4U1UN - United Nations Amateur Radio Club

[4L5A]

The following post is from K2QI, James Sarte, President of the United Nations Amateur Radio Club

It's been a while since the last update but I have some news to share. We're one step closer to being back on the air. As some may know, Dmitri Zhikharev RA9USU along with Adrian Ciuperca KO8SCA have been working with me behind the scenes to get the station operational again. Through the generous donations of Dima and his associates (notably Ed Kritsky NT2X), we were able to get a rack mounted K3, Acom 2000 linear amplifier, and associated network-enabled control hardware. We were also granted another K3 to act as a remote head from SK Tony N2UN via his widow, and delivered to us by Andrew Bodony K2LE. Finally, Adrian has been doing a lot of behind-the-scenes networking and legwork with his counterparts to help get things done from within the United Nations.

Yesterday represents an additional milestone for the club as Adrian (who did most of the work) and I, finally erected a brand new SteppIR BigIR vertical antenna on the Secretariat's roof. All that remains is to connect and lay the ground radials, fine-tune the rack mounted devices, and setup and configure the remote K3. Once done and after almost a decade off-air, we can finally call CQ 20 de 4U1UN.
QSL via HB9BOU, LOTW.
Ads for direct QSL:
Herbert Aeby, Route du Moulin 1, CH-1782, Belfaux, Switzerland.

[KC2CYH]

That is great hope to make contact one day 73’s and good luck. KC2CYH

[4L5A]

W3UR talked to KO8SCA Friday afternoon. Adrian was working on the new BigIR 40-10 meter antenna at the 4U1UN station.
He was not able to get on the air but did get some work on that antenna done, with a limited amount of time.
He hopes to go back to the station tomorrow to finish putting down radials and more guy wires and hopes to be able to test the amplifier and make sure there is no interference to other equipment, both radios and computers, in the building.
So, look for some "test QSOs" before he goes to Japan later this week.

[4L5A]

The antenna work at 4U1UN has to be rescheduled and therefore there will not be any antenna testing today. Perhaps later this week.

Information from Bernie, W3UR Daily DX

[4L5A]

KO8SCA, Adrian, is about to go on 20 meters at 4U1UN to rest the new antenna installation. I don’t think he will be on very long.

Information from Bernie, W3UR Daily DX.

[4L5A]

Yesterday KO8SCA, Adrian, was able to complete the SteppIR BigIR installation and had the antenna inspected. Afterwards he was able to put 4U1UN on the air from the 41st floor to run some tests at the barefoot levels. He managed to work about 50 stations on 14.240 MHz between about 1615Z and 1645Z. In the future he hopes to be able to get the amplifier online and remote the station down to the third floor. This new location will make it easier for guest operators to activate the 4U1UN station. For the record someone was pirating the 4U1UN call on CW on 20 meters yesterday after Adrian's SSB activity and again today around 0300Z. Adrian will be emailing the log to the QSL manager HB9BOU in the next 24 hours. N2AJ, Steve, made a video of the historic

[4L5A]

Someone playing games with the 4U1UN callsign.
Pirate station reported on 20 meters CW and FT8.

[4L5A]

4U1UN News 20 November 2019.

1. Beacon is back although the antenna is literally being held together with tape and chewing gum at this point. Not sure how much longer it'll survive.

2. We've managed to figure out the kinks with the rack mounted system. Additionally, Elecraft fixed and returned our malfunctioning K3. We ran a few quick tests today and seems everything is finally functioning as it should. That said, you should start to hear 4U1UN back on the air very soon. Some may have had the good fortune of working Adrian today while he ran some tests.

[EA8AM]

That is good news.
I am missing in 2 bands, so we will be attentive. I
also hope that the two missing entities are activated to complete my DCCC, Swains I. KH8/S and P5 North Korea, the latter entity,
I find it very difficult to get on the air.
Greetings to all.

[4L5A]

4U1UN – United Nations Headquarters – Yes KO8SCA, Adrian, was “on site” in order “to replace a serial cable and test to see if it works”. Having only one hour to do this he tried 6, 20 and eventually 40 meters (7.172, QSX up 5 KHz) where he made 100 SSB QSOs between about 2300 and 0000Z. Adrian says “Now that all works, we should hear the 4U1UN more often in the air”. QSL via HB9BOU.
Information received from Bernie, W3UR Daily DX.