My latest QRP mini-DXpedition was to Monterrey, Mexico, the weekend of July 28, 2001. I did take a couple of photos of my setup, which I will post when they are available.
The procedure for obtaining an XE license for a U.S. amateur is not particularly easy; however, it is not particularly daunting. For further information, the following web pages are very useful:
My station consisted of my MFJ-9040 and a dipole. I also brought along my two meter handheld, which yielded a couple of QSO's on 146.52. (Unfortunately, my old IC-2AT does not transmit PL tones, which are apparently required for the repeaters in the Monterrey area.)
This was an urban DXpedition, operating from a hotel. This always presents a challenge, since for some reason, urban hotel rooms are typically not designed around the need to put up a 40 meter dipole! However, I requested and received an upper-floor room with a balcony, secure in the knowledge that I could figure out something that would work!
The balcony had a solid wall about four feet tall at its edge. A close inspection revealed a loose screw in the ceiling, near the sliding-glass door to the room. Using one of the hotel chairs, I was able to reach up and slip a twist tie around this screw, which was more than adequate for holding the apex of an inverted vee. I initially just draped each leg of the dipole over the balcony and let them drop down along the building. Unfortunately, this did not work very well. In my first night of operating, a couple of stations copied a partial call from me, but I did not manage any QSOs. Probably at least ten feet of each leg of the antenna was touching the surface of the wall, and this was attenuating my signal to the point of being imperceptible.
To cure this problem, I went to a local building supply store in search of something to use as an antenna support. What I came away with was two ten-foot sections of wooden dowling. I placed these on the balcony railing (which was almost two feet wide) extending out from the building about 8 feet. The hotel phone books were put into service to hold these dowels in place. I tied the antenna wires to the end of the dowels, and let the ends of the wire (about 10 feet) hang free. Since the ends were now out from the building, the antenna was more or less in the clear.
At first, the results were still disappointing. During the early evening, I did hear a number of loud U.S. stations, but did not manage to work many. However, I tried again in an early-morning session (about 3:00-5:00 U.S. central time), with quite good results.
Here is a listing of stations worked. QSL's will be on the way as soon as I can get around to making some up!
If you are listed above, that means that you have good ears and a good receiver because, as one station I worked noted, from my signal strength, it sounded like I was in China!
TNX & 73, Rick, XE2/W0IS