VU2RBQ (DJ9RB): DX Vacation To Southern India, January 1999

Like every year I stayed in Vizhinjam again, 15 km south of Trivandrum (Tiruvanatapuram) at 
the beaches of Kovalam (the lighthouse located at 8 N, 77 E). 
I took an international flight from Frankfurt to Madras (Cennai) with a 50 minutes connecting 
flight to Trivandrum the day after. For accommodation I choose a bungalow close to the beach. 
On the flat roof a vertical antenna was erected. This antenna is top-loaded using a wire sphere 
with a diameter of 1m. A detailed description can be found on my homepage:

   http://www.dj9rb.de/
   (Refer to topic 5, "80m Band, Top-Loaded Vertical").

The ground load is made of a 12 sq. m mesh of copper wires. The antenna measures 7.5m in 
height. Resonance frequency is 7 MHz and 24 MHz (with no matching).

As there were no buildings around, the neighborhood could also be used for antennas. Imagine 
this: no restrictions at all and palm trees as tall as 22m! 
An L-antenna was set-up for 160m operation. This took me about three days for it was quite a big 
challenge: Five guy ropes of 50 to 75m each were needed to hold the antenna. The antenna wire 
itself had a length of 84m. The vertical part went up to a height of 18 or 20m and the length of 
the trapezoidal top-load was about 23m with its ends sloping down to 16m. The ground meshes 
and wire loops were buried in the bungalow's garden using an area of 150 to 200 sq. m. Location 
and size of the antenna promised good results.
Unfortunately, QRM will be always a problem in this area. The noise from the rickshaws with 
their two-stroke engines is just terrible and will last long over midnight. In early evening's dusk it 
could be so nice but then, mains voltage goes low (sometimes down to 160 volts) and noise goes 
up. It will be a little better around 7:30 to 8:00 p.m., when there is a cut in electricity 
("powerbrake"). Then I am ready with all my equipment - transceiver, PC, and lights - hooked to 
batteries. Still, there will be some general QRN and the QRM by traffic noise.
Later however it will get really LOUD: pilgrims are on their way to the beaches playing drums. 
They use to pass my bungalow beating any QRN by far. Drum-rolls have just ceased when you'll 
hear music from loudspeakers all over the village: it's festival time again.
Facing these conditions hams in Europe hear me asking up to three times for their call sign... Or I 
may switch on the air condition and listen to just another tune.
HAM RADIO in India - it's always an experience and I love it.                             Dj9RB, Norbert