22 to March 7. Temotu is a province in the Solomon Islands (point your antenna toward Australia, 280 degrees for me). Temotu is #42 on ClubLog's most wanted list.

They will be using two 5 band Hex Beams and several VDA (vertical dipole arrays). Verticals for 30/30/80. Inv L for 160. They have 5 radios and 4 amplifiers and will be running about 1kw. See the link to their website below for their operating plan.

Their FT8 operation will be unique. Below is a quote from their website.

In an effort to combat piracy, the H40WA team will be beta-testing a new anti-spoofing technology developed by WSJT-X developer Brian Moran, N9ADG. This should help calling stations have confidence that they’re copying the real H40WA.

Here’s how it works:

H40WA will transmit CQs and work stations, and every few cycles will send a callsign followed by a 6 digit verification number:

010200 -3 0.1 300 - H40WA 695243
010200 -3 0.1 360 - CQ H40WA RH29

Only H40WA will be able to send the right code for a particular timestamp, which can be verified by checking the www.9dx.cc website: 9dx.cc/verify/H40WA

If you recall the Bouvet fiasco many people worked pirates. Maybe the verification number will help you determine if you worked the real thing. They will have STARLINK setup and intend to have live logging available on ClubLog. Below is a link to ClubLog's Live Active Streams. Look for H30WA when they become active. You will be able to see what bands and modes they are operating in real time. There is also a button to search their log.

Temotu is not a new one for me. I have them confirmed on 40m CW. My current DX goals are to work every CQ zone on every band, using CW and FT8. They are in CQ zone 28. I need zone 28 for both CW and FT8 on 160m (doubt that will happen), CW on 80m, and both modes on 12m. To help me figure out when propagation might make it possible to work them I use VOACAP (link below). I've found that its predictions are pretty accurate. You configure VOACAP with your operating conditions and the operating conditions of the DX (antenna type, height, and TX power).

VOACAP generates several reports. l focus on the "Prop Wheel". It shows the UTC time, and the band. It uses a color chart to estimate probability of making a contact. You need to view both your chances of hearing them, and their chances of hearing you.

Here is the VOACAP prediction for FT8 and how I should receive H40WA at my QTH.

This is the VOACAP prediction of how H40WA should here me.

It looks like my best chances to work them on 12m will be from 19:00 to 01:00 UTC. On 80m my chances are slim. A 10% to 30% chance from 08:00 to 10:00 UTC.

The CW predictions are similar.

Propagation on 160m really can’t be predicted so I’ll just give a listen around their sunrise (07:00 UTC) and my sunrise (12:00 UTC). RFI is a big problem on these remote islands. The island's power generation can cause a lot of noise. Particularly on the low bands. The propagation may support a QSO but the local noise may prevent them from hearing you.

If you want some help with the VOACAP prediction for your QTH let me know. I’ll post the results here. Just need your location and your antenna setup (type of antenna and the height), power you use, and the modes you operate.

Sorry for the long post. Good luck.

Links:
H40WA Website https://intrepid-dx.com/h40wa/
ClubLog live stream list https://clublog.org/livestreams.php
VOACAP https://www.voacap.com/hf/

 

[928bolo]

They are on the air with 3 stations so far. Still daylight there at the time of this writing (~06:00 UTC). Not going to bother even trying to work them for a few days.

 

[928bolo]

Well....Don't need the zone on 30m but didn't have Temotu on 30m so I worked them. They are currently running 5 streams of F/H. That means they are having 5 QSOs at the same time. Pretty neat.

The log is live so I was able to confirm that I'm in the log about a minute after the QSO.

If you look at the propagation wheel I posted earlier, you'll see that at the time I made the QSO, 09:07 UTC, was the peak of propagation between our stations. They were very loud to me. I was running 80w.

Hope they are on 12m this afternoon.

 

[928bolo]

I'm working nights so set my alarm to get up and check their live stream. Got them on 12m CW.

Worked them at 20:18 UTC. That is the beginning of peak propagation according to the VOACAP prediction I calculated a few days ago (see my 1st post)

Now I need them on 12m FT8 and 80m CW.

 

[928bolo]

Couldn't resist. Worked them on 20m CW too. The Ops are fantastic. The pile up is behaving. The usual problem of people not either understanding what "Up" means or they think are have their radio set for split but don't (happens to me sometimes).

 

[928bolo]

I worked them on 80m ,FT8, at the end the east coast grey line this morning. I need them on 80m CW.

They were working Asia and EU on 20, 17, and 10 all night.

You can find their log stats at this link.
https://clublog.org/charts/?c=H40WA#r

As of this morning they have only made 191 Qs on 80m with North America. Makes me think they are having trouble with local man made noise. I tried to work them with 100w. Needed 1,000w to make the contact.

 

[928bolo]

They are packing up today. I made 4 QSOs with them but the 12m CW contact was the only one that helped my goal of WAZ on all bands, CW and FT8.

(I have the Log Book of the World confirmations already by using OQRS)

Here is a link to the stats of their log. https://clublog.org/charts/?c=H40WA#r

If you looks at the stats , FT8 was the dominate mode. FT8 Qs were 53% of the total QSOs. CW was 34% and SSB was 13%. If you are SSB only op it will be difficult to work the rare ones!

Below is a chart showing the continent by band break down and band/mode breakdown. Like most DXpeditions to Oceania , Asia, and EU dominate the log. I wish they spent more time on 80m for North America.

Next DXpedition I need to work is A52 from Bhutan. Will be a new DXCC for me. Will be on the air from Apr. 18, to May 8.